- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 November 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Paul McLennan on 29 November 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what audit of public land has been undertaken to identify potential sites that are currently available for affordable housing development.
Answer
There has been no audit carried out of public land to identify sites to deliver affordable homes. The Scottish Public Finance Manual and the NHS Scotland Property Transactions Handbook provide guidance on the procedures and safeguards required when handling the disposal of surplus land, buildings and other rights in property. Prior to advertising on the open market, bodies must notify the Scottish Government in order that the surplus asset can be advertised internally via the trawl process. While most surplus assets advertised through the trawl are not deemed suitable for affordable housing, some have been purchased for this purpose.
- Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 20 November 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 28 November 2023
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-21873 by Fiona Hyslop on 13 October 2023, whether recent poor weather, including the impact of Storm Babet, has had any impact on how it will allocate funding towards the aims of its Weather Resilience and Climate Change Adaption strategy.
Answer
As the Member is aware, the Scottish Government has committed to invest £4.2 billion in the Scottish rail infrastructure which investments will focus on climate change adaptation and resilience of the rail network. Network Rail is leading on the delivery of the Weather Resilience and Climate Change Adaption strategy and advises that it has a clear plan to deliver its objectives and is confident in doing so.
- Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 20 November 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 28 November 2023
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the 310,000 potential jobs in Scottish domestic hydrogen production highlighted in its 2020 report, Scottish Hydrogen Assessment, how many of these jobs it estimates would be based in the north east.
Answer
The Scottish Hydrogen Assessment projections were all done at a Scotland level and as such, there are no explicit figures for jobs by region.
- Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 20 November 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Christina McKelvie on 28 November 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support charity-run art venues with (a) operating costs and (b) energy costs during the winter season.
Answer
The Scottish Government values the important role our third sector plays in communities across Scotland, working to tackle tough social issues at source. We continue to invest widely in the third sector and have committed to increasing multiyear funding wherever possible.
We recognise the impact of rising operating costs across society, including on charity run venues.
While the Scottish Government does not provide any targeted funds that specifically address operational or energy costs of charity-run art venues during the winter season, we support Creative Scotland, who administer funding that focusses on the creation of cultural activity, from which a proportion of operating costs or energy costs can be included in the project budget that support applications for grants.
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 20 November 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Christina McKelvie on 28 November 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what (a) capital and (b) recurrent funding it has committed as part of the UK’s bid dossier for the 2028 UEFA European Football Championships, and what the business case is for the return on any such investments.
Answer
The Scottish Government is continuing to work in partnership with governments and football associations across the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland following confirmation of the successful EURO 2028 bid on 10 October.
Funding contributions of all partners are commercially sensitive as the next phases of planning take place. The Scottish Government will undertake to notify the Scottish Parliament on developments in due course.
The bid was carefully considered by all partners and the event is predicted to generate cumulative socio-economic benefits of up to £2.6 billion across the UK and Ireland.
- Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 20 November 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Siobhian Brown on 28 November 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of Firework Control Zone provisions following Bonfire Night 2023, and whether any changes will be implemented in advance of Bonfire Night 2024 and beyond.
Answer
Firework control zones are a discretionary power for local authorities. The Scottish Government provides support to local authorities in respect of firework control zones, such as by providing funding for consulting on and designating zones.
No changes to the legislative framework concerning firework control zones are proposed at this time. However, the Scottish Government keeps the effectiveness of the relevant provisions under continuous review. For example, as local authorities take up available funding for consulting on and implementing zones, feedback is sought on the effectiveness of the legislative provisions. Statutory guidance for local authorities also makes clear that review of firework control zones is required once introduced.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 17 November 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 28 November 2023
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-22338 by Neil Gray on 7 November 2023, what specific guidance the Energy Consents Unit uses when completing a data check.
Answer
Officials in the Energy Consents Unit (“ECU”) use internal process guidance to check that the data input by developers into the carbon calculator accords with the relevant information referenced in the application documentation and its environmental impact assessment report (“EIA report”). Once the data is checked, the submission is formally received and then thereafter available for scrutiny in the public domain by using the reference code published in the EIA report. The data check includes:
1. Checking that the number of wind turbines and capacity output of each turbine accords with the information provided in the EIA Report.
2. Checking that the operational period accords with the application information
3. Checking that the capacity factor is credible and backed up by evidence in the EIA report.
- Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 17 November 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 28 November 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what steps are being taken to ensure that environmental horticulture is utilised as a policy solution in relation to climate change, the economy, health, and the planning system, as outlined in the Horticultural Trades Association's Scottish Environmental Horticulture Growth Strategy.
Answer
The Scottish Government recognises the horticultural sector’s important contribution to the Scottish population’s mental and physical health, and the environment through provision of plants and trees for public landscaping and domestic gardening. In addition, horticulture contributes to the Scottish economy, through retail, job creation and employment opportunities in green careers. That is why I welcomed the Horticultural Trades Association's Scottish Environmental Horticulture Growth Strategy during the Holyrood launch event in March 2023.
The eight ‘Asks of Government’ outlined by HTA align with existing Scottish Government policy priorities, including climate change mitigation, nature networks as outlined in the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy and the local living policy principle of the National Planning Framework 4, which proposes the development of parks, green spaces, community gardens, local food production, allotments and recreation facilities to help improve wellbeing. These highlight opportunities for the sector and Scottish Government to work together towards shared goals across a wide range of policy areas. Officials will therefore continue to take forward detailed discussions with the HTA to ensure environmental horticulture is represented in relevant government strategies.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 17 November 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 28 November 2023
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-22380 by Gillian Martin on 30 October 2023, what the (a) name, (b) remit and (c) membership is of each working group that the Minister for Energy and the Environment chaired.
Answer
I recently chaired the short-lived Rural Energy Consumers Working Group, Non-domestic Energy Consumers Working Group and Priority (previously known as Vulnerable) Energy Consumers Working Group. Information on each of these groups can be found on the Scottish Government website at the following links:
Energy: Rural Energy Consumers Short-Life Working Group - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)
Energy: Non-Domestic Energy Consumers Short-Life Working Group - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)
Energy: Vulnerable Energy Consumers Short-Life Working Group - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 17 November 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Christina McKelvie on 28 November 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the reported comments of Creative Scotland that it remains in the dark regarding the Scottish Government's future funding commitments.
Answer
The Scottish Government will take decisions about the allocation of funding in 2024-25 and future years subject to the outcome of the Scottish Budget process and associated approval by the Scottish Parliament.
Once the draft budget is published on 19 December we will engage closely with Creative Scotland and the wider culture sector as we develop plans for the £100m increased investment over the next five years.
