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Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S6W-11520

Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 October 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 25 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to implement restrictions on (a) advertising, (b) sponsorship and (c) promotion of alcohol products (i) in public spaces and (ii) at sporting and cultural events.

As set out in the Programme for Government 2022-23, later this year we will consult on potential restrictions on alcohol advertising and promotion to protect vulnerable groups, including children and young people and those in recovery. Subject to the outcomes of this consultation, we will introduce legislation within the lifetime of this parliament.

The consultation is still under development and we are considering all methods of alcohol advertising and promotion. We will fully engage with all relevant stakeholders to understand their views and any potential impacts of proposals.

Question reference: S6W-11477

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 10 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 25 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how much money it expects to spend on the use of private companies in undertaking contracts for work relating to the establishment of a National Care Service in the financial year of (a) 2022-23, (b) 2023-24 and (c) 2024-25, broken down by the purpose of any such spending.

Please see the following table of contracts which have been awarded so far by year, as part of the National Care Service Programme.

Currently, there is no additional budget specifically allocated for procuring external advice from private companies, although the National Care Service Programme will retain flexibility to procure external expertise as necessary to deliver the National Care Service.

Contract	Supplier Awarded Contract	Contract Duration	Contract Dates	Total Contract Value	Contract Purpose
Financial Controls Review	AAB	4 months with the option for a 4 month extension which can be used purely for time to complete, not to add monetary value	25-04-22 – 25-08-22	£45,504 exc. VAT	To provide advice to the NCS finance team on recommendations for improvement where necessary on the financial controls in place, the capacity and capability of the finance team, and the methodology used to provide estimates set-up and running costs for the NCS.
VAT Advice	AAB	12 months	Spring 22-23 – Spring 23-24	£46,749 exc. VAT	To provide advice on necessary VAT preparations for the establishment of a NCS. To provide advice on the VAT impact of different NCS scenarios and recommend any options and/or solutions that could potentially achieve a VAT neutral outcome.
Operating Model and Business Case production	KPMG	18 months	13-12-21 – 13-06-23	£546,000	To produce a Current Operating Model for the current social care sector, a Target Operating Model for the National Care Service and a Programme Business Case.
Provision of Consultation response analysis	PwC	3 months	Dec 21 – Feb 22	£68,360	Contract to undertake analysis and the production of a report for the public consultation on A National Care Service for Scotland. Contract now complete.
National Care Service Operating model design	PwC	2 months	03-09-21 – 03-11-21	£107,020.80	Contract for advice and the production of a report on programme governance arrangements and a Design Authority within the National Care Service Programme. Contract now complete.
Landscape review	Socitim (Society for Innovation, Technology and Modernisation)	12 months	14-02-22 – 14-02-23	£412,624 exc. VAT	A review of the technology and digital architectural landscape across the public, private and third sector organisations who are involved in the delivery of social care services in Scotland to understand what will and will not work in the system
User research	Storm ID	2 months	21-02-22 – 27-04-22	£47,300 exc. VAT	User research to explore how people experience interacting with services in Scotland, and is particularly focussed on what data is important to them. Contract now complete.
International research	Capgemini Invents	2 months	24-02-22 – 15-04-22	£49,000 exc. VAT	Research to understand what digital approaches, services and products have enabled similar services outside of Scotland and what lessons can be learned from both successful and unsuccessful digital projects and programmes. This will focus on the technical and practical elements of work rather than the policy drivers. Contract now complete.
Technical architecture partner	Capgemini Invents	12 months	15-08-22 – 15-08-23	£338,730 exc. VAT	Research to understand in detail how data is currently flowing in the social care and health system and a technical architecture review of existing national digital assets to make a technical assessment to inform design decisions and inform the re-use of assets where appropriate.

Question reference: S6W-11146

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 26 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 25 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government on what date the decision was taken for the Youth Music Initiative’s funding to be secure as part of the cost of living emergency budget review.

Question reference: S6W-11491

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 25 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government in what ways it has increased funding available to artists in line with the Scottish National Party 2021 manifesto commitment.

Artists are a significant part of Scotland's culture sector and the Scottish Government is committed to seeing them thrive.

Since April 2021, Creative Scotland has distributed 491 awards to individuals through the Open Fund, totalling £6.2m.

They also distributed 3,923 awards to individuals through the Hardship Fund for Creative Freelancers, to the value of £7.5m in the same period.

Further information on the delivery of SG emergency Covid19 funds by Creative Scotland is available in the Evaluation of Creative Scotland COVID-19 Emergency Funding Programmes | Creative Scotland which covers the 2020-21 emergency funding. A further report on the delivery of SG’s emergency funding by Creative Scotland from late 2021-2022 is currently in preparation.

Creative Scotland is also working on a new approach to funding organisations over multiple years as set out in their Future Funding Review. This aims to offer organisations greater certainty in planning which will improve opportunities for the many freelance artists that are pivotal to their work and who make up over half of the workforce in the arts sector.

Question reference: S6W-11492

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 25 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it made support through its Festival Expo Fund available to the Centre for the Moving Image (CMI) prior to the organisation reportedly entering into administration, and, if so, how much funding was awarded to CMI in each year since 2007.

The Scottish Government has supported the Centre for the Moving Image (CMI) in the production of Edinburgh International Film Festival through our Festival EXPO fund since the fund’s inception in 2007. The amounts awarded are as follows:

2008-09 - £60,000

2009-10 - £110,000

2010-11 - £180,000

2011-12 - £100,000

2012-13 - £150,000

2013-14 - £110,000

2014-15 - £125,000

2015-16 - £115,000

2016-17 - £110,000

2017-18 - £110,000

2018-19 - £104,000

2019-20 - £100,000

2020-21 - £75,000

2021-22 - £50,000

2022-23 - £110,000

Question reference: S6W-11486

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 25 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has introduced three-year funding settlements for Scottish Government core funded cultural organisations, in line with the Scottish National Party 2021 manifesto commitment.

Question reference: S6W-11052

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 25 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what issue it is seeking to address by proposing to implement a new licensing scheme for muirburn.

Question reference: S6W-11373

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 25 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to fund research into heart condition diagnoses for women, in light of public health data that reportedly shows a rise in hospital admissions due to takotsubo cardiomyopathy.

The Women’s Health Plan, 2021-2024, includes a long term action to establish a Women’s Health Research Fund with the aim of closing gaps in scientific and medical knowledge in women’s health for both sex specific and non sex-specific conditions.

The Chief Scientist Office provide funding for the NHS Research Scotland Cardiovascular Network. The role of the Network is to support the delivery of high quality cardiovascular disease clinical research for the benefit of patients in Scotland and is currently providing support for the following clinical study:

Tako Genetics Study - Is There a Genetic Predisposition for Acute Stress-Induced (Takotsubo) Cardiomyopathy?

The Chief Scientist Office directly funds research through its 2 expert committees.

Applications on Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy, and other heart conditions, are welcomed and in common with all other applications would go through a process of independent expert review in order to enable funding decisions to be made.

Question reference: S6W-11427

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 October 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 25 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions regarding public ferry contracts Transport Scotland or any other government agency has had with private operators in Scotland since 1 October 2016, and when any such meeting last took place.

Question reference: S6W-11323

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 25 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many times the Green Heat Finance Taskforce has met since its creation, and whether a summary of the discussions and action points from these meetings has been published by the Scottish Government.