Questions and answers

Question reference: S6F-00041

Asked by: Lorna Slater, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 June 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 June 2021

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6F-00039

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 June 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 June 2021

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6F-00040

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 June 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 June 2021

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6W-00166

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 21 May 2021
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 1 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to ensure the long-term sustainability of community facilities such as swimming pools and libraries.

The Scottish Government places great importance on public libraries and leisure facilities and believes everyone should have access to these services. The Scottish Government has produced safer workplace guidance for public libraries and sport and leisure facilities to allow these services to be restored safely, however as independent corporate bodies it is for local authorities to decide when and what will be offered, and it is for the locally elected representatives to make these decisions.

Scotland’s councils have been allocated an additional £1.5 billion in direct support through the local government finance settlement and councils have also been granted additional financial flexibilities to address the financial pressures caused by COVID-19.

Furthermore, the 2021-22 Local Government Settlement of almost £11.7 billion provides a cash increase in local government day to day spending for local revenue services of £375.6 million or 3.5 per cent.

Question reference: S6W-00131

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 May 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 1 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its plan to offer the COVIID-19 vaccination to people aged 18 to 39 in some areas of Glasgow, whether it will reconsider the request from the offshore oil and gas sector to be given priority access to phase 2 of the COVID-19 vaccination programme.

Concerns raised over the rising number of Covid-19 cases in South Glasgow over the past several days and its links to the more infectious Indian variant of COVID-19 B.1.617.2.

The JCVI highlighted the need to accelerate and promote vaccine uptake for everyone within priority groups 1-9 who have yet to be vaccinated, and bring forward the dose schedule from 12 to 8 weeks in areas where the 02 variant is of the highest threat.

The JCVI’s advice is that an age-based approach is the best way to quickly protect those who haven’t yet had the vaccine.

Question reference: S6W-00164

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 21 May 2021
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 1 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to increase the funding it allocates to Glasgow City Council for local community facilities, and what action it will take to support any Glasgow communities that experience uncertainty each year in relation to the continuation of local facilities.

The Scottish Government will continue to work in partnership with COSLA and Local Authorities to ensure our communities receive the support and services that they expect and deserve. It is, however, the responsibility of individual local authorities to manage their own budgets and to allocate the total financial resources available to them, including for the range of community services they deliver, on the basis of local needs and priorities, having first fulfilled their statutory obligations and the jointly agreed set of local and national priorities.

In 2021-22, Glasgow City Council will receive a total funding package of almost
‎ £1.5 billion to support local services, which includes an extra £29.8 million to support vital day to day services, equivalent to an increase of 2.2 per cent compared to 2020-21. To date, the council has been allocated an additional £221.7 million to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, through the local government settlement - over and above their regular grant payments.

In addition, Glasgow City Council will receive their fair share of a further £137 million included in the original 2021-22 local government finance settlement which is currently undistributed. The Council will also receive their fair share of the subsequent 2021-22 funding that has been discussed and agreed with COSLA since the announcement of the settlement.

Question reference: S6W-00168

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 21 May 2021
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 1 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government which cabinet secretary or minister will be responsible for the science industry, given that the subject was not specified in any ministerial briefs following the latest cabinet reshuffle.

As Minister for Business, Trade, Tourism and Enterprise, I retain responsibility for the Life Sciences sector. Mr Hepburn, Minister for Higher Education and Further Education, Youth Employment and Training, has responsibility for other elements of science policy, including universities and research, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) across the education system, and public science engagement.

Question reference: S6W-00152

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 21 May 2021
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 1 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to the Urgent question by Kevin Stewart on 20 May 2021 regarding the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland report, Authority to discharge, for what reason National Records of Scotland reportedly withheld information unlawfully on care home deaths; who is accountable for this act, and what action it is taking in response.

Throughout the Covid-19 pandemic National Records of Scotland (NRS) has placed significant amounts of information on care home deaths into the public domain. NRS analyses provides valuable information on characteristics of the deceased as well as presentation at Health Board and Local Authority level.

Following receipt of a FOI request for data at individual care home level, NRS carefully considered the potential public benefit of providing care home level data against the potential distress the public release of these data may cause families of the deceased, care home staff, residents and families of residents. NRS recognises that this is a complex issue and therefore welcomed the Scottish Information Commissioner's conclusion on how the balance of public benefit and potential distress should be considered. Following the decision by the Scottish Information Commissioner, NRS has complied with the instruction and now made this data available in line with the original FOI request.

Question reference: S6W-00161

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 21 May 2021
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 1 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish details, including minutes, of all dealings between its ministers and/or officials and Mr Sanjeev Gupta.

The Scottish Government is committed to openness and transparency and updates Parliament regularly on discussions relating to Gupta Family Group companies.

On 11 February 2021, Fergus Ewing the then Cabinet Secretary for the Rural Economy updated the Finance and Constitution Committee on the contingent liability arising from the Lochaber guarantee. The Cabinet Secretary made a statement to Parliament and answered questions on 24 March 2021 on the administration of Greensill Capital UK Limited and its implications for businesses in Scotland, including GFG companies. The former Cabinet Secretary for the Rural Economy also briefed a cross-party meeting of MSPs and MPs alongside the relevant trade unions on the financing challenges facing the GFG Alliance on 16 April during the election period.

The GFG Alliance is currently in a process of refinancing and restructuring its global businesses in the wake of the collapse of Greensill Capital UK. This is a sensitive commercial matter and Scottish Ministers are duty bound to maintain commercial confidences and not to fuel speculation or prejudice commercial processes.

The Scottish Government will continue to publish details of all Ministerial engagements via its website ( https://www.gov.scot/collections/ministerial-engagements-travel-and-gifts/ ) and take opportunities to update members and Committees of Parliament where appropriate.

Question reference: S6W-00077

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 May 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 1 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how much money it has allocated to fulfil its policy to provide a bicycle for children who cannot afford one.

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