- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 30 September 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 27 October 2022
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason there are reportedly insufficient vaccinators to cover the number of people invited for vaccination appointments, in light of reports of this happening in Alexandria on 23 and 24 September 2022.
Answer
In instances where staff are sick absences may occur at short notice which cannot be foreseen, and bank cover staff are not always available at short notice to replace staff. Every effort is made to ensure there is sufficient vaccinators on site, however, as appointments are created and scheduled weeks in advance therefore local issues may arise.
Greater Glasgow and Clyde has put measures in place to try and reduce wait times and queues at its clinics by ensuring appropriate measures are in place to manage queues safely and effectively. For example, advising members of the public to arrive as close to their scheduled appointment time as possible to avoid queues.
- Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 30 September 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 27 October 2022
To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to clarify its procurement policy on maintaining a sustainable and resilient supply of PPE.
Answer
Work is underway on a new approach to pandemic PPE through a joined-up public sector procurement arrangement, led by NHS National Services Scotland. We anticipate that we will transition to these new arrangements over the course of the next financial year.
- Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 30 September 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Angus Robertson on 27 October 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an exact date for when the National Records of Scotland will publish the findings of Scotland's Census 2022.
Answer
NRS will publish the first census outputs approximately one year after conclusion of the census data collection phases.
NRS will consult with data users over the coming months to ensure that census outputs are accessible and provided in a format which meets the needs of census data users.
- Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 30 September 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 27 October 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will commit to a long-term plan for PPE to ensure there is an ongoing resilient supply of PPE and support manufacturers to develop sustainable solutions.
Answer
Audit Scotland’s briefing on PPE in June 2021 told us we need to learn from experience and to address a range of PPE issues for the future, and the Scottish Government was happy to agree to that recommendation.
Work continues to consult on and implement a new approach to pandemic PPE through a joined-up public sector procurement arrangement, led by NHS National Services Scotland (NSS). This aims to provide a more resilient supply across Health, Social Care and the wider public sector for the long term, with due priority given to the need for robust supply chains and reductions in environmental impact.
The Scottish Government has already provided funding to run the first phase of a Small Business Research Initiative at NHS Tayside to help develop prototypes of reusable mask solutions. This first phase has provided an opportunity for companies to secure funding to undertake appropriate research and development of their prospective solutions.
- Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 30 September 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 27 October 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what funding is available for third sector organisations to provide footcare services for vulnerable and older people.
Answer
The Scottish Government has not provided direct funding to third sector organisations to provide footcare services for vulnerable and older people.
Funding is provided to third sector organisations, including those that support vulnerable and older people, from across Scottish Government portfolios and is not collated centrally.
- Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 October 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 27 October 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has taken legal advice on any investigations into GFG Alliance.
Answer
The Scottish Government is supported by both commercial and legal experts in its ongoing management of the Scottish Government Guarantee with the GFG Alliance.
- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 October 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 27 October 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to introduce legislation which would set a minimum megawatt hour community benefit contribution rate for onshore wind developments that increases in line with inflation.
Answer
It is not possible for the Scottish Government to introduce legislation to mandate the provision of community benefits through energy regulation because the relevant powers are reserved to the UK Government. Through our existing guidance for onshore renewable developments, we continue to promote community benefits of the value equivalent to £5,000 per installed megawatt per annum, index linked for the operational lifetime of the project.
The Scottish Government is in the process of reviewing its Good Practice Principles for Community Benefits from Offshore Renewable Energy Developments. We will consult on revised draft guidance in Spring 2023, and as part of this process we will gather evidence to help inform the need for further updates to our Good Practice Principles for: Community Benefits from, and Shared Ownership of Onshore Renewable Energy Developments.
- Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 October 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 27 October 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what contact it has had with Police Scotland in relation to GFG Alliance.
Answer
It would not be appropriate for the Scottish Government to comment on a live Serious Fraud Office investigation.
- Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 07 October 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 27 October 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has taken legal advice on the allegations of potential irregularities in CMAL’s procurement process described in the BBC programme, Disclosure: The Great Ferries Scandal.
Answer
The Scottish Government recognises the seriousness of the allegations and we are carefully considering them.
In line with the Ministerial Code, we cannot comment on whether specific legal advice has been taken on this matter.
- Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 07 October 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 27 October 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether (a) it and (b) any of its agencies or public corporations have discussed the alleged improprieties described in the BBC programme, Disclosure: The Great Ferries Scandal, with Police Scotland.
Answer
No discussions have taken place with Police Scotland.