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-00433

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 08 November 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 11 November 2021

To ask the First Minister what steps the Scottish Government is taking in response to reports of an increase in turnaround times for ambulances offloading patients at A&E departments.

Question reference: S6W-03791

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 15 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 2 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how death, dying and bereavement education will be supported in schools, in light of it not being included in the report on the review of personal and social education in Scotland.

In Scotland's curriculum, Curriculum for Excellence, learning about health and wellbeing is a specific curriculum area and is one of the three core areas that are the responsibility of all school staff. Schools are encouraged to develop the curriculum to suit their local context and meet the needs of children and young people, which can include delivering learning on bereavement. It is good practice for schools to consult with children and young people and respond to their views appropriately, to ensure this meets the needs of all children and young people in the school or educational setting.

Curriculum for Excellence Experiences and Outcomes make clear that, in addition to the Health and Wellbeing Experiences and Outcomes, children and young people will also experience certain aspects of health and wellbeing through focused programmes such as Personal and Social Education (PSE) programmes. Learning on bereavement is supported through resources on Education Scotland’s national improvement hub which can be accessed at and .

The PSE Review report recognised that secondary schools are using an increasing range of approaches to support mental health and build resilience, including dealing with bereavement. The report also recognised the use of targeted support in special schools where pupils benefit from a range of proven programmes to alleviate bereavement and loss or to promote mindfulness.

Question reference: S6W-03792

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 15 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 2 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what (a) short- and (b) long-term bereavement support is available for families who lose a child suddenly in an NHS hospital.

In line with our Mental Health Transition and Recovery Plan, the Scottish Government recognises the importance of ensuring that high quality, person centred bereavement care and support is available for those who need it. It is important to reflect that each individual and family’s experience of bereavement is unique as are their support requirements. That is why there is a broad range of bereavement care available in the short and long term for those who need it, particularly at this difficult time.

Each hospital will have its own arrangements in place to support bereaved families, as bereavement services are commissioned on a local basis to meet the needs of each area’s population. To ensure effective support, health and social care professionals who work with people around the time of death and bereavement receive education and training from NHS Education for Scotland.

For families, there is also a range of helpful information around bereavement and grief on the NHS Inform website:

Since 2016 the Scottish Government has funded Cruse Bereavement Care Scotland and Child Bereavement UK to provide support to individuals and families who have been bereaved. This can be both short and longer term. For example, an Early Support service is available for families for the first 6 months. Beyond 6 months a counselling service is available, if required. If longer term support is needed Cruse will help find appropriate support, such as befriending support for bereaved parents through Compassionate Friends or referral to statutory psychological services.

Looking forward, work on how to best support families after the death of a child will also form part of the new child death review system launched by the Scottish Government in collaboration with Health Improvement Scotland and the Care Inspectorate on 1 October 2021.

Question reference: S6W-03696

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 October 2021
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 29 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to allow new applications for the Scottish Carer's Assistance payment.

Question reference: S6W-03790

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 15 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 29 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether children in all schools will have access to a counsellor to talk about death, dying and grief, and whether this will extend to children under the age of 10.

We know that schools play a key role in supporting children and young people’s mental health. We continue to support our local authority partners with £16 million in funding to ensure that every secondary school across Scotland has access to counselling services, which our local authority partners have confirmed is now in place across Scotland. Counselling can help children and young people explore, understand and overcome issues in their lives and improve resilience, including responding to loss and grief.

During the planning of the counsellors in schools provision, the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy and Counselling and Psychotherapy in Scotland advised that the requirements for working with children under the age of 10 is very different to that for older children. This is why our commitment is only for children aged 10 and over. Schools and education authorities have the capacity to identify specific measures to support children under the age of 10. For example, some local authorities may have staff trained to deliver ‘Seasons for Growth’, a programme widely used in primary, secondary and special sectors across Scotland to support children and young people suffering from loss and grief.

Question reference: S6W-03487

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 27 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to adding the free flu vaccination distribution list to the COVID-19 booster vaccination list.

Flu and COVID-19 are completely different diseases caused by different viruses and is why there are different recommendations for those who are eligible for flu vaccination and those who should be offered both COVID-19 and flu vaccination.

The Joint Committee on Vaccination & Immunisation (JCVI) is a scientific committee and they give advice based on scientific evidence, with a number of in-depth considerations and recommendations made on COVID-19 published recently.

The evidence is clear that people with asthma are at a higher risk of flu related complications but this is not true for COVID-19 unless they are on repeated courses of oral steroid medication. This means that the vast majority of asthmatics are not at a higher risk of COVID-19 disease or its complications.

Question reference: S6W-03728

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 26 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will undertake a consultation on restricting the advertising and promotion of alcohol.

The advertising and promotion of alcohol entails a range of activity which is seen by children and young people across Scotland. This influences attitudes towards drinking alcohol and can encourage children and young people to start drinking alcohol or to drink more alcohol. This is why the Scottish Government will consult on potential alcohol advertising restrictions during 2022, to protect children and young people, as announced in , published on 7 September 2021.

Question reference: S6W-03163

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 20 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 29 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that football clubs enforce the wearing of face coverings inside their grounds, and what action will be taken if clubs fail to enforce the regulations.

Face coverings are required in indoor spaces. As stadiums are a mixture of both inside and outside, face coverings are required in internal areas such as entering and exiting as well as accessing kiosks or toilet facilities. Local Authorities engage with the Football Clubs through the event capacity limit exemption and Sports Advisory Group process to ensure Covid baseline measures are in in place in football stadiums.

We expect football clubs to use stewards and messaging to fans to encourage supporters to wear facemasks while inside at grounds. While police officers may be present at matches, their primary role is public safety, and while they have the powers to enforce the wearing of face coverings, as in any other setting, Officers would engage, explain and encourage before enforcing.

Question reference: S6W-03164

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 20 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 29 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether proof of vaccination will be required at sporting venues with crowds over 10,000 for all (a) officials and (b) players in attendance.

Question reference: S6O-00187

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 September 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what steps will be taken over the current parliamentary session to deliver crofting reform.