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Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

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Question reference: S6W-05098

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 13 December 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 23 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how the £2.5 million that it committed to in the publication, Scotland's Long COVID Service, to support nine research projects relating to long COVID, has been allocated.

Question reference: S6W-05089

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 13 December 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 23 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how the £40,000 that it committed to delivering a targeted marketing campaign relating to long COVID, in conjunction with community pharmacies, has been allocated.

The Scottish Government is committed to providing clear information and support for people with long COVID. To help raise awareness of symptoms and signpost people to appropriate support, a marketing campaign ran in October and November 2021. The campaign budget was invested in: print and production of campaign posters for display in community pharmacies and GP surgeries across Scotland, language translations, social media posts and a campaign toolkit sent to 250 direct partner contacts with additional distribution of approximately 3,000 contacts.

The campaign directed people to the long COVID microsite hosted by NHS Inform, accessible at www.nhsinform.scot/long-covid . The microsite had nearly 86,000 users during the campaign period.

Question reference: S6W-05093

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 13 December 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 23 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how much of the £10 million Long COVID Support Fund has been spent since September 2021.

Question reference: S6W-05095

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 13 December 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 23 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what professional roles in primary care have been expanded through the Primary Care Improvement Fund in order to help people with long COVID.

In 2021-22 our investment in support of General Practice of £155 million (through the Primary Care Improvement Fund) demonstrates the Scottish Government’s ongoing commitment to the development of multi-disciplinary teams to support general practice. This investment will free up GP and GP practice staff time to focus on complex care in the community, including treating patients with long COVID. On top of this we have made additional winter funding available to Health Boards to allow the recruitment of extra Primary Care pharmacists, nurses, physiotherapists and other MDT staff.

Question reference: S6F-00615

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 20 December 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 December 2021

To ask the First Minister when the Cabinet will next meet.

Question reference: S6W-04215

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 20 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government which venues or events it is considering including in any future expanded use of the NHS Scotland COVID Status App.

The First Minister updated Parliament on 23 November confirming that people attending venues or events covered by the Covid Certification scheme now have the option of providing either a record of their recent negative test, or vaccination. This change will came into effect from Monday 6 December. No further changes to the scope of the scheme are proposed at this stage but this is kept under review.

Decisions are taken, and reviewed on the latest data and clinical evidence. Our review process includes consideration of the impact assessments, including the Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment.

Question reference: S6W-04217

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 20 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether the NHS Scotland COVID Status App has been updated on Android, Apple and other app stores in order to prevent potential screenshotting.

The NHS Scotland Covid Status App was updated on 26 October (to version 2.1.0) to disable the ability to take a screenshot on Android devices. This cannot be achieved in the same way directly via Apple iOS without disabling the app as a whole, so is therefore not disabled for Apple devices. However, the shimmer feature on the app can immediately alert someone who is visually checking Covid status apps if it genuine or if a screen shot.

Question reference: S6W-04842

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 06 December 2021
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 15 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance community choirs should follow when meeting for rehearsals.

People who participate in performing arts, including community choirs should follow general Covid-19 guidance ( Coronavirus in Scotland - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) . This encourages people to get vaccinated, take regular lateral flow tests, wear face coverings, self-isolate and book a PCR test at the onset of symptoms of Covid-19, keep good hygiene and hand-washing practices, open windows indoors, keep distance from people outwith their immediate group, and use the Covid Status, Protection Scotland, and Check In Scotland apps.

In addition to this, community choirs should also follow the Coronavirus (COVID-19): reopening of cultural performances and events guidance - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) which contains further information including on face coverings for rehearsals and performances.

Question reference: S6W-04544

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 19 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 14 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many staff there are in its (a) COVID-19 and (b) flu vaccination centres, broken down by category.

The flu vaccination and covid vaccination is a joint programme in Scotland, eligible citizens are offered both vaccinations at a single appointment. Staff can therefore not be delineated by vaccination type. Management information indicates that during the period 17 – 23 Nov c. 1,470 whole time equivalent (WTE) vaccinators were deployed by Health Boards (1 x WTE = 37.5 hours per week); staffing deployment on the programme is kept under active review Head count will be significantly higher as vaccinations staff work a variety of different working patterns, in line with local needs and clinic opening hours. This figure does not include administration and support staff which varies by both Health Board setting and clinic type.

Question reference: S6W-04391

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 15 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 14 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government by what date it will have recruited 500 advanced nurse practitioners, in line with its commitment in the Programme for Government, and whether the number of staff recruited will amount to 500 whole-time equivalent posts.