- Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 12 November 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 19 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government how many applications to the (a) Less Favoured Area Support Scheme and (b) Agri-Environment Climate Scheme there have been in each year since 2015, and how many (i) were approved and (ii) are awaiting a decision.
Answer
The following table summarises how many applications to the (a) Less Favoured Area Support Scheme there have been in each year since 2015, and how many (i) were approved and (ii) are awaiting a decision.
Please note the LFASS claims received in 2021 are still being assessed for approval.
Year | Total LFASS Claim Population Received | Eligible Population (Approved) | Awaiting Decision |
2015 | 12,198 | 11,406 | 0 |
2016 | 12,092 | 11,334 | 0 |
2017 | 11,916 | 11,186 | 0 |
2018 | 11,790 | 11,058 | <3 |
2019 | 11,644 | 10,920 | 5 |
2020 | 11,602 | 10,877 | 23 |
The following table summarises how many applications to the (b) Agri-Environment Climate Scheme there have been in each year since 2015, and how many (i) were approved and (ii) are awaiting a decision. The figures below exclude those applications that were submitted then subsequently withdrawn by the businesses concerned.
Please note the 2020 Round was not open to new applications, rather a one year’s extension was offered to all Management options that were due to end in 2020. Not all businesses accepted the offer.
Regards the 2021 Round, no approval decisions have been made as yet. However 72 applications have, so far, been deemed ineligible for approval.
Year | Received AECS Applications | Approved AECS Applications | Awaiting Decision |
2015 | 927 | 594 | 0 |
2016 | 1,251 | 979 | 0 |
2017 | 989 | 807 | 0 |
2018 | 900 | 604 | 0 |
2019 | 709 | 506 | 0 |
2021 | 753 | 0 | 681 |
- Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 November 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 19 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its reported figures stating that just 15% of school leavers who have a condition under the category of Complex Additional Support Needs go onto further or higher education, what further steps it will take to ensure that this cohort of school leavers has accessible further education provision.
Answer
The Scottish Government remains committed to improving the educational experiences of young people with complex additional support needs.
Students with disabilities or additional support needs can access a variety of support to assist their access to Further Education and Higher Education. The Additional Support Needs for Learners Allowance in Further Education and the Disabled Students Allowance (DSA) in Higher Education, provide financial assistance which can be used to facilitate support which is individual to the student’s needs.
Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) are currently leading a project on behalf of the Scottish Government, reviewing the disability related student support element, encompassing both Further Education and Higher Education.
The project aims to deliver a suite of recommendations which will seek to improve the provision of support and increase parity across the sector. This will include improvements to the Higher Education Disabled Students Allowance (DSA) administered by SAAS and the Additional Support Needs for Learners Allowance which is available to students in Further Education.
The Scottish Funding Council (SFC) Outcome Agreement Guidance for 2021-22 sets out that SFC expect institutions to comply with their legal duties including setting and delivering equality outcomes.
- Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 November 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 19 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the announcement in its Programme for Government of increased funding for the Young Person's Guarantee, what additional support it will provide to people with complex additional support needs to enable them to access training, education or employment.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-04204 on 19 November 2021. 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: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 08 November 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 19 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what research it has undertaken to further its understanding of the (a) environmental benefits and (b) costs of aquaponics.
Answer
The Scottish Government is not currently undertaking research into aquaponics, however, we are very supportive of technological innovations and we are aware of recent aquaponics developments in Scotland.
- Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 11 November 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Kate Forbes on 19 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government how much has been spent, directly or indirectly, via its agencies and intermediaries, on government public awareness campaigns on traditional or non-traditional media, broadcast or social media, in each of the last 10 financial years, broken down by (a) directorate, (b) cabinet portfolio and (c) campaign.
Answer
Detail on Scottish Government marketing spend between the years 2004-2005 and 2013-2014 can be found here: https://webarchive.nrscotland.gov.uk/20170402085259/http:/www.gov.scot/About/People/Directorates/Communications/advertising-marketing/spend
Detail on Scottish Government marketing spend between the years 2013-2014 and 2020-2021 can be found here: https://www.gov.scot/collections/marketing-spend
This information is broken down by campaign and by channel, though not by directorate or cabinet portfolio.
We do not hold details of marketing spend by Scottish Government agencies. This would need to be sourced directly from the specific agencies themselves.
- Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 05 November 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 19 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that green incentives and loans for renewable energy efficiency measures for domestic properties are easy to understand and apply for, and that members of the public have access to the help and support they need to ensure that the application process itself is not a barrier to the assistance available.
Answer
The Scottish Government provides loans with cashback grants to enable households in all parts of Scotland to install renewables and energy efficiency measures. Funding is delivered through Home Energy Scotland and managed, on behalf of Scottish Government, by the Energy Saving Trust,
To further support households in understanding the application process, Home Energy Scotland provides:
- free, impartial, bespoke advice through Home Energy Scotland, including specialist home renewables advice;
- the Green Homes Network which allows households to find out about the experience of others who have already installed renewables measures; and
- the Renewable Installer Finder Tool which helps households find installers and suppliers in their area.
Going forward, and following the recent publication of the Heat in Buildings Strategy, we are developing a bespoke public engagement strategy for heat in buildings. This builds on the objectives and guiding principles of our Public Engagement Strategy for Climate Change, as well as our existing support and advice programmes.
We are investing in growing our advice services so that they continue to meet people's needs and this includes improving our digital presence and continuing to provide in-depth support for installing zero emissions heating systems.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 22 October 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 19 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to address the reported survivability bias in the Cancer Patient Experience Survey to ensure that experiences of patients with a less survivable cancer are captured, and whether the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care plans to make a statement on the issue.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-03854 on 19 November 2021. 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: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 October 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 19 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to address the reported survivability bias in the Cancer Patient Experience Survey to ensure that the experiences of patients with a less survivable cancer are captured.
Answer
The care experience survey programme, of which the Cancer Patient Experience Survey is part of, is due to be under review shortly to allow for the context of COVID-19.
The Scottish Cancer Patient Experience Survey is run in partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support and is designed to be comparable with Cancer Patient Experience Surveys run in England and Wales. A change in methodology, such as altering the sampling frame, surveying people at different stages of treatment or surveying the relatives of those who have passed away, would result in survey results that are not comparable to the English & Welsh survey results. Such a change would require extensive consultation with stakeholders.
In order to capture the experience of patients with a less survivable cancer we are using tools such as Care Opinion and working with our third sector partners to collate best available evidence.
- Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 18 October 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 19 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what the average number of patients per GP is in each NHS board.
Answer
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 05 November 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 19 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken to respond to the reported recommendation of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry that building evacuation alert systems should be fitted in new and existing high-rise buildings over 11 metres in height.
Answer
On 1 October 2019, the Scottish Government introduced evacuation alert systems in new high rise domestic buildings with a floor over 18m. The government also published Practical Fire Safety Guidance for Existing High Rise Domestic Buildings. The guidance promotes using a risk based approach to determine the fire safety measures required. Therefore, upgrading existing high rise domestic buildings with evacuation alert systems may be implemented where the level of fire risk is justified, taking into account the time, cost and disruption to building occupants involved.
We are not aware of any recommendation from the Grenfell Inquiry Phase 1 report relating to evacuation alert systems to be installed in new and existing high rise buildings over 11 metres in height.