Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-21746

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 9 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what support Transport Scotland is giving to the community of Langholm to improve road signage and specifically to (a) help drivers find Langholm and (b) ensure that the A7 and Scottish destinations are adequately signposted from the M6.

Transport Scotland has recently met with MPs and MSPs, and the Langholm Alliance to discuss signing to Langholm on the Scottish and English trunk road networks. Following these discussions, Transport Scotland has been reviewing potential changes on routes within Scotland leading to the A7. It has been documented that for the A7 trunk road itself, Langholm currently features on all appropriate route confirmatory signs northbound and southbound within Scotland.

In relation to the A7 and other Scottish destinations being adequately signposted from the M6, Transport Scotland continues to engage with MPs and officials at the Department for Transport, National Highways and Cumberland Council to discuss the continuity of signing to Langholm on both sides of the border.

Question reference: S6W-21749

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 9 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many GPs there currently are per head of population in Scotland, and what information it has on how this compares with (a) England and (b) Wales.

Question reference: S6W-21419

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 9 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what funding is available to local authorities to fulfil its commitment to provide every school pupil with their own laptop or other digital device.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-15474 on 10 March 2023 .

We continue to work in partnership with COSLA and local authorities to develop delivery plans, including phasing and funding options for this commitment.

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 .

Question reference: S6W-21949

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 02 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 9 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it remains committed to commissioning "population research on the long term effects of air pollution", as committed to in the Cleaner Air for Scotland 2 report.

In March 2023, the Scottish Government commissioned a literature review to assess the evidence on health impacts of low level air pollution in countries with ambient air pollution levels comparable to Scotland. Following publication of this literature review, which will take place before the end of 2023, views will be sought from the Cleaner Air for Scotland 2 health working group on whether additional research is needed to aid further understanding of health impacts.

As indicated in the Cleaner Air for Scotland 2 2022-23 annual progress report, which was published on 27 September 2023, these discussions will be completed by spring 2024.

Question reference: S6W-21850

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 9 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what steps have been taken to ensure that any electric vehicle (EV) chargers installed at Scottish Government agency locations across Scotland are made available for the wider public through the ChargePlace Scotland system, as is the case with the SEPA EV chargers in Elgin.

Electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure is owned by many different executive agencies and other public bodies (such as SEPA) which are funded by the Scottish Government, as well as a small proportion owned by the Scottish Government directly. Each individual organisation is responsible for managing their own charge point assets and for making decisions about whether they should be designated for staff, visitors and/or fleet vehicle usage or for general public access. Not all charge point sites are suitable for general public access, for example those in secure staff car parks or in fleet vehicle depots.

There are no plans to centralise the management of EV charging infrastructure across all Scottish Government agencies or public bodies.

Since 2011, the Scottish Government has provided £65 million to support the installation of over 2,600 public charge points across Scotland, making it one of the largest and most comprehensive public EV charging networks in the UK. The Scottish Government’s Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Fund aims to provide a further £60 million of public and private sector investment to increase the number of public charge points to 6,000 by 2026.

Question reference: S6W-21727

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 25 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 9 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what the total value of community benefit payments paid to local communities by onshore renewable developers has been in each year since 2007, broken down by local authority area.

The Register of Community Benefit, administered by Local Energy Scotland on behalf of the Scottish Government, indicates that, since 2010, over £198 million in community benefit from onshore renewable projects has been committed to communities, including over £25 million in the 12 months. The register can be accessed here: https://localenergy.scot/community-benefits-register/ .

The Register relies on developers and communities voluntarily submitting data. It is not exhaustive and does not provide a full picture of community benefit payments across Scotland. The Register should therefore be seen as a guide to community benefit provisions across Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-21418

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 9 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether pupils who have received a free laptop or other digital device will be entitled to a replacement device should theirs break.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-20954 on 19 September 2023.

We continue to work in partnership with COSLA and local authorities on delivery plans to ensure every school-aged child has access to a digital device by the end of this parliamentary term.

Local authorities are responsible for the management of their own digital assets and will have processes in place to deal with the repair or replacement of devices as required.

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 .

Question reference: S6W-21720

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 25 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 9 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of anticipated community benefit payments have been successfully made to the affected communities in each year since 2007, broken down by local authority area.

The Scottish Government does not hold information centrally on the percentage of anticipated community benefit payments made to communities from renewable energy projects, broken down by local authority area.

The Scottish Government’s Register of Community Benefit, administered by Local Energy Scotland, shows commitments from operational renewable energy projects and can be accessed here: https://localenergy.scot/community-benefits-register/

The Register relies on developers and communities voluntarily submitting data. It is not exhaustive and does not provide a full picture of community benefit payments across Scotland. The Register should therefore be seen as a guide to community benefit provisions across Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-21605

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 9 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether any primary care capital projects previously committed to have been cancelled or delayed in 2023-24.

Question reference: S6W-21890

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 29 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 9 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to strengthen any deterrence or repercussions for making malicious calls to the emergency services, in light of reports that 219 malicious calls were made to the Scottish Ambulance Service between January and August 2023, with a year-on-year increase in such behaviour.

The Scottish Government strongly condemns hoax calls to our emergency services. We continue to fully support the action taken by the Scottish Ambulance Service to report malicious or nuisance callers, when appropriate, to the police who will investigate and act accordingly.

A co-ordinated approach is needed from all services including local councils, support services and the statutory emergency services to work to reduce these calls.

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