- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 December 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 15 December 2022
To ask the Scottish Government how much turnover has been generated by ecommerce businesses in Scotland in each of the last five years.
Answer
Data is not collected in this way, because many firms engaged in e-commerce are likely to also be trading in other ways. However, the Digital Economy Business Surveys (DEBS) carried out in 2017 and 2021 offers some insight. These surveys contain estimates of the proportion of total business sales were made via e-commerce in the previous 12 months.
Proportion sales made via e-commerce by Scottish Businesses, % (not including sole traders) |
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| 2017 | 2021 |
100% | 1 | 4 |
80 - 99% | 4 | 5 |
60 - 79% | 3 | 3 |
40 - 59% | 3 | 4 |
20 - 39% | 4 | 5 |
Less than 20% | 15 | 13 |
Any sales via e-commerce | 30 | 35 |
None | 66 | 61 |
Don't know | 4 | 4 |
Base | 3,258 | 3,346 |
Source: Digital Economy Business Survey, 2017 & 2021 DEBS has been carried out approximately every three years since 2014. Note that sole traders were not included in these surveys. |
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- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 December 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 15 December 2022
To ask the Scottish Government how many ecommerce businesses have been founded in Scotland in each of the last five years.
Answer
Data is not collected in this way, because many firms engaged in e-commerce are likely to also be trading in other ways. However, in 2021, 35% of businesses in Scotland made sales via e-commerce, compared to 30% in 2017. (Source: Digital Economy Business Surveys (DEBS); 2017 and 2021. DEBS has been carried out approximately every three years since 2014. Note that sole traders were not included in these surveys.)
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 December 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 15 December 2022
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports that it has not yet appointed a Women’s Health Champion, despite a plan earlier in 2022 to appoint one “this summer”, what process was followed for the recruitment and appointment; how many prospective candidates were approached, and whether any candidates turned the opportunity down.
Answer
Six candidates were invited to be interviewed for the role of Women’s Health Champion. The Government will make an announcement on the outcome of this process shortly.
- Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 05 December 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Kevin Stewart on 15 December 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether only local authority staff will potentially be transferred to the National Care Service, and not NHS staff, and, if so, what the reasons are for this.
Answer
The answer to this question is set out in Paragraph 48 of the National Care Service (Scotland) Bill Policy Memorandum. This can be accessed at: https://www.parliament.scot/bills-and-laws/bills/national-care-service-scotland-bill/introduced
- Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 05 December 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Kevin Stewart on 15 December 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what it estimates the value of any liabilities, including pensions, to be of any staff transferred to the National Care Service.
Answer
We are in the process of commissioning expert pensions advice in relation the National Care Service proposal. We have received bids and hope to award the contract shortly. Once the contract is in place full details will be made publicly available.
- Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 05 December 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Kevin Stewart on 15 December 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether Anne’s Law will be included in legislation related to the National Care Service.
Answer
Provisions related to Anne's Law are included within the National Care Service (Scotland) Bill.
- Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 01 December 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi McAllan on 15 December 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether any regional marine plans agreed either prior to, or after, the publication of the next National Marine Plan will include comprehensive marine spatial planning for all economic activities in their area.
Answer
The Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 requires the regional marine plans state policies for and in connection with the sustainable development of the area to which the plan relates. Regional marine plans must also set economic, social and marine ecosystem objectives and relating to the mitigation of, and adaptation to, climate change. All regional marine plans must be developed in accordance with any adopted National Marine Plan ("NMP"), and are subject to the agreement of Scottish Ministers.
Responsibility for regional marine planning is devolved to marine planning partnerships (“MPPs”). The current NMP provides guidance to support the development of regional marine plans, but specifies that the precise approach and coverage of the regional plan, including the level to which certain activities are spatially represented, will be for MPPs to determine based on local priorities and taking account of existing partnerships, methodologies and alignment with other local plans.
We will work with MPPs during the development of our second NMP (NMP2), to ensure policies and objectives within NMP2 provide necessary support and guidance for regional marine planning
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 November 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 15 December 2022
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-11868 by Patrick Harvie on 17 November 2022, whether it will define which sources of bioenergy it considers “sustainable” in relation to alternative technologies to air source heat pumps.
Answer
In relation to question S6W-11868, the reference to bioenergy from sustainable sources refers to the sustainability of the biomass feedstock. The technology itself does not indicate sustainability but rather it is the feedstock which needs to meet sustainability criteria. The Scottish Government wishes to continue to align with EU standards and sustainability criteria as set out in the Renewable Energy Directive (RED). Any biomass used for energy should meet both the land and greenhouse gas criteria as a minimum to be considered as sustainable.
Scottish Government officials have formed a Bioenergy Policy Working Group which is considering how to ensure our bioenergy policy continues to be compatible with wider sustainable land use policy including the delivery of environmental goals and recognising public attitudes to land use change.
- Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 November 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 15 December 2022
To ask the Scottish Government how many individuals Police Scotland have administered naloxone to, and how many of these individuals were referred to drug treatment services, in each month since the roll-out of naloxone to Police Scotland officers.
Answer
The national roll out of the Police Scotland Naloxone Programme has been delivered in 2 stages. The first stage was a test of change (pilot), covering the period 01-03-2021 to 31-10-2021. The second stage covers the period from the completion of pilot up to the point where the most recent data is available, 02-12-2022. The number of administrations per month, in each stage of the roll out, is provided below.
Test of Change period (01-03-2021 – 31-10-2021) – Total of 51 administrations
March – 2
April - 5
May - 5
June – 10
July - 8
August - 7
September - 6
October – 8
Start of roll-out (01-11-2021 – 02-12-2022) – Total of 44 administrations
November - 3
December - 2
January - 5
February - 4
March - 1
April - 3
May - 2
June - 4
July - 5
August - 2
September - 4
October - 3
November - 4
December – 2 (up till 2-12-2022)
Casualties at each incident are sign posted to drug and addiction services within their area by officers on scene. The details are recorded on the Vulnerable Persons Database, the details of which can be shared with partner agencies to assist the individual.
- Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 08 December 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 15 December 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will outline the (a) process and (b) timescales for local authorities to apply for funding once they have identified (i) suitable housing stock and (ii) capacity for Ukrainian refugees.
Answer
The Ukraine Longer Term Housing Resettlement Fund guidance and application form for Local Authorities and Registered Social Landlords was published on the Scottish Government website on 30 September 2022, following the launch of the fund on 22 September 2022. Further details can be found here: https://www.gov.scot/publications/ukraine-longer-term-resettlement-fund/
A letter was issued to Council Leaders and the Scottish Federation of Housing (copied to Council Chief Executives) on 4 October 2022 to notify them of the Fund and encourage applications.
We are prioritising applications which deliver completed homes by 31 March 2023. Projects with homes completed in 2023/24 will be considered by exception.