- Asked by: Iain Gray, MSP for East Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 March 2020
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 18 March 2020
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with universities about the impact of the coronavirus, COVID-19, on them, and what assessment it has made of any (a) financial and (b) international student recruitment impacts on the universities.
Answer
Scottish Government officials have met with representatives of Universities Scotland and Colleges Scotland to brief them on intelligence relating to COVID-19.
It has been agreed with those organisations that the Scottish Funding Council will be the primary conduit for the flow of intelligence between Government and the college and university sectors. In addition to hosting a dedicated webpage providing links to current guidance, the SFC have invited feedback from colleges and universities about the issues they are currently dealing with and that institutions anticipate should the spread of the virus continue.
Our universities are autonomous institutions. We recognise that Coronavirus is an extraordinary event which may present significant unforeseen challenges and close engagement with the further and higher education sectors will continue as this situation develops.
- Asked by: Iain Gray, MSP for East Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 March 2020
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 17 March 2020
To ask the Scottish Government what financial support it will offer to universities in the event of a fall in international students enrolling in the 2020-21 cohort.
Answer
Scotland and Scottish universities continue to be an attractive study destination for international students from across the world. We welcome them and value the positive contribution they make to our student and local communities, our society and our economy.
Our universities are autonomous institutions and it is for each one to set and manage its own international student targets and intakes. This includes managing the implications, financial and otherwise, caused by any rise or fall in the numbers applying to and enrolling at each individual institution.
In the case of the Coronavirus, Covid 19, we recognise that this is an extraordinary event which may present significant unforeseen challenges. Close engagement with the further and higher education sectors will continue as this situation develops.
- Asked by: Iain Gray, MSP for East Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 February 2020
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 5 March 2020
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason East Lothian Council's provisional revenue allocation per head is the fourth lowest in Scotland.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 5 March 2020
- Asked by: Iain Gray, MSP for East Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 24 February 2020
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 25 February 2020
To ask the Scottish Government how the recently published analysis of SQA exam attainment will influence the remit of its review of secondary education.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 25 February 2020
- Asked by: Iain Gray, MSP for East Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 27 January 2020
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Current Status:
Answered by Jeane Freeman on 11 February 2020
To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it will give to how patients with blue badges using disabled parking spaces at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh can be recompensed for parking charges.
Answer
The Scottish Government's preferred option would be that free car parking should be available to everyone who parks in a NHS facility and this policy was introduced in 2008 and has since saved patients, visitors and staff over £39 million. The exceptions to that policy are the three PFI car parking contracts at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, Glasgow Royal Infirmary and Ninewells hospital in Dundee which were signed under the previous administration.
NHS Lothian does not control the management of the car parking at the RIE as this falls within the scope of the PFI contract. The decisions around the location of disabled parking spaces and any reimbursement to blue badge holders are taken by Consort Healthcare.
However, the Board is mindful of the need to support access to the hospital and blue badge spaces are located nearer the hospital. Financial support can also be provided to those who have multiple visits or those who have suffered a bereavement. In these circumstances, vouchers are available to offset or remove the cost of parking and these are available through the ward staff, further details are available at https://www.nhslothian.scot/GoingToHospital/Travel/Pages/Parking.aspx .
- Asked by: Iain Gray, MSP for East Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 20 January 2020
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Current Status:
Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 5 February 2020
To ask the Scottish Government what level of funds remain in the Scottish Land Fund.
Answer
To date in 2019-20, over £9.2 million has been already been committed, against a budget of £10 million. Given the number of applications and level of funding requests due to come before the Committee by the end of the financial year, no underspend is anticipated.
- Asked by: Iain Gray, MSP for East Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 20 January 2020
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Current Status:
Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 5 February 2020
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to relaunch the Scottish Land Fund beyond March 2021.
Answer
In Programme for Government 2019-20, the Scottish Government committed to provide £10 million to the Scottish Land Fund each year until 2021. No decisions have yet been made about the future of the Scottish Land Fund beyond that point.
- Asked by: Iain Gray, MSP for East Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 20 January 2020
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 30 January 2020
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the finding in the Audit Scotland report, Finances of Scottish universities, that public funding does not cover the costs of university (a) teaching and (b) research.
Answer
Scottish Universities are autonomous institutions with the ability to generate their own income. We acknowledge the findings of the Audit Scotland report, specifically the financial pressures facing the sector and the contribution that public funding makes to its overall income.
Our commitment to the sector is reflected in the continued investment of over £1 billion annually in our universities. This funding accounts for around 40% of the total income generated by the sector.
This investment provides a strong foundation for the university sector to provide free tuition for eligible students and attract research as well as making a contribution to the wider achievements of individuals in Scotland and is despite substantial real-terms cuts to the Scottish Budget from the UK Government.
- Asked by: Iain Gray, MSP for East Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 20 January 2020
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 30 January 2020
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the finding in the Audit Scotland report, Finances of Scottish universities, that more than half are in deficit.
Answer
One of Scotland's universities key strengths is that they remain autonomous with the responsibility for their own operational decisions and the costs associated with them.
However, we continue to work with the Scottish Funding Council and the higher education sector to consider the findings of the Audit Scotland report into the finances of Scottish universities.
- Asked by: Iain Gray, MSP for East Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 January 2020
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 17 January 2020
To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made with the building of a new rail station at East Linton, and what the projected completion date is.
Answer
This Government remains committed to the delivery of East Linton station as early as practicable within Control Period 6 (2019 -2024).
Network Rail are currently progressing with the station designs. A holistic approach is being taken to the design of the station ensuring that the end to end journey undertaken by passengers is considered and reflected in the design. This includes how passengers will access the station and platforms.
A community liaison representative has been appointed to engage with both local communities, providing project information, attending community events and seeking feedback during both design and construction stages
Network Rail intend to submit their planning application in winter 2020 but in advance of this are already collating the information to undertake an Environmental Impact Assessment screening (EIA), as the first stage in the planning application process.
