Questions and answers

Chamber and committees

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 ��˿�� 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-18116

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 19 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 6 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has considered reviewing existing structures surrounding the regulation of private first aid companies, to ensure that there is sufficient oversight of all first aid providers in Scotland.

We agree that this is important and we want to make sure that the sector is as safe as possible and those providing first aid in Scotland are valued and appropriately trained. Officials will take this under active consideration as they undertake further work and engagement with stakeholders and continue to scope the extent of issues raised by unregulated private first aid companies and consider the most appropriate and proportionate next steps.

Question reference: S6W-18112

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 19 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 5 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what measures are currently in place to ensure that private first aid companies comply with health and safety regulations at events in Scotland.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has confirmed that an amendment in 2013 to the removed the responsibility of the HSE to approve first aid training providers and qualifications. The regulations now require employers to assess the needs for their workplace and ensure that they provide adequate and appropriate first aid to employees who are injured or become ill at work. If an employer’s needs assessment determines that they need trained first aiders, it is the responsibility of the employer to satisfy themselves of the competence of those first aiders.

The regulations apply to employees only, but are accompanied by guidance strongly recommending that non employees are considered when employers decide on the first aid cover necessary for their workplace.

Organisations providing first aid at events must comply with their responsibilities under general health and safety legislation.

HSE also provides guidance on how to manage events safely .

Question reference: S6W-18113

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 19 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 5 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-11295 by Humza Yousaf on 14 November 2022, whether it will provide an update on its discussions with Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) officials to ascertain whether there are any concerns in relation to the regulation of private first aid companies which provide medical cover at events across Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-18111

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 19 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 5 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to establish an official body tasked with carrying out regular audits and inspections of private first aid companies, such as those that exist in both England and Wales.

Question reference: S6W-18200

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 22 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 1 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-17602 by Neil Gray on 12 May 2023, under the Fair Work First Framework on conditionality for public sector grants, whether any objections from trade unions will be accepted in relation to evidence submitted by employers on meeting conditions on (a) effective voice and (b) Real Living Wage, and, if this is the case, how trade unions may make any such objections.

Where trade unions are recognised, evidence of the collective element of effective voice will be their recognition agreement. We expect in such cases that employer organisations will work with their trade unions to evidence meeting the other aspects of the new requirements and any wider Fair Work First commitments.

Our Fair Work First guidance provides an overview of some acceptable forms of evidence for employers to demonstrate effective voice and real Living Wage conditionality.

Grant recipients are asked, both at the application stage and on conclusion of the grant, to provide a statement confirming they are meeting all the Fair Work First criteria, this should be signed by a trade union representative or a worker representative where there is no formal trade union recognition agreement. It will be for the relevant grant administrator to monitor and ensure compliance, in line with normal grant management practice.

Question reference: S6W-18199

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 22 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 1 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-17602 by Neil Gray on 12 May 2023, under the Fair Work First Framework on conditionality for public sector grants, which grant funders are subject to applying conditionality on (a) effective voice and (b) Real Living Wage under these rules, and whether there are any public sector grant funders that are exempt from doing so.

As part of the landmark Bute House Agreement between the Scottish Government and Scottish Green Party, we are strengthening our approach to fair work conditionality in public sector grants.

The conditionality will apply to grants awarded across the public sector on or after 1 July 2023 and introduces a requirement to pay at least the real Living Wage to all employees, and provide appropriate channels for effective voice.

Limited exceptions may apply to ensure the conditions remain proportionate, and our Fair Work First guidance provides further detail on this. The conditionality does not apply retrospectively to public sector grants awarded before 1 July 2023, and will apply to recipients of eligible agriculture grants awarded on or after 1 April 2024.

The Scottish Government expects public sector grants awarded before 1 July 2023 which involve multi-year funding to incorporate this conditionality as part of the grant agreement for any subsequent funding years for the project concerned. We have published updated Fair Work First guidance to assist grant recipients and funders with implementing this stronger conditionality.

Question reference: S6W-18202

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 22 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 1 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-17602 by Neil Gray on 12 May 2023, under the Fair Work First Framework on conditionality for public sector grants, whether trade unions will be actively approached by public sector grant funders to confirm the accuracy of evidence submitted when seeking evidence of conditionality for public sector grants on (a) effective voice and (b) Real Living Wage.

Question reference: S6W-18201

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 22 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 1 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-17602 by Neil Gray on 12 May 2023, under the Fair Work First Framework on conditionality for public sector grants, what action will be taken where an employer (a) has provided inaccurate evidence in relation to and (b) no longer continues to meet, conditions on (i) effective voice and (ii) Real Living Wage.

We expect all grant recipients to comply with grant conditions. A grant offer letter is a contract, therefore non-compliance is a breach of this, and should be dealt with in line with existing guidance. The Scottish Public Finance Manual sets out the process for applying a clawback condition on funds, if reasonable and appropriate to do so.

We have published updated Fair Work First guidance to support grant recipients and fund administrators to apply the conditions effectively.

Question reference: S6O-02306

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 May 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 31 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will initiate an independent review into the use of surgical mesh products within NHS Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-17780

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 24 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will undertake a review of the effectiveness of the Emergency Workers (Scotland) Act 2005 in protecting NHS staff from physical and verbal assaults.

We have no plans to review the Emergency Workers (Scotland) Act 2005.

No-one should be the victim of abuse or violence while at work and assaults on NHS staff are completely unacceptable. The courts have extensive powers to deal robustly with those who attack emergency workers and we strongly encourage staff to report all instances of violent and aggressive behaviour through their local reporting systems. If it is a serious incident, then all efforts must be made to escalate to the Police as quickly as possible.

NHSScotland has joined the multi-agency Your Safety Matters (YSM) initiative, led by Police Scotland. YSM aims to minimise incidents of violence and aggression in workplaces, through campaigns, sharing resources and good practice.