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Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S6W-15487

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 9 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when the Independent Living Fund was transferred from the UK Government, and, at the point of transfer, (a) how many people were in receipt of funding and (b) what the total budget was.

Question reference: S6W-15503

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 9 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Scottish Business UK independent report, Independence Uncovered: The Economic and Social Impacts of Scottish Independence, published in February 2023.

The findings presented in this report do not fully address the question of independence in Scotland. The modelling undertaken makes a range of simplifying assumptions and does not account for the many economic opportunities that would be available to an independent Scotland.

The Scottish Government’s comprehensive paper “A stronger economy with independence”, outlines the case for independence as essential to building a more stable, sustainable economy with fairness and human wellbeing at its heart. Independence will allow Scotland to re-join the EU, give Scotland the full range of economic and other policy levers to take decisions based on our own needs, allowing us to replicate the success of independent European countries comparable to Scotland that are wealthier and fairer than the UK.

Question reference: S6W-15489

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 9 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what the total budget of the Independent Living Fund is for 2022-23.

The published budget for 2022-23 was £53.3 million. ILF Scotland’s Grant-in-Aid allocation for 2022-23 was £52.72 million. Of this, £48.45 million was allocated to the Independent Living Fund and £4.27 million for the Transition Fund which was launched in December 2017. Funds are provided in response to need and therefore there can be a difference between published budget and final spending.

Question reference: S6W-15527

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 9 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on the amount of school meal debt that has been forgiven since 1 January 2022, broken down by local authority area.

The information you have requested is not held centrally by the Scottish Government.

Decisions around school meal debt management, including all aspects of policy and practice, are at the discretion of each individual local authority. Local authorities' approaches to school meal debt management, including all aspects of policy and practice, should be compassionate, proportionate, and seek to minimise as far as possible the stigmatisation of children, young people, and their families.

Question reference: S6W-15528

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 9 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on how much public money was spent on the regeneration of town centres in the (a) North Lanarkshire, (b) South Lanarkshire and (c) Falkirk local authority area, in each financial year from 2016-17 to 2021-22.

The Scottish Government does not hold complete information on the expenditure of public money on town centre regeneration in local areas. Local authorities are responsible for delivering local economic development and local regeneration in their areas and public money from the wider public sector will contribute to regeneration of town centres.

While noting that many wider public sector budgets and funds contribute to town centre regeneration, the Scottish Government has provided targeted funding to support regeneration, including in town centres. This includes support available through the:

Place Based Investment Programme (PBIP) which includes the Regeneration Capital Grant Fund (RCGF).
Town Centre Fund (TCF).
Vacant and Derelict Land Investment Programme (VDLIP); and
Vacant and Derelict Land Fund (VDLF).

Allocations to North Lanarkshire, South Lanarkshire and Falkirk from these funds are in the following tables:

PBIP LA Allocation	2021-22
North Lanarkshire	£2,807,000
South Lanarkshire	£ 797,000
Falkirk	£1,391,000
Total	£4,995,000

Town Centre Fund	2019-20	2020-21
North Lanarkshire	£ 3,250,000	£1,168,000
South Lanarkshire	£ 2,506,000	£ 902,000
Falkirk	£ 4,335,000	£ 711,000
Total	£10,091,000	£2,781,000

RCGF	2016-17	2017-18	2018-19	2019-20	2020-21	2021-22
North Lanarkshire			0	£1,740,000	0	£1,421,270
South Lanarkshire	£1,000,000		0		0	£1,020,000
Falkirk		£1,125,547	0		0
Total	£1,000,000	£1,125,547	0	£1,740,000	0	£2,441,270

Note: The above RCGF figures include investment awarded to support regeneration in close proximity to town centres.

VDLIP	2021-22
North Lanarkshire
South Lanarkshire	£ 380,150
Falkirk	£ 563,621
Total	£ 943,771

Note: The VDLIP was launched in 2021. The table above includes projects that were awarded funding for regeneration in close proximity to town centres.

VDLF	2016-17	2017-18	2018-19	2019-20	2020-21	2021-22
North Lanarkshire	£1,982,000	£2,375,064	£2,396,000	£2,886,000	£1,956,000	£1,938,000
South Lanarkshire	£ 936,000	£1,082,000	£ 901,000	£1,120,000	£ 697,000	£737,000
Total	£2,918,000	£3, 457,064	£3, 297,000	£4,006,000	£2, 653,000	£2,675,000

Note: The above table shows the full allocation of the Vacant and Derelict Land Fund for each local authority. Each local authority is responsible for developing proposals based on its local regeneration priorities and funding may have been allocated across the local authority.

Question reference: S6W-15512

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 9 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to the fourth National Planning Framework (NPF4), what its key (a) priorities and (b) deliverables are in its implementation; what its key outcomes are, and within what timeframe those outcomes must be delivered.

Our NPF4 Delivery Programme, the first iteration of which was published by the Scottish Government in November 2022, is an important tool that sets out the approach for implementing NPF4, including delivery mechanisms, governance and funding. The Delivery Programme identifies a range of priority actions, delivery partners and anticipated timescales.

The Delivery Programme is available at https://www.transformingplanning.scot/mdeia/3136/national-planing-framework-4-delivery-programme-for-publication-2-November-2022.pdf.

Question reference: S6W-15531

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 9 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of a reported increase in cases of foetal alcohol spectrum disorder, what action it is taking to highlight the dangers of alcohol use during pregnancy, and what funding it is making available for support and services for any families affected.

The Scottish Government has provided funding of over £520,000, over the past four years, to support the establishment of an FASD Hub in Scotland with the aim of providing support, training and advice to families, carers and professionals supporting children affected by FASD. This is the first national FASD Hub of its kind within the UK.

There are no current studies on the prevalence of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) in Scotland. We have provided funding of over £1 million, over the past four years, to the FAAST team at Edinburgh University to support research, evidence and training for professionals, including diagnostic training. As well as improving supports, this work may have contributed to an increase in the reported number of people with FASD who were not previously known to services.

Question reference: S6O-02020

Asked by: Ruth Maguire, MSP for Cunninghame South, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 March 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support families whose children have died as a result of illegal drugs.

Question reference: S6O-02022

Asked by: Michael Marra, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 March 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made in STEM teacher recruitment.

Question reference: S6O-02023

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 March 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to dual the A90 between Ellon and Peterhead.