Questions and answers

Question reference: S5W-02430

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 20 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has cost it to provide mental health treatment in each year since 2007.

Question reference: S5W-02573

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 09 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 20 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on calls to reopen Thornhill railway station.

Although a new station at Thornhill does not feature in our current £5 billion investment programme in Scotland’s railways to 2019, we are committed to on-going improvements to rail services and connectivity.

Funding for new railway stations can be considered from the Scottish Government's £30 million Scottish Stations Fund which aims to lever in third party funding to provide new and improved stations. Projects will be considered subject to the Scottish Government’s investment priorities for the strategic transport network, a robust business case, affordability and other competing proposals.

Question reference: S5W-02485

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 09 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 20 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it has taken to ensure that SEPA flood map data is not being used inappropriately by insurers to assess flood risk for insurance purposes.

SEPA's Flood Maps do not show flood risk to individual properties, instead they identify areas which, as a whole, are at risk of flooding and its impacts. Insurance companies have their own flood maps on which to base their decisions, and SEPA’s Flood Maps should have no influence on insurance premiums. SEPA's terms and conditions have to be accepted before anyone can access the Flood Maps online which make it perfectly clear that the Maps must not be used for commercial purposes, or to set insurance premiums. SEPA is working with the Association of British Insurers, to help to increase understanding across the industry of the purpose of the flood maps (i.e. for community level decision making) and stress that they are not suitable for property level assessments.

SEPA has also taken action to inform insurance companies that work across the UK of the differences that exist between England and Scotland in the data available to insurers. Unlike the Environment Agency in England, SEPA does not provide specific flood risk datasets to the insurance industry.

When evidence is submitted to SEPA showing misuse of the flood maps, SEPA is proactive in dealing with the issue. In the first instance a letter of concern would be issued to the organisation responsible for the misuse, to reinforce SEPA's terms and conditions and to stipulate that the particular use of the maps brought to SEPA's attention is accountable to legal challenge. If an organisation continues to misuse the maps, and there is sufficient evidence to prove this, SEPA will take legal action against the organisation.

Question reference: S5W-02572

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 09 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 20 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on calls to reopen Eastriggs railway station.

Although a new station at Eastriggs does not feature in our current £5 billion investment programme in Scotland’s railways to 2019, we are committed to on-going improvements to rail services and connectivity.

Funding for new railway stations can be considered from the Scottish Government's £30 million Scottish Stations Fund which aims to lever in third party funding to provide new and improved stations. Projects will be considered subject to the Scottish Government’s investment priorities for the strategic transport network, a robust business case, affordability and other competing proposals.

Question reference: S5W-02574

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 09 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 20 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on calls to reopen Beattock railway station.

Although a new station at Beattock does not feature in our current £5 billion investment programme in Scotland’s railways to 2019, we are committed to on-going improvements to rail services and connectivity.

Funding for new railway stations can be considered from the Scottish Government's £30 million Scottish Stations Fund which aims to lever in third party funding to provide new and improved stations. Projects will be considered subject to the Scottish Government’s investment priorities for the strategic transport network, a robust business case, affordability and other competing proposals.

Question reference: S5W-02448

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 09 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 20 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what investment it has made in respect of (a) Lockerbie, (b) Gretna Green, (c) Annan, (d) Sanquhar and (e) Kirkconnel railway station in each year since 2007.

Since 2007 the Scottish Government has worked with ScotRail to deliver a number of improvements at these stations. Improvements include:-

Lockerbie	Installation of CCTV, Customer Information Screens, lifts and footbridge, accessibility improvements, waiting shelter, platform validator to support smart ticketing.
Gretna Green	Installation of CCTV and platform validator to support smart ticketing.
Annan	Installation of CCTV, platform validator to support smart ticketing, handrails and upgrade to lighting and stairs.
Sanquhar	Installation of platform validator to support smart ticketing.
Kirkconnel	Upgrade to car park lighting and installation of platform validator to support smart ticketing.

Question reference: S5W-02486

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 09 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 20 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how flood risk communities are involved in the planning and delivery of flood mitigation schemes.

The Scottish Government believes that public awareness, participation and community support are essential components of sustainable flood risk management. That is why the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009 sets out a framework for coordination and cooperation between all organisations involved in flood risk management, including a formal statutory process which leads to confirmation of a flood protection scheme. This process provides an opportunity for local people to comment on, and lodge objections to, any proposed scheme, which local authorities will then be obliged to seek to address. However, long before a planned flood protection scheme gets to the stage of formal confirmation, local authorities are encouraged to involve local residents, land managers and key community representatives in the scheme planning process. This helps to build understanding and trust locally, which means that communities understand the basis on which decisions about flood risk management actions have been made.

Question reference: S5W-02500

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 09 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 20 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what specific consideration it gave to the support of cycling in Dumfries and Galloway before the recent transport summit that was held in Dumfries.

Transport Scotland, through grant funding to Sustrans and Cycling Scotland, has facilitated a range of support for cycling in Dumfries and Galloway. This includes advice on the development of the council’s active travel strategy (adopted in March 2015); funding for infrastructure for the period 2013-14 – 2015-16 of £829,912; provision of a dedicated i-bike officer to work in schools in the area and almost £14,475 in grants in 2015-16 and 2016-17 to community organisations through Cycling Scotland’s Cycle Friendly and Sustainable Communities Fund.

Question reference: S5W-02484

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 09 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 20 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how details of flood mitigation schemes are shared with the insurance industry and whether it considers this process adequate.

The details of flood protection schemes owned by local authorities are held on the Scottish Flood Defence Asset Database (SFDAD) administered by SEPA. This database is available for registered users to view through a secure website. The aim of this website is to provide users with a tool to view detailed information on flood protection schemes and their associated assets within Scotland. The Association of British Insurers (ABI) is aware of SFDAD and that it is open for its members and other insurers to register for the service and view the information therein.

At the moment, SFDAD only includes those schemes that have progressed under the Flood Prevention (Scotland) Act 1961. However, the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009 (the 2009 Act) makes provision for capturing all structures and measures that contribute to flood risk management into one dataset. The Scottish Government is working with SEPA and the local authorities to develop SFDAD so that it can, ultimately, include more the more detailed information required by the 2009 Act.

Question reference: S5W-02783

Current Status: Withdrawn

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