- Asked by: Mike Rumbles, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 June 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Fergus Ewing on 30 July 2018
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking with farm businesses to (a) protect them from and (b) inform them of email/online fraud regarding the roll-out of annual CAP Basic Payments.
Answer
As indicated in our response to S5W-17522 on 30 July 2018, the Scottish Government takes the threat of on-line fraud very seriously. Using a range of communication channels, steps have been and will continue to be taken to alert farm businesses to the dangers in relation to CAP payments and to advise of action they might take to prevent fraud occurring. Rural Payments and Inspections. https://www.ruralpayments.org/publicsite/futures/news-events/fraud-warning/.
All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.
- Asked by: Mike Rumbles, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 June 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 20 July 2018
To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) arrests and (b) convictions there have been for email/online fraud regarding the roll-out of annual CAP Basic Payments in each of the last three years.
Answer
(a) Information on number of arrests is not held centrally. The data the Scottish Government receives from Police Scotland is a general count of the number of crimes and offences recorded by the police, split by local authority. We don’t receive further details on the characteristics or circumstances of individual crimes.
(b) Information on convictions for email/online fraud regarding the roll-out of annual CAP Basic Payments is not held centrally.
The Scottish Government does not hold this level of detail.
- Asked by: Mike Rumbles, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 June 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Jeane Freeman on 20 July 2018
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its policy and plans regarding the use of (a) cannabis and (b) cannabis-based substances for (i) medical and (ii) recreational use.
Answer
Regulation for the licensing, safety and efficacy of medicines and also drug control under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 are both reserved to the UK Government.
- Asked by: Mike Rumbles, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 June 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Kevin Stewart on 13 July 2018
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the regions that will be targeted as part of the £54.5 million of funding to tackle fuel poverty.
Answer
Through its Home Energy Efficiency Programme for Scotland: Area Based Scheme (HEEPS:ABS), the Scottish Government has distributed £49 million among the 32 local authorities across Scotland. This will support the authorities to design and deliver energy efficiency programmes in fuel poor areas. The allocation for each authority is shown in the following table.
HEEPS:ABS Allocations
Council | Offer of Grant - Area Based Schemes |
Aberdeen City | £ 1,640,101 |
Aberdeenshire | £ 2,282,316 |
Angus | £ 1,376,280 |
Argyll and Bute | £ 1,675,930 |
City of Edinburgh | £ 3,418,399 |
Clackmannanshire | £ 639,948 |
Dumfries & Galloway | £ 2,063,300 |
Dundee | £ 1,401,341 |
East Ayrshire | £ 1,481,688 |
East Dunbartonshire | £ 388,000 |
East Lothian | £ 736,013 |
East Renfrewshire | £ 305,751 |
Falkirk | £ 795,044 |
Fife | £ 2,327,490 |
Glasgow | £ 4,618,272 |
Highland | £ 2,800,320 |
Inverclyde | £ 1,325,494 |
Midlothian | £ 511,345 |
Moray | £ 1,453,106 |
N Ayrshire | £ 1,512,870 |
N Lanark | £ 2,349,638 |
Orkney | £ 1,000,000 |
Perth and Kinross | £ 1,345,635 |
Renfrewshire | £ 1,615,602 |
Scottish Borders | £ 1,293,459 |
Shetland | £ 1,030,719 |
South Ayrshire | £ 1,174,291 |
South Lanarkshire | £ 2,058,780 |
Stirling | £ 938,638 |
West Dunbartonshire | £ 885,819 |
West Lothian | £ 1,093,645 |
Western Isles | £ 1,465,990 |
Total | £ 49,005,224 |
The remaining £5.5 million will support the Energy Efficient Scotland: Transition Programme. Of this, £1.2 million has been allocated to 15 local authorities for transition pilot projects, and Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategies (LHEES). The allocation for each authority is shown in the following table. The Scottish Government has invited local authorities to apply for further unallocated funding of £0.8 million by the 20 th of July 2018
£3.5 million will be allocated through the Decarbonisation Programme for Registered Social Landlords (RSLs). Applications from RSLs for this funding should be submitted to the Scottish Government by the 3 rd of August 2018.
Transition Programme Allocations
Council | Project | 2018-2019 Funding |
Clackmannanshire | Dollar Area | £ 74,500.00 |
Edinburgh | City Centre and Old Town | £ 150,000.00 |
Fife | Burntisland | £ 142,636.00 |
Glasgow | Working in one of the areas of : Kelvindale, Broomhill, Jordanhill, Kings Park or Muirend. | £ 74,500.00 |
Highland | Highland wide | £ 94,150.00 |
Inverclyde | Greenock West End | £ 74,000.00 |
Midlothian | Penicuik area | £ 72,500.00 |
Renfrewshire | the estate of Lochfield, within Paisley | £ 74,500.00 |
Scottish Borders | Extension of current project into Tweedale | £ 73,500.00 |
Shetland | Shetland Wide Scheme | £ 129,500.00 |
South Ayrshire | Alloway and Symington - possible tie-in with East Ayrshire | £ 62,500.00 |
| | | |
TOTALS | | £ 1,022,286.00 |
| | | |
Council | LHEES Project | 2018-2019 Funding |
East Lothian | Dunbar, Haddington and North Berwick area | £ 40,000.00 |
Falkirk | Council wide | £ 5,000.00 |
Fife | Levenmouth area | £ 31,448.00 |
Midlothian | Council wide | £ 30,000.00 |
North Lanarkshire | Motherwell and Wishaw Area | £ 35,000.00 |
Orkney | Orkney wide | £ 35,750.00 |
| | | |
TOTALS | | £ 177,198.00 |
- Asked by: Mike Rumbles, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 June 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 6 July 2018
To ask the Scottish Government how it is ensuring that its Getting it Right for Every Child policy conforms to the new General Data Protection Regulation framework.
Answer
Scottish Government are confident that the policy is fully compliant with data protection regime. The Getting it right for every child approach is a relationship based approach that embodies the rights and empowerment of individuals detailed within the General Data Protection Regulation and the new Data Protection Act.
The Children and Young People (Information Sharing) (Scotland) Bill aims to bring consistency and clarity to the sharing of information about children’s wellbeing across Scotland. We will work with Parliament to agree a renewed date for resumption of the Stage One process to take forward Named Person and ensure children and families get access to the right support at the right time from the right people.
The GIRFEC Practice Development Panel, independently chaired by Ian Welsh OBE, has been charged with developing a code of practice for information sharing. The panel will work to ensure that the code of practice properly reflects relevant legal requirements and is workable and comprehensive.
- Asked by: Mike Rumbles, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 07 June 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 21 June 2018
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-16581 by Humza Yousaf on 6 June 2018, whether it will provide an answer to the part of the question regarding when it was advised that it was unlikely that the contractual deadline would be met, and for what reason it did not include this information in its response.
Answer
Abellio ScotRail did not notify Transport Scotland officials until 17 May 2018 informing them that WABTEC Rail UK had indicated delays to the HST programme that would result in Abellio ScotRail not achieving the required output dates under Committed Obligation 8.5 in the Franchise Agreement.
- Asked by: Mike Rumbles, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 31 May 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 12 June 2018
To ask the Scottish Government when it will provide a substantive answer to question S5M-15956, which received a holding response on 2 May 2018.
Answer
S5W-15956 was answered on 5 June 2018.
- Asked by: Mike Rumbles, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 10 May 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 6 June 2018
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the comment made by the managing director of the ScotRail Alliance to the Rural Affairs and Connectivity Committee on 9 May 2018 (Official Report, c.12) regarding the introduction of high-speed Edinburgh-Aberdeen service that "originally, we wanted to go above and beyond the contractual date of June to deliver something for the timetable change in May. Sadly, that now looks unlikely"; when it was advised that it was unlikely that the contractual deadline would not be met; what action it to took to inform passengers of the delay, and what action it is taking to mitigate any issues that might arise due to the possible deferred completion date.
Answer
Abellio ScotRail continues to require the HST overhauler (Wabtec) and the train owners (ANGEL) to deliver the 26 fully refurbished High Speed Trains (HST) units into passenger service onto Inter-city routes. Engagement between ScotRail and it's suppliers continues, and Wabtec has now presented a revised schedule for the on-going HST refurbishment programme for the fleet. This would deliver introduction of the first HST on the Aberdeen-Edinburgh route in July.
Abellio ScotRail is responsible for notifying passengers around changes and alterations to any aspect of the services that they provide. Transport Scotland officials have worked with Abellio ScotRail recently to ensure that a fleet of interim class 365 electric trains is introduced this summer. This will release diesel trains to support events such as the Open golf at Carnoustie and the Edinburgh festival and also on the Inter-City routes prior to HSTs being introduced into service this year. In addition more than 25 of the existing diesel trains have had leases extended to ensure continued service provision.
- Asked by: Mike Rumbles, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 24 May 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Aileen Campbell on 5 June 2018
To ask the Scottish Government what (a) specific training is given to health professionals and (b) action it is taking to raise public awareness regarding Lyme disease.
Answer
Training resources for health professionals can be accessed through the NHS Education for Scotland website at: http://www.nes.scot.nhs.uk/education-and-training/by-theme-initiative/public-health/health-protection/gastrointestinal-infection-and-zoonoses/lyme-disease.aspx
Raising awareness of Lyme disease is an on-going priority for the Lyme Borreliosis Group which is part of the Scottish Health Protection Network. The group has produced educational resources for the public which can be accessed at:
https://www.nhsinform.scot/bugs-and-germs
The group meets on a regular basis to discuss and take forward projects on raising awareness of Lyme disease.
- Asked by: Mike Rumbles, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 24 May 2018
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Current Status:
Answered by Aileen Campbell on 5 June 2018
To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding how the trend in the number of cases of Lyme disease compares with the rest of (a) the UK and (b) Europe.
Answer
The following table shows the most recently published (up to 2016) laboratory confirmed cases of Lyme disease for the UK:
| | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 |
England and Wales | 797 | 813 | 863 | 905 | 959 | 1040 | 936 | 856 | 1060 | 1136 |
Scotland | 230 | 285 | 228 | 308 | 229 | 207 | 176 | 224 | 200 | 170 |
Northern Ireland | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
These numbers are likely to underestimate the total number of cases of Lyme disease, because current guidance recommends that health care professionals treat patients presenting with the erythma migrans rash immediately with antibiotics, without requiring laboratory testing. This makes a direct comparison of the data difficult.
Lyme disease is not routinely reported to the European Council for Disease Control (ECDC) so there is no directly comparable data published by ECDC.
