- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 October 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 29 October 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-30045 by Fiona Hyslop on 4 October 2024, what the (a) value and (b) length of the contract is with (i) naValue GmbH and (ii) Addleshaw Goddard.
Answer
The contracts for support services for the Small Vessel Replacement Programme commenced in 2019 and will conclude in 2027. The value of these contracts is commercially confidential.
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 October 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 29 October 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what action it can take to speed up the approval process for the proposed Gasay ferry terminal development for Lochboisdale, in light of reports that the initial Lochboisdale Harbour Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance (STAG) report was published in 2017 and the local community has been waiting since then for a replacement to this lifeline service.
Answer
Work is currently progressing with additional technical and economic studies, including ground investigation scoping, now underway by CMAL. It is vital that a robust business case is completed to refine the options, costs and risks, as well as outlining affordability and value for money, taking cognisance of the current fiscal challenges across the Scottish Government.
- Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 October 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Kaukab Stewart on 29 October 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-29171 by Kaukab Stewart on 3 September 2024, how it plans to monitor the use of inclusive communication guidance, tools and resources and the impact of powers under Regulation 11 of the Scottish Specific Duties on listed public authorities.
Answer
The Scottish Government recognises the importance of accountability and seeks to ensure that it is built into everything that we do. Regarding monitoring arrangements, the responsibility for oversight of compliance with the Equality Act 2010, including compliance with the Equality Act 2010 (Specific Duties) (Scotland) Regulations 2012 including Regulation 11, rests with the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), which has issued guidance on how the Regulations should be applied in practice.
- Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 October 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 29 October 2024
To ask the Scottish Government how many GP practices are currently closed to new patient registrations in each NHS board.
Answer
The Scottish Government does not hold this information. Practices must apply to their Health Boards to close their lists and agree the conditions and timelines for reopening them.
Circumstances will arise where GP practices experience capacity issues and are unable to routinely accept new patients onto their lists. We expect Health Boards to work with practices as constructively and as flexibly as is appropriate to help manage these situations and ensure that all patients have access to GP services.
- Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 17 October 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 29 October 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether any of its current electric vehicle fleet was purchased through loan or other credit agreements, and, if so, whether it will provide a breakdown of the (a) value of those agreements at purchase, (b) amounts outstanding and (c) amount of interest payable on any agreements.
Answer
There are no Scottish Government vehicles purchased through loan or credit agreements.
- Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 17 October 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 29 October 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish its timeline for the planned doubling of the Scottish Land Fund to £20 million by 2026.
Answer
The Scottish Government remain committed to increasing the Scottish Land Fund to £20m by 2026. Annual budgets for the SLF are set as part of the annual budget process.
- Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 10 October 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Fairlie on 29 October 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what its reasoning was for investing £116 million in the Levenmouth Rail Link while not investing in Winchburgh railway station.
Answer
The two schemes are not related.
The decision by the then Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity to progress the Levenmouth Rail Link was based on the findings of the Levenmouth Sustainable Transport Study.
The study was undertaken in line with Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance (STAG) and provided robust evidence of a Strategic Business Case (SBC) for the Rail Link. The SBC provided the initial stage of the business case for the Rail Link in accordance with Transport Scotland's guidance on the development of business cases, which then progressed through the subsequent stages of the business case process.
The Winchburgh station proposal is developer led. It is for Winchburgh Developments Limited to progress the required business case.
- Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 10 October 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Fairlie on 29 October 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of it being approved in principle 12 years ago, for what reason there is reportedly still no completed design specification, business plan or agreed promoter to progress the Winchburgh railway station project.
Answer
The station proposal is a developer led proposal with planning permission in principle granted by the Planning Authority, in this case West Lothian Council. It is for Winchburgh Developments Limited to progress the above items.
Transport Scotland, utilising its considerable experience of rail infrastructure construction, is currently supporting West Lothian Council and Winchburgh Developments Limited as they look towards identifying a lead promoter, or promoters, and the development of both the station design and business case process.
- Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 10 October 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Fairlie on 29 October 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what the reasoning was for Transport Scotland's reported decision not to allow West Lothian Council to apply section 75 funding obligations in relation to a new railway station for Winchburgh in 2012.
Answer
West Lothian Council (WLC) is the Planning Authority, who granted the planning permission in principle for the Winchburgh development in April 2012.
As a statutory consultee, Transport Scotland, acting on behalf of Scottish Ministers, provided a response prior to this decision which included reasonings for why it did not support the provision of a station, at that time.
The content of the Section 75 Agreement and Decision Notice was decided upon by WLC.
Transport Scotland does not have the powers to prevent WLC applying Section 75 developer obligations.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 10 October 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 29 October 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the work of the Orkney Ferries Task Force, including a list of all of the occasions when the Task Force has met in 2024.
Answer
The Scottish Government remains committed to the Orkney Ferry Replacement Task Force, which is supporting the Council address its fleet replacement challenges.
The Task Force has met twice in 2024, on Thursday 18 April and on Wednesday 2 October and meeting minutes will be published on the Transport Scotland website in due course.
Through the work of the Task Force we have confirmed that £3 million additional funding will be allocated to the Council. This funding will support the Council's electric ferry trial, design work for a North Isles ferry and desk top based work on the proposed port upgrades. These are all important steps in the development of a robust business case.