Chamber and committees

Network Rail continues to progress early, on site, construction activities whilst the necessary development work for the complete project is progressed.

In June 2021, Network Rail announced as part of the East Kilbride Enhancements Project, Hairmyres station is moving to a new site off Redwood Avenue – approximately 600-metres to the west of its existing location.

Scotland’s Railway, South Lanarkshire Council and Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) continue to work collaboratively to fund and develop the expanded transport interchange at Hairmyres to encourage more people out of their cars and onto trains.

Future updates can be sourced via the dedicated project pages in the Scotland’s Railway website:-

https://scotlandsrailway.com/projects/east-kilbride-enhancements

Our ambition is that as many children as possible attending eligible childcare settings can access the milk and healthy snack offer via the Scottish Milk and Healthy Snack Scheme, embedding the habit of regular consumption of high-quality dairy produce and fruit and vegetables from an early age.

The new Scheme draws on a considerable period of inquiry and development, beginning with the Welfare Foods Consultation of 2018. Under the previous UK Nursery Milk Scheme claims were made in arrears, however the Scottish Scheme moves to an upfront payment system that covers the cost of milk and healthy snack, which was the preference of the majority of respondents to the consultation, and an approach aimed at reducing administrative burden on settings.

The Scottish Government has sought to ensure that the approach we have set out will allow for milk or a specified alternative to be sourced sustainably and at a fair rate, based on local government procurement data and historic claims to the previous UK scheme. Upfront funding via local authorities is available to eligible childcare settings who can choose how to best procure milk, milk alternatives, fruit and vegetables in accordance with local circumstances.

The Scottish Government will use Year 1 to gather and review evidence, including via an implementation group consisting of key partners, to ensure the Scheme is meeting policy objectives. In the light of this work and other evidence we will consider whether action is required as we look ahead to Year 2 and beyond.

No. The Scottish Government do not routinely publish contracts and their accompanying correspondence.

Scottish Ministers became the managing agent for Ferguson Marine Engineering Limited on 16 August 2019.

Causes of death are categorised using the World Health Organisation’s International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10 th Revision (ICD-10). A link to this classification is available here:CD-10 Version:2019 (who.int)

Influenza and pneumonia fall under chapter X “Diseases of the respiratory system” in ICD-10 rather than chapter I “Certain infectious and parasitic diseases”. Deaths from ‘Diseases of the respiratory system’ are shown in the following table .

For a full breakdown of all causes of death categorised within ICD-10, please refer to chapter 6 of the Vital Events Reference Tables published by National Records of Scotland.

List of Data Tables | National Records of Scotland (nrscotland.gov.uk)

Table 1. Deaths from diseases of the respiratory system

Causes of death are categorised using the World Health Organisation’s International Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10 th Revision (ICD-10). A link to this classification is available here: ICD-10 Version:2019 (who.int)

For more detail on what is mean by “certain infectious and parasitic diseases” please refer to the following page of the online ICD-10 manual.

ICD-10 Version:2019 (who.int)

I refer the member to the answer to question S6T-00019 on
‎ 26 May 2021. The answer is available on the Parliament's website at: Official Report - Parliamentary Business : Scottish Parliament

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and NHS Tayside have concluded agreements to buyout the PFI car park contracts for the Glasgow Royal Infirmary and Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, respectively. As a result, these car parks have now come under the direct control of the NHS and the Scottish Government’s policy of free hospital car parking for patients, staff and visitors will continue to apply.

Negotiations for NHS Lothian to buyout the PFI car park contract for the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh are at an advanced stage with an agreement expected to be reached in the coming months. Car parking charges there remain suspended as a result of an arrangement reached with the PFI operator in March 2020 and the Scottish Government does not expect them to be reintroduced.

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.

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.