- Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 July 2020
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Current Status:
Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 19 August 2020
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason indoor equestrian events are not permitted to take place, and what plans it has to review this.
Answer
All sports and activities pose different challenges, which can impact on the timing of resumption of certain disciplines.
As it stands the indicative date for the reopening of indoor sport and leisure facilities including indoor equestrian centres is Monday 14 September with physical distancing and enhanced hygiene measures in place. The Scottish Government will continue to review the situation to see if earlier reopening is possible, with the intention to provide a further update on 20th August 2020.
In collaboration with the sector, the Scottish Government have been developing robust guidance and protocols that will allow necessary preparation for facilities to provide confidence for members and staff to return safely.
- Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 10 August 2020
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Current Status:
Answered by Kevin Stewart on 14 August 2020
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it has taken to publicise the legal requirement to install interlinked fire alarms in all homes by February 2021.
Answer
An announcement was made on 28 March 2018 of our intention to strengthen the current standards we have in place for fire alarms. This announcement was widely reported in press, television and social media as well as housing and electrical related publications. An informative fact sheet was also made available on our website: https://www.gov.scot/publications/fire-and-smoke-alarms-in-scottish-homes/
A joint awareness raising campaign will be taken forward, coordinated across Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, Scottish Government and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities to ensure consistency in approach in all local authority areas prior to the standard coming into force on 1 February 2021.
- Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 August 2020
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 20 August 2020
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it has disengaged from discussions with the UK Government regarding the forthcoming internal market legislation.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 20 August 2020
- Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 20 July 2020
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Current Status:
Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 11 August 2020
To ask the Scottish Government for what reasons acupuncture cannot take place at present, and when such services can restart.
Answer
Following a clinical assessment, personal retail services, including Complementary and Alternative Medicine services (CAMs) and massage therapy, were advised that they could resume services as of 22 July 2020, where the service is carried out in a therapist’s own premises (i.e. not a mobile therapist, who provides treatment in a patient’s home), and the close contact retail guidance has been updated to reflect this.
The Scottish Government are undertaking further clinical assessment of the risk of transmission of COVID-19 for mobile massage and CAM services, and are considering whether further guidance is required for these.
- Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 27 July 2020
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Current Status:
Answered by Kate Forbes on 10 August 2020
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-30120 by Aileen Campbell on 17 July 2020, what consideration was given to including church halls in the scheme, and whether the potential for discrimination was reviewed as part of any decision.
Answer
In addition to the £350m Communities Fund, including the Third Sector Resilience Fund, the Scottish Government has provided over £2.3 billion of support to businesses through grants and reliefs. The Small Business Support Grant was available for church halls which met the eligibility criteria.
The criteria for the Coronavirus Business Support Grant Scheme was linked to the non-domestic rates system. Church halls were listed as a qualifying purpose and to be eligible, the premises had to be in receipt of the Small Business Bonus Scheme, or eligible for Small Business Bonus Scheme but in receipt of a range of other reliefs, including Charitable Rate Relief.
- Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 20 July 2020
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Current Status:
Answered by Jeane Freeman on 6 August 2020
To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish guidance on the reopening of adult day services.
Answer
I and the Minister for Children and Young People wrote to Health and Social Care Partnerships, Chief Social Work Officers providers and others on 3 August 2020 advising that this comprehensive guidance on adult day centre services will issue as soon as possible, expected late August. We also advised that in the interim, such services can reopen, subject to being adapted and risk assessed in line with certain existing guidance; and agreement to the approach by the local Health Protection teams and the Care Inspectorate.
The letter is published on the Scottish Government website at:
www.gov.scot/policies/social-care/latest
- Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 09 July 2020
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 5 August 2020
To ask the Scottish Government whether funding will remain in place for childcare providers that are already providing 1,140 hours of childcare.
Answer
Local authorities continue to be funded in full to deliver the 1140 hours early learning and childcare expansion programme.
As co-chairs of the ELC Joint Delivery Board, Councillor Stephen McCabe and I wrote jointly to all local authorities on 8 July 2020 asking that authorities continue to work in partnership with funded providers to reach agreement on sustainable local funding models. Local authorities should continue to ensure that funding paid to providers for delivery of funded ELC entitlement remains sustainable and reflects the current costs of delivery.
We know work on the ELC expansion is already well advanced, and that many providers and local authorities will be able to deliver more than the minimum requirement of 600 hours funded ELC to families. Local authorities will work with providers to confirm local plans, ensuring quality of care and improving outcomes for children remains central to delivery of the funded entitlement.
- Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 July 2020
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Current Status:
Answered by Kate Forbes on 5 August 2020
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason wholesale businesses that supply the retail and hospitality sector are not included in the £25,000 retail, hospitality and leisure business support grant.
Answer
In designing the grant system Scottish Ministers had to balance helping as many businesses as possible against affordability. The decision to prioritise support on small and medium sized businesses and businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors was to ensure more efficient use of limited resources and support as many businesses as possible.
- Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 20 July 2020
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Current Status:
Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 31 July 2020
To ask the Scottish Government for what reasons auction houses cannot open at present, and when they will be allowed to do so.
Answer
As part of phase 3 of Scotland’s route map, auction houses have been able to reopen from 22 July. Sectoral guidance was updated on 17 July and is available on the Scottish Government website.
- Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 06 July 2020
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Current Status:
Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 30 July 2020
To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has made of the letter from the Upper Nithsdale Community Trust to the Minister for Energy, Connectivity and the Islands regarding the Section 36 application for the construction and operation of a wind farm at Sandy Knowe, near Kirkconnel.
Answer
The Decision Letter for Sandy Knowe Wind Farm was issued on 7 July 2020 which granted section 36 consent and deemed planning permission for the development, following consideration by Scottish Ministers. The material matters raised in the letter from the Upper Nithsdale Community Trust were taken into account together with the application, Environmental Impact Assessment Report, Additional Information, Additional Information 2, consultation responses, representations and all other material information to reach the decision. Given the application was in respect of a project in the parliamentary region of South Scotland, which it is my privilege to represent in the Scottish Parliament, I was not directly involved in the determination of the application.
As the member may already be aware, any community benefit proposed by an applicant is not a material consideration for Scottish Ministers to take into account in the determination of any application.
