- Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 19 May 2023
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 6 June 2023
To ask the Scottish Government how many nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and fine particulate air monitors are installed at schools in each local authority area.
Answer
The Scottish Government does not hold information on how many nitrogen dioxide (NO2) or fine particulate air monitors are installed at schools in each local authority area.
The Scottish Government has allocated significant funding of £13.8 million to local authorities in relation to improving ventilation in schools.
In January, it was confirmed by local authorities that all circa 50,000 learning, teaching and play spaces across Scotland have been equipped with a CO2 monitor.
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Friday, 19 May 2023
-
Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 6 June 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the current (a) proposals and (b) timescales for the provision of a replacement (i) hospital, (ii) dental clinic and (iii) GP unit on the Isle of Barra, and whether it will propose scheduling a ministerial statement in order to provide a detailed update to the Parliament on these matters.
Answer
The Scottish Government remain committed to delivery of quality health and care facilities on Barra. However, the Scottish Government's ability to fund capital projects has been affected by a reduction in the amount of capital grant from the UK Government over the next two years, and unprecedented levels of inflation as a result of Covid, Brexit, uncertainty in the supply chain and the war in Ukraine.
The Outline Business Case for the provision of new health facilities at the Barra Health and Social Care Hub has been submitted, however detailed design work of the proposals has been unable to start due to the budgetary pressures across the capital investment programme.
Scottish Government officials will engage with NHS Western Isles and the Scottish Futures Trust to consider the timing of the construction and will work closely with partners to identify alternative options.
- Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Friday, 19 May 2023
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 6 June 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to the recent findings in the Manchester Arena Inquiry report, which highlighted deficiencies in the first aid cover provided by a private company that was not adequately prepared to respond to the types of injuries that it needed to treat.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-18115 on 6 June 2023. 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: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 19 May 2023
-
Current Status:
Answered by Lorna Slater on 6 June 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether it (a) has conducted and (b) plans to conduct an analysis of how successful the ban on single-use plastics has been since it was introduced in 2022.
Answer
The Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic Products) (Scotland) Regulations 2021 came into force in June 2022 as part of the Scottish Government’s commitment to move to a more circular economy and tackle the environmental impact of the most problematic single-use plastic products.
Over seven hundred million of these products were estimated to be used in Scotland every year before the Regulations came into force, including three hundred million single-use plastic straws and over two hundred and fifty million pieces of single-use plastic cutlery.
Now that the regulations have been in place for almost a year, we will evaluate progress and this will inform our approach to continuing to support businesses to comply with requirements.
- Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 19 May 2023
-
Current Status:
Answered by Lorna Slater on 6 June 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what (a) plans it made and (b) resources it provided to local authorities to enforce the ban on single-use plastics introduced in 2022.
Answer
Enforcement of the Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic Products) (Scotland) Regulations 2021 is the responsibility of local authorities, who have autonomy to allocate the resources available to them based on local needs and priorities. The Scottish Government is providing an additional £793 million of funding to local authorities in 2023-24.
In addition to guidance published on the Scottish Government website in advance of the Regulations, Zero Waste Scotland delivered an awareness raising campaign in the six months prior to the Regulations coming into force to increase business and public awareness of the Regulations. We will continue to support businesses to comply with requirements.
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Friday, 19 May 2023
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 6 June 2023
To ask the Scottish Government how much the Barra and Vatersay Community Campus project has cost to date, and what future funding provision it has made for its delivery.
Answer
The Scottish Government does not hold information on how much the Barra and Vatersay Community Campus project has cost to date - this information is held by Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar.
Initial design and development costs have been incurred on the school and community element of the project, which is being delivered through the Learning Estate Investment Programme.
These upfront project costs have been paid by the local authority and will form part of the total project costs, up to 50% of which will be funded by the Scottish Government through the Learning Estate Investment Programme’s outcome based funding model mechanism.
- Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 19 May 2023
-
Current Status:
Answered by Lorna Slater on 6 June 2023
To ask the Scottish Government when the Waste Route Map to 2025 will be published, in light of its consultation stating that the full route map would be published in early 2023.
Answer
The Circular Economy & Waste Route Map sets out how we intend to deliver our system-wide, comprehensive vision for Scotland's Circular Economy by outlining tangible actions the Scottish Government and others must take to accelerate progress.
The responses to the Route Map consultation have been published, and we are considering this feedback carefully as part of the development of the Route Map, alongside ongoing assessment of impacts. Analysis of the consultation findings will be published in due course.
We intend to consult on a draft Route Map, before bringing forward a final Waste Route Map later this year.
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Friday, 19 May 2023
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 6 June 2023
To ask the Scottish Government which elements of the Barra and Vatersay Community Campus project it now plans to deliver through the contract with hub North Scotland, and within what timescale.
Answer
The procurement route for the school and leisure element of the campus is the decision of the Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, this is currently being procured by the local authority through hub North Scotland.
The project is expected to be delivered by April 2026.
- Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Friday, 19 May 2023
-
Current Status:
Answered by Graeme Dey on 6 June 2023
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the letter from the Minister for Higher and Further Education to the Education, Children and Young People Committee on 2 May 2023, on what date the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills identified the now withdrawn £26 million of funding for colleges as a "necessary saving".
Answer
The Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills considered this saving from the SFC budget as part of discussions that took place during April 2023.
- Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 19 May 2023
-
Current Status:
Answered by Lorna Slater on 6 June 2023
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the period of five weeks was chosen as the timescale for receiving applications for the latest funding round of the Circular Textiles Fund.
Answer
The first stage of the Circular Textile Fund is the submission of an Expression of Interest, a high-level overview of the project, and the 5 week timescale provides a suitable amount of time to prepare this. Zero Waste Scotland runs weekly webinars during this period to support applicants. Feedback received from applicants, following round 1, was that increasing the time available for the second stage submission phase, where detailed information is needed, would be welcomed. Accordingly, Zero Waste Scotland extended time for the second stage of submissions to 8 weeks.