Seòmar agus comataidhean

I announced on 3 July that the Scottish Government is establishing the Performing Arts Venues Relief fund – a £10 million fund to support Scotland’s performing arts venues to be administered by Creative Scotland so that organisations across Scotland are able to access this much-needed money as quickly as possible. On 5th of July, the UK Government announced a £1.57 billion support package, with £97 million for Scotland which the First Minister has confirmed will be used for the arts, culture and heritage.

We welcome this announcement and we are pleased that the UK Government has listened to our calls for significant funding for the arts, culture and heritage sectors and is using its borrowing powers, which we don’t have, to deliver this level of support. The Scottish Government is currently establishing the best means and the criteria to provide additional support to those in the arts, culture and heritage sectors who have been so badly affected by Covid-19.

A major milestone in delivering the Laurencekirk Junction Improvement was reached on 19 December 2019 when draft Orders for the scheme were published. In response to the publication of draft Orders Transport Scotland received four statutory objections to the proposed scheme.

As with all trunk road schemes, it is only right that those affected have an opportunity to express their views and this is a statutory obligation that cannot be ignored or simply swept aside. Accordingly effective engagement with affected parties is something that Transport Scotland takes very seriously.

Transport Scotland is currently negotiating with objectors to try and resolve objections where possible. However, should Transport Scotland be unsuccessful in removing all objections a public local inquiry may be required. As with all trunk road projects this is the statutory forum for considering objections received and not withdrawn.

As confirmed in my answer to question S5W-26809 on 8 January 2020, progress of the scheme is dependent on the public reaction to the published draft Orders and whether a public local inquiry is required to consider objections received and not withdrawn. Delivery of the scheme itself can only commence when the scheme is approved under the statutory procedures and thereafter a timetable for construction can be determined.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at:

http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx .

The Aberdeen to Central Belt Reference Group met six times between May 2017 and September 2019, with representatives from Transport Scotland, Network Rail, ScotRail, Nestrans, Aberdeen City Region Deal and Tactran. A Key Stakeholder Group, involving these organisations, now meets quarterly to review project progress.

The Reference Group had commissioned a study exploring the possibility of doubling the line between Montrose and Usan Junction. However, this concluded it would be prohibitively expensive and have a major environmental impact on the Montrose Basin and its wildlife, while only delivering negligible journey time improvements. The Reference Group concluded that the investment would be better focussed on signalling enhancements between Aberdeen and Dundee.

I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-29998 on 13 July 2020 All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx .

I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

The mobile phones were purchased on a bulk basis and it is assessed that the unit cost of a handset is approximately £20.

I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

Mobile phone handsets were purchased via SPS’ existing mobile telephony service supplier. This followed an assessment of the availability of the required 8,000 entry level mobile devices and SIM cards; and a value benchmarking exercise on unit prices.

I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

The introduction of in-cell telephony will provide important family contact as restrictions on visits are in place during the COVID19 pandemic. These changes are intended to remain in place after the outbreak so as to continue to maximise the contact that prisoners can have with their family and friends while detained in prison.

All mobile phones are individually allocated and registered to people in custody and must be returned upon liberation. Under Rule 62(10)a prisoner must return any authorised personal communication device in the prisoner’s possession to an officer where the officer orders the prisoner to do so. Failure to do so may result in disciplinary proceedings or the matter being reported to the police.

I refer the member to the answer provided for question S5W-30084 on 6 July 2020 which provides a comprehensive response in relation to the easing of restrictions around prison visits. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx .

I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

The mobile phones will operate with the same restricted security controls in place for the existing prisoner pin telephone system namely:

• the receiving party will be notified that the call originates from a Scottish Prison;
• the mobile phone can only call the phone numbers that are already on the individual’s call list. In addition, people in custody will be able to call the Samaritans at any time;
• calls can only be made from the mobile phone and cannot be received; and
• all calls will be recorded.

In addition to these controls:

• the mobile phones cannot access the internet or send or receive text messages;
• security seals have been fitted to each battery, if these are damaged, then the phone will be removed from the individual; and
• all calls can be traced back to the individuals and any identified misuse may be subject to disciplinary measures as laid out in the Prison and Young Offenders Institutions (Scotland) Rules 2011, including removal of the service from individuals.

I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

The cost of the mobile phone provision during the COVID19 pandemic is expected to be met within budget.

The Scottish Government committed to investing up to £125 million in the Aberdeen City Region Deal. Alongside the deal, we are committed to invest a further £254 million, including £200 million to improve capacity, performance and journey times on key rail links between Aberdeen and the Central Belt.

Transport Scotland, through Network Rail, is progressing the rail improvements in stages, in accordance with the Rail Enhancements Capital Investment Strategy and Network Rail’s eight-stage Governance for Railway Investment Projects (GRIP).