- Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 December 2023
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 13 December 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether it is planning any new infrastructure investments in the next financial year in connection with City and Regional Growth Deals.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 13 December 2023
- Asked by: Clare Haughey, MSP for Rutherglen, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 December 2023
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Current Status:
Initiated by the Scottish Government.
Answered by Michael Matheson on 6 December 2023
To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish its report, NHS Recovery Plan 2021-2026 Annual Progress Update 2023.
Answer
I am pleased to confirm that the report ‘NHS Recovery Plan 2021-2026 Annual Progress Update 2023' is being published today.
NHS Recovery Plan: annual progress update 2023 - https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781835214251
We remain committed to delivering on the actions set out in the NHS Recovery Plan, and this report sets out the significant progress we have made. However, it is also important to recognise how much has changed since it was first published, and we are also supporting the ongoing recovery of our health and social care services with refreshed commitments as set out in the First Minister’s “Equality, opportunity, community: New leadership - A fresh start” which was published in April this year, and our ‘Programme for Government 2023/24’.
Looking ahead, in the coming months we will be working with partners across the health and social care system, Local Government and wider stakeholders, to set out our shared long term planning for population health and integrated health and social care services development.
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 December 2023
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Current Status:
Initiated by the Scottish Government.
Answered by Shona Robison on 6 December 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the proposed Wellbeing and Sustainable Development Bill and Future Generations Commissioner.
Answer
We have today launched our consultation on the proposed Wellbeing and Sustainable Development Bill, including the potential role of an Independent Commissioner for Future Generations. The consultation will run until 14 February 2024 and can be accessed at https://consult.gov.scot/national-performance-framework-unit/wellbeing-and-sustainable-development-scotland .
We committed in the 2022-23 and 2023-24 Programmes for Government to explore the development of a Wellbeing and Sustainable Development Bill, and we are now at the stage of seeking views on how this legislation could best ensure that wellbeing and sustainable development are embedded into public sector decision making and that future generations are considered in decisions made today.
We are seeking views on providing legislative definitions of “sustainable development” and “wellbeing”, strengthening duties on public bodies to consider the National Outcomes in decision making, and extending these duties to Scottish Ministers. We are also asking for views on how best to ensure that the necessary accountability and support for these duties is in place, including the potential role of an Independent Commissioner for Future Generations. I look forward to receiving a range of views on these matters.
I have also written to the Finance and Public Administration, Net Zero and Transport, Economy and Fair Work and Rural and Islands Committees to inform them of the consultation launch.
- Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 27 November 2023
Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 6 December 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a list of all engagements that (a) cabinet secretaries, (b) ministers and (c) civil servants have had with representatives of Ineos and/or Petroineos in 2023 to date.
Answer
Ministers and civil servants engage regularly with INEOS and Petroineos as a matter of course, given the strategic importance of the assets at Grangemouth.
Recent engagements include two site visits in at Grangemouth to discuss INEOS’ net zero roadmap, which were attended by the Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Net Zero and Just Transition and both the Energy Minister and myself in April and June.
I also met representatives of Petroineos’ Joint Ventures Partners in June 2023 as part of the Scottish Government’s regular engagement with the business.
The First Minister and I also spoke to senior management at the refinery on 23 November 2023, during which we outlined our expectation that the business should explore every possible option to extend refining operations beyond the conclusion of import terminal infrastructure construction.
- Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 November 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 6 December 2023
To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to the analysis of the outcomes of its four-day working week public sector pilot, how this work will be carried out and by whom, including whether it plans to appoint any consultants or outside organisations, and whether it will publish a final report.
Answer
The aim of the 4 Day Working Week public sector pilot is to assess environmental, health and wellbeing benefits, and efficiency gains, that a four-day working week could bring.
An expert partner with industry experience in 4 Day Work Week trials and research has been recruited through a Grant Funding exercise. They will facilitate the design and running of the pilot and support interested public bodies during the course of the pilot. Ministers will consider the findings of this work and will consider whether a final report will be published.
- Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 November 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 6 December 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what departments or agencies have expressed an interest in being involved in its four-day working week public sector pilot.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-23120 7 December 2023. 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: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 November 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 6 December 2023
To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to (a) schools, (b) colleges and (c) universities, what (i) specific criteria are and (ii) process is used to (A) assess and (B) identify students with additional support needs (ASN), and how many students with ASN have been identified in each education setting in the last academic year.
Answer
The term additional support needs under the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 (the 2004 Act) applies where for whatever reason children or young people are unable to benefit from school education without the provision of additional support. Therefore, the information requested in relation to colleges and universities is not applicable.
Local authorities have duties under the 2004 Act to identify, provide for and review the additional support needs of their pupils. Local authorities are supported in fulfilling these duties under the 2004 Act through the statutory code of practice on additional support for learning. Chapter 3 of the code covers identifying additional support needs and the assessment process.
As set out in Pupils with complex additional support needs: research into provision published on 19 September 2023, there were 241,639 pupils recorded as having additional support needs in 2022.
- Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 November 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 6 December 2023
To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to its four-day working week public sector pilot, how much money has been (a) allocated to support this and (b) spent to date, and whether it will provide a breakdown of these costs.
Answer
Funding of £100,000 has been allocated through a Grant Fund Award in the 2023-24 financial year to support the onboarding of an expert partner organisation, with £80,000 being the indicative funding of this award for 2024-25. None of these funds have been spent to date.
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 20 November 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Angus Robertson on 6 December 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what (a) capital and (b) recurrent funding it has committed to support the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Championships, and what the business case is for the return on any such investments.
Answer
The Scottish Government is continuing to work in partnership with partners and World Athletics following confirmation of the successful bid to host the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Championships in Glasgow.
In total the Scottish Government will provide £1.15 million of support for the event from the Constitution, External Affairs and Culture Portfolio, with VisitScotland providing a further £350,000 of support from its core budget. None of this funding is capital. This financial support is profiled across a number financial years, reflecting the long lead in time to prepare for an event of this size. UK Sport and Glasgow City Council are also providing funding.
The bid was carefully considered by all partners and this event has the potential to generate economic and societal benefits for areas of Scotland.
- Asked by: Fulton MacGregor, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 November 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 6 December 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that the diversification test used to determine eligibility for the Scottish Enterprise Regional and SME Investment Subsidy Scheme is unduly restrictive and unfair to long-established manufacturing businesses that are seeking to invest in and grow their operations in Scotland.
Answer
Scottish Enterprise uses the Scottish Enterprise Regional and SME Investment Subsidy Scheme (the Scheme) to provide RSA grant funding. The Scheme includes a requirement that, to be eligible for support, large companies must be opening a new establishment or diversifying the activity at an existing site. There is no such requirement for SMEs. This requirement is consistent with the general approach to regional investment funding across the UK and Europe.
RSA is not the only mechanism Scottish Enterprise uses for funding eligible projects within the manufacturing sector. Scottish Enterprise has a wide range of subsidy schemes for which diversification is not a requirement for funding. The Scottish Government and Scottish Enterprise consistently review support mechanisms in place and welcome feedback on how to support companies within the rules set out by the Subsidy Control regime.
