- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 December 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Kevin Stewart on 24 January 2022
To ask the Scottish Government how many people with learning difficulties and autism have died in inpatient units in Scotland since 2015.
Answer
This information is not routinely published. We are currently undertaking an exercise to analyse the data about how many people with learning disabilities and autism have died in inpatient units in Scotland. I will write to the member in due course when we have the information.
- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 23 December 2021
Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 20 January 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether funding is available for businesses for any damage caused by Storm Arwen, which is not covered by their insurance.
Answer
The Scottish Government has not provided direct or specific funding for businesses damaged by Storm Arwen.
I appreciate that the aftermath of Storm Arwen will have created difficult operating conditions for affected businesses. Information on available business support offered by public sector organisations can be found at the Find Business Support website - https://findbusinesssupport.gov.scot/
Following Storm Arwen, the Scottish Government activated the Bellwin Scheme to provide additional revenue support to local authorities to assist with immediate and unforeseen costs that meet the scheme’s qualifying criteria.
- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 January 2022
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 19 January 2022
To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting the care inspectorate in its role of inspecting and assessing care homes.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 19 January 2022
- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 December 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 11 January 2022
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-04732 by Maree Todd on 8 December 2021, whether it will provide details of the composition of the Burial Regulations Working Group; whether the group met on 9 December 2021, and, if so, where the minutes of this and other meetings are published.
Answer
The Scottish Government reconvened the Burial Regulations Working Group (first established in 2016) on 9 December 2021 to continue work to develop burial regulations, as provided for in the Burial and Cremation (Scotland) Act 2016.
At that meeting the Group reassessed the remit and membership of the Group, progress to date and the approach to take going forward.
The membership of the Group includes both public and private burial authorities, third sector organisations, special interest organisations and funeral sector trade organisations, ensuring views from across the sector are represented.
The Group agreed that the membership be expanded to the wider funeral sector, and invitations to join the Group are being sent to the identified parties. It would not be appropriate to share members’ details until the membership is agreed.
The minutes of the previous meeting will be published on the Scottish Government website once they have been cleared by the Group.
- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 December 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom Arthur on 11 January 2022
To ask the Scottish Government how much tax revenue has been raised from photovoltaic electricity generators subject to the contractor's basis valuation referred to in the Scottish Assessors Association (SAA)/Valuation Office Agency (VOA) Rating Lists Cost Guide 2017, in each year since 2017-18.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-05040 on 11 January 2022. 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: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 December 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom Arthur on 11 January 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it is considering making eligible green plant and machinery, such as solar panels, wind turbines and battery storage that is used with renewables, exempt from non-domestic rates.
Answer
The Scottish Government currently provides the most generous non-domestic rates regime for renewable energy generation in the UK. Under the Valuation for Rating (Plant and Machinery) (Scotland) Regulations 2000, solar panels, wind turbines and storage batteries are already exempt from rating where they are used for the generation, storage, transformation or transmission of power, where the power is mainly or exclusively ‘for distribution for sale to consumers’.
The Scottish Budget 2022-23 will expand the Business Growth Accelerator relief for property improvements to include the installation of solar panels as a qualifying improvement. The Business Growth Accelerator is unique in the UK and provides 100% relief on new builds for up to 12 months after first occupation and no rates increases for 12 months after a qualifying property improvement.
- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 December 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom Arthur on 11 January 2022
To ask the Scottish Government how much was raised in non-domestic rates revenue in (a) 2019-20 and (b) 2020-21 as a result of the Scottish Assessors Association's Practice Note 3, Valuation of Photovoltaic Electricity Generators.
Answer
Non-domestic properties in Scotland are valued by independent Scottish Assessors based on the law. A property’s rateable values reflects the valuation of the lands, heritages and any rateable plant and machinery, but is not disaggregated by component. Therefore the Scottish Government could not disaggregate the liability associated with the installation of a solar panel from the total rateable value of the property.
Under the Valuation for Rating (Plant and Machinery) (Scotland) Regulations 2000, solar panels, wind turbines and storage batteries are already exempt from rating where they are used for the generation, storage, transformation or transmission of power, where the power is mainly or exclusively ‘for distribution for sale to consumers’.
The Scottish Budget 2022-23 will expand the Business Growth Accelerator relief for property improvements to include the installation of solar panels as a qualifying improvement. The Business Growth Accelerator provides 100% relief on new builds for up to 12 months after first occupation, and no rates increases for 12 months after a qualifying property improvement.
- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 17 December 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 6 January 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has any plans to start recoding data by NHS board area to capture information on community first responders, in order to understand local resource requirements and assist in the allocation of resources in response to, for example, the recent pressure on ambulance services and major environmental events, such as Storm Arwen.
Answer
The Scottish Ambulance Service does not record data on use of community first responder schemes (CFRs) by health board area but is fully aware of the volunteer resources available throughout the country to support operational delivery.
CFRs are highly valued by the Service and are a dedicated, motivated and valuable asset to the communities they serve. CFRs form an integral part of the Service’s response, particularly with instances of Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrests. They do. however, work to a clinically assured scope of practice, which is supported by appropriate training to complement, but not replace, the emergency ambulance response in particular circumstances.
During times of crisis and major events, such as storm Arwen, CFR volunteers, as members of local communities, may provide assistance to the relief efforts but they would do so as individuals and not as representatives of the ambulance service.
- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 December 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 5 January 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what measures it has taken to (a) ensure that private COVID-19 test providers on its approved supplier list are legitimate businesses, (b) conduct regular due diligence of and review of the regulations that govern the private providers on its approved supplier list, (c) remove private suppliers from its approved supplier list if they do not fulfil their contractual obligations, and (d) inform customers on how to report unscrupulous private providers that do not provide PCR tests within the two-day required time period.
Answer
The list of private providers is owned by the UK Government. All providers included on the list must complete or be working towards full United Kingdom Accreditation Service accreditation. If a provider does not complete this or fails the accreditation then they are removed from the list.
Officials continue to work with UK Government to monitor performance of private tests providers. This is done at the private testing provider working group with the Department of Health and Social Care and the devolved administrations, which meet every 2 weeks.
The providers have various standards to meet, which are defined in our regulations and the key performance indicators (KPIs) that are set on turnaround times, customer service and sequencing requirements. Any provider not achieving these standards or engaging in unethical practices are removed from the list.
If individuals are having or have had an issue with a private test provider, they should first report this back to the provider. If they are not satisfied with this then they can submit a complaint here: https://enquiries.test-and-trace.nhs.uk/s/enquiries where the complaint will be investigated.
- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 09 December 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi McAllan on 24 December 2021
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-10494 by Roseanna Cunningham on 15 August 2017, which of the 42 formal flood protection schemes or engineering works are (a) under construction and (b) at the planning or other stage of development, broken down by (i) the expected completion date, including the reason for any date being beyond 2021, (ii) the number of properties that will be protected and (iii) the (A) initial forecast and (B) final expected cost of each.
Answer
The 2015 - 2021 Flood Risk Management Strategies included 42 formal flood protection schemes. Local authorities are expected to start work on development of these schemes by 2021. However as flood protection schemes can have significant impacts on individuals, communities and the environment, and so require careful and detailed planning and consultation, it is recognised that construction work may not be completed within the 2015-2021 timeframe.
Schemes (a) under construction are as follows:
Scheme | (ii) Properties protected | (i) Completion Date | (iii A) Initial cost (£ million) (1) | ( iii B) Estimated final cost (£ million) (2) |
Broughty Ferry | 450 | 2022 | 10.0 | 16.3 |
Upper Garnock | 600 | 2022 | 15.5 | 18.5 |
Kirkintilloch - Park Burn | 70 | Not held | 0.4 | 0.4 |
Hawick | 970 | 2023 | 37.4 | 78.6 |
Drumnadrochit | 24 | Not held | 3.4 | 5.7 |
Stonehaven | 376 | 2023 | 19.9 | 27.5 |
Schemes (b) under development are as follows:
Scheme | Stage | (ii) Properties protected | (iii A) Initial cost (£ million) (1) | ( iii B) Estimated Final Cost of Scheme (2) |
Kilmacolm – Glenmosston Burn | Confirmed (3) | Not held | 0.5 | 0.5 |
Comrie | Confirmed (3) | 200 | 15.7 | 28.4 |
Millport Coastal | Confirmed (3) | 657 | 12.1 | 27.5 |
Campbeltown | Confirmed (3) | 770 | 9.3 | 10.6 |
Arbroath | Confirmed (3) | 530 | 11.4 | 13.5 |
Caol and Lochyside | Confirmed (3) | 296 | 8.4 | 15.7 |
Dumbarton - Gruggies Burn | Confirmed (3) | 370 | 14.5 | 20.0 |
Quarrier’s Village | Confirmed (3) | 60 | 0.2 | 0.2 |
Dumfries - Whitesands | Confirmed (3) | 166 | 18.9 | 30.8 |
Water of Leith (Coltbridge, Gorgie, Saughton) Phase 3 | Confirmed (3) | 75 | Not held | Not held |
Mill Burn Millport | Confirmed (3) | 124 | 1.1 | 1.3 |
Grangemouth FPS | Under development | 2980 | 111.5 | 420 (4) |
St Andrews - Kinness Burn | Under development | 133 | 3.2 | 3.2 |
Musselburgh | Under development | 2500 | 8.9 | 42.1 |
South Fords | Under development | 58 | 1.4 | 1.4 |
Milnathort | Under development | 79 | 1.9 | 2.2 |
Stranraer | Under development | 350 | 0.4 | 1.2 |
Langholm | Under development | 200 | 2.0 | 9.9 |
Newton Stewart/ River Cree | Under development | 270 | 7.5 | 12.5 |
South Kinross | Under development | Not held | 3.2 | 3.8 |
Scone | Under development | 44 | 0.7 | 0.8 |
Bridge of Allan | Under development | Not held | 4.4 | 5.8 |
Haddington | Under development | 320 | 8.5 | 8.5 |
Stirling | Under development | 810 | 26.2 | 42.6 |
Callander | Under development | 30 | 2.4 | 4.7 |
(1) Note: Initial costs as provided by local authorities in 2016-17.
(2) Note: Final Scheme costs are the latest estimates provided by local authorities. Differences between these latest estimates and initial cost estimates arise because flood protection schemes are put forward for prioritisation at various stages of their development to fit with Flood Risk Management Planning cycle set out in the FRM Act. Costs are revised over time as designs are finalised and more detailed investigations are carried out (e.g. site investigation, utility investigation, hydraulic modelling), and as new information emerges (e.g. new flood mapping, climate projections, new source of risk, landownership challenges). Outcomes from community engagement and changes to price and supply of materials may also require revisions to cost estimates.
Schemes will only be taken forward for construction if they receive the necessary statutory and regulatory approvals (e.g. Confirmation under the FRM Act (2009), Planning Permission, Licensing under the Water Environment (Controlled Activities) Regulations (2011)) so the expected completion date is not yet known.
More detailed information on each of the schemes can be obtained from the relevant Local Authorities whose responsibility it is to develop and deliver flood protection schemes and who are best placed to answer specific questions on each of the schemes.
The Scottish Government guarantees £42m a year to flood risk management through the general capital grant and has committed to an additional £150 m over the next 5 years. This is a 70% increase to the flood risk management budget.
Local Authorities may also provide additional funding from their own budgets or seek funding from other sources, for example the private sector.
(3) Note: Formally confirmed under Flood Risk Management Act (2009).
(4) Note: The reasons for cost variations set out in Note 2 also apply to Grangemouth Flood Protection Scheme. The presence of critical national infrastructure (port, refinery and fuel distribution) and the scale of the overall project (27km of defences) means that the variation may be larger than other flood protection schemes.
