Questions and answers

Question reference: S5W-31320

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 August 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 31 August 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether (a) marquees, (b) tents, (c) undercover shelters, (d) canvas coverings and (d) pods are classed as indoor areas in relation to its (i) current COVID-19 guidance and (ii) route map for exiting COVID-19 restrictions.

The Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Restrictions) (Scotland) Regulations 2020, as amended, give legal effect to the COVID-19 restrictions set out in the Route Map.

The Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Restrictions) (Scotland) Amendment (No. 6) Regulations 2020, which allowed outdoor hospitality businesses to re-open on 6 July 2020, introduced a definition of "indoors" into the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Restrictions) (Scotland) Regulations 2020. The Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Restrictions) (Scotland) Amendment (No. 8) Regulations 2020 then allowed indoor hospitality businesses to re-open on 15 July.

This definition of indoors, which continues to be used for the purpose of the restriction on public gatherings in regulation 6(1), sets out that a place is indoors if it is considered to be wholly or substantially enclosed for the purposes of section 4(2) of the Smoking, Health and Social Care (Scotland) Act 2005 under the Prohibition of Smoking in Certain Premises (Scotland) Regulations 2006.

Question reference: S5W-31323

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 August 2020
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 28 August 2020

To ask the Scottish Government, in the light of its advice that “In indoor places and where physical distancing is difficult and where there is a risk of contact within [two metres] with people who are not members of your household, you are expected to wear a face covering”, for what reason the use of face coverings in schools has not been made compulsory.

In the light of the latest scientific and public health advice, including the World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines, the Scottish Government has, after discussion with the Education Recovery Group, updated the advice on the use of face coverings in secondary schools and on school transport. Unless specific exemptions apply, face coverings should now be worn in secondary schools by adults and pupils in corridors and confined communal areas where physical distancing is difficult to maintain. Face coverings should also be worn by all children aged 5 and over on dedicated school transport, in line with the guidance for public transport. The advice from the Advisory Sub-Group on Education and Children's Issues, and updated guidance on school reopening were published on 25 August to reflect the latest position.

Question reference: S5W-31007

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 July 2020
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 27 August 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to report on how stroke care has performed against the Scottish Stroke Improvement Plan over the last year, and whether there will be any changes to the (a) format of this year’s report and (b) scope or quality of the data collected that enables stakeholders to assess whether NHS services are meeting the needs of people who survive a stroke and enabling them to achieve their recovery potential.

Question reference: S5W-31008

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 July 2020
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 27 August 2020

To ask the Scottish Government which NHS boards have not yet embedded the 2016 Royal College of Physicians stroke guidelines, or their equivalent, into the care they provide to patients who survive a stroke, and for what reason.

Question reference: S5W-31009

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 July 2020
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 27 August 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what indicators it uses to ensure that the national governance process for stroke care is performing to standard, and what its response is to reported concerns regarding the national guidelines for stroke expiring after 10 years.

Question reference: S5W-31010

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 July 2020
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 27 August 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how Scotland’s stroke improvement plan compares with the leading examples of stroke strategies and plans in other UK and European nations, and what plans it has to refresh Scotland's stroke improvement plan to ensure that the care received by patients in Scotland who survive a stroke is comparable to that received in the rest of the UK and Europe.

Over the past 10 years, the number of people in Scotland dying from stroke has decreased by 35%. This is significant progress but we want to strive for even better outcomes, which is why we continue to implement the Stroke Improvement Plan (2014) and our Programme for Government 2019-20 commits to developing a programme to improve stroke pathways and services, including prevention, treatment and care. The Scottish Government reports annually on how stroke care has performed against the Scottish Stroke Improvement Plan, through the Scottish Stroke Improvement Programme Report. This Report is scheduled for publication shortly.

There are various sets of clinical guidelines that clinicians can consider for the management, treatment and care of stroke patients. These should be taken into account when services are being developed although there is no expectation that clinicians in NHS Board areas would base their management on any one set of guidelines. As such, implementation of guidelines is the responsibility of NHS Boards and their operating divisions, reinforced and supported by their clinical governance arrangements.

The Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) guidelines relevant to stroke are being archived at 10 years in line with SIGN policy. The National Advisory Committee for Stroke is currently working with SIGN to scope out work to review the latest evidence relating to care across the whole stroke patient care pathway. This will include a review of national and international guidelines which have used the most robust methodology. This evidence will inform the Programme for Government stroke commitments including how to describe what a progressive stroke service looks like.

In addition, healthcare professionals working in Scottish stroke services work closely with colleagues across the nations comprising the UK, and also internationally in organisations including the European Stroke and World Stroke organisations to improve care across Scotland for those who have experienced a stroke.

Question reference: S5W-31013

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 July 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 26 August 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to improve the patient experience and potential accuracy of COVID-19 tests conducted at self-testing stations.

On 17 August we published our revised/updated Testing Strategy: https://www.gov.scot/news/scotlands-covid-19-testing-strategy/ .

The Strategy sets out the circumstances in which people who are asymptomatic would be tested. This includes those identified (via our Test and Protect scheme) as contacts of people who have tested positive, and those working with vulnerable people in high risk settings such as care homes.

This strategy also includes improvements in access to testing and innovation in how we test.

Question reference: S5W-30968

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 July 2020
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 18 August 2020

To ask the Scottish Government, provided appropriate social distancing rules are followed, what plans it has to review to 50-person limit on the number of people permitted to attend places of worship as part of the easing of the COVID-19 lockdown measures to allow more people to attend in (a) rural communities that are primarily reliant on the size of their church congregation and (b) large-capacity buildings.

I recognise how difficult it has been for Scotland’s faith communities to be unable to come together in places of worship at this challenging time, and understand the important role of congregational worship in supporting spiritual wellbeing. We do not want any restrictions to last any longer than is necessary but must ensure that people who enter places of worship to undertake congregational activities will be safe.

Our guidance on safe capacities for places of worship reflects evolving scientific and health advice and has been developed in discussion with our faith communities and we will continue to work closely with our faith communities as we move towards fully reopening places of worship as soon as it is safe to do so.

The 50 person limit will be reviewed on 20 August as part of our commitment to review restrictions every three weeks, as outlined in the Framework for Decision Making.

Question reference: S5W-31011

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 July 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 18 August 2020

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of an increased number of pedestrians and cyclists, what plans it has to work with Police Scotland to introduce an online reporting tool for road traffic incidents and offences, similar to the one used by the Metropolitan Police in London, in order to improve safety.

The Scottish Government remains committed to achieving our ultimate road safety vision of zero fatalities and a significant reduction in the number of serious injuries on our roads. We are continuing to liaise with a range of key stakeholders, including Police Scotland, as we develop our world-class road safety framework to 2030. Throughout the life of the framework we will be considering a whole range of measures which have the potential to further enhance the safety performance of Scotland’s road network.

Question reference: S5F-04285

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 17 August 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 August 2020

To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government is taking in response to Police Scotland’s reported budget overspend during the COVID-19 crisis.

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