- Asked by: Evelyn Tweed, MSP for Stirling, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 September 2023
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 14 September 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what impact its Programme for Government 2023-24 will have on the Affordable Housing Supply Programme.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 14 September 2023
- Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Cowdenbeath, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 September 2023
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 13 September 2023
To ask the Scottish Government when it last met with NHS Fife and what was discussed.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 13 September 2023
- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 21 August 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 6 September 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether there are any limitations when making a representation to the Energy Consents Unit regarding a planning application.
Answer
Limitations when making a representations to the Scottish Ministers on applications made under the Electricity Act 1989 are set out in relevant regulations, namely the Electricity (Applications for Consent) Regulations 1990 and where an application concerns EIA development, Part 5 of the Electricity Works (Environmental Impact Assessment)(Scotland) Regulations 2017 . Relevant regulations set out the time within which, and the manner in which representations to an application may be made. For applications for EIA development, the time within which representations may be made is by a date not earlier than 30 days after the last date on which a relevant notice is published. For all other applications, the time within which representations may be made is by a date which is not less than 28 days from the last date on which a relevant notice is published.
Representations may be made via the energy consents unit website at https://www.energyconsents.scot/Register.aspx , by email to [email protected], or by post to Scottish Government Energy Consents Unit, 4th Floor, 5 Atlantic Quay, 150 Broomielaw, Glasgow, G2 8LU. Representations must identify the proposal and specify the grounds for representation.
Written or emailed representations should be dated, clearly stating the name and address of the person making the representation. Emailed representations should also include the full return email address of the person making the representation.
- Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 21 August 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Siobhian Brown on 6 September 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether personal emergency evacuation plans are in place for all residents of tower blocks in Scotland whose ability to self-evacuate may be compromised, such as people with reduced mobility or cognition, as recommended by the Grenfell Tower Inquiry.
Answer
Following the Grenfell Phase 1 Report recommendations, the Scottish Government made the decision not to implement a requirement for personal emergency evacuation plans and instead produced the Practical Fire Safety Guidance for Existing High Rise Domestic Buildings . Additionally, in February 2020, to assist those with responsibilities for providing personal emergency evacuation plans (PEEPs), the Scottish Government produced the Practical Fire Safety Guidance for Existing Specialised Housing and Similar Premises .
This guidance explains how a person-centred approach can be effective and contains information on the use of PEEPs in appropriate settings. The guidance also provides links to the Practical Fire Safety Guidance for the Evacuation of Disabled Persons from Buildings .
- Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 18 August 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 6 September 2023
To ask the Scottish Government how many third sector partners are providing community link worker programmes within Health and Social Care Partnerships across Scotland in the current financial year, and what the names are of any such providers, broken down by local authority area.
Answer
The Scottish Government does not hold data on how many third sector partners are providing Community Link Worker programmes within Health and Social Care Partnerships, across Scotland.
- Asked by: Collette Stevenson, MSP for East Kilbride, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 September 2023
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Current Status:
Initiated by the Scottish Government.
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 6 September 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on progress with the decarbonisation of rail services.
Answer
I can confirm that excellent progress is being made with the Scottish Government’s rolling programme of electrification. The Glasgow to Barrhead line will see electric services operating on the route from December 2023. Indeed Network Rail and its contractors have recently successfully completed a six week programme of key installation work to facilitate the electrification works and changes at various stations along the line of route. I would like to thank passengers for their patience during these works.
I can also confirm that I have now approved full funding for the delivery of the East Kilbride Enhancement Project. This will deliver electrification of the route, a relocated station at Hairmyres, a new accessible station at East Kilbride, accessibility works at other stations and a 1.4km extension of the Hairmyres double track section to enhance operational resilience and flexibility of service on the route. This project represents a further £139.8m commitment from this Government which will contribute to our wider net zero objectives and will enable the introduction of electric services on the route from December 2025.
Both of these projects were priorities of our Rail Services Decarbonisation Action Plan which was published in July 2020. In line with commitments for review within the Action Plan a refresh will be published later this year reflecting current progress and the expected budgetary position.
- Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 21 August 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Paul McLennan on 6 September 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what the proposed timeline and target date are for the establishment of a leavers fund to support victims of domestic abuse to leave abusive relationships.
Answer
As indicated in the answer to question S6W-20389 on 15 August 2023 – we remain committed to exploring the options for a fund which aims to provide immediate financial support to women leaving an abusive relationship. The detail of any fund which may result from these considerations, including potential timescales, are subject to robust consideration and planning as part of the development of options, which is currently ongoing.
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: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 10 August 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 6 September 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the reported comments of the Educational Institute of Scotland that the lack of financial support for teachers’ professional development is damaging Scottish education, in light of the announcement that funding for masters-level professional development is to be withdrawn.
Answer
The recent teacher pay deal is the largest in twenty years and was made against a challenging financial backdrop. It is in that context that we have had to review funding commitments across the programme.
We continue to value the importance of professional development for teachers as demonstrated by the range of professional learning and leadership programmes provided by Education Scotland and detailed on their website Education Scotland | Professional Learning and Leadership . In addition, we are investing £800,000 this year in the Into Headship programme to support future school leaders.
We are open to considering reinstating funding for masters-level learning for teachers should future budget provisions allow.
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 10 August 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 6 September 2023
To ask the Scottish Government how much of the £240 million of additional investment, to support the recruitment of additional education staff to support education recovery, each local authority received; what outcomes it anticipated as a result of this funding, and what the actual outcomes were in terms of the recruitment of additional education staff.
Answer
Details on local authority funding allocations and the number of additional staff recruited are available on the Scottish Government website at the following link: Teachers - Schools - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)
- Asked by: Ben Macpherson, MSP for Edinburgh Northern and Leith, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 18 August 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Paul McLennan on 6 September 2023
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the reportedly growing and significant demand that exists in Edinburgh for more social housing and more housing generally as a result of population growth, how it is working with the City of Edinburgh Council to deliver its current Strategic Housing Investment Plan (SHIP) in Edinburgh, as part of the affordable housing supply programme, and whether there are discussions taking place or plans to seek to build more social housing than set out in the current SHIP and/or to do so faster than set out in the current SHIP.
Answer
The announcement of five year resource planning assumptions for all local authorities for this parliament provides a clear demonstration of this Government’s commitment to support the delivery of affordable housing.
Affordable Housing Supply Programme investment in the City of Edinburgh will be at a record level of £234m over the parliamentary period and an additional £10m of funding has already been made available in the first two financial years of this parliament to deliver more social and affordable homes in the city.
Scottish Government has also approved a grant of £1.72m through the Ukraine Longer Term Resettlement Fund to support City of Edinburgh Council to bring 100 void homes back into use. These will be used to house Ukrainian Displaced Persons for up to 3 years, after which they will revert back into the wider social housing supply in Edinburgh. My officials continue to work closely with the City of Edinburgh Council on a number of other opportunities to further boost the supply of social rented homes for those fleeing the invasion of Ukraine. I would continue to encourage the Council to speak to my officials about any projects they can identify that meet the criteria for the Fund.
I have met with the City of Edinburgh Council Housing Convener to discuss housing issues in the city, and my officials regularly meet with colleagues from the Council to discuss progress with the delivery of the Strategic Housing Investment Plan through the Affordable Housing Supply Programme. These discussions focus on maximising the delivery of as many social and affordable homes as possible.
