Meeting of the Parliament

Portfolio Questions Covid-19 Recovery and Parliamentary Business Jackie Dunbar S6O-00592 1. To ask the Scottish Government how its cross-government co-ordination of Covid Recovery policies incorporates the outcomes from recent COBR meetings to discuss the impact of the Omicron variant. Russell Findlay S6O-00593 2. To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its handling of Freedom of Information requests against the 20 working day statutory timescale. Annabelle Ewing S6O-00594 3. To ask the Scottish Government how its policies across government will support people living in the Cowdenbeath constituency to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. Brian Whittle S6O-00595 4. To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it gives, as part of its cross-government COVID-19 strategic reviews, to long-term strategies to mitigate the impact of the pandemic. Beatrice Wishart S6O-00596 5. To ask the Scottish Government what considerations it will give in relation to its proposals for the scheduling of government business in the Chamber in order to take account of the various impacts of COVID-19 and Scotland's recovery from it. Alex Rowley S6O-00597 6. To ask the Scottish Government when it last met the UK Government to discuss the recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and what the outcome was. Bill Kidd S6O-00598 7. To ask the Scottish Government what cross-government strategies have been identified, as part of its work on COVID-19 recovery, to support communities and businesses most affected by the pandemic. Gordon MacDonald S6O-00599 8. To ask the Scottish Government what preparations it is making for the local government elections in 2022 in order that people can vote safely. Net Zero, Energy and Transport Tess White S6O-00600 1. To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on when its refreshed Energy Strategy will be published. Michelle Thomson S6O-00601 2. To ask the Scottish Government in what ways the Internal Market Act 2020 could impact on its ability to meet its net zero targets. Rhoda Grant S6O-00602 3. To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to support ferry services in Scotland. Paul Sweeney S6O-00603 4. To ask the Scottish Government when it next plans to revise the Conditions of Eligibility for the Bus Service Operators Grant. Paul McLennan S6O-00604 5. To ask the Scottish Government what the environmental priorities will be for the new Chief Scientific Adviser for Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture. Willie Coffey S6O-00605 6. To ask the Scottish Government how it is tackling fuel poverty in Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley. Alasdair Allan S6O-00606 7. To ask the Scottish Government what work is being undertaken to change electricity levy schemes to tackle fuel poverty in rural and island areas of the north of Scotland. Sarah Boyack S6O-00607 8. To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that public transport is accessible to disabled people. followed by Scottish Government Debate: Mental Health and Wellbeing in Primary Care Services That the Parliament recognises the importance of improving capability and capacity for mental health assessment, care and support within primary care settings as Scotland recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic; further recognises the progress that has already been made to boost capacity in GP settings through funding from Action 15 of the 2017 Mental Health Strategy and Primary Care Improvement Plans; welcomes the commitment to further expand mental health and wellbeing primary care services, initially supported by the £120 million Mental Health Recovery and Renewal Fund; considers that this collaborative model will create 1,000 additional roles within primary care settings across a range of disciplines, establish and embed links between primary care and community assets, and increase the use of social prescribing and community link workers to improve mental health and wellbeing, and supports the development and implementation of those multi-disciplinary mental health and wellbeing teams in primary care services to ensure better and more timely access to support and treatment for people for mental health, distress or wellbeing issues. followed by Decision Time followed by Members' Business — S6M-02635 Fulton MacGregor: Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service That the Parliament recognises the work of the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBTS); understands that the SNBTS, which had its beginnings in the 1930s, is the specialist provider of safe high quality blood, tissues and cells products and services in Scotland; notes that its cornerstone policy is to ensure that NHS Scotland has enough blood to meet the transfusion needs of patients in Scotland; praises the SNBTS for what it considers diligent work during the COVID-19 pandemic in continuing to provide a lifesaving service, despite the hardships brought on by the pandemic; notes with concern reports that Scotland has fewer registered blood donors than at any other point this century, with the number of people donating blood supplies having dropped by 13,000 over the past year; believes that estimates suggest SNBTS would need to welcome 3,300 donors per week to ensure that blood supplies remain at safe levels; supports the SNBTS Amazing Stories campaign, which highlighted personal stories of those who have received lifesaving blood donations, and notes, therefore, the calls encouraging people across the country, including in Coatbridge and Chryston, to sign up to become blood donors if they are able.