Questions and answers

Question reference: S6F-01940

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 20 March 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 March 2023

To ask the First Minister what the outcomes have been of the Scottish Government's "defining mission" to tackle the poverty-related attainment gap.

Question reference: S6W-15006

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 13 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 20 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether Network Rail has presented a revised proposal to Transport Scotland for the proposed North Hanover Street improvement project at Glasgow Queen Street Railway Station, following its deferral in the 2020 Scottish Government Capital Spending Review.

Question reference: S6W-14963

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 10 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 20 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has spent on administering the Low Emission Zone Support Fund for eligible households.

The Scottish Government is providing £11.6 million in grant funding to Energy Saving Trust (EST), an independent organisation working to administer the Scottish LEZ Support Fund.

The LEZ Support Fund for households is a part of this LEZ Support Fund, and does not have separate admin costs. The following table therefore represents the whole LEZ Support Fund, this similarly applies to PQ S6W-14972 and PQ S6W-14965.

The administrative costs (which include EST staffing costs) are set out below alongside the value of funds that EST are distributing and the outputs achieved.

Financial year	Administration cost	Funding being delivered through EST	Output
2020-21	£381,000	£1,759,738	LEZ Support Fund provides grants to households and businesses based near LEZs to dispose of non-LEZ compliant vehicles, and to adopt alternative modes of transport. This fund also provides grants to support businesses such as taxi operators to retrofit their existing vehicles to Euro 6 standard.
2021-22	£334,277	£3,706,925	LEZ Support Fund provides grants to households and businesses based near LEZs to dispose of non-LEZ compliant vehicles, and to adopt alternative modes of transport. This fund also provides grants to support businesses such as taxi operators to retrofit their existing vehicles to Euro 6 standard.
2022-23 (year to date)	£471,892	£4,695,326	LEZ Support fund provides grants to households and businesses based near LEZs to dispose of non-LEZ compliant vehicles, and to adopt alternative modes of transport. This fund also provides grants to support businesses such as taxi operators to retrofit their existing vehicles to Euro 6 standard.

Question reference: S6W-15253

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 20 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide details of the process by which the contract for dualling the A9 from Tomalin to Mor was awarded.

There was no Scottish Government process to contract dualling for ‘Tomalin to Mor’.

The procurement for the A9 Dualling: Tomatin to Moy contract, however, involved a 10-month procurement process using a Competitive Dialogue procedure in accordance with Regulation 31 of the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015. During this process two tenders were invited to submit a Final Tender, however only one tender was received.

In accordance with the above procedure, the tender evaluation followed a pre-defined methodology which included an assessment of the technical, quality and financial aspects of the tender submission received.

Following this evaluation, Ministers concluded that the tender received did not represent best value for the taxpayer at this time and made the decision not to award the contract.

Question reference: S6W-14907

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 10 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 20 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what the proposed membership (a) number is and (b) qualification requirements are of the technical panels that will considers disputes regarding the findings of a single building assessment; when these panels will be established, and how many experts have been appointed to date.

Question reference: S6W-15220

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 20 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 20 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when in late 2023 phase one of the medium-term solution for the A83 Rest and Be Thankful will begin.

Transport Scotland is currently developing a detailed programme and procurement strategy to deliver the improvements to the Old Military Road as quickly as possible. It is expected that these works will be carried out on a phased basis starting later this year. Once this work is complete I will share with the A83 Taskforce the estimated timescale for delivering Phase 1 of the medium-term solution. I share the urgency communities and businesses place in maintaining and improving connectivity of this vital route, and remain absolutely committed to ensuring continuity of access to Argyll and Bute so that the region remains open for business.

Question reference: S6W-15121

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 20 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to develop an amendment to legislation on short-term lets to provide for specific major events to be exempt for a defined time period.

Question reference: S6W-15096

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 20 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it and any other contracting authority, such as SEPA, has imposed contractual obligations on Circularity Scotland to (a) publicly procure and (b) seek best value in relation to supply chain procurement processes.

Question reference: S6W-14965

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 10 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 20 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has spent on administering the Low Emission Zone Support Fund for eligible businesses.

The Scottish Government is providing £11.6 million in grant funding to Energy Saving Trust (EST), an independent organisation working to administer the Scottish LEZ Support fund.

The LEZ Support Fund for households is a part of this LEZ Support Fund, and does not have separate admin costs. The following table therefore represents the whole LEZ Support Fund, this similarly applies to PQ S6W-14972 and PQ S6W-14963.

The administrative costs (which include EST staffing costs) are set out below alongside the value of funds that EST are distributing and the outputs achieved.

Financial year	Administration cost	Funding being delivered through EST	Output
2020-21	£381,000	£1,759,738	LEZ Support fund provides grants to households and businesses based near LEZs to dispose of non-LEZ compliant vehicles, and to adopt alternative modes of transport. This fund also provides grants to support businesses such as taxi operators to retrofit their existing vehicles to Euro 6 standard.
2021-22	£334,277	£3,706,925	LEZ Support fund provides grants to households and businesses based near LEZs to dispose of non-LEZ compliant vehicles, and to adopt alternative modes of transport. This fund also provides grants to support businesses such as taxi operators to retrofit their existing vehicles to Euro 6 standard.
2022-23 (year to date)	£471,892	£4,695,326	LEZ Support fund provides grants to households and businesses based near LEZs to dispose of non-LEZ compliant vehicles, and to adopt alternative modes of transport. This fund also provides grants to support businesses such as taxi operators to retrofit their existing vehicles to Euro 6 standard.

Question reference: S6W-14904

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 10 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 20 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what reimbursement will be made available to members of the technical panels that will consider disputed findings of a single building assessment.

The composition and appointment terms relating to technical panels is under development and is being informed by negotiations with leading developers as part of the Scottish Safer Buildings Accord. Panels will act to ensure that Single Building Assessments are commissioned, quality assured and completed in a timely and efficient manner. They will act to provide assurance that findings are compliant with relevant standards and assessment guidance and that recommendations are reasonable and acceptable to multiple stakeholders with an interest in a building.

Chamber and committees