- Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 September 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Siobhian Brown on 26 September 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what the terms of the Verity House Agreement mean in practice for the funding of Violence Against Women and Girls services at local level.
Answer
The Scottish Government and COSLA are co-owners of Equally Safe, Scotland’s strategy to eradicate Violence Against Women and Girls. We will continue this joint approach when considering the wide-ranging recommendations of the Independent Strategic Review of Violence Against Women and Girls Services.
The Verity House Agreement provides a framework for both parties to work within when considering the joint response. A detailed analysis, including costing and cost benefit analysis, will be necessary before making definitive statements on individual recommendations.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 September 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 26 September 2023
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-20398
by Patrick Harvie on 31 August 2023, how many properties have installed
one or more renewable systems measures with funding from the Private Rented
Sector Landlord Loan scheme, broken down by the measures installed at each
property, since the scheme was established.
Answer
Energy Savings Trust, who administer the Private Rented Sector (PRS) Landlord Loan Scheme on behalf of the Scottish Government, do not hold this information in the format you have requested.
However, the Scottish Government has provided funding for 26 properties for renewables systems through the PRS Landlord Loan Scheme since the scheme was established in April 2020.
- Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 September 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 26 September 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether it is aware of any concerns from residents in the Torthorward area regarding new pylon infrastructure as a result of windfarm connections.
Answer
We need to rapidly accelerate our deployment of renewables in order to support decarbonisation of the GB grid by 2035, and significant investment in our grid infrastructure is required to ensure clean, low-cost renewable electricity can flow to where it is needed. We are clear that such infrastructure must be delivered with lasting benefits for our economy and the people of Scotland .
In regard to the proposals for pylons in the Torthorward area, we understand that Scottish Power Energy Networks (SPEN) has undertaken the first of two rounds of public consultations on the proposed Harestanes West connection. No application has been submitted to Scottish Ministers for consideration with regards to this development. Once an application is submitted it is subject to consultation with the public, statutory and local bodies, and local communities have an opportunity to make a representation to the formal application.
The Scottish Government is aware that communities in areas which may be impacted by proposed electricity network developments may have questions and concerns regarding pylon infrastructure, and we can provide assurance that any potential impacts - on communities, nature, landscape and other valued natural assets - are important considerations when determining applications for consent.
- Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 September 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 26 September 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to
improve data quality on out of NHS area placements, in light of the recommendation
in the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland report, Out of NHS area placements.
Answer
The Scottish Government welcomes the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland’s report and will carefully consider its recommendations.
The Scottish Government has already taken action to address the gaps in data on out-of-area placements specifically for people with learning disabilities and complex care needs through the implementation of the recommendations made within the Coming Home Implementation Report.
This work is being carried out in partnership with COSLA and brings practitioners, professionals and people with lived experience together to progress these recommendations which aim to significantly reduce inappropriate out-of-area placements experienced by people with learning disabilities and complex care needs.
We launched Dynamic Support Registers across Scotland in May 2023 to improve monitoring of out-of-area placements and to help local areas to plan for people with learning disabilities and complex care needs. Integration Authorities are operationalising these local Dynamic Support Registers and will also report data from them using a new national reporting system.
The operation of Dynamic Support Registers by all Integration Authorities was agreed through a Memorandum of Understanding between the Scottish Government and COSLA.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 September 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 26 September 2023
To ask the Scottish Government how many properties have received Private Rented Sector Landlord Loan funding for one or more energy efficiency measures, since the scheme was established.
Answer
The Scottish Government has provided funding for 190 properties for energy efficiency measures through the Private Rented Sector Landlord Loan Scheme since it was established in April 2020.
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 11 September 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Angus Robertson on 26 September 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to reopen the Recovery Fund for Independent Cinemas for new applications, and, if so, when.
Answer
The Recovery Fund for Independent Cinemas , launched in February 2022, was the second of two funds designed to support the independent exhibition sector during and in the immediate aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic.
It followed the Independent Cinema Recovery and Resilience Fund, which was launched in September 2020 and provided funding until March 2021.
Both these funds were part of exceptional measures instigated by Scottish Government and administered by Screen Scotland in response to the immediate challenges posed by Covid-19. There are no plans to re-open either fund or for the creation of a new Recovery Fund for Independent Cinemas.
- Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 11 September 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 26 September 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the public inquiry report into the conduct of Glasgow Prestwick Airport, relating to payments demanded by the airport from local windfarm developers, which reportedly brings into question the nature of these demands; whether it was aware of these negotiations and payments, and what assessment it has made of how the report's findings may affect the commercial viability of the airport.
Answer
The Scottish Government is aware of commentary provided in the formal reports of the Public Local Inquiries into the Sanquhar II and Clauchrie windfarm planning applications. The Inquiry's focus was not regarding the conduct of Glasgow Prestwick Airport.
Glasgow Prestwick Airport is run on a commercial basis at arm's length from the Scottish Government, therefore commercial agreements reached by the airport and windfarm developers are a commercial matter between the parties involved.
GPA continues to perform well in a highly competitive aviation market and is now a profitable business. The Scottish Government has full confidence in the Board and senior management and its strategy to grow and develop the airport. The airport is a key enabler for the Ayrshire aerospace cluster, sustaining 300 direct and 4,000 indirect jobs and Scottish Ministers remain committed to supporting their investment in the airport.
- Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 11 September 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 26 September 2023
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6F-02316 by Humza Yousaf on 7 September 2023, whether it can confirm when it first provided education leaders with guidance from the Institution of Structural Engineers regarding reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC); on what dates the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills met with local authorities to discuss the presence of RAAC, and whether minutes of those meetings will be published.
Answer
Scottish Government officials have been sharing information about RAAC with local authorities’ Scottish Heads of Property Services (SHOPS) and Association of Directors of Education in Scotland (ADES) networks since July 2022. Scottish Government officials shared the latest guidance from the Institution of Structural Engineers with the SHOPS and ADES networks in May.
In recent weeks, I have personally met with COSLA to discuss RAAC on 31 August, 5 September, 11 September and 21 September. We have agreed to continue doing so weekly during this phase of the response. Minutes of such meetings are not routinely published.
I wrote to local authorities regarding RAAC on 2 September and 5 September, along with the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice.
- Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 11 September 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 26 September 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide further details on whether payments under a four-tiered payment structure in the Agriculture Bill would be weighted towards base support (tiers 1 and 2) or tied to results (tiers 3 and 4).
Answer
The Agricultural Reform Route Map sets out the proposed timescales for information and interaction with the agricultural industry. As we continue to make progress with the Agriculture Reform Programme, there will be further opportunities to share key information with farmers, crofters and landowners to help them plan and prepare for change.
- Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 11 September 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 26 September 2023
To ask the Scottish Government how many meetings the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands has had with the First Minister, regarding the proposed Agriculture Bill, from 29 March 2023 to date.
Answer
The First Minister frequently meets with members of the Cabinet to discuss the Government’s policy priorities, including the proposed Agriculture Bill.