Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-07396

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 24 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-04853 by Mairi Gougeon on 14 December 2021, for what reason it did not refer 12 of the 19 unpaid Fixed Penalty Notices to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service for consideration of prosecution, and whether the 12 unpaid Fixed Penalty Notices referred to remain valid and unpaid.

The breakdown for 12 of the 19 unpaid Fixed Penalty Notices is as follows:

Number of Fixed Penalty Notices	Reasons for non-referral to COPFS
4	Not referred further because the accused was non-domiciled in Scotland and their names and addresses could not be corroborated. An example of this would be an infringement detected by our aircraft and committed by the master of a non-UK vessel which does not land in to a Scottish port, and where we were not able to intercept with our patrol vessels.
3	Withdrawn as further evidence emerged to provide mitigation.
2	Not referred due to procedural errors during investigations.
2	Subsequently sent to owners on non-payment of FPN by the master. One of these has been paid; one remains live and is currently outstanding.
1	Payment period was extended and remains live.
12	TOTAL

This is in the context of a total of 112 fixed penalty notices offered during the period.

Question reference: S6W-07424

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 24 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will review its processes and relationship with Energy Saving Trust in light of the views included in the Home Energy Efficiency Equity Loan Pilot: Feedback survey assessing the impacts of the pilot on loan holders: analysis of responses that there was (a) room for improvement in timescales associated with the Equity Loan, (b) frustration with the Scottish Government’s externally contracted lawyers, involving poor communication and lengthy waits for action, (c) an excessive degree of complexity in relation to legal processes and (d) lags in day-to-day communication, with this accumulating to create a longer overall delay.

The Home Energy Efficiency Equity Loan Pilot is now closed to new applicants. The Call for Evidence and Homeowner Feedback Survey conducted last year have ensured that we have captured both the positive and negative impacts of this pilot, as well as gathering potential actions that can be taken to modify and enhance the process to ensure optimal and sustainable outcomes in all aspects of delivery, should the decision be taken to proceed with progressing the pilot to a national scheme in the future.

Question reference: S6W-07328

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 24 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many tonnes of wrasse have been used by Scottish fish farms to tackle sea lice issues, in each of the last five years.

The Scottish Government does not hold all the data required to determine the tonnage of wrasse used by Scottish fish farms in the past 5 years.

Wrasse used in Scottish aquaculture are sourced from hatcheries or from the wild.

Information on the amount of hatchery-reared wrasse in Scotland is available from the Finfish Production Surveys . An extract is shown in the following table.

2017	3 tonnes (wrasses)
2018	6 tonnes (wrasse)
2019	4 tonnes (wrasse)
2020	19 tonnes (wrasse and lumpfish)

‎Finfish Production Survey 2020

Information on wild wrasse landings into the UK and Scotland is available from the UK Government. An extract is shown in the following table.

	tonnes landed in UK	tonnes landed in Scotland
2017	53	39
2018	73	49
2019	105	92
2020	79	70

UK Government Sea Fisheries Annual Statistics 2020

Specific data on what proportion of the catch was used in Scottish aquaculture is not available.

Question reference: S6W-07356

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 24 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance is in place regarding night-time work on the trunk road network in proximity to residential properties.

Within its maintenance contracts, Transport Scotland have defined contractual restrictions on the times maintenance works can be carried out, to minimum disruption and other impacts on road users, communities and business. For example, typically road works are normally not permitted during the following hours:

• Monday to Friday:- 06:00 to 09:30, and 15:30 to 20:00.

• Saturdays:- 07:00 to 20:00.

• And over the period from 1 December to 15 January:- 06:00 to 22:00

In some cases, particularly on our busy motorway networks, night time working is preferred as it reduces disruption but also helps maintain the safety of road users and construction workers. There may also be occasions, for example during an emergency response or where a maintenance activity is prolonged, when night time working cannot be avoided.

Where possible Transport Scotland’s Operating Companies will endeavour to avoid night time working near residential areas. Where this is not possible our Operating Companies are required to i) engage with affected residents and stakeholders through advanced consultation ii) act responsibly and reduce work noise as much as possible, through noise management plans and iii) treat any complaints fairly and expeditiously.

Question reference: S6W-07229

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 11 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 24 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many ferry sailings have been scheduled on the Ardrossan-Brodick ferry route in each year since 1999, and how many of these sailings did not take place due to (a) inclement weather, (b) mechanical breakdown and (c) other reasons, including COVID-19.

The number of scheduled sailings on the Ardrossan – Brodick route that did not take place in each year since 2007 is provided in the following table by contract year. Information prior to 1999 is not available and is not held by the operator, Calmac Ferries Limited.

Route Name: Ardrossan - Brodick
Contract Year	Scheduled Sailings	Cancelled Sailings	Cancelled sailings (weather)	Cancelled sailings (technical)	Cancelled sailings (COVID)	Cancelled sailings (OTHER)
CY 2007-08	4,166	171	164	7	0	0
CY 2008-09	4,146	154	133	15	0	6
CY 2009-10	3,991	86	77	4	0	5
CY 2010-11	3,916	106	100	4	0	2
CY 2011-12	3,831	170	157	11	0	2
CY 2012-13	4,672	130	114	16	0	0
CY 2013-14	4,695	204	176	21	0	7
CY 2014-15	4,708	308	227	61	0	20
CY 2015-16	4,748	336	222	110	0	4
CY 2016-17	4,860	252	123	122	0	7
CY 2017-18	4,773	327	109	212	0	6
CY 2018-19	4,928	310	234	30	0	46
CY 2019-20	3,686	494	413	36	0	45
CY 2020-21	4,820	702	324	43	67	268
CY 2021-22*	1,532	364	269	5	90	0

Data up to and including February 2022

To note:

Due to Covid-19 an emergency timetable was in place between March 2020 and 25th October 2020, all disruption against the original timetable was classed as "other" (Covid-19).

Question reference: S6W-06864

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 25 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 24 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-05562 by Humza Yousaf on 31 January 2022, whether it plans to use the European Stroke Organisation Stroke Service Tracker that has been designed to report national progress and allow comparisons between countries participating in the stroke action plan.

The Scottish Government welcomes the work of the European Stroke Organisation and agree that it is vital to ensure improvements are made to stroke pathways and services, including prevention, treatment and care.

Through our Programme for Government commitments and the Stroke Improvement Plan, we are already reflecting the aims of the European Stroke Organisation’s appeal targets.

We are supporting the National Advisory Committee on Stroke to develop a progressive stroke pathway document which will set out the vision of what stroke services across Scotland should deliver across the whole patient pathway, including access to stroke rehabilitation, and access to support for people who have experienced a stroke. However, at this time, the Scottish Government does not have plans to use the tracker. The Scottish Stroke Care Audit will continue to track our progress against the Scottish stroke care standards.

Question reference: S6W-07498

Asked by: Meghan Gallacher, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 18 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 24 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many local authorities have recently reviewed their additional support needs (ASN) policy.

The responsibility for the review of education authority policy on additional support needs rests with each individual education authority. This is in addition to the requirements of the Education (Additional Support for Learning) Act 2004 (as amended) which requires education authorities to identify, provide for and to review the additional support needs of their pupils. Local authorities are supported to carry out their duties under the Act by the statutory Supporting Learners’ Code of Practice.

Education Scotland works in partnership with the Scottish Government, ELC, schools and local authorities to improve the outcomes and educational experiences for all learners, including those who require additional support through a range of activities. These include:

Support and challenge from Education Scotland Inclusion Wellbeing and Equality Officers through the national and regional focus
Information, guidance, professional learning and reflective opportunities which include a focus on additional support needs and inclusion
The HM Inspection model of education which provides support and challenge to promote improvement for all learners through the fulfilment of statutory duties, inclusion and equality.

The Scottish Government and COSLA published our joint national response to the independently chaired review of implementation of additional support for learning in October 2020. Angela Morgan’s report sets a clear direction in how we can continue to build on progress in this area. The joint action plan sets out the measures we will take to implement her recommendations.

Local authorities should consider these recommendations as part of implementation of additional support for learning policy locally.

We published an updated action and progress report on 1 st November 2021. The action plan and governance arrangements for this work are available from: Additional support for learning action plan: progress report - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) .

Question reference: S6W-07389

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 24 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what the reported £290 million that it will receive in Barnett consequentials, as a result of UK Government spending in relation to energy bills and council tax, will be spent on.

Despite the promised £290 million from the UK Government not turning out to be net additional funding, given the offsetting reductions they applied to their prior funding estimates, the Scottish Government during the Budget Bill Stage 3 debate on 10 February, detailed additional support worth around £290 million for our cost of living response. £150 is being provided to everyone in receipt of Council Tax Reduction, and to everyone in council tax bands A to D, as well as certain households exempt from council tax. This is worth around £280 million, plus £10 million to continue our Fuel Insecurity Fund.

Question reference: S6W-07441

Asked by: Bob Doris, MSP for Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 24 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on the most recent level of education spending per person in Scotland, and how this compares with (a) England and (b) Wales.

Table 1 below presents the findings of HM Treasury’s analysis of education spending per head across Scotland, England and Wales.

Table 1 - Identifiable education expenditure by country, per head, 2016-17 to 2020-21

	2016-17	2017-18	2018-19	2019-20	2020-21
	2016-17	2017-18	2018-19	2019-20	2020-21
Scotland	£1,531	£1,566	£1,590	£1,695	£1,734
England	£1,295	£1,269	£1,292	£1,316	£1,379
Wales	£1,345	£1,369	£1,365	£1,391	£1,573

Source: Country and regional analysis: 2021 , Table A15, HM Treasury, November 2021

Separately, an independent October 2021 study by the Institute for Fiscal Studies found that in 2021-22 school spending per pupil is expected to total £7,600 per pupil in Scotland (including COVID-related spending), compared to £6,700 in England and £6,600 in Wales.

Question reference: S6O-00952

Asked by: Tess White, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 March 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 31 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met representatives of the aviation industry to discuss the sector’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and what issues were discussed.

Seòmar agus comataidhean