Questions and answers

Question reference: S6F-02085

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 May 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 11 May 2023

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's position is on the potential impact of the proposed timetable reductions by ScotRail on efforts to ensure a modal shift from car to train.

Question reference: S6W-17094

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 9 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what the average real terms spending, based on current prices, was for a Scotland-domiciled student in receipt of (a) a young students' bursary, (b) an independent students' bursary, (c) a care experienced students' bursary, (d) a lone parents' grant, (e) a dependants' grant, (f) a care experienced accommodation grant, (g) placement expenses, (h) a paramedic, nursing and midwifery bursary and (i) a disabled students' allowance, in each year since the support scheme was introduced.

Tables 1 and 2 reflect the relevant bursaries and grants since 1997-98 when consistent data recording started. The types of relevant bursaries and grants that were available each year varied. Bursaries and grants available to students depended on their circumstances as well as the type of course they were studying.

Table 1: Average Bursary Spend, 1997-98 to 2021-22
Year	Young Students' Bursary		Independent Students' Bursary		Care-experienced Students' Bursary		Paramedic, Nursing and Midwifery Bursary
Year	Cash terms	real terms (2021-22 prices)	Cash terms	real terms (2021-22 prices)	Cash terms	real terms (2021-22 prices)	Cash terms	real terms (2021-22 prices)
1997-98							£3,408	£5,579
1998-99							£4,584	£7,374
1999-00							£4,710	£7,483
2000-01							£4,809	£7,545
2001-02	£1,309	£2,012					£6,204	£9,539
2002-03	£1,380	£2,074					£5,355	£8,049
2003-04	£1,407	£2,065					- a	- a
2004-05	£1,445	£2,059					- a	- a
2005-06	£1,862	£2,580					- a	- a
2006-07	£1,914	£2,576					£5,831	£7,847
2007-08	£1,955	£2,571					£6,776	£8,908
2008-09	£1,988	£2,523					£6,057	£7,685
2009-10	£2,051	£2,568					£2,021	£2,530
2010-11	£1,665	£2,050	£935	£1,151			£6,117	£7,534
2011-12	£2,093	£2,532	£923	£1,117			£6,024	£7,290
2012-13	£2,104	£2,502	£927	£1,102			£5,098	£6,064
2013-14	£1,226	£1,428	£710	£827			£6,059	£7,060
2014-15	£1,235	£1,423	£710	£818			£6,136	£7,072
2015-16	£1,252	£1,432	£712	£815			£6,158	£7,041
2016-17	£1,390	£1,557	£826	£926			£6,216	£6,965
2017-18	£1,406	£1,550	£822	£906	£7,017	£7,733	£6,177	£6,808
2018-19	£1,407	£1,523	£825	£893	£7,621	£8,252	£6,178	£6,689
2019-20	£1,540	£1,625	£945	£997	£7,638	£8,061	£7,602	£8,023
2020-21	£1,543	£1,532	£960	£954	£7,716	£7,662	£9,379	£9,314
2021-22	£1,503	£1,503	£942	£942	£7,591	£7,591	£9,270	£9,270

Table 2: Average Grant Spend, 1997-98 to 2021-22
Year	Lone Parents' Grant		Dependents' Grant		Care-experienced Accommodation Grant		Placement Expenses		Disabled Students' Allowance
Year	Cash terms	real terms (2021-22 prices)	Cash terms	real terms (2021-22 prices)	Cash terms	real terms (2021-22 prices)	Cash terms	real terms (2021-22 prices)	Cash terms	real terms (2021-22 prices)
1997-98	£920	£1,506	£2,225	£3,643			-	-	£1,867	£3,056
1998-99	£949	£1,527	£2,265	£3,644			-	-	£2,187	£3,518
1999-00	£964	£1,531	£2,271	£3,607			-	-	£2,472	£3,927
2000-01	£980	£1,538	£2,266	£3,556			-	-	£2,460	£3,860
2001-02	£1,029	£1,582	£2,349	£3,612			-	-	£2,456	£3,777
2002-03	£1,064	£1,600	£2,432	£3,655			-	-	£2,516	£3,782
2003-04	£1,094 a	£1,606 a	£2,473 a	£3,629 a			-	-	£2,252	£3,304
2004-05	£1,099 a	£1,565 a	£1,971 a	£2,807 a			-	-	£2,364	£3,367
2005-06	£1,125 a	£1,559 a	£2,041 a	£2,829 a			-	-	£2,221	£3,078
2006-07	£1,148	£1,545	£2,522	£3,394			-	-	£2,232	£3,003
2007-08	£1,227	£1,613	£2,974	£3,909			-	-	£2,223	£2,923
2008-09	£1,184	£1,502	£2,601	£3,301			-	-	£2,168	£2,750
2009-10	£998	£1,249	£1,181	£1,478			-	-	£2,074	£2,597
2010-11	£1,188	£1,463	£2,581	£3,178			-	-	£1,902	£2,342
2011-12	£1,193	£1,444	£2,599	£3,145			£592	£717	£2,172	£2,628
2012-13	£1,138	£1,353	£2,214	£2,634			£450	£536	£1,809	£2,151
2013-14	£1,197	£1,394	£2,522	£2,939			£534	£622	£1,815	£2,115
2014-15	£1,206	£1,390	£2,587	£2,982			£688	£793	£1,695	£1,954
2015-16	£1,208	£1,381	£2,686	£3,071			£725	£829	£1,776	£2,031
2016-17	£1,199	£1,344	£2,743	£3,074			£752	£843	£1,780	£1,995
2017-18	£1,425	£1,570	£3,481	£3,836			£750	£827	£1,837	£2,025
2018-19	£1,446	£1,566	£3,478	£3,765	£1,087	£1,177	£837	£906	£1,989	£2,153
2019-20	£1,460	£1,541	£3,519	£3,714	£1,777	£1,875	£563	£594	£1,903	£2,009
2020-21	£1,499	£1,489	£3,547	£3,523	£1,842	£1,830	£929	£922	£2,028	£2,014
2021-22	£1,496	£1,496	£3,473	£3,473	£1,288	£1,288	£936	£936	£2,066	£2,066

Source: SG Analysis of SAAS and HM Treasury Data

Notes:

1. Blank entries indicate that the bursary or grant was either discontinued or did not exist at that time

2. The dash symbol denotes missing data for an available bursary or grant.

3. SAAS have advised that Placement Expenses student support funding was recorded under ad-hoc payments until 2011-12. Therefore the total value of Placement Expenses student support funding up to that year cannot be accurately determined.

4. Letter (a) is used to indicate that there was no data for Nursing and Midwifery students between 2003-04 and 2005-06, therefore there is no entry for the corresponding years under Paramedic, Nursing and Midwifery Bursary.

5. The missing Nursing and Midwifery data between 2003-04 and 2005-06 also impacted the corresponding datasets for Lone Parents’ and Dependents’ students. The letter (a) is also used to indicate that the average Lone Parents’ and Dependents’ grants values for those years are also impacted because of this.

6. The Paramedic Science Bursary, included under Paramedic, Nursing, and Midwifery Student Bursary, started in year 2021-22.

7. SAAS have advised that there are data record issues in years up to and including 2012-13, therefore average bursary and grant values from 1998-99 to 2012-13 are likely to be less accurate than more recent years.

Question reference: S6W-17458

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 9 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) regarding financial support to permanently extend the daily operating hours of the Glasgow Subway once the full modernisation programme has been completed, including the installation of Platform Screen Doors (PSDs) in all Subway stations to enable unattended train operation (UTO).

Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) is the owner and operator of Glasgow Subway and they are responsible for decisions and funding for subway operations.

The Scottish Government is providing up to £246 million to SPT, towards the estimated total project cost of £287.5 million for the Subway modernisation programme, which includes: a smartcard ticketing system; new rolling stock and signalling; refurbished stations with improved accessibility.

Operation times are a decision for SPT and this is not a matter they have raised with the Scottish Government.

Question reference: S6W-17472

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 9 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the comment by the former Minister for Transport, during the members’ business debate on motion S6M-06478 on 21 March 2023, that she would "ask Transport Scotland officials to speak to Argyll and Bute Council" in relation to reported road traffic accidents on the A815, whether it will provide an update on this.

Transport Scotland officials have liaised with Argyll and Bute council and Police Scotland regarding the road safety performance of the A815.

As a Police investigation into a recent road traffic collision is ongoing, it would be inappropriate for me to comment further at this time.

Argyll and Bute council are responsible for local roads in their council area. For any further information about road casualties on the council’s local roads please contact: Hugh.O'[email protected] or [email protected] who will be able to help you further.

Question reference: S6W-17104

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 9 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, for each devolved benefit administered by Social Security Scotland, what the total amount paid to recipients was in each year since its introduction.

Information on benefits administered by Social Security Scotland is routinely published as part of official statistics releases. Excel tables released as part of these publications include information on the value of payments issued for each benefit since launch, and provide financial year breakdowns of payments.

The latest statistics publication for each benefit can be found at: https://www.socialsecurity.gov.scot/about/statistics/social-security-scotland-statistics-publications .

Question reference: S6W-17402

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 24 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 9 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken to make buses more accessible for cyclists.

Legislation on accessibility and public transport remains reserved to the UK Parliament and is set out in the Public Service Vehicle Accessibility Regulations 2000 (PSVAR) and enforced by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA).

The Scottish Government has no remit to intervene, but does support an integrated transport system where possible. Our support for the purchase of new buses will be, where appropriate, conditional on space being made available for bike transport in addition to wheelchair and buggy space.

Question reference: S6W-17409

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 24 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 9 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what explicit (a) commitments and (b) targets it has set to achieve improvement in the quality of bathing waters, and by when these are to be achieved; what (i) regulations govern and (ii) body is responsible for the monitoring of bathing waters, and what its assessment is of whether the necessary standards of bathing waters are regularly met.

The Bathing Waters (Scotland) Regulations 2008 Reg 4 states Scottish Ministers and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) must exercise their relevant functions so as to take such realistic and proportionate measures as they consider appropriate with a view to increasing the number of bathing waters classified as “good” or “excellent”. However, there is no obligation to take measures which would result in disproportionate expense or where any change in classification is infeasible.

Following significant investment and improvements in the first two cycles of river basin management planning, 98% of Scotland’s designated bathing waters now meet ‘sufficient’ or better environmental water quality standards, and more bathing waters are now rated as ‘excellent’ than ever before.

During the third cycle we continue to apply measures to protect bathing waters aiming to achieve further good or excellent classifications, avoiding deterioration and implementing plans to ensure that the health of bathers at designated sites is protected”. SEPA will continue with a focused approach in diffuse pollution priority catchments to drive compliance with environmental legislation to help achieve water quality objectives and improve bathing water quality.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency is responsible for monitoring, classifying, protecting and improving designated bathing waters with aim to reduce the risks to human health, where a large number of people bathe, by protecting and improving bathing water quality. SEPA monitors and classifies bathing waters on an annual basis following strict EU standards and publishes the results on its’ website. Bathing Waters : Summary of last season (sepa.org.uk) .

The Bathing Water (Scotland) Regulations 2008 Reg11(4) requires that for bathing waters classified as poor SEPA must take such action as it considers necessary, whether in relation to the regulation of any controlled activity or under any other functions to ensure that the bathing water can be classified as “sufficient”, “good” or “excellent”, unless permanent advice against bathing has been issued.

The following table shows that the number of bathing waters designated as good and excellent has steadily increased in the past three years.

Classification	2019	2021	2022
Excellent	29	32	38
Good	31	35	35
Sufficient	20	17	12
Poor	5	1	2
Total	85	85	87*

* Lower Largo and Barassie were designated as Bathing Waters in 2022

Question reference: S6W-17424

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 24 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 9 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on plans to change Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) standards.

The Scottish Government is committed to reforming Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) to ensure they drive the energy efficiency improvements we need and incentivise zero direct emissions heating. In 2021, we consulted on the introduction of a new domestic EPC metric based on a dwelling’s energy use. Following feedback received through consultation, we have undertaken further work to develop options for EPC metrics, and wider reforms. We intend to publish a consultation on our final proposals for EPC reform later this year.

EPC reform will support our intention to introduce, subject to consultation, regulations requiring Scotland’s homes (including all owner-occupied and private rented properties) to meet a minimum energy efficiency level equivalent to EPC Band C from 2025 onwards. We are proposing a backstop date of 2028 for all private rented properties to comply, and 2033 for all owner-occupied housing properties. This is in addition to a proposed requirement for all homes to have zero direct emissions heating by 2045. We committed in this year’s Programme for Government to consult on proposals for this legislation in 2023.

Question reference: S6W-17135

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 24 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 9 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what financial support it (a) is providing in 2023-24 and (b) will provide in each of the next five years, to local authorities for active travel.

The Active Travel budget for 2023-24 is £189 million to deliver a range of infrastructure, behaviour change and access to bikes programmes. Local authorities are the predominant recipients of active travel related funding, either directly or through delivery partners such as Sustrans and Regional Transport Partnerships.

In 2023-24, around £60m funding is committed to be invested in local authority infrastructure delivery projects through Sustrans’ Places for Everyone (PfE) programme.

The Cycling Walking Safer Routes (CWSR) grant of £35 million goes directly to local authorities on a pro rata basis. Local authorities can use this to design, develop and construct active travel infrastructure measures based on identified local priorities.

In addition to PfE and CWSR, local authorities can bid for funds via Regional Transport Partnerships with cross boundary work being prioritised, and through the Active Travel Transformation Fund introduced in 2023- 24. As part of the Active Travel Transformation Fund, Transport Scotland will assume direct responsibility for funding Local Authorities and other partners to deliver infrastructure projects at construction stage, with around £20m budget allocated this financial year.

The details of the levels of active travel capital funding for the next five years will be discussed and agreed as part of the Scottish Government annual budget setting process.

Question reference: S6W-17378

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 24 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 9 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what impact it anticipates that the SaxaVord Spaceport will have on Shetland’s economy.

SaxaVord Spaceport has the potential to have a major beneficial impact for Shetland’s economy.

An economic impact assessment produced as part of the Spaceport’s planning application, estimates that once operational the spaceport will support over 209 jobs in the Shetland Islands, and generate c.£7.5 million GVA per year. This increases to 255 jobs and £9.3 million GVA when considered at a Scottish level.

According to the Spaceport's website the company is set to invest upwards of £43m over the next 18 months, rising to £100m in the next five years as it seeks to establish three launchpads and continues to attract both domestic and international launch customers.

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