- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Friday, 05 April 2024
-
Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 19 April 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what the average number of working hours was spent on processing an environmental impact assessment (EIA) scoping request under section 12 of the Electricity Works (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Scotland) Regulations 2017 in (a) 2019, (b) 2020, (c) 2021, (d) 2022 and (e) 2023.
Answer
The processing of an environmental impact assessment (EIA) scoping request under section 12 of the Electricity Works (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Scotland) Regulations 2017 involves work across a number of teams within the Energy Consents Unit.
We do not centrally log or track the specific number of working hours spent by individual team members on any particular activity or task. The work is integrated into the broader responsibilities and workflows of the team. It is therefore not possible to calculate the average number of working hours spent processing in the years requested.
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Friday, 05 April 2024
-
Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 19 April 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what the average number of working hours was spent on processing an environmental impact assessment (EIA) request for screening under section 8 of the Electricity Works (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Scotland) Regulations 2017 in (a) 2019, (b) 2020, (c) 2021, (d) 2022 and (e) 2023.
Answer
The processing of an environmental impact assessment (EIA) screening request under section 8 of the Electricity Works (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Scotland) Regulations 2017 involves work across a number of teams within the Energy Consents Unit.
We do not centrally log or track the specific number of working hours spent by individual team members on any particular activity or task. The work is integrated into the broader responsibilities and workflows of the team. It is therefore not possible to calculate the average number of working hours spent processing in the years requested.
- Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 April 2024
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jim Fairlie on 19 April 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether carbon impact is a material consideration when selecting contractors to carry out restoration work funded through Peatland ACTION.
Answer
All restoration work funded through Peatland ACTION is subject to Sustainable Procurement Duty outlined in Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 . Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 (legislation.gov.uk)
Operational decisions on procuring contractors to carry out restoration work are made by respective Peatland ACTION delivery partners.
For further information on their selection criteria please contact NatureScot, Cairngorms National Park Authority, Forestry and Land Scotland, Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park Authority or Scottish Water.
- Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 April 2024
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jim Fairlie on 19 April 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a list of (a) public, (b) private and (c) third sector delivery partners appointed for Peatland ACTION, including their appointment date.
Answer
The Peatland ACTION direct delivery partners are: Cairngorms National Park Authority, Forestry and Land Scotland, Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park Authority, NatureScot and Scottish Water.
NatureScot managed Peatland ACTION on an annual basis until 2021 when funding was then allocated to the other Delivery Partners direct from Scottish Government.
For information on any sub-contracted delivery partners please contact the aforementioned Peatland ACTION Delivery Partners.
- Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 April 2024
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jim Fairlie on 19 April 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what vetting process is used when appointing delivery partners for Peatland ACTION.
Answer
All Peatland ACTION delivery partners are subject to relevant Scottish Contracts Legislation.
NatureScot managed Peatland ACTION funding on an annual basis until FY 2021-2022. In order to increase our restoration rates, the Scottish Government made the decision to directly fund selected delivery partners given their proven delivery of restoration work through the existing Peatland ACTION funding model.
This was intended to empower these delivery partners to meet the Scottish Government’s programme targets within their own systems of accountability and management, directing funding streams to the most efficient delivery channels to maximise restoration rates.
- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 March 2024
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jim Fairlie on 19 April 2024
To ask the Scottish Government how it will assist Scottish airports in developing the infrastructure required for aviation decarbonisation, in light of the Climate Change Committee’s recommendation in its 2023 Report to Parliament.
Answer
The Scottish Government’s Aviation Statement, which will be published shortly, will set out actions that the Scottish Government will take to help achieve our aviation emissions reduction targets. Our Hydrogen Innovation Scheme previously provided £150,000 of funding to Glasgow Airport for a study to explore the feasibility of a hydrogen production, storage and distribution hub that would support zero emission transport at the airport. The Scottish Government has also provided grant funding to Edinburgh Airport to support its low carbon energy system.
- Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Friday, 22 March 2024
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 19 April 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6F-02948 by Humza Yousaf on 21 March 2024, whether it will confirm if it has any plans to restrict the use of puberty suppressing hormones for children.
Answer
Decisions on clinical pathways are not for the Scottish Government. These decisions are for clinicians, based on the best evidence available, through the appropriate clinical governance structures.
On 18 April, in a joint statement, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and NHS Lothian confirmed that both Boards have paused any new prescription of puberty-supressing hormones and cross-sex hormones for young people as a treatment option for gender dysphoria.
The small number of patients directly impacted by this change, and their families, were notified in advance of this statement. It is right that they were the first to hear about it, sensitively and from the services caring for them, before a public statement was made.
- Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Friday, 22 March 2024
-
Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 19 April 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding Port of Cairnryan Ltd’s submission of company accounts for the year to 31 December 2022.
Answer
The Scottish Government has had no recent discussions with the UK Government regarding Port of Cairnryan Ltd’s submission of company accounts for the year to 31 December 2022.
- Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Friday, 22 March 2024
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 19 April 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with NHS Scotland regarding the use of puberty supressing hormones.
Answer
In the context of specialist provision of gender identity healthcare to children and young people, since publication of its Strategic Action Framework for Gender Identity Service improvement in December 2021, the Scottish Government has maintained an extensive dialogue with NHS Health Boards in Scotland on how to collectively work to improve healthcare provision in this sphere.
On 18 April, in a joint statement, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and NHS Lothian confirmed that both Boards have paused any new prescription of puberty-supressing hormones and cross-sex hormones for young people as a treatment option for gender dysphoria.
The small number of patients directly impacted by this change, and their families, were notified in advance of this statement. It is right that they were the first to hear about it, sensitively and from the services caring for them, before a public statement was made.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Friday, 22 March 2024
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 19 April 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will set up a study into the effects of puberty suppressing hormones on children and young people.
Answer
The term “puberty-suppressing hormones” is non-specific, and could be applied to a range of medicines used for a variety of conditions.
The Scottish Government and NHS Scotland are proactively engaged with NHS England and its commissioned research study on puberty-suppressing hormones as a treatment option for gender dysphoria. This is being delivered by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). The Scottish Government and the NHS in Scotland are currently observers to that ongoing study development process, however consideration by NHS partners of what further engagement with this study may be appropriate is ongoing, as the scope of the research continues to be developed and defined by NIHR.