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: S6F-00752

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 31 January 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 February 2022

To ask the First Minister whether the Scottish Government will give a commitment to keep ferry services in public ownership.

Question reference: S6W-05823

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 28 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the use of HEPA filters in school classrooms.

Expert advice from bodies including SAGE and the Health and Safety Executive indicates that air cleaning/filtration devices, such as HEPA filters, are not a substitute for efforts to improve ventilation in order to mitigate against the risks of COVID. Our guidance for schools reflects this advice, and makes clear that air cleaning/filtration devices should not be used as a substitute for natural or mechanical ventilation (including the opening of windows and doors).

Our updated guidance for schools does, however, make clear that air cleaning/filtration devices may be used as a temporary mitigation in exceptional circumstances when no other mitigations are achievable, while working to achieve a more sustainable solution.

The Scottish Government keeps its guidance under regular review in light of the latest expert advice, and will consider any necessary updates as research and evidence evolve.

Question reference: S6W-05824

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 27 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with teaching unions regarding ventilation in schools.

Ventilation in schools is a regular topic of discussion at the COVID-19 Education Recovery Group and the COSLA Workforce Issues Group.

In addition, on 12 January 2022, the COSLA Spokesperson for Children and Young People Councillor Stephen McCabe and I issued a joint letter to unions, requesting specific details of any ongoing ventilation issues being experienced by teaching and other school staff.

Question reference: S6W-05822

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 27 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what research it has carried out on the effectiveness of HEPA filters in reducing COVID-19 transmission rates in schools.

Our guidance for schools is informed by expert advice from bodies including SAGE and the Health and Safety Executive, which indicates that air cleaning/filtration devices, such as HEPA filters, should never be used as a substitute for efforts to improve ventilation. For example, the Health and Safety Executive’s guidance on air cleaning/filtration devices states: “ These units are not a substitute for ventilation. You should prioritise any areas identified as poorly ventilated for improvement in other ways before you think about using an air cleaning device.”

The Scottish Government keeps its guidance under regular review in light of the latest expert advice, and will consider any necessary updates as research and evidence evolve.

Question reference: S6W-05825

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 27 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to publish the methodology supplied to local authorities regarding carbon dioxide monitoring in schools.

The Scottish Government’s guidance on reducing risks in schools, which is published on the Scottish Government website, sets out the advice that local authorities should have regard to when undertaking CO2 monitoring in schools. This includes guidelines as to the actions that should be considered when CO2 readings are at certain levels.

The Scottish Government has not supplied local authorities with a detailed methodology on the use of specific models of CO2 monitors in schools. This is because, drawing on £10m of Scottish Government funding, a variety of fixed and mobile CO2 monitors have been procured by local authorities for deployment to their schools, in order to support local strategies and enable rapid procurement and assessment. Our guidance makes clear that relevant local authority teams should provide clear advice on the appropriate use of CO2 monitors in their schools.

Question reference: S6O-00692

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 January 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how its policies across government will support people living in the West Scotland region to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Question reference: S6W-05646

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 20 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when it last discussed fair work practices, including the rights of workers to join trade unions, with Amazon.

The Minister for Higher Education, Further Education, Youth Employment and Training met with Amazon on 2 September 2021. In his previous role as Minister for Business, Fair Work and Skills he met Amazon on several occasions to discuss Fair Work issues, emphasising the benefits of Fair Work for both Amazon staff and the organisation.

The Scottish Government remains committed to promoting Fair Work across the economy and encourages all employers to adopt fair work practices, including paying workers at least the real Living Wage and providing appropriate channels for effective voice, such as trade union recognition.

Question reference: S6W-05647

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 20 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Amnesty International report, Amazon, let workers unionize! Respect for workers’ rights is not a choice, regarding the issuing of legal notices to trade union organisers attempting to recruit members at Amazon facilities in the UK.

The Scottish Government expects employees in all workplaces to be treated fairly and is doing everything it can to drive up employment standards and promote Fair Work practices, including effective worker voice, with the powers available to us.

We continue to call for employment law to be devolved in order to protect and improve worker’s rights and to create fairer and more inclusive workplaces.

The Scottish Government remains committed to supporting strong Trade Unions in Scotland for the benefit of workers and our economy. We have provided funding of £250,000 annually for the last five years to STUC, to help unions embed the Fair Work Framework in Scotland's workplaces. We will continue to call on employers to ensure appropriate channels for effective voice in the workplace, including engaging with relevant trade unions for their sector to improve working conditions and employment practices in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-05620

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ash Regan on 20 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many people with National Referral Mechanism (NRM) reasonable grounds or NRM conclusive grounds, supported under section 9 or section 10 of the Human Trafficking and Exploitation (Scotland) Act 2015, were being housed in asylum accommodation (a) in each year between 2016-17 and 2020-21 and (b) between 1 April and 31 December 2021.

Support under section 9 or section 10 of the Human Trafficking and Exploitation (Scotland) Act 2015 was placed on a statutory footing on 1 April 2018. This can include accommodation, assistance with day to day living, medical advice and treatment, language translation and interpretation, counselling, legal advice, help accessing other services and, if the victim wishes, repatriation.

Although asylum is a matter reserved to the UK Parliament and is the responsibility of the Home Office, in individual circumstances it is possible for people supported under section 9 or section 10 of the Human Trafficking and Exploitation (Scotland) Act 2015 to be housed in asylum accommodation.

The detailed information requested is currently being collated. I will write to the member as soon as the information is available and a copy will be placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib number 63102).

Question reference: S6W-05648

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 20 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the recommendations in the Amnesty International report, Amazon, let workers unionize! Respect for workers’ rights is not a choice.

The Scottish Government agrees with Amnesty International on the importance of meeting international human rights law and standards, and welcomes the recommendations in the report. Both public authorities and private enterprises have a responsibility to ensure that human rights are respected and protected in the workplace. These rights include the right to join and form trade unions, and to enjoy safe and healthy working conditions.

The Scottish Government notes that Amazon acknowledges these obligations, which are further underlined by the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. It is important that such commitments are given practical effect in a manner that ensures the rights of employees are properly respected across all aspects of a company’s operations, both in Scotland and in a global context.

The Scottish Government is very clear that trade unions are social partners and play an essential role in promoting good employment practice and in ensuring that Scotland’s workers have an effective voice.

Under the current constitutional settlement, employment law (including trade union law) is reserved to the UK Parliament. The long-standing position of the Scottish Government is that employment law should be devolved, so that all necessary action can be taken in Scotland to protect and improve workers’ rights and to create fairer and more inclusive workplaces.