- Asked by: Michelle Thomson, MSP for Falkirk East, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 08 September 2022
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Current Status:
Initiated by the Scottish Government.
Answered by Angus Robertson on 23 September 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will confirm the costs associated with the production and publication of the paper, Independence in the modern world. Wealthier, Happier, Fairer: Why Not Scotland.
Answer
The external costs associated with the production and publication of the Building a new Scotland paper, 'Independence in the modern world. Wealthier, happier, fairer: why not Scotland?', are set out in the following table.
Costs |
Task | VAT % | VAT | Net Price |
Overall Prospectus Design | 20.0 | 883.35 | 4,416.74 |
Formatting and Online Publication (including HTML Web Conversation) | 20.0 | 1,130.50 | 5,652.49 |
Printed Copies | 0.00 | 0.00 | 2,124.12 |
Summary Document | 20.0 | 114.58 | 572.91 |
Summary Document – Language Translations | 20.0 | 415.85 | 2,079.24 |
Summary Document – BSL Translation | 20.0 | 108.85 | 544.24 |
Summary Document – Audio Translation | 20.0 | 14.84 | 74.22 |
Summary Document – Easy Read Version | 20.0 | 143.47 | 717.37 |
Total (GBP) | £2,811.44 | £16,181.33 |
Total including VAT (GBP) | £18,992.76 |
Papers in the Building a New Scotland prospectus series are available at the following link: www.gov.scot/newscotland .
- Asked by: Michelle Thomson, MSP for Falkirk East, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 08 September 2022
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Current Status:
Initiated by the Scottish Government.
Answered by Angus Robertson on 23 September 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will confirm the costs associated with the production and publication of the paper, Renewing Democracy through Independence.
Answer
The external costs associated with the production and publication of the Building a new Scotland paper, ‘Renewing democracy through independence', are set out in the following table.
Costs |
Task | VAT % | VAT | Net Price |
Formatting and Online Publication (including HTML Web Conversation) | 20.0 | 589.97 | 2,949.85 |
Printed Copies | 0.00 | 0.00 | 1,782.59 |
Summary Document | 20.0 | 57.28 | 286.38 |
Summary Document – Language Translations | 20.0 | 482.73 | 2,413.64 |
Summary Document – BSL Translation | 20.0 | 137.85 | 689.24 |
Summary Document – Audio Translation | 20.0 | 14.16 | 70.81 |
Summary Document – Easy Read Version | 20.0 | 93.24 | 466.22 |
Total (GBP) | £1,375.23 | £8,658.73 |
Total including VAT (GBP) | £10,033.95 |
Papers in the Building a New Scotland prospectus series are available at the following link: www.gov.scot/newscotland.
- Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 26 August 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 23 September 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what research it will undertake into the potential impacts that the three Shetland ScotWind projects, announced on 22 August 2022, could have on haddock nursery grounds and saithe spawning sites.
Answer
The Sectoral Marine Plan for Offshore Wind Energy(SMP-OWE) has already carried out a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and Habitats Regulations Appraisal (HRA). The SEA and HRA assessed the potential for impact on nursery and spawning locations from the SMP-OWE and at an individual Plan Option scale.
Developers’ stated ambitions from ScotWind awards have surpassed the SMP-OWE assessment assumptions and the potential for greater impact from larger capacity projects will now be considered in the SMP-OWE Iterative Plan Review (IPR). Where the now known ScotWind projects overlap with spawning and nursery grounds the potential for impact will be considered again.
In addition, the Scottish Marine Energy Research programme (ScotMER) has a specific receptor group focused on fish and fisheries-related evidence needs. This group, which includes fisheries representatives, has been updating the evidence map to ensure that the evidence needs reflect the results of ScotWind and capture a consideration of wider strategic monitoring to determine the potential for impacts on the physical environment that may influence spawning grounds. The potential sensitivity of spawning grounds to noise and vibrations has also been identified. This work can feed into the development of strategic research and project-level Environmental Impact Assessments.
Ongoing work to explore the mapping of essential fish habitats will also help better identify spawning and nursery ground locations.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 September 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 22 September 2022
To ask the Scottish Government how much money has been allocated to Scottish Canals in each of the last five years.
Answer
Scottish Canals has benefitted from significant increases in grant in aid awards in recent years. Since 2019, the Organisation’s capital grant from the Scottish Government has increased by 87% and it has received an annual uplift in resource funding since 2020. The Organisation has also received substantial additional funding support. A breakdown of the funding is attached in the following table.
Year | Grant allocation | Capital funding | Revenue funding | Additional funding | Total funding |
22-23 | £22.7m | £12.2m | £10.5m | | |
21-22 | £21.9m | £12.2m | £9.7m | £662k (rev) Covid consequential funding. £2.4m in additional funding. (cap) | £14.6m (cap) £10.4m (rev) £22.6m(total) |
20-21 | £20.7m | £12.2m | £8.5m | £1m (cap) Dredging Caledonian and Crinan. £545k(cap) Weedcutter. £6.5m (cap) Union Canal Breach. £1.1m (rev) Covid funding £2.8m in additional funding. (cap) | £20.2m (cap) £12.4m (rev) £32.6m (total) |
19-20 | £15m | £6.5m | £8.5m | £262k (rev) Bowling works. | £6.5m (cap) £8.8m (rev) £15.3m (total) |
18-19 | £11.6m | £3.5m | £8.1m | £1.625m (cap) Twechar, Bonnybridge and Ardrishaig. £5.350m (cap) Cullochy Lock Gates and Fort Augustus. | £10.475m (cap) £8.100m (rev) £18.575m (total) |
- Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 September 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 22 September 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether the electricity and natural gas framework agreements offered via its procurement contracts directory will be affected by any ongoing escalation in energy prices.
Answer
The national frameworks for the Supply of Electricity and Supply of Natural Gas wholesale volumes are bought up to 2½ years in advance in tranches, following a proven ‘hedging’ purchasing strategy overseen by a cross-sectoral Risk Management Committee. The Committee comprises senior managers representing procurement, finance and energy management interests.
Whilst energy prices have risen to unprecedented levels because of global influences, the Scottish Government purchasing strategy has mitigated some of the increases. As an illustration, if we were to seek a fixed price today on the wholesale market for Electricity and Gas for 2022-2023, it would be more than double the contract prices that the Scottish Government framework currently enjoys.
- Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 September 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 22 September 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether alcohol should be banned on (a) LNER, (b) Avanti, (c) Cross Country and (d) TransPennine express services when in Scotland.
Answer
LNER, Avanti, Cross Country and TransPennine Express are cross-border railway passenger operators whose contracts are specified and managed by the Department for Transport, under UK Government railway legislation which the Scottish Government does not have devolved authority to amend. Therefore the sale and consumption of alcohol on these services is currently a matter for the individual operators in accordance with applicable legislation and the policy of their franchising authority, the Department for Transport.
- Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 02 September 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Angus Robertson on 22 September 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to establish a scheme similar to the X-UK acquisitions programme 2022-27 and showcase the best of Scottish art in its overseas offices.
Answer
Culture is an important asset for our international offices in strengthening our links and visibility with key countries. Our in-country presence can open new opportunities for Scottish artists and cultural organisations.
The Scottish Government has not been consulted or invited to engage with the UK Government on its 5-year acquisitions programme, including where this involves artists who are based in Scotland. At this time, there are no plans to establish a scheme similar to the X-UK acquisitions programme.
The Scottish Government is however working to secure the benefits of international engagement for our culture sector and has committed to develop a strategy to this end.
- Asked by: Meghan Gallacher, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 08 September 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Clare Haughey on 22 September 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a timeline regarding the proposed change that will enable parents to access automatic deferral funding for early learning and childcare for four-year-olds.
Answer
The expansion of funded early learning and childcare (ELC) for deferrals is a legislative commitment. From 1 August 2023, if a parent or carer of a child that is still 4 years old on the date they are eligible to start school defers their entry to school for a year, they can automatically access an additional year of funded early learning and childcare. Details are available on the Scottish Government website: Deferred school entry and eligibility from 1 August 2023 - Early learning and childcare: statutory guidance - July 2021 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) .
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 08 September 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Angus Robertson on 22 September 2022
To ask the Scottish Government how many National Records of Scotland (NRS) service users are able to access the Historical Search Room at any one time, and on how many occasions in the last month the NRS safety guidance capacity of 14 persons has been achieved.
Answer
In the Historical Search Room situated in General Register House, the current occupancy is set at 8 desks for consulting original records, 3 desks for use of NRS on site PCs and 1 reception desk for use by 3 staff members. Appointments are offered on a daily basis up to maximum current occupancy levels of 11 desks.
Ventilation levels are monitored on an hourly basis and remain under the required level.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 08 September 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Angus Robertson on 22 September 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the expected cost of its current case in the Supreme Court regarding the Scottish Independence Referendum Bill.
Answer
We published the costs incurred by the Lord Advocate’s reference to the Supreme Court on 22 September, which can be found here: www.gov.scot/publications/independence-referendum-supreme-court-referral-legal-costs . We will continue to publish costs on a quarterly basis until litigation ends. As the litigation is ongoing, and the costs may be affected by a number of factors, it is not possible to provide an estimate of the total costs we will incur.
As the First Minister explained to Parliament on 28 June, there is a substantial majority in Scottish Parliament in favour of an independence referendum and therefore a clear democratic mandate for this work. The UK government, regrettably, is refusing to respect Scottish democracy.
