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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.

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Question reference: S6W-03767

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 11 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many grant or reimbursement applications for eBikes through the Low Emission Zone Support Fund’s Travel Better scheme have been (a) received and (b) approved to date.

Through the LEZ support fund, eligible households disposing of a non-LEZ compliant car can claim a cash grant, plus up to £500 per adult in ‘Travel Better’ vouchers towards the cost of a range of travel options such as rail pass, bus pass, bike, car hire, or bike hire.

As eBikes are more expensive than the £500 ‘Travel Better’ grant, applicants can use the 'Travel Better' grant to part-fund the cost of an eBike and pay the additional costs themselves.

We have received 63 applications for part-funding purchases of eBikes and 63 grants have been approved as of 21 October 2021. A further 3 ‘Travel better’ grants have been also been given towards the cost of recycled/repurposed eBikes.

Applications for part-funding of eBikes represent 17% of all ‘travel better’ grants approved.

Question reference: S6W-03769

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 11 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many organisations approved to be on the Crown Commercial Service framework agreement, RM6008, in the Management Consultancy Framework Two, it considers have expertise in the delivery of social care.

The Framework represents a range of skills required for major transformation programme support including programme management and governance setup as opposed to social care delivery experience. The Framework was established specifically in recognition of the need for such services on an occasional basis and is available for use by all UK public bodies. It sought to address the understandable lack of such specialist internal resources due to the temporary nature of such a requirement. Calling off from the Framework provides access to a range of skill sets, and levels and areas of specialism drawn from a team of resources as opposed to reliance on single individuals.

Question reference: S6W-01602

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 July 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 11 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government by what date it plans to start the roll-out of the 2021-22 flu-immunisation programme, and how many people will be eligible for a free flu vaccination, broken down by eligible groups.

We are currently working with Public Health Scotland and Health Boards to plan and deliver the 2021-22 Seasonal Flu Vaccination Programme for the autumn.

We welcome the advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation who have indicated that where possible, a COVID-19 vaccination booster programme could run synergistically with the flu vaccination programme. This allows for eligible cohorts to be offered both the flu vaccination and a COVID-19 booster at the same appointment and we are working closely with partners to align the programmes to achieve this where possible (taking into account the minimum 24 week gap required between a 2nd dose and booster).

In light of this advice, we have started this year’s programme on the 6 September aiming to vaccinate over 3 million people, with work completed to identify the eligible group populace. It began with rollout of the childhood and schools programme and Health & Social Care Workers were able to book appointments using the online portal from 21 September. Those age 70 years and over have been sent letters inviting them for vaccination and pregnant women are being offered through maternity services.

Those aged 60-69 years of age are being sent letters from late October inviting them for vaccination and an online self-booking portal is being developed for those aged 50 years and over and unpaid carers to allow people to book an appointment at a convenient time and location allowing greater flexibility during November and December in advance of the anticipated start of flu season.

Cohort	Eligible Population
65 and over-	1,101,519
Children aged 2-5 who cannot receive LAIV	877
Children Aged 2-5	168,209
Primary School Aged Children	421,295
Secondary School Age Children less than 18 years	336,125
Under 65 years old in an at-risk group	773,085
Pregnant women(with & without risk factors)	36,905
Health & social care staff	308,073
Unpaid and young carers	48,600
Independent NHS Contractors, (GP, dental and optometry practices, community pharmacists, laboratory staff working on COVID-19 testing) including support staff	72,919
Teachers, support staff, Prison staff and support staff operating the detention estate.	80,581
Prison population (Fluctuates daily – approximate figure provided. Population may also be included in cohorts above.)	7,500
50-54 not at risk	363,473
55-59 not at risk	356,254
60-64 not at risk	312,366
Total	4,387,781

Influenza vaccine data is published by Public Health Scotland and on the 28 October indicated that 944,989 eligible individuals have received their flu vaccine.

Question reference: S6W-04333

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 November 2021
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answer expected on 24 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body when it last met with trade unions representing Scottish Parliamentary Service and MSP staff.

Question reference: S6W-04332

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 November 2021
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answer expected on 24 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what it considers to be its obligations under the Fair Work Convention with regards to staff employed directly by MSPs.

Question reference: S6O-00380

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 November 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to encourage the public to travel by bus, in light of reports that the recent Transport Scotland COVID-19 transport trends indicate that concessionary bus travel is down by 35% on pre-pandemic levels.

Question reference: S6O-00374

Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 November 2021
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the reported findings in The Lancet that having two doses of a vaccine does not prevent the transmission of COVID-19, and how this may impact its COVID passport scheme.

Question reference: S6O-00372

Asked by: Emma Roddick, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 November 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the anticipated timescale for the publication of the independent public inquiry into the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Question reference: S6O-00384

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 November 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to improve ferry services to island communities.

Question reference: S6O-00395

Asked by: Evelyn Tweed, MSP for Stirling, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 November 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it is making on issuing payments to farmers and crofters through this year’s National Basic Payment Support Scheme.