- Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 17 January 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 28 January 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how many surgical procedures have been cancelled in each of the last five years due to a lack of available staff, broken down by NHS board.
Answer
The information requested is not held centrally by the Scottish Government the member may wish to contact NHS board directly for information.
- Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 17 January 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 28 January 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what the current average time is from the initiation of a compulsory purchase order to its conclusion, broken down by sector.
Answer
The Scottish Government regularly publishes a register of orders submitted to the Scottish Ministers for confirmation since 2012: https://www.gov.scot/publications/compulsory-purchase-order-register/. The current register, published in December, includes compulsory purchase orders (CPOs) received up to the end of October 2024. The register includes information on the time taken between receipt of a CPO by the Scottish Government and the decision as to whether the order is confirmed.
A number of steps typically precede a CPO being submitted for confirmation, including negotiation with affected landowners and preparation of the relevant documentation. These are matters for the relevant acquiring authority and are not included in the CPO register.
- Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Date lodged: Friday, 17 January 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 28 January 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what steps are being taken to maintain transparency in the process of issuing compulsory purchase orders.
Answer
The Acquisition of Land (Authorisation Procedure) (Scotland) Act 1947 governs the making and confirmation of compulsory purchase orders (CPOs). It sets out requirements relating to the issuing and publication of notices regarding the making of a CPO, its submission to Scottish Ministers for confirmation, opportunities to object to it, and as regards the decision on whether to confirm a CPO. Guidance on the process is contained in Circular 6/2011: Compulsory purchase orders: https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-planning-series-planning-circular-6-2011-compulsory-purchase-orders/.
In addition, the Scottish Government publishes a register of CPOs submitted to the Scottish Ministers for confirmation since 2012, which is updated quarterly. The current register, published in December, includes CPOs received up until the end of October 2024: https://www.gov.scot/publications/compulsory-purchase-order-register/.
- Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 17 January 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 28 January 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether its (a) media and software subscriptions and (b) professional memberships align with its (i) net zero and (ii) sustainability targets.
Answer
The Scottish Government procures software subscriptions services through centrally tendered national procurement frameworks which fully consider and technically assess environmental and sustainability factors through the procurement framework evaluation process.
Professional memberships and media subscriptions are managed in individual business areas rather than on an organisational basis. We do not hold centralised information on the Net Zero or sustainability position or ambition for media suppliers or each professional body the Scottish Government aligns with.
- Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 17 January 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 28 January 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has terminated any software subscriptions in the last five years and, if so, for what reason.
Answer
The Scottish Government have terminated software subscriptions for several operational reasons. These include non-renewal on contract expiry, replacement with more modern services and the loss of business requirement to run the software.
- Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 17 January 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 28 January 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how the usage of electric and hybrid vehicles in its fleet aligns with its emissions reduction targets.
Answer
The Scottish Government is working towards our commitment to phase out petrol and diesel cars from our fleet and phase out the need for any new petrol and diesel light commercial vehicles.
The adoption of electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles to replace internal combustion engine vehicles aligns with, and supports our decarbonisation policies and targets. Presently, 82% of our overall fleet are zero or ultra-low emission vehicles.
- Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 17 January 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 28 January 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what professional memberships are held by (a) it and (b) each of its departments and directorates, broken down by organisation.
Answer
All our professional memberships are held by and apply to individuals so the Scottish Government as a body does not hold professional memberships.
- Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 17 January 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 28 January 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what criteria it uses to assess the necessity of software subscriptions across its departments.
Answer
The Scottish Government uses robust contract management procedures in relation to the procurement and compliance of licensing agreements for software subscriptions, procuring through national public procurement frameworks to ensure transparency, quality and value for money. Criteria will vary depending on business needs, costs and value.
- Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 17 January 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 28 January 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether any changes to compulsory purchase order legislation are planned to support net zero and climate adaptation projects.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to the question S6W-33492 on 28 January 2025. 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: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 17 January 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 28 January 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-33091 by Ivan McKee on 14 January 2025, whether there are any plans to replace the (a) heavy goods lorries and (b) light commercial vehicles in its fleet with electric vehicle models, and, if so, what the anticipated timeline is for doing so.
Answer
We do not have any current plans to replace these vehicles, however when the vehicles approach the end of their operational life, a vigorous assessment will be conducted by our fleet management team to identify suitable fit for purpose replacements available on the open market. This will include assessing electric and any other zero or ultra-low emission vehicles as potential replacements.