Meeting of the Parliament

Portfolio Questions Covid-19 Recovery and Parliamentary Business Christine Grahame S6O-01868 1. To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made, as part of its cross-government coordination of Covid Recovery policies, of the wider ongoing impact of COVID-19, including on the economy. Jamie Halcro Johnston S6O-01869 2. To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the Scottish COVID-19 Inquiry. Willie Coffey S6O-01870 3. To ask the Scottish Government what cross-government assessment it has made of the impact of its Covid Recovery policies, including whether any might continue into the future. Liz Smith S6O-01871 4. To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to spend the proposed Covid Recovery portfolio 2023-24 budget allocation. Richard Leonard S6O-01872 5. To ask the Scottish Government how its cross-government co-ordination of Covid Recovery policies is supporting data collection to assess the impact of long COVID. Stephen Kerr S6O-01873 6. To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to propose time for a debate in the Parliament on parliamentary reform. Stuart McMillan S6O-01874 7. To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had as part of its cross-government coordination of Covid Recovery policies regarding the wider impact of long COVID, including on the economy and workforce. Katy Clark S6O-01875 8. To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking through its Covid Recovery Strategy to support students. Finance and the Economy Willie Rennie S6O-01876 1. To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its commitment to deliver superfast broadband to 100% of premises in Scotland by 2021. Pauline McNeill S6O-01877 2. To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of investment levels on the status of the Greater Glasgow and Clyde area, including how this compares to similar city regions across the UK. Evelyn Tweed 3. [Not Lodged] Sandesh Gulhane S6O-01879 4. To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to encourage business activity in Scotland. Jim Fairlie S6O-01880 5. To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential impact in Scotland of the recent analysis by the International Monetary Fund, which found that the UK economy is set to shrink by 0.6% in 2023. Neil Bibby S6O-01881 6. To ask the Scottish Government what representations it has had from COSLA regarding the local government financial settlement. Murdo Fraser S6O-01882 7. To ask the Scottish Government how its budget settlement for local authorities will support the future delivery of quality public services. Brian Whittle S6O-01883 8. To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the finance secretary has had with the Scottish National Investment Bank and the Bank of Scotland regarding any impact of the repayment terms of the investment in Circularity Scotland in May 2022 on the timetable for the launch of the Deposit Return Scheme. followed by Ministerial Statement: A9 Dualling Update followed by Scottish Liberal Democrats Debate: Addressing the Crisis in NHS Dentistry Alex Cole-Hamilton S6M-07812 That the Parliament believes that there is a crisis in NHS dentistry; notes that the number of NHS dental check-ups and treatments being conducted are dramatically below pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels; further notes with concern that the number of dentists who are carrying out NHS work has fallen in 11 NHS boards, with the chair of the British Dental Association’s Scottish Dental Practice Committee warning of a “wholescale exodus” from the sector; understands that most dentists are not accepting new NHS patients and that polling has shown that many of those registered have been unable to get appointments; believes that the lack of government action to resolve this is leaving people in pain and will cause wider mouth health issues to be missed, and calls on the Scottish Government to rewrite the NHS Recovery Plan so that it includes dentistry fully and properly recognises the importance of dentists in the course of the recovery, and to urgently reform the funding structures so that dentists can return to taking on NHS activity and enable more patients to be seen. Maree Todd S6M-07812.3 As an amendment to motion S6M-07812 in the name of Alex Cole-Hamilton (Addressing the Crisis in NHS Dentistry), leave out from the first "believes" to end and insert "recognises the impact that the COVID-19 pandemic had on the provision of dental services; thanks all NHS dentists, dental nurses and wider staff for their efforts to provide dental care for the people of Scotland; supports the reform of the NHS dentistry payment system to ensure that the recovery that has been seen in the last year can be built upon; understands that the bridging and multiplier arrangements supported significant increases in activity; notes that, since the start of the pandemic, dentistry has been provided with over £150 million of additional support to sustain the sector; further notes that 95.4% of people in Scotland are registered with a dentist, an increase of 44.3% since 2007; commends the work of the Childsmile programme, which is delivering preventative efforts to improve dental health now and in the future; welcomes the abolition of NHS dental charges for everyone under the age of 26, and supports the removal of all such charges by the end of the current parliamentary session." Sandesh Gulhane S6M-07812.2 As an amendment to motion S6M-07812 in the name of Alex Cole-Hamilton (Addressing the Crisis in NHS Dentistry), insert at end “; believes that a root and branch reform of dental tariffs is required to ensure that dentists can holistically manage oral health; recognises what it sees as increasingly worrying reports from dentists of poor child oral hygiene, especially in areas with higher deprivation, and a growing requirement for early tooth extractions, and believes that the Scottish Government’s lack of a dentistry recovery plan will only exacerbate this growing health inequality.” Paul Sweeney S6M-07812.1 As an amendment to motion S6M-07812 in the name of Alex Cole-Hamilton (Addressing the Crisis in NHS Dentistry), after “Scottish Government to” insert “provide an update to the Parliament on the progress made in delivering on its Oral Health Improvement Plan, which was published over five years ago,”. followed by Scottish Liberal Democrats Debate: Investing in the Future of Social Care Alex Cole-Hamilton S6M-07813 That the Parliament thanks all those who work in the social care sector for their dedication, but believes that they have been undervalued for years; acknowledges that there is a shortage of staff working throughout social care; believes that this shortage is impacting the waiting times of those who require care packages and leading to year-on-year increases in delayed discharges, which the Scottish Government promised to eradicate within a year in 2015, contributing to the crisis in the NHS, and calls on the Scottish Government and its social care partners to reward staff with better pay, conditions and career progression, backed by the introduction of powerful national bargaining beginning in 2023-24, the acceleration of new national standards and entitlements for users, and the abolition of the SNP-Scottish Green Party administration’s plans for a National Care Service, which will not address the problems, will consume considerable staff time, and will cut the funds available for social care. Kevin Stewart S6M-07813.3 As an amendment to motion S6M-07813 in the name of Alex Cole-Hamilton (Investing in the Future of Social Care), leave out from “but” to end and insert “and welcomes that increased funding is being delivered to ensure that all adult social care workers are paid at least the real Living Wage, and notes the desire to go further when possible; recognises that social care recruitment has faced the devastating impact of Brexit and an immovable visa system and immigration system from the UK Government; notes the impact that increased energy costs and high inflation are having on care service operators; supports the creation of the National Care Service to end the postcode lottery of care, help deliver fair work national pay bargaining for the adult social care sector, and ensure ethical commissioning of services as well as better support for unpaid carers; believes that the voices of people with lived experience must be central to the development of the National Care Service, and commends that the National Care Service will be built on local co-design and local delivery of services.” Craig Hoy S6M-07813.2 As an amendment to motion S6M-07813 in the name of Alex Cole-Hamilton (Investing in the Future of Social Care), leave out from “, backed” to end and insert “; further calls on the Scottish Government to explain why it took back £331 million from the struggling social care sector, at a time when the sector is urgently calling for more investment; urges the Scottish Government to scrap its plans for a National Care Service, which has been derided by a variety of stakeholders, including unions, local government and Scottish Parliament committees, and calls on the Scottish Government to establish a Local Care Service underpinned by a Local Care Guarantee, which will ensure that people in Scotland are able to access social care in their local area.” Paul O'Kane S6M-07813.1 As an amendment to motion S6M-07813 in the name of Alex Cole-Hamilton (Investing in the Future of Social Care), insert at end “, and further calls on the Scottish Government to immediately uplift social care pay to £12 per hour with a plan to raise it to £15 per hour and, as recommended in the Feeley Review, remove non-residential care charges.” followed by Decision Time Members' Business — S6M-07546 Ruth Maguire: Cervical Cancer Prevention Week That the Parliament recognises that 23 to 29 January 2023 is Cervical Cancer Prevention Week, which encourages women to reduce their risk of the disease by promoting the steps that they can take to look after their health; understands that cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer among women globally, with nine new diagnoses and two women losing their lives every day in the UK; is concerned by the reported statistic from Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust that one in three women and people with a cervix do not take up their screening invite; highlights tools such as the HPV vaccination and cervical screening, which can help screen and prevent, and, it considers, one day end, cervical cancer; notes the support for the global strategy for cervical cancer elimination, which suggests that each country should meet the 90-70-90 targets by 2030; acknowledges that these targets are for 90% of girls to be fully vaccinated with the HPV vaccine by the age of 15, for 70% of women to be screened using a high-performance test by the age of 35, and again by the age of 45, and for 90% of women with pre-cancer to be treated, and 90% of women with invasive cancer to be managed; understands that cervical cancer is preventable and curable, as long as it is detected early and managed effectively, and notes the calls for all women and people with a cervix to attend invitations to screening appointments and vaccinations. followed by Members' Business — S6M-07514 Michael Marra: Final Report of the Independent Oversight and Assurance Group on Tayside's Mental Health Services That the Parliament welcomes the publication of the final report from the Independent Oversight and Assurance Group on Tayside’s Mental Health Services; understands that the report tracks progress against the 51 recommendations made by Dr David Strang in his report, Trust and Respect; recognises that the group has met with staff, third sector and community groups, patients and families while compiling the report; notes the view that progress has been made, including on changes of leadership and clarifying of roles; believes that the report also highlights key areas where recommendations have not seen sufficient action taken, including in the areas of strategic planning, staff appraisals, governance and public performance reporting; thanks the oversight group and all those who contributed to its work, and notes the calls for reassurances that outstanding recommendations will be enacted.