Seòmar agus comataidhean

The Lochmaddy infrastructure project was led and delivered by the Comhairle nan Eilean Siar(CNES) and the offer of capital grant funding provided was £15,747,640.

The Tarbert (Harris) project was led and delivered by CMAL, the total spend by Transport Scotland was £19,240.552.75

The Uig (Skye) project is currently in construction and led by the Highland Council. The offer of capital grant funding provided is £39,058,246.

The Ardrossan Harbour Business Case & Cost Exercise is currently being progressed. Transport Scotland has to date provided capital grant funding to Peel Ports Group of £650,000 as part of the design, planning and procurement stages of this project’s development.

CMAL have project lead on a number of ongoing projects under the IIP. A total of £15,283,893.01 has been paid in respect of the works carried out. This spend covers the work on the Cumbrae Slipway, Gourock Harbour Development, Islay Vessel Enabling Works, Lochboisdale /Gasay Project Works and the Port Ellen Terminal Development.

All the information regarding spending on Vessels and Infrastructure can be found within the Section 70 reports published annually by Transport Scotland the most recent financial year updated 28th June 2024.

The Scottish Government plans to review and refresh all aspects of our approach to tackling fraud and corruption across government, including updating the counter fraud strategy Protecting Public Resources in Scotland. This is part of a wider strategic look at the prevention and detection of public sector fraud and corruption in Scotland.

The update to the counter fraud strategy, commencing in 2024-25, is part of a three-year counter fraud plan to enhance the way we prevent and detect fraud and corruption in public resources. The principles of the 2015 strategy remain extant and activities to date have focussed on developing in each strategic area with a focus on collaborative cross sector working. In 2021 there was the appointment of the first Head of Counter Fraud Profession in Scottish Government and the establishment of the Counter Fraud Service within the Directorate for Internal Audit and Assurance in 2022. Working across Government, we have improved how we identify fraud/corruption risk through fraud risk profiling and heat mapping, how we manage these risks with fraud risk and fraud impact assessments across government, and how we respond to fraud through the Fraud Response Plan and cross government Integrity Group. The counter fraud strategy update will reflect these changes and how we intend to move forward in our efforts to improve the maturity of approach against the Scottish Government’s Counter Fraud Maturity Model.

The Scottish Government recognises the physical and mental health benefits that stem from pet ownership.

While there is currently no legal duty on local authorities to house pets, the statutory code of guidance on homelessness and the temporary accommodation standards framework require local authorities to consider housing options which best meet an individual’s needs, including supporting homeless households to maintain relationships with their pets.

Each local authority will need to consider how to achieve this on a case-by-case basis. This may include working with other organisations to help with planning for people’s pets and providing assistance with the kennelling of any pets if an applicant is not able to keep them in their temporary accommodation. There are a number of animal charities that offer a fostering service so that people can leave an abusive partner knowing their pet will also be safely looked after until they can be reunited.

Tenants in the social sector can keep a pet with the written permission of their landlord, as can some private tenants. However, the Scottish Government wishes to enable all tenants where possible to benefit from the experience of pet ownership. There are provisions within the Housing (Scotland) Bill, which if passed, will give private and social housing tenants greater flexibility to have a pet by introducing a right to request to keep a pet, and for tenants’ requests not to be unreasonably refused.

The Scottish Government recognises the physical and mental health benefits that stem from pet ownership.

While there is currently no legal duty on local authorities to house pets, the statutory code of guidance on homelessness and the temporary accommodation standards framework require local authorities to consider housing options which best meet an individual’s needs, including supporting homeless households to maintain relationships with their pets.

Each local authority will need to consider how to achieve this on a case-by-case basis. This may include working with other organisations to help with planning for people’s pets and providing assistance with the kennelling of any pets if an applicant is not able to keep them in their temporary accommodation.

Tenants in the social sector can keep a pet with the written permission of their landlord, as can some private tenants. However, the Scottish Government wishes to enable all tenants where possible to benefit from the experience of pet ownership. There are provisions within the Housing (Scotland) Bill which, if passed, will give private and social housing tenants greater flexibility to have a pet by introducing a right to request to keep a pet, and for tenants’ requests not to be unreasonably refused.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-28339 on 10 July 2024. 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/questions-and-answers.

The Scottish Government recognises the hazard of asbestos and the risks to health that it poses. However, asbestos is only dangerous when disturbed and advice from the Health and Safety Executive is that asbestos should remain in-situ providing it is in “Good” condition and even where damage is minor it should still be encapsulated rather than removed. The Scottish Government does not provide support to public authorities specifically for the removal of asbestos from their buildings as it is their statutory duty under UK Government legislation to manage issues relating to asbestos affecting their estate.

The Scottish Government has not held recent discussions with the UK Government regarding employment conditions for merchant seafarers working on ferry routes between Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Shipping safety, seafarer welfare and employment conditions are matters reserved to the UK Government. The Scottish Government expects the highest shipping safety, crew welfare and employment conditions, and for these to be applied in the case of those vessels and personnel accessing Scotland’s ports and coastal areas.

The Scottish Government has not held discussions with the UK Government regarding the late filing of accounts for either P&O Ferries or the Port of Cairnryan. Company accounts and related matters of HMRC taxation are reserved to the UK Government.

Over the past five years, 40 fires have been reported to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA).

The following table breaks down these incidents by centre type and location:

Of the 40 fires detailed in the answer to S6W-28365 on 10 July 2024, the number confirmed as being caused by batteries, battery devices, or electronic devices within the last five years is 9.

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 .