- Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 15 October 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Kevin Stewart on 2 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government how many applications to the Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Fund have been (a) received and (b) declined, and how much funding has been distributed through this fund to date.
Answer
In total, 107 organisations applied to either the first round of funding (2019-2020), the main PIMH Fund (2020-2023) or the Small Grants Fund (2021-2023). Some organisations applied more than once. 33 organisations were successful across all funding rounds (31%). 74 were unsuccessful .
To October 2021, £1,815,641.09 has been distributed to successful organisations via these Funds.
- Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 October 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Graeme Dey on 2 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the debate on motion S6M-01293 (A Net Zero Nation) on 21 September 2021, whether it will provide a substantive response to the issues raised regarding alternative engineering solutions to the reconstruction of the Woodside viaducts on the M8 in Glasgow at the reported expense of introducing new active travel routes to the city, and what its position is on how this might be interpreted internationally ahead of COP26.
Answer
The M8 Woodside Viaducts are essential links in the M8 central Scotland urban motorway, vital for the economy and connectivity of Scotland. Therefore, the repair of the viaducts and removal of restrictions is high priority. A number of potential remedies were considered but the propping solution was assessed as the best option in terms of timescale and value for the public purse. The viaducts carry 150,000 vehicles per day in normal times, which would be difficult to accommodate by other routes or modes. Part of the Underline Project, an active travel corridor route from Cambridge Street to St George’s Road extending below the viaducts, has been deferred to allow the viaducts repair work to be completed. Several excavations are required in this area and it would be abortive to construct this part only for it to be disrupted by the repair works. This has been fully discussed and agreed with Glasgow City Council. On completion, the Underline project will deliver a key cross-Glasgow active travel corridor in line with the commitments given in the motion and contribute to the net zero aims of COP26.
- Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 October 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Graeme Dey on 2 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the debate on motion S6M-01293 (A Net Zero Nation) on 21 September 2021, whether it will provide a substantive response to the comments raised regarding for what reason no new railway lines have been constructed in Glasgow in the last 15 years.
Answer
Glasgow already benefits from an extensive rail network. With a total of 155 stations in the Glasgow City Region it is the busiest suburban rail network in Britain outside London. Therefore the focus of investment has very properly been on the development of that network, which has benefited from substantial improvements as part of the more than £9bn invested in rail infrastructure in Scotland since 2007.
These investments have included extensive electrification of routes into Glasgow and substantial new, emission free train fleets serving those routes. Glasgow Queen Street has been rebuilt and transformed, Glasgow Central capacity has benefited from an additional platform, and in 2019, a new station opened at Robroyston to provide local residents with a sustainable travel option.
Further rail enhancements, in Glasgow and more widely across the country, are planned as part of the Decarbonisation Action Plan ( Rail Services Decarbonisation Action Plan (transport.gov.scot) ) with our future transport investment decisions directed by the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2). That review will conclude this winter, with publication of recommendations for investment and will be followed by the appropriate statutory consultation period.
- Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 October 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Graeme Dey on 2 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to introduce legislation to put into effect the decision to move ScotRail into the public sector when the current ScotRail franchise ends in March 2022.
Answer
Further to the answers provided to S6W-00200 on 3 June 2021 and S6W-00776 on 1 July 2021, Scottish Ministers have to work within current UK rail legislation, principally the Railways Act 1993 (the 1993 Act), which neither the Scottish Ministers nor the Scottish Parliament have powers to change.
The Scottish Ministers already have a duty under section 30 of the 1993 Act to provide or secure the provision of passenger rail services where a franchise agreement comes to an end and no further franchise agreement had been entered into in respect of the services. It is this duty that will enable the Scottish Ministers to arrange for a company wholly owned by the Scottish Government (ScotRail Trains Ltd) to provide ScotRail services when the current ScotRail franchise expires. The Scottish Ministers do not need to introduce additional legislation to put this into effect.
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: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 October 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 2 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-35805 by John Swinney on 15 March 2021, how many counsellors are currently in place to provide counselling services to schools.
Answer
The mental health and wellbeing of children and young people is an absolute priority for the Scottish Government.
Access to counselling support services through secondary schools are in place across Scotland. As highlighted in the answer to S5W-35805, there is variation in how the counselling service is being delivered across authorities. Twenty four authorities are providing a specific resource in schools and eight authorities are providing an authority wide service according to need across their region.
A summary of information provided by local authorities on the school counselling service in their area is available at: Access to counsellors in secondary schools: summary report - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)
- Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 October 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 2 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government how many on-street bike hangars (secure, covered spaces for residents to park their bikes) are available across Scotland, and what demand there is for bike hangars.
Answer
The Scottish Government does not hold data on the total number of on-street bike hangers across Scotland, or on the demand for bike hangers. Individual local authorities may hold this information for their respective areas.
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 October 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 2 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to introduce an initiative similar to the Heat Network Efficiency Scheme Demonstrator that has been introduced by UK Government and, if so, by what date.
Answer
The Heat Networks (Scotland) Act sets statutory heat network deployment targets, requiring 2.6 terawatt hours of output by 2027 and 6 terawatt hours by 2030. To help achieve this, we have committed to invest at least £400 million over this parliamentary session in large scale heat and energy efficiency projects, including zero carbon heat networks. Detail on how we will meet the ambitious heat network targets will be provided in the Heat Networks Delivery Plan, which we will publish for consultation in due course.
As outlined in our recently launched Heat in Buildings Strategy we will launch a Heat Network Pre-Capital Support Unit in 2021, expanding on the previous role of the Heat Network Partnership to provide enhanced support to public and private sector in developing a pipeline for delivery.
The Scottish Government has awarded £37 million of financial support to heat networks through the Low Carbon Infrastructure Transition Programme since its launch in 2015. The programme is now closed to new applications, with a successor scheme due to be launched by the end of 2021. This new scheme will have a focus on low carbon heat projects, including large-scale heat networks. As well as supporting new projects and network extensions, the scheme will look to provide assistance to improve the efficiency of current heat networks and convert those powered by fossil fuels to low carbon options.
- Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 01 November 2021
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 2 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to businesses and residents affected by recent flooding.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 2 November 2021
- Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 01 November 2021
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 2 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that six prisoners overdosed on drugs in two days at HMP Shotts.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 2 November 2021
- Asked by: Jackie Dunbar, MSP for Aberdeen Donside, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 01 November 2021
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 4 November 2021
To ask the First Minister how the Scottish Government is working to ensure that, during COP26, it provides a platform for unheard voices, including citizens, young people and those from the Global South.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 4 November 2021
