PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS ON COVID-19 AND ANSWERS BY THE SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT

Wednesday 17 June 2020

Written questions lodged on 17 June can be found on page 43 of this document.

Links to First Minister’s Questions relating to COVID-19 on 17 June, are included at page 42.

ANSWERS TO PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS (Received on 17 June)

Ministerial portfolio: Government Initiated Question

Angela Constance (Almond Valley) (): To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the ongoing work at the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People and Department of Clinical Neuroscience.

S5W-29994

Jeane Freeman: Following the significant progress of the Programme Director, Project Team, contractors and the staff of NHS Lothian, we are now in a position to continue the phased moves to the new hospital.

From July, a number of children’s outpatient services will move to the new Royal Hospital for Children and Young People at the same time as remaining services from the Department of Clinical Neurosciences complete their move.

This phased move will see some Children’s outpatient services, including Neurology and Orthopaedics migrate, along with a number of administrative support staff. The plan, which has been agreed with the full involvement of clinical teams and staff side representatives, will not only help to free up space at the existing Royal Hospital for Sick Children site, but will enable NHS Lothian to continue to deliver quality paediatric clinics adhering and supporting social distancing.

The final phase of the move of the Department of Clinical Neurosciences will also take place in mid-July. This will see inpatient Neurosurgery and Neurology wards, along with Neurosurgery Theatres and Interventional Neuro-Radiology relocated to their new home.

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I informed Parliament in May that COVID-19 may adversely affect the timeline of the project. We now know that COVID-19 is impacting on supply chains and the pace of work, as contractors need to observe safe physical distancing, but at present the work is progressing on track and the original timeline remains.

Ministerial portfolio: Economy, Fair Work and Culture

Neil Findlay (Lothian) (): To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reported concerns with safety in contact/call centre facilities because of the COVID-19 outbreak, whether it will consider organising an emergency conference to discuss the issues being faced by staff in these and, if so, whether it will invite the STUC, staff unions, employers, the Health and Safety Executive, COSLA, local authorities, academics and health and safety campaign groups to participate.

S5W-29722

Jamie Hepburn: We are setting up a working group with representation from trades unions, employers, regulators and workforce representatives to develop workplace guidance for contact/call centres. In developing guidance for this sector, as we have done for other sectors whose guidance we have already published, we will take account of our long-established commitment to fair work, which was set in the context of the current crisis in a joint statement with the STUC. Working together – employers, workers, unions and the regulatory bodies – we can create safe workplaces for all.

Neil Findlay (Lothian) (Scottish Labour): To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reported concerns with safety in such facilities because of the COVID-19 outbreak, what its position is on carrying out an immediate audit of contact/call centres to compare the health of the staff working in these places with their colleagues who are working from home or who are furloughed.

S5W-29723

Jamie Hepburn: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-29722 on 17 June 2020. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility f