- Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Falkirk West, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 November 2024
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Current Status:
Initiated by the Scottish Government.
Answered by Alasdair Allan on 7 November 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it can provide an update on the progress of the Grangemouth Just Transition Plan.
Answer
The Draft Grangemouth Just Transition Plan has been published today for consultation. The plan sets out the strategic approach to securing a long term and sustainable future for the Grangemouth cluster. I am grateful to all those who have shaped this work to date and welcome their further constructive input over the course of the consultation period. The Scottish Government intend to publish the final plan in Spring 2025.
The publication can be found here.
- Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Falkirk West, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 30 September 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 15 October 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what further engagement it will have with the UK Government regarding bringing the oil port terminal at Grangemouth into public ownership to support energy security.
Answer
Following the announcement by Petroineos to continue supplying fuel via an import terminal at Grangemouth and reflecting the reserved nature of the security of fuel supplies, the Scottish Government has been engaging collaboratively with the UK Government’s Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) to assess the efficacy of the business’ import terminal plans.
We will continue to seek assurance from both the UK Government and Petroineos that appropriate controls and actions are in place to ensure adequate fuel flows to continue from Grangemouth long into the future.
- Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Falkirk West, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 September 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Kate Forbes on 8 October 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to bring forward Falkirk Growth Deal projects, in light of reports of the Grangemouth refinery closure.
Answer
Project development and delivery are led by Falkirk Council and other local partners. Officials are in regular communication with both the UK Government and Falkirk Council regarding the signing of the Falkirk and Grangemouth Growth Deal. Partners are currently preparing business cases for all projects and officials are working to support this process to enable project delivery to commence. This crucial project development work has been ongoing ahead of the formal signing. Partners have identified the Deal projects which are sufficiently developed to commence and have prioritised those accordingly within the 10 year delivery programme of the Growth Deal.
- Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Falkirk West, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 September 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Kate Forbes on 8 October 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with (a) the UK Government and (b) Falkirk Council regarding the final sign-off of the Falkirk Growth Deal.
Answer
Officials are in regular contact with both the UK Government and Falkirk Council regarding the signing of the Falkirk and Grangemouth Growth Deal. Discussion continues at pace to align Ministers and Falkirk Council to secure a date for the signing to bring the Deal into delivery. Signing was previously scheduled before the General Election but had to be postponed during that process. Project development is led by Falkirk Council and other local partners and this has continued ahead of the formal signing, ensuring this delay does not adversely impact Deal progress.
- Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Falkirk West, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 October 2024
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 9 October 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what progress is being made in reforming the female custodial estate.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 9 October 2024
- Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Falkirk West, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 12 September 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 27 September 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, in addition to the £144.5 million that has already been announced, what further financial support it will provide to local authorities to maintain teacher numbers.
Answer
The Scottish Government has provided record funding of over £14 billion to local councils this year – a real-terms increase of 2.5% compared with the previous year. This includes £145.5 million to maintain teacher numbers and £242 million to support previous teacher pay deals.
We have also made available £29 million to support the 2024-25 teachers’ pay deal.
We value the teaching profession which is why Scotland has the most teachers per pupil and the highest paid classroom teachers in the UK.
- Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Falkirk West, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 12 September 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 26 September 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with the UK Government regarding its announcement of £22 billion of potential budget reductions and any impact that this will have on Barnett consequential funding.
Answer
The First Minister and I met the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 28 August, following the Chancellor’s statement on 29 July that outlined a £22 billion shortfall in the UK public finances.
I will be having further discussions with the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, along with the devolved finance ministers from Wales and Northern Ireland, at a meeting of the Finance: Interministerial Standing Committee (F:ISC) on 3 October.
Under the Barnett formula, increases or decreases in funding for UK Departments drive the funding available to the Scottish Budget. We expect that consequentials for this financial year will be not be formally confirmed until the completion of the supplementary estimates process in early 2025, with an update expected as part of the UK Budget on 30 October.
- Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Falkirk West, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 12 September 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 26 September 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, whether it is considering providing (a) further financial support and (b) other resources for research into (i) neuroblastoma and (ii) other cancers that affect children.
Answer
The Scottish Government’s ten year Cancer Strategy published in 2023 sets out the Scottish Government’s approach to improving patient pathways from cancer prevention and diagnosis through to treatment and post-treatment care, and this includes our ambitions for flourishing research and innovation. The Scottish Government is also the only UK-nation to have a dedicated strategy to support children and young people with cancer, delivered through the Managed Service Network for Children and Young People with Cancer. This network will continue to contribute to national and international research projects which aim to maximise cure for those with the highest risk disease and minimise treatment burden for those who are already curable.
The Scottish Government’s Chief Scientist Office (CSO) supports cancer research in Scotland including on cancers affecting children through investments in NHS Research Scotland infrastructure including Cancer and Paediatric Research Networks and in Paediatric and Adult Experimental Cancer Medicine Centres that support the delivery of clinical studies and trials. In addition, CSO supports funding opportunities for cancer research through access to National Institute for Health & Care Research programmes. CSO also recently established a collaboration with the Tessa Jowell Brain Cancer Mission to co-fund a neuro-oncology fellowship in Scotland.
- Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Falkirk West, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 12 September 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 25 September 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the Circular Economy (Scotland) Act 2024, whether it is considering including the recycling of recyclable PET or PP plastic plant pots in household kerbside recycling in its code of practice.
Answer
The new Household Recycling Code of Practice will be co-designed with local authorities and other stakeholders to deliver modernised and more consistent waste and recycling services across Scotland.
The co-design process will provide opportunities to consider collection of a range of new items and materials, which may include PET and/or PP plastic plant pots. Our approach to determining changes to the Code of Practice will be evidence-led and take account of different local circumstances and needs.
- Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Falkirk West, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 12 September 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 25 September 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it (a) has had and (b) plans to have with the UK Government regarding further support for pensioners in Scotland, in light of the impact of the UK Government's decision to make the Winter Fuel Payment means tested.
Answer
Following the publication of the UK Government’s equality analysis on the impact introducing means-tested Winter Fuel Payments, the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice wrote to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on 20 September urging the UK government to reinstate Winter Fuel Payment for all pensioners. The Cabinet Secretary also called for reform of the UK energy markets to address the root causes of fuel poverty in Scotland, such as high fuel prices.
This followed the previous letter to the Secretary of State on 14 August, in which the Cabinet Secretary urged the UK Government to undertake a benefits uptake campaign for Pension Credit and to move forward with plans for a social energy tariff.
