Chamber and committees

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-01559 on
‎ 24 August 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

As the member will be aware, capital investment is funded from the Scottish Government’s capital budget and its limited borrowing powers.

The annual Medium Term Financial Strategy which was last published alongside the Scottish Budget on 28 January, details the Scottish Government’s borrowing policies, including the source of capital borrowing. The National Loans Fund is the preferred source of capital borrowing because it remains the most cost effective approach to maximising the limitations of the fiscal framework restrictions.

If the Scottish Government had the same borrowing powers as local authorities, alternative sources of borrowing, including bonds, would become a more attractive option.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-02055 on 24 August 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 .

Glasgow Prestwick Airport is operated on a commercial basis and at arm’s length from the Scottish Government. These discussions are commercial matters for Prestwick Airport’s senior management team. As is common practice with other airports across Scotland, commercial agreements between the business and other windfarm developers are already in place.

Discussions between Glasgow Prestwick Airport and parties interested in purchasing the business are commercially confidential. Any interested party will, however, be aware of all the sources of the airport’s revenue through their due diligence process with the airport.

The £3 million funding was part of the emergency COVID-19 support for culture, protecting jobs and addressing some of the financial pressures facing the three organisations. It was announced on 17 January 2021, comprising £1.4 million for Aberdeen Performing Arts, £800,000 for Eden Court Highlands and £800,000 for Capital Theatres. Funding is being delivered through Creative Scotland. The funding agreements with the three organisations require that the funds must be used in addressing the problems linked to the COVID-19 pandemic, and in order to enable the organisations to be financially stable in order to develop and present cultural activity when restrictions allow. Later in 2021 Creative Scotland will require the organisations to provide information on the use of funding, including how they have spent it, whether it has allowed them to maintain their workforce and stabilised their financial position.

The Scottish Government utilised a variety of data sources to derive Scottish Milk and Healthy Snack Scheme Local Serving Rates (LSR) using a formula agreed with COSLA Leaders in line with standard practice for allocation of funds by the Scottish Government to local government. The basis of our analysis suggests the LSR is sufficient to allow settings to purchase milk and healthy snacks in Year 1 of the Scheme sustainably and at a fair price.

While the new Scheme permits local authorities to determine payments, the local authorities have through COSLA agreed to pay settings at the Local Serving Rates for Year 1 and these LSR are now set out in the Regulations governing the Scheme. The Scottish Government recognises that this is a transitional year. We will gather the evidence from Year 1, including via an implementation group consisting of key partners, to ensure that LSR are sufficient for Year 2 and beyond. This may still be subject to timescales to be agreed with COSLA however, using learning from Year 1, we will continue to work with local government and key stakeholders to ensure that more children will have access to milk and healthy snacks as a consequence of this policy.

When developing the LSR, we included data from Scotland Excel (Scotland’s local authority procurement body) on the local variations in milk supply contracts currently in place across all 32 local authorities and assessed claims to the UK Nursery Milk Scheme, which provided historical data on the value of claims from different types of childcare setting and providers. The data collected on milk costs, combined with data on the size of the eligible population and number of children registered in childcare settings, enabled the Scottish Government to calculate the anticipated maximum quantum required for the Scheme.

In addition to making use of the best available data, an uplift was applied to the funding quantum to take account of uncertainties relating to the change in operation of the scheme, e.g. potential price increases, additional costs that might be incurred by the inclusion of non-dairy alternatives to milk, and potential changes in population.

A court case regarding the HCC International Insurance Company bond is ongoing in the English Courts. I am unable to publish or say anything further at this stage.

(a) NHS Lothian recently submitted an updated Outline Business Case for the development of eye care services. This will be reviewed by Scottish Government’s NHS Capital Investment Group at their next meeting.

(b) The Scottish Government provided a progress update on major capital projects, including NHS infrastructure projects, to the Public Audit Committee by letter dated 23 June 2021 which can be accessed here:

Infrastructure Investment Major Capital Projects Progress Update 23 June 202 | Scottish Parliament Website .

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-01706 on
‎ 24 August 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