Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-22601

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 31 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 16 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what plans have been developed with NHS Scotland and local authorities for mobility aids to be collected and provided to medical charities operating in war zones.

The Scottish Government currently has no specific plans to provide mobility aids to medical charities operating in war zones. However, we will work with NHS Scotland and local authorities to respond to such requests from recognised partners, including WHO and UN bodies.

The Scottish Government has provided significant financial aid to humanitarian efforts in war zones in Gaza and Ukraine. We also donated a significant amount of medical supplies to Ukraine last year as part of the UK humanitarian response, coordinated by Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

Question reference: S6W-22788

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 16 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what work it has undertaken to provide for exemption schemes in the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill for military personnel working in Scotland.

As set out in the Policy Memorandum, accompanying the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill, the policy intention is that a local authority can establish exemptions to a visitor levy scheme in its area as it believes are appropriate. The Bill therefore provides for a local authority to put such exemptions in place, which will be informed by advice in national guidance being developed by local government and business organisations in the Visitor Levy Expert Group.

Question reference: S6W-22781

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 16 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what work it has undertaken to provide for exemption schemes in the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill for workers and business travellers.

As set out in the Policy Memorandum, accompanying the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill, the policy intention is that a local authority can establish exemptions to a visitor levy scheme in its area as it believes are appropriate. The Bill therefore provides for a local authority to put such exemptions in place, which will be informed by advice in national guidance being developed by local government and business organisations in the Visitor Levy Expert Group.

Question reference: S6W-22782

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 16 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what work it has undertaken to provide for exemption schemes in the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill for school, college and university trips.

As set out in the Policy Memorandum, accompanying the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill, the policy intention is that a local authority can establish exemptions to a visitor levy scheme in its area as it believes are appropriate. The Bill therefore provides for a local authority to put such exemptions in place, which will be informed by advice in national guidance being developed by local government and business organisations in the Visitor Levy Expert Group.

Question reference: S6W-22797

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by George Adam on 16 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many consultations it has undertaken in each year since 1999.

There is no single central record of consultations undertaken by the Scottish Government since 1999.

This answer has therefore been compiled from data from the Scottish Government’s online consultation platform – consult.gov.scot - and from a search of archives of the Scottish Government and Scottish Executive websites since 1999.

Whilst these figures therefore only cover official consultations that had a presence on the Scottish Government or Scottish Executive websites, they represent the most accurate available figure for consultation activity during that period. They do not, however, include consultations that did not have an online presence or electronic element.

The numbers provided are based on the closing date of each consultation.

1999 - 18
2000 - 57
2001 - 101
2002 - 121
2003 - 157
2004 - 166
2005 - 79
2006 - 125
2007 - 119
2008 - 154
2009 - 88
2010 - 124
2011 - 91
2012 - 112
2013 - 93
2014 - 79
2015 - 91
2016 - 89
2017 - 102
2018 - 113
2019 - 126
2020 - 70
2021 - 93
2022 - 123
2023 - 61 closed and 26 currently open

Question reference: S6W-22789

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 16 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what work it has undertaken to provide for exemption schemes in the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill for refugees staying in temporary accommodation in Scotland.

The Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill defines overnight accommodation as a room, space, or other accommodation at a type of premises that is provided for residential purposes other than as the individual's only or usual place of residence. Refugees who are staying in overnight accommodation as their only or main residence will therefore not be liable to pay a visitor levy, if a local authority chooses to introduce one. The Bill provides for a local authority to put such exemptions in place as it believes are appropriate, informed by advice in national guidance being developed by local government and business organisations in the Visitor Levy Expert Group.

Question reference: S6W-22785

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 16 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what work it has undertaken to provide for exemption schemes in the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill for people resident in the local authority area where a visitor levy is in place.

As set out in the Policy Memorandum, accompanying the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill, the policy intention is that a local authority can establish exemptions to a visitor levy scheme in its area as it believes are appropriate. The Bill therefore provides for a local authority to put such exemptions in place, which will be informed by advice in national guidance being developed by local government and business organisations in the Visitor Levy Expert Group.

Question reference: S6W-22784

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 16 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what work it has undertaken to provide for exemption schemes in the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill for youth groups.

As set out in the Policy Memorandum, accompanying the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill, the policy intention is that a local authority can establish exemptions to a visitor levy scheme in its area as it believes are appropriate. The Bill therefore provides for a local authority to put such exemptions in place, which will be informed by advice in national guidance being developed by local government and business organisations in the Visitor Levy Expert Group.

Question reference: S6W-22792

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 16 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many homes have been secured for key workers as a result of the £25 million of additional funding that it provided for housing for key workers in rural areas.

The Rural Affordable Homes for Key Workers Fund was announced in the First Minister’s Policy Prospectus in April 2023, with further details included in the Rural and Islands Housing Action Plan, published on 13 October 2023.

To date no homes have been secured through funding from the Rural Affordable Homes for Key Workers Fund. Local Authorities have been made aware of the demand-led fund and we expect those with rural communities to be considering and developing proposals to access the fund as part of their annual Strategic Housing Investment Plan process.

Question reference: S6W-22786

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 16 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what work it has undertaken to provide for exemption schemes in the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill for charities and third sector workers.

As set out in the Policy Memorandum, accompanying the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill, the policy intention is that a local authority can establish exemptions to a visitor levy scheme in its area as it believes are appropriate. The Bill therefore provides for a local authority to put such exemptions in place, which will be informed by advice in national guidance being developed by local government and business organisations in the Visitor Levy Expert Group.

Chamber and committees