- Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Alba Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 June 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 18 June 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-27511 by Ivan McKee on 30 May 2024, whether it will release the correspondence from its (a) ministers and (b) officials with the (i) chairs and (ii) chief executives mentioned.
Answer
My recent letter to chairs and chief executives of public bodies can be viewed at www.gov.scot/publications/making-the-most-of-resources-letter-to-public-bodies/ .
Contact by Scottish Government officials took the form of routine informal engagement between public body sponsor teams and staff in the organisations they sponsor. There was no formal correspondence from officials to chairs or chief executives.
As I have stated in other PQ replies (including S6W-27509 and S6W-27510 on
30 May 2024), it is for each public body to ensure that it fulfils all statutory duties to which it is subject, and to answer for its actions.
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: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Alba Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 June 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 18 June 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-27514 by Ivan McKee on 30 May 2024, when it plans to update the Parliament on the Public Service Reform programme, including whether the current landscape remains (a) appropriate, (b) value for money and (c) effective.
Answer
The objective of the Public Service Reform programme is to ensure our public services remain sustainable that the future system must ensure the public service landscape is the right size and composition. Our commitment to reform balances responding to short-term budget pressures whilst building a platform for longer-term reform. There are over 30 actions under the PSR programme, including work to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.
We are committed to providing regular updates to the Parliament on the PSR programme and, as such, a detailed report was made to Parliament via the Finance and Public Administration Committee (FPAC) on 19 December 2023, noting a commitment to six monthly updates.
However, in line with the pre-election guidance, the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government, Shona Robison MSP wrote to the Convener of FPAC on 4 June highlighting the need to delay the publication of the next update. A revised publication date will be confirmed in due course which will set out our progress on the PSR programme.
During this election period I remain committed to pressing forward on delivering on the immediate actions. Therefore, have written directly to public bodies reiterating my focus on improved effectiveness and setting out my intent to meet with public bodies.
- Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Alba Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 June 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 18 June 2024
To ask the Scottish Government how much the potential designation of a new national park has cost to date.
Answer
The Scottish Government has received nominations from five areas which wish to be considered for designation as a new National Park.
The delivery costs to date, excluding staffing costs and expenses, are £331,409.05.
These costs are broken down as follows:
£100,000.00 funding to NatureScot for New National Parks
£27,387.77 on consultation activities
£48,269.22 on impact assessments
£147,653.06 on nominations support funding
In 2022 NatureScot was asked to undertake public consultation and stakeholder engagement in order to provide advice to the Scottish Government on the future of National Parks in Scotland. More information is available here: National Parks Advice to Ministers - February 2023 | NatureScot.
- Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Alba Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 June 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 18 June 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-27509 by Ivan McKee on 30 May 2024, whether it will release (a) copies of the letters sent by the minister and (b) the responses received from the (i) chairs and (ii) chief executives mentioned.
Answer
My recent letter to chairs and chief executives of public bodies can be viewed at www.gov.scot/publications/making-the-most-of-resources-letter-to-public-bodies/ .
In my letter, I reminded chairs and chief executives that it is incumbent on each public body to adhere to the statutory duties to which it is subject, which for many includes reporting requirements in Part 3 of the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010.
No substantive response from chairs and chief executives has, so far, been received to this letter.
- Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Alba Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 June 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 18 June 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-27514 by Ivan McKee on 30 May 2024, whether it plans to publish the findings of the internal review and the report provided to ministers, and when it expects ministers to respond.
Answer
Scottish Government officials have reviewed the Chief Executive Framework and the report is being finalised. This report will be provided to Ministers for consideration in the summer. The outcomes of the review will be shared with relevant stakeholders and a new Chief Executive Framework published thereafter.
- Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Alba Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 June 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Kate Forbes on 18 June 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-24385 by Shona Robison on 22 January 2024, whether it will provide an updated list of any current (a) ministerial taskforces, (b) Cabinet committees, (c) Cabinet sub-committees, (d) ministerial working groups and (e) other ministerial committees.
Answer
Kate Forbes: Information on Cabinet and Cabinet Sub-Committees is available on the Scottish Government website here; any change to these structures would be updated on these pages:
Cabinet and Ministers - gov.scot ( www.gov.scot )
Cabinet sub-committees: factsheet - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)
There is also a range of other Ministerial groups and taskforces that are co-ordinated by individual portfolios. These are developed as required and change over time, therefore a comprehensive list of such groups is not available.
- Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Alba Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 03 June 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 17 June 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-27601 by Ivan McKee on 29 May 2024, whether its (a) ministers and (b) officials have had any recent discussions with (i) Homes England, (ii) the UK Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, (iii) industry and (iv) developers regarding the establishment of a dedicated non-departmental public body for housebuilding in Scotland.
Answer
There have been no recent discussions between Ministers and/or officials and the other bodies mentioned regarding the establishment of a dedicated non-departmental public body for housebuilding in Scotland.
- Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Alba Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 03 June 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 17 June 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-27601 by Ivan McKee on 29 May 2024, whether it has actively considered the establishment of a non-departmental public body, similar to Homes England, to help alleviate the housing emergency, increase the building of affordable and social housing and remove any bureaucratic delays from developers.
Answer
No plans have been actively considered to establish a non-departmental body for housing.
- Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Alba Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 03 June 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 17 June 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-27601 by Ivan McKee on 29 May 2024, what the costs associated with establishing a new non-departmental public body, similar to Homes England, to do this work would be.
Answer
We have not been actively considering the establishment of a non-departmental public body and therefore have made no assessment of the potential costs associated with doing so.
- Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Alba Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 03 June 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 17 June 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-27601 by Ivan McKee on 29 May 2024, how the fourth National Planning Framework (NPF4) is supporting housebuilding, and whether it considers this to have removed any bureaucratic delays from (a) developers and (b) housing organisations and associations.
Answer
National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) supports the delivery of more high quality homes in the right locations to provide choice and meet diverse needs. As a recently adopted part of the development plan, it provides an up-to-date context for decision making that has a democratic mandate to guide us to the place we want Scotland to be in 2045. There is no need for local development plans to replicate policies in NPF, enabling planning authorities to focus on allocating land for new homes, and supporting their delivery in collaboration with developers, communities and infrastructure providers.
We recognise there is scope to improve on current planning timescales. There can be many reasons for delays in determining applications, including incomplete applications leading to requests for additional information, delays with responses from consultees and the time take to reach legal agreements. However, timescales for decisions are only one measure, and constructive and collaborative working between applicants and authorities means that consistently over 93% of applications are approved annually.
We recently consulted on resourcing the planning system, including options to improve capacity and the number of planners. The consultation closed on 31 May and we are carefully considering the responses received.
