- Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 March 2024
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 20 March 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports that hundreds of sex offenders have been able to change their name in the past two years, what it can do to ensure the safety of the public, particularly in areas like EH14 and EH54, which reportedly have the joint highest number of sex offenders registered across Edinburgh and West Lothian.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 20 March 2024
- Asked by: Audrey Nicoll, MSP for Aberdeen South and North Kincardine, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 March 2024
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 21 March 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the education secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding any potential implications for Scottish universities and colleges of the Migration Advisory Committee’s “rapid review” of the Graduate Route visa, as announced by the UK Government.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 21 March 2024
- Asked by: Maggie Chapman, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 March 2024
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 20 March 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the recent report by the Scottish Human Rights Commission to the United Nations Human Rights Committee, which referred to the need to improve conditions across the prison estate and improve access to appropriate healthcare for those in detention.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 20 March 2024
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 March 2024
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 21 March 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what support it can provide to any local authorities that are struggling to meet the rising costs associated with providing school transport, so that children and young people can travel to school in a safe, efficient and affordable manner.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 21 March 2024
- Asked by: Bill Kidd, MSP for Glasgow Anniesland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 March 2024
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 20 March 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any implications for its role in supporting the delivery of Prevent in Scotland of the UK Government’s new definition of extremism.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 20 March 2024
- Asked by: Ruth Maguire, MSP for Cunninghame South, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 March 2024
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 20 March 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what action it is taking to challenge and deter men's demand for prostitution.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 20 March 2024
- Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 March 2024
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 20 March 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what action it is taking to support public interest journalism.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 20 March 2024
- Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 March 2024
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 20 March 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what assistance it is providing to the arts sector in Dumfries and Galloway.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 20 March 2024
- Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 March 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 13 March 2024
To ask the Scottish Government how much of the reported £700 million that it received in option fees through the 2022 ScotWind leasing round it spent in (a) 2022-23 and (b) 2023-24, and how much it projects that it will spend in (i) 2024-25, (ii) 2025-26, and (iii) 2026-27.
Answer
Crown Estate Scotland received £756 million in option fees from the initial ScotWind auctions in 2022-23. As set out in the 2022 Resource spending review, and subsequent budget publications, these funds were initially profiled to be drawn down by the Scottish Government over a three year period as follows:
2022-23 - £96 million
2023-24 - £310 million
2024-25 - £350 million
The final drawdown for 2022-23 was £96 million as planned. Drawdowns for 2023-24 and subsequent years are only finalised at the very end of March when the Scottish Government has more certainty over its financial position.
At the time of the 2024-25 Scottish Budget the planned drawdown for 2024-25 was decreased to £200 million reflecting the need to ensure sufficient funds were available to balance the 2023-24 financial position. Given the recent improvement to the 2023-24 position it is now likely that this will not be required in 2023-24 and therefore may be used to support future financial years.
- Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 01 March 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi McAllan on 13 March 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the reported oil leak in Glen Fruin, responded to by SEPA on 2 January 2024, what information it can provide on the exact scale of the leak, including (a) how it happened, (b) how long the clear-up is expected to take, (c) when the road restrictions are expected to be lifted and (d) what is being done to protect salmon, trout and other wildlife in the River Fruin and Loch Lomond.
Answer
SEPA have been regularly monitoring the Fruin Water since 3 January 2024, following reports of a small quantity of light crude oil surfacing from an underground pipeline. They will continue to do so until the clean-up is concluded.
The exact scale of the leak, the extent of contamination and the duration of the remediation work, will not be known until the results of the ground investigation have been presented to SEPA alongside the remediation options appraisal. This is expected by May.
The Glen Fruin road (C70) was closed by Police Scotland as a precaution following the discovery of an oil leak on 2nd January 2024. However, access through Glen Fruin will remain unaffected during the remediation phase.
Minor localised environmental impacts have been recorded and a range of precautionary measures have been installed at SEPA’s request. No significant impact has been detected with respect to water quality, migratory salmonids (salmon/trout) or to other wildlife within the Fruin Water or Loch Lomond.