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: S5O-04474

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 August 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 13 August 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that the country meets the targets set out in the Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Act 2019.

Question reference: S5W-30726

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 July 2020
Current Status: Answered by Ash Denham on 30 July 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on when it will publish updated guidance for wedding ceremonies and receptions in phase 4 of the route map out of lockdown.

On 15 July 2020, the Scottish Government published guidance on small wedding ceremonies and civil partnership registrations during Phase 3. This followed an announcement by the First Minister that, as from that date, only up to 20 people should attend a marriage ceremony or civil partnership registration, wherever it is taking place, subject to physical distancing requirements. She also committed to a review of this limit again at the end of July.

We will continue to consider how to permit all marriage ceremonies and civil partnership registrations to take place, with improved hygiene and other precautions, during Phase 4 of our route map, taking account of medical and scientific advice.

Our published guidance in this area will also be kept under review and updated as necessary.

Receptions and other celebrations related to a marriage or civil partnership must comply with the continuing restrictions on public gatherings. During Phase 4 we anticipate that further relaxations on gatherings of family and friends will be possible.

Question reference: S5W-30654

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 13 July 2020
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 30 July 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what advice it is giving to business regarding the use of reusable cups and containers as more re-open following the easing of the lockdown.

We remain committed to long-term initiatives to tackle our throw-away culture and encourage a circular economy, including promoting reusable food and beverage containers. However we recognise that there has been an impact from COVID-19 on behaviours, attitudes and business models.

All food businesses should already be implementing effective food safety management, including hand hygiene and cleaning and disinfection practices needed to control the risk of any microbiological cross contamination. Food Standard Scotland’s guidance highlights the importance of these measures in preventing the spread of COVID-19 through contact surfaces, which would include re-usable items. We would also refer Scottish businesses to the UK hospitality Covid -19 guidance which states that where staff come into contact with items used by customers they need to wash their hands before moving on to another task.

Question reference: S5W-30653

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 13 July 2020
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 30 July 2020

To ask the Scottish Government when it will launch its consultation on the single-use plastic directive, and whether it still aims to implement this in 2021.

Question reference: S5W-30267

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 26 June 2020
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 21 July 2020

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-27593 by Maree Todd on 10 March 2020, what arrangements were made for the delivery of the service from 1 April 2020 onwards.

An application for grant funding for delivery of the Intervention for Vulnerable Youth (IVY) service from April 2020 to March 2021 was submitted to the Scottish government by Kibble in December 2019. Further to this, a grant letter was issued to Kibble in March 2020 allowing the service to continue to be delivered at Kibble until the end of March 2021.

The Scottish Government will continue to consider the longer term provision of mental health services for vulnerable young people in Scotland.

Question reference: S5W-30268

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 26 June 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 16 July 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it is making for the distribution of a COVID-19 vaccine should one be developed; what groups it has identified for priority distribution, and how it will ensure that people in island, remote and rural areas will have adequate access to the vaccine.

Access to a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccination is dependent on success in at least one of over 170 vaccine trials underway worldwide in terms of both development and manufacture. Vaccine availability in Scotland, and considerations about delivery and prioritisation, will depend in part on which vaccine candidates are successful.

While there is no guarantee of success in any of the trials, it is prudent that we plan on the basis of a vaccine becoming available. In Scotland we already deliver nearly 2 million doses of vaccine routinely every year and we have a comprehensive vaccine delivery infrastructure in place which includes delivery in island, remote and rural areas. Under existing vaccination programme arrangements, all islands Health Boards have effective arrangements in place for ordering and receiving centrally procured vaccines from holding centres and can receive deliveries on a weekly basis.

We are currently working on a plan to upscale these existing arrangements in order to deliver a COVID-19 vaccine in the event that a safe and effective vaccine does become available, and this will include careful consideration of the particular needs of Scotland’s island, remote and rural communities .

Question reference: S5W-30269

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 26 June 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 16 July 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it is making for the stockpiling of a COVID-19 vaccine should one be developed, and how it will ensure that communities in island, remote and rural areas will have adequate supplies of the vaccine.

Question reference: S5W-30175

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 June 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 16 July 2020

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish guidance on the safe use of toilet facilities for accommodation providers ahead of a possible reopening of the tourism sector on 15 July 2020.

Question reference: S5W-30088

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 19 June 2020
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 8 July 2020

To ask the Scottish Government, following the reopening of the tourism sector, what action accommodation providers should take where a guest shows symptoms of COVID-19; what requirement there will be for (a) that guest and (b) other customers to prolong their stay in order to self-isolate and, if a pro-longed stay is required, whether the business will be compensated.

If a guest develops symptoms, they should book a test through NHS inform. People with symptoms must self-isolate along with everyone in their household. If the test is negative, everyone can end isolation. If positive, isolation should continue. If guests who are isolating can travel home safely to isolate, they should do so, avoiding the use of public transport. Where this is not possible, they should discuss the safest option with the NHS Test and Protect team. There are no plans at present to compensate businesses in the case of imposed self-isolation within premises.

Question reference: S5W-30087

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 19 June 2020
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 8 July 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what health and safety guidance will be provided for accommodation providers ahead of the proposed reopening of the tourism sector on 15 July 2020, and by what date this will be published.

Scottish Government sector guidance for tourism and hospitality, published on 18 June, has been developed in partnership with industry, unions and regulatory bodies. Businesses should refer to the ‘assessing risk’ section of the guidance for advice on managing risk and how to comply with health and safety requirements. We also published advice and guidance on ‘customer and public toilets’, with infection protection control advice, for a wide range of circumstances. This was published on 27 June. Taken together, these two key sources of guidance will provide essential advice to enable Scotland’s accommodation providers to re-open safely.