Seòmar agus comataidhean

The level of capital investment in digital infrastructure in each financial year since 2015-16 is provided in the following table:

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-00633 on‎ 13 July 2021. 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

Delivery of new fibre infrastructure is a key component part of a number of Scottish Government digital infrastructure programmes. It is therefore not possible to single out the costs solely attributed to fibre infrastructure.

The level of capital investment in digital infrastructure in each financial year since 2015-16 is provided in the following table:

Reducing flood risk is a priority for this Government and we will continue to support authorities to deliver actions that protect our communities. The Scottish Government engages regularly with local authorities, including Falkirk Council, on a wide range of flood risk management issues to ensure Scotland is resilient to the challenges of flood risk and climatic pressures.

Flood Risk Management Strategies and Plans are published every six years, as part of the duties of the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009 (“the Act”). National and local working groups provide a forum for discussion on issues in relation to implementation of the Act including monitoring progress of the actions resulting from the Strategies and Plans. Most recently the Scottish Government met with local authorities at the SCOTS Flood Risk Management Group, which included Falkirk Council, at the end of May 2021.

Flood Risk Management Strategies were published by SEPA in 2015. These set out proposals for 42 flood protection schemes which were prioritised according to their cost benefit ratio and taking into account a series of additional criteria, encompassing the environmental and social impacts of flooding.

It is for local authorities to commission and take forward these Schemes. In July 2016, it was agreed by Scottish Ministers and COSLA that 80% of the flood component of the General Capital Grant would be distributed according to the SEPA prioritisation of flood protection schemes set out in the Flood Risk Management Strategies. 40 of the prioritised schemes were deemed to be eligible for grant funding.

Of the 42 prioritised schemes 9 are complete, 5 are under construction and the others are at various stages of development. 7 other schemes commissioned by local authorities prior to 2016 have also been completed since 2016.

There is no ring-fenced procurement budget for COP26. The Scottish Government, and relevant agencies / bodies, have procured a number of contracts among suppliers for COP26, with a total value of £416,240 through Scotland-based businesses, and £24,612 through businesses without a base in Scotland, being spent to date. Procurement is in line with relevant legislation and guidance and using existing contracts and frameworks, which include an assessment with environmental, social and/or labour laws.

The Scottish Government is aware of the vast challenges in attempting to ensure pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy is offered to every patient at the point of diagnosis.

Pancreatic cancer patients can present as asymptomatic despite pancreatic exocrine insufficiency, while patients can also be diagnosed through many different pathways.

This can result in clinicians not always having the specialist knowledge and experience to know about the importance of pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy.

The Scottish Governments National Cancer Recovery Plan will help address this knowledge gap by working to review Cancer Clinical Management Guidelines in liaison with relevant parties.

Under the National Cancer Recovery Plan, we have funded the Scottish HepatoPancreatoBiliary Cancer Network (SHPBN) which is reviewing guidelines to address this issue.

A planning application has been submitted by Stonepack Ltd to Scottish Borders Council for a proposed Sand and Gravel Quarry at Slipperfield, West Linton. It is understood that the Health and Safety Executive does not advise, on safety grounds, against the granting of planning permission in this case. As this is a live application it would not be appropriate to comment on the merits of the case.

The information requested is not held centrally. Details of the funding awarded to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) and the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh is published in annual reports and accounts available at www.sepa.org.uk and www.rbge.org.uk . Details of Scottish Government funding provided to Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) are published in their Annual Financial statements available on their website at www.sruc.ac.uk .

Budget allocations to areas of the Scottish Government are published in annual Draft Budget documents available on the Scottish Government’s website at www.gov.scot .

Rollout of mobile telecommunications infrastructure is predominantly led by commercial operators. The Scottish Government neither holds nor receives data on how many commercial mobile telephony masts have been installed..

Through the Scottish 4G Infill (S4GI) Programme, the Scottish Government is investing £28.75 million (including £11.27 million of ERDF funding) to create future-proofed 4G mobile infrastructure at up to 55 mobile “notspots”, areas with no coverage from any commercial mobile network operator (MNO).

As of 28 June 2021, a total of 15 S4GI masts are currently providing 4G service to communities is as follows: