- Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 December 2022
-
Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 12 December 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has conducted any analysis of the financial implications of restoring all of the sites managed by Historic Environment Scotland, and, if so, whether it will provide a breakdown of the costs associated with the restoration of each site.
Answer
Historic Environment Scotland continues to review the budgetary requirements during its ongoing inspections programme. Findings from this programme will allow informed decisions to be made regarding the capacity and resources required to carry out any subsequent conservation and repair works.
Against the current challenging financial backdrop, the Scottish Government will maintain our support of Historic Environment Scotland to protect Scotland’s unique heritage and historic environment. I will continue to engage regularly with Historic Environment Scotland to discuss the access restrictions and restoration programme.
- Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 December 2022
-
Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 12 December 2022
To ask the Scottish Government which local authority areas the members of Historic Environment Scotland’s HistoricScot Youth Forum reside in.
Answer
Questions regarding day-to-day operational matters of Historic Environment Scotland, including information relating to the members of Historic Environment Scotland’s HistoricScot Youth Forum, are best answered directly by Historic Environment Scotland.
I have asked Historic Environment Scotland to respond directly to the member with a full reply to his question in writing.
- Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Monday, 28 November 2022
-
Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 12 December 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it can confirm how many reported faults there have been on board the (a) MS Victoria and (b) MS Ambition, since being contracted to accommodate Ukrainian refugees.
Answer
Faults and repairs on board the M/S Victoria and M/S Ambition are an internal matter for the ships’ contractor and operators and therefore it is not normal practice for faults and repairs to be reported to the Scottish Government. However, Corporate Travel Management would inform the Scottish Government of any issues impacting guests’ experience; to date, this has not occurred.
- Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Monday, 28 November 2022
-
Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 12 December 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to renew the contract for the MS Ambition to accommodate Ukrainian refugees beyond the current contract end date, and, if so, for how long, and at what cost.
Answer
We do not want anyone to spend any more time in temporary accommodation than is necessary.
The Scottish Government is considering all appropriate options. Updates on this situation will be communicated to Parliament and those on board the passenger ships once a decision has been taken.
- Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Monday, 28 November 2022
-
Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 12 December 2022
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-10754 by Neil Gray on 8 September 2022, what the (a) total cost to date and (b) estimated cost up until the contract end date is of chartering the MS (i) Victoria and (ii) Ambition.
Answer
As of 1 December 2022, the total estimated cost for the MS Victoria until the contract ends in June 2023 is £37.9 million. The total estimated costs for the MS Ambition contract until February 2023 is £26.1 million. We cannot calculate the final costs until the contracts end.
- Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 December 2022
-
Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 12 December 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to encourage dentistry students to specialise in orthodontics.
Answer
The Scottish Government is not taking any specific actions with respect to encouraging orthodontics as a specialty.
A degree in dentistry offers students a well-rounded dental education that sets them up for a strong career. There are three dental schools across Scotland in Aberdeen, Dundee and Glasgow, which offer a common curriculum, and on completion of their degree students are free to choose whether they wish to specialise in any particular area. Those students who wish to specialise in orthodontics can undertake a further three-year postgraduate qualification to allow them to register as a specialist orthodontist.
- Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Monday, 05 December 2022
-
Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 12 December 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what action it can take in response to the reported weeks-long disruption to the mobile signal on Uig.
Answer
Telecoms remains reserved to the UK Government and regulated by Ofcom. While this leaves the Scottish Government with limited ability to influence mobile operators directly, officials escalated the issue to senior management in BT Group as soon as the situation in Uig came to our attention. Faulty equipment was replaced in late November and BT advises that an improved service should now be available.
- Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 December 2022
-
Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 12 December 2022
To ask the Scottish Government how many complaints have been made to Historic Environment Scotland in each year since it was founded, and how many of those complaints were (a) successfully and (b) unsuccessfully resolved.
Answer
Questions regarding day-to-day operational matters of Historic Environment Scotland, including information relating to the resolution of complaints made to Historic Environment Scotland are best answered directly by Historic Environment Scotland.
I have asked Historic Environment Scotland to respond directly to the member with a full reply to his question in writing.
- Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 December 2022
-
Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 12 December 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what the total cost of an (a) adult, (b) concession and (c) young person Direct Debit membership for Historic Scotland has been in each year since 2007.
Answer
Questions regarding day-to-day operational matters of Historic Environment Scotland, including information relating to Direct Debit membership prices, are best answered by Historic Environment Scotland.
I have asked Historic Environment Scotland to respond directly to the member with a full reply to his question in writing.
- Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 December 2022
-
Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 12 December 2022
To ask the Scottish Government how many sites that are managed by Historic Environment Scotland and its predecessor agencies have been (a) open, (b) temporarily closed and (c) permanently closed in each year since 2007.
Answer
Questions regarding day-to-day operational matters of Historic Environment Scotland, including information relating to the status of sites managed by Historic Environment Scotland and previously by Historic Scotland, are best answered directly by Historic Environment Scotland.
I have asked Historic Environment Scotland to respond directly to the member with a full reply to his question in writing.