- Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 26 October 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 8 November 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the effectiveness of Auditory Verbal therapy in improving outcomes for deaf children whose families want them to learn spoken language.
Answer
NHS Health Boards and local authorities are responsible for the provision of, and funding for, services for deaf children. This includes the provision of specific therapeutic approaches.
The Scottish Government funds the Scottish Sensory Centre and CALL Scotland to provide advice and training to school staff on support, including the use of assistive technology, for children and young people with specific communication and sensory needs.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 30 October 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 8 November 2023
To ask the Scottish Government how many incidents of violence on trains have been reported in each year since 2016.
Answer
The information requested is not held centrally by the Scottish Government. The member may wish to contact the British Transport Police.
Data on crime and anti-social behaviour incidents on the rail network is available on the British Transport Police website: British Transport Police - Crime information for the rail network in England, Scotland and Wales (btp.police.uk) .
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 October 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 8 November 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what research it (a) has conducted and (b) plans to conduct into the results of various energy efficiency interventions on traditional and listed buildings.
Answer
The Energy Saving Trust, an advice service funded by the Scottish Government, has gathered case study data from 85 pre-1919 properties across Scotland that have gone through various degrees of retrofit and the installation of modern energy efficiency measures and clean heating systems. These can be found at: Energy Saving Trust | Green Homes Network . Learning from these case studies will further help us develop policy and highlight areas where further research is required. The Scottish Government has also recently published research looking at different options for conducting whole building assessments in multi-owner and mixed-use buildings as current building assessment methods in Scotland are used for single dwellings and not at a whole building level. A proportion of these buildings will be of traditional construction. The research can be found at Whole Building Assessment for energy efficiency and zero direct emissions heating .
Officials will identify what further research may be required through engagement during the consultation on proposals for a Heat in Buildings Bill.
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 31 October 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom Arthur on 8 November 2023
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill, what work has been undertaken to provide for exemption schemes for people providing personal care for a family member.
Answer
As set out in the Policy Memorandum, accompanying the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill, the policy intention is that a local authority can establish exemptions to a visitor levy scheme in its area as it believes are appropriate. The Bill therefore provides for a local authority to put such exemptions in place, which will be informed by advice in national guidance being developed by local government and business organisations in the Visitor Levy Expert Group.
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 31 October 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom Arthur on 8 November 2023
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill, what work has been undertaken to provide for exemption schemes for people attending a funeral.
Answer
As set out in the Policy Memorandum, accompanying the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill, the policy intention is that a local authority can establish exemptions to a visitor levy scheme in its area as it believes are appropriate. The Bill therefore provides for a local authority to put such exemptions in place, which will be informed by advice in national guidance being developed by local government and business organisations in the Visitor Levy Expert Group.
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 26 October 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 8 November 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the creation of a national digital academy.
Answer
Scottish Government and Education Scotland are currently developing options for a National Digital Academy. An update will be available when these are complete.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 October 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 8 November 2023
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answers to questions S6W-21728 and S6W-21745 by Patrick Harvie on 23 and 24 October 2023 respectively, what discussions it has had with Historic Environment Scotland on approaches to retrofitting traditional and listed buildings.
Answer
Historic Environment Scotland (HES) is the lead public body on the investigation of, care for and promotion of Scotland's historic environment. HES published retrofit guidance for traditional buildings in November 2021 at Guide to Energy Retrofit of Traditional Buildings | Hist Env Scotland (historicenvironment.scot) . The Scottish Government values their technical expertise and regularly relies on their work and input to help define the approach to retrofitting traditional and listed buildings.
For example, following a series of stakeholder workshops held in 2021, an expert Tenements Short Life Working Group was formed. A specific workshop looking at traditional and protected buildings was undertaken as part of this process and Historic Environment Scotland were a key participant in this group A. The Final Report and Recommendations of the Tenements Short Life Working Group will be published shortly.
We are committed to continuing to work closely with HES to shape our future proposals on a Heat in Buildings Standard to ensure the best outcome for traditional and protected homes and buildings and the people who live and use them.
- Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 09 October 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 8 November 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what work it has undertaken to establish a threshold for tapering agricultural payments under provisions in the Agriculture and Rural Communities (Scotland) Bill.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-22110 on 30 October 2023. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers .
- Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 19 October 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Jackson Carlaw MSP (on behalf of the SPCB) on 8 November 2023
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB), in relation to the notice for a contractor to provide taxi services (Public Contracts Scotland reference FEB471362), how many of the applicants were rejected as a result of, or following, advice provided to the SPCB by Police Scotland.
Answer
The SPCB’s answer to question S6W-16094 explained that, in line with established procurement practice, the SPCB does not publish specific tenderer information which it considers might prejudice fair competition, which could prejudice the commercial interest of any person or organisation or where it would otherwise be contrary to the public interest to do so. The SPCB does not consider it appropriate to publish the information requested.
The SPCB’s procurement function operates in accordance with its published Procurement Strategy and established industry practice including guidance published by the Scottish Government. There are robust processes in place to deliver sustainable contracts that provide best value for money and resilient supply chain governance.
The latest SPCB Procurement Report can be obtained at Annual Report.
- Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 19 October 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Jackson Carlaw MSP (on behalf of the SPCB) on 8 November 2023
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, in relation to the notice for a contractor to provide taxi services (Public Contracts Scotland reference FEB471362), how many of the two companies that submitted a quotation completed the required Declaration of Non-Involvement in Serious Organised Crime.
Answer
The SPCB’s answer to question S6W-16094 explained that, in line with established procurement practice, the SPCB does not publish specific tenderer information which it considers might prejudice fair competition, which could prejudice the commercial interest of any person or organisation or where it would otherwise be contrary to the public interest to do so. The SPCB does not consider it appropriate to publish the information requested.
The SPCB’s procurement function operates in accordance with its published Procurement Strategy and established industry practice including guidance published by the Scottish Government. There are robust processes in place to deliver sustainable contracts that provide best value for money and resilient supply chain governance.
The latest SPCB Procurement Report can be obtained at Annual Report.