Questions and answers

Question reference: S5O-01377

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 October 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what impact the proposed cost increase for ferry freight from 1 January 2018 will have on the Northern Isles, in light of reports that it was believed that prices would remain frozen.

Question reference: S5W-11682

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 29 September 2017
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 25 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the announcement on 13 June 2017 (Official Report, c.38) that it will double the period during which support is provided to potential victims of human trafficking to 90 days, when this will come into effect.

Question reference: S5W-11679

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 29 September 2017
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 25 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the announcement on 13 June 2017 (Official Report, c.38) that it will double the period during which support is provided to potential victims of human trafficking to 90 days, what steps it is taking to ensure that all victims who receive a positive conclusive grounds decision will receive the full 90 days support, irrespective of when the conclusive grounds determination is made.

Section 9 of the Human Trafficking and Exploitation (Scotland) Act 2015 obliges the Scottish Government to ensure support is provided to victims of human trafficking for a minimum specified period, or until there is a conclusive grounds decision, whichever comes first. Section 9 of the Act – which was unanimously passed by the Scottish Parliament – also permits discretionary support to be provided outwith those parameters, including in cases where a conclusive grounds decision takes place before the specified period ends. The Scottish Government already liaises with service providers to ensure that victims are given the support they need for as long as necessary, including beyond the relevant period should that be necessary, and will continue to do so taking particular account of the needs of individual victims.

Question reference: S5W-11863

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 06 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 25 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) in remote or island communities have the skills and abilities to carry out the work required in respect of changes brought about by new energy efficiency legislation.

The Scottish Government is committed to improving the energy efficiency of all types of buildings across Scotland as part of Scotland’s Energy Efficiency Programme (SEEP). A key element of SEEP will be to ensure that we have a workforce with the right skills, in the right places and numbers, including for small and medium sized enterprises in remote and island communities, in order to deliver the programme’s aims. We will publish a routemap on the future direction of the programme next year.

Energy Saving Trust (EST), though the Sustainable Energy Supply Chain, deliver a programme to support SMEs and local suppliers in all parts of Scotland to maximise their share of spend from a range of current energy efficiency, low carbon heat and other large-scale sustainable energy investment programmes.

The former Low Carbon Skills Fund, managed by Skills Development Scotland (SDS), which gave Scottish businesses across all of Scotland employing fewer than 100 employees the opportunity to apply for up to £5,000 (or 50% of training costs) towards employee training costs is being reviewed to ensure that it continues to be fit for purpose in providing training and support to all of Scotland’s low carbon industry.

Further, we continue to work with the six local authorities who are represented on the Islands Strategic Group, to ensure any proposals for change are sufficiently flexible to respond to their unique but varied local circumstances.

Question reference: S5W-11861

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 06 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 25 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it has or will put in place to sufficiently rural- and island-proof energy efficiency legislation where skills, labour and materials are likely to be more expensive and scarce.

The Scottish Government is committed to improving the energy efficiency of all types of buildings across Scotland as part of the long term Scotland’s Energy Efficiency Programme (SEEP). A key element of SEEP will be to ensure that we have a workforce with the right skills, in the right places and numbers, including in rural and island locations, to deliver the programme’s aims. We will publish a routemap on the future direction of the programme next year.

Energy Saving Trust (EST) work with key partners to provide skills training to help businesses, particularly those in remote rural and island areas where the supply chain is relatively sparse, gain the necessary skills and certifications to operate in the energy efficiency and renewables market.

Further, through the HEEPS: Area-Based Schemes we have distributed funding based on an assessment of need, which means that remote areas, including all island communities, receive more per head of population to tackle fuel poverty than those on the mainland.

We continue to work with the six local authorities who are represented on the Islands Strategic Group, to ensure any proposals for change are sufficiently flexible to respond to their unique but varied local circumstances. We will also look at opportunities for innovation, including using digital technology to overcome travel and distance barriers.

Question reference: S5W-11862

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 06 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 25 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it has in place to ensure that the supply chain for appropriate insulation and other retrofit energy efficiency materials for traditional buildings is robust to support the likely demand once energy efficiency legislation is enacted.

The Scottish Government is committed to improving the energy efficiency of all types of buildings across Scotland as part of Scotland’s Energy Efficiency Programme (SEEP). A key element of SEEP will be to ensure that we have a workforce with the right skills, including those for traditional buildings, in the right places and numbers to deliver the programme aims. We will publish a routemap on the future direction of the programme next year.

As an early action, the Scottish Government has commissioned the Climate Exchange to provide independent expertise on which materials and technologies could be suitable across a range of house and building types in the near future. http://www.climatexchange.org.uk/reducing-emissions/technologies-to-support-energy-efficiency/

Energy Saving Trust (EST) work with key partners to provide skills training to help businesses, particularly those in remote rural and island areas where the supply chain is relatively sparse, gain the necessary skills and certifications to operate in the energy efficiency and renewables market.

Further, Historic Environment Scotland (HES) is undertaking research commissioned under the SG Energy Efficiency Action Plan to progress research and publish guidance on the appropriate thermal refurbishment of traditionally built and historic properties (dating from pre 1919). This work is still continuing.

Question reference: S5W-11860

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 06 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 25 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it will put in place to ensure that buildings are wind and watertight before it introduces measures to address energy efficiency, such as a Warm Homes Bill and the Scottish Energy Efficiency Programme.

All housing in Scotland must be substantially free from water penetration in order to comply with the Tolerable Standard. Local authorities are required to have a strategy for ensuring that houses which do not meet the Tolerable Standard are closed, demolished or brought up to standard in a reasonable period, and they have broad discretionary powers to assist home owners with work needed to meet the standard. Landlords of both private and social rented housing are required to carry out any work needed to ensure that homes they let are wind and watertight.

As part of the development of Scotland’s Energy Efficiency Programme we will develop quality assurance standards to help ensure that installed energy efficiency measures are carried effectively and with appropriate consumer address across all sectors. Under our current Scottish Government funded programmes measures should only be fitted where they are technically appropriate for the buildings.

Question reference: S5O-01355

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 25 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to tackle fuel poverty.

This Government has always prioritised tackling fuel poverty and is committed to ensuring that everyone in Scotland lives in a warm home that is affordable to heat.

We are delivering our commitment to make half a billion pounds available over the next 4 years and, by the end of 2021, we will have allocated over £1 billion pounds since 2009 on tackling fuel poverty and improving energy efficiency.

We will publish shortly a consultation on a new, long-term fuel poverty strategy, including a new target, which will feed into the Warm Homes Bill which we plan to introduce in Year 2 of this Parliament.

Question reference: S5W-11764

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 25 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how many Scottish Ambulance Service (a) emergency ambulances and (b) patient transport vehicles there are in operation, also broken down by the number based at or attached to each ambulance station.

The Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) has a total of 1,455 vehicles in operation across Scotland. This includes 483 accident and emergency vehicles and 486 patient transport vehicles.

The Scottish Government does not hold details of how these vehicles are stationed throughout the country. However the SAS will be able to provide this information if requested.

Over the next five years the ambulance service plans to invest £77.8 million in its fleet with approximately 1000 replacement vehicles scheduled for introduction. This investment will help ensure that the Service continues to provide a high quality level of emergency care to the people of Scotland.

Question reference: S5W-11677

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 29 September 2017
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 25 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the announcement on 13 June 2017 (Official Report, c.38) that it will double the period during which support is provided to potential victims of human trafficking to 90 days, whether this period of support will be made available to victims of all nationalities.

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