- Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 July 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 6 August 2021
To ask the Scottish Government how many asylum seekers are currently resident.
Answer
Asylum is a matter reserved to the UK Parliament, and the Scottish Government does not hold data on individuals seeking asylum who are living in Scotland. The latest Home Office quarterly statistics recorded 3,904 people in section 95 asylum support in Scotland as at 31 March 2021, including 122 who were receiving subsistence only. There is no geographical breakdown in the statistics of the number of people in receipt of section 98 or section 4 support. Home Office data is available on the UK Government website at https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/asylum-and-resettlement-datasets .
- Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 July 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Angus Robertson on 6 August 2021
To ask the Scottish Government by what date it will refresh its New Scots strategy.
Answer
The New Scots refugee integration strategy is built on partnership and collaboration, led by the Scottish Government, COSLA and the Scottish Refugee Council.
The second New Scots refugee integration strategy was published in January 2018 and runs until December 2022. Partners have begun discussions on arrangements to develop the third strategy, with the aim of publishing this in 2023.
- Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 July 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 6 August 2021
To ask the Scottish Government by what date it will establish the Standing Council for Pandemics, and what its (a) scope and (b) membership will be.
Answer
The Standing Committee on Pandemics will be established by 25 August 2021.
The Standing Committee on Pandemics will be an advisory group to the Scottish Government, with a remit to advise on the future risks from pandemics and the steps we should take to address those risks. The Committee’s membership will bring together a range of scientists and clinicians with relevant expertise.
- Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 July 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Graeme Dey on 6 August 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what its assessment is of the cost of concessionary travel, including the Young Persons and Older and Disabled Persons Travel Schemes.
Answer
The total cost of the National Concessionary Travel Scheme for Older and Disabled People and Young Persons is £223,097,800.
This cost is for financial year 2020-21, and includes free bus and ferry travel and the Covid-19 Support Grant payments for the Older and Disabled People scheme, and bus, rail and ferry travel for young people aged 16-18 and volunteers up to age 25.
- Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 July 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 6 August 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what communication it has had with (a) Glasgow City Council and (b) the housing and care provider, Mears Group, regarding the Glasgow mother and baby unit for asylum seekers.
Answer
In February 2021, the then Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Local Government, wrote to the Chief Operating Officer of Mears Housing Management about issues that had been raised with her about the mother and baby unit. She asked that no new women be transferred to the unit until there had been further engagement with local partners on its operation and concerns were addressed. In June 2021, the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Housing and Local Government wrote to Mears Group about issues raised with the suitability of the accommodation provided and asked for information about how they are addressing them. On both occasions we received a response from Mears Group setting out measures they have taken.
Officials from Scottish Government, Glasgow City Council and Mears Group sit on the Asylum Regional Partnership Board and the Delivery and Procurement Group, which support collaborative working on asylum accommodation and support in Glasgow.
- Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 July 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 6 August 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what action its officials can take to ensure the safety and wellbeing of residents at the Glasgow mother and baby unit for asylum seekers.
Answer
Asylum is a matter reserved to the UK Parliament. This includes the provision of asylum accommodation, which is delivered by the Home Office through contracts with private sector companies, known as Asylum Accommodation and Support Services Contracts (AASC). In Scotland this is being delivered by Mears Group, who operate the mother and baby unit in Glasgow.
Scottish Government officials have no direct role in the delivery and management of the Home Office’s Asylum Accommodation and Support Services Contract. We have made it clear that the Scottish Government's preference would be for asylum accommodation to be delivered by the public sector or the third sector.
- Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 July 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom Arthur on 4 August 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what the total transaction value of all publicly-owned land disposed to the private sector was in each of the last 10 years.
Answer
The Scottish Government does not hold this information. Property transactions involving the sale of land and leases of 20 years and over are usually registered in the Land Register of Scotland. The register is managed and maintained by the Keeper of the Registers of Scotland as required by the Land Registration etc. (Scotland) Act 2012. The register contains information on the parties to registered deeds (the buyer and the seller) but not on the status of those parties (ie whether they are private sector or public sector).
- Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 June 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 27 July 2021
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will formally advise railway and travel providers of its decision that only essential travel between Scotland and Greater Manchester and Salford is permitted, to allow the customers affected to access full refunds.
Answer
Changes to travel restrictions affecting Manchester City Council and Salford City Council were notified to Parliament by answer to question
S6W-00856 on 17 June 2021, and announced to businesses and the public through a media briefing by the First Minister, a news release, and updated guidance on the Scottish Government website. 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: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 18 June 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 21 July 2021
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the state of its preparations for the COP26 conference.
Answer
We are delighted that COP26 is happening in Scotland and are working closely with the UK Government, Glasgow City Council, Public Health bodies and the UN to deliver a safe, successful and in-person conference in November. We recognise the significant challenges to public health alongside the urgent need to agree action to tackle climate change and are exploring all possible COVID security measures. Vaccination and test and protect will be key and we are involved in planning for these measures and all relevant aspects of event delivery.
The Scottish Government’s COP26 programme will focus on key themes of a just transition and people, demonstrate the actions Scotland is taking to a Net Zero future and support the global outcomes of the Summit. We are partnering with a range of organisations to engage people with COP26 and climate change. This includes the recently announced youth climate programme, delivered in partnership with Young Scot, Keep Scotland Beautiful and Youth Link Scotland, which will deliver a programme of events putting the voices of young people in Scotland at the heart of the climate conversation during COP26.
- Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 14 June 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 12 July 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what steps Historic Environment Scotland (HES) is taking to save the former Sir John Maxwell School building in Pollokshaws from dereliction and potential demolition; what engagement HES has had or is having with (a) Glasgow City Council and its agency City Property LLP and (b) the Sir John Maxwell School Trust to support the Trust's plans to restore and convert the building, and, to allow it to be eligible for grants that could help finance any development deficit, what its position is on using the Scottish Ministers' discretionary powers to have the building listed.
Answer
The Scottish Government understands that Historic Environment Scotland (HES) wrote directly to Mr Sweeney on 24 June 2021.
HES assessed this property in 2017, and it was found to not meet the criteria for listing at that time as it was not a notable example of its building type and its setting had been altered. HES held subsequent discussions with the Sir John Stirling Maxwell Trust and Glasgow City Heritage Trust during 2020 regarding the best ways to retain and reuse the building.
As Scotland's lead public body for built heritage Historic Environment Scotland (HES) investigates, cares for and promotes Scotland’s historic environment. Part of those duties is responsibility for designating listed buildings. The role of Scottish Ministers in designations largely relates to strategic oversight in matters of national importance. It should be noted that Minsters' powers are used sparingly as HES retains the considerable experience and expertise which is more appropriate to assess applications on a case-by-case basis.