Chamber and committees

The Minister and I had a constructive meeting last year during which we discussed the progress on Scottish-Irish Bilateral Review and how we support displaced people from Ukraine.

The subject of Scottish independence was not an agenda item in discussions. However, Scottish ministers will always be polite enough during international meetings to answer any questions put to them about the Scottish Government's stated policies, including a legal, constitutionally sound referendum, as set out in our Programme for Government.

We are working with Disabled People’s organisations and their members to develop a new Disability Equality Strategy. Our focus is on listening to what disabled people have told us are the challenges and obstacles they face, and finding solutions that we can deliver.

The steering group has met 5 times to identify priorities for the strategy and specific actions. Work is ongoing and the strategy will be consulted on with wider stakeholders and partners when the actions are defined.

The last Disability Summit was held in December 2020 to evaluate the impact of A Fairer Scotland for Disabled People: Delivery Plan 2016-2021. Over 100 people attended online and the voices of disabled people with lived and living experience were heard.

The Scottish Government’s current priority is co-designing the Disability Equality strategy with Disabled People’s Organisations. This work has involved analysing research and reports which incorporate the lived and living experience of disabled people in Scotland and agreeing on the priorities for the strategy.

We will engage with disabled people, third sector organisations and delivery partners when the strategy is drafted to gather views and feedback. We expect this to take the form of a fully accessible consultation and engagement activities.

The Scottish Government remains committed to providing a resilient infrastructure solution to address the landslip risk at the Rest and Be Thankful. The preferred option for a medium-term solution was announced on 23 December 2022. A detailed programme for the proposed improvements is now being developed and it is expected that these works will be carried out on a phased basis starting later this year.

At the same time, Transport Scotland continues to take forward the necessary design and assessment work at pace with a view to announcing a preferred route option for the long-term solution this Spring.

I absolutely 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.

The Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) is an arm’s-length body sponsored by the UK Government’s Department for Work and Pensions. Whilst officials within the Scottish Government liaise with MaPS colleagues in Scotland on a range of policy and operational issues, Scottish Ministers have made no assessment of the effectiveness of work undertaken by MaPS in Scotland.

Delivery of medium-term improvements along with a permanent and resilient solution to the landslip risks at the A83 Rest and Be Thankful is a priority and we continue to seek ways to achieve these as quickly as possible, noting that all of the options require complex civil engineering. Budget has been allocated for the 2023-24 financial year, through the annual Scottish Budget exercise, and this will fund commencing the delivery of the medium-term improvements, which are expected to start later this year in a phased manner, along with taking forward preparatory work on the long-term solution.

The Scottish Government currently has no plans to make changes to rights of appeal in the planning system.

A number of amendments that sought to introduce a third party right of appeal were considered, and rejected, by the Scottish Parliament during consideration of the Planning (Scotland) Act 2019.

Yes.

Ofcom’s Connected Nations report for 2022 – published on 15th December – indicates that over 99% of all properties across Scotland can access a reliable broadband connection.

Original plans for the R100 contracts were expected to see over 112,000 properties connected to superfast broadband speeds of 30 Megabits per second (Mbps). However, in August 2022, we announced additional investment of £36 million to extend build to a further 2,637 properties – taking the total expected to receive connections to over 114,000.

As of 28 February 2023, the contracts had delivered 20,277 connections, with the vast majority being full-fibre and gigabit-capable – up to 30 times faster than our original superfast commitment.

Our R100 Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme (SBVS) also continues to support those not included within contract build or commercial coverage plans. As of 1 April 2023, 3,076 connections have been delivered through the use of vouchers.

Subject to the tests in Circular 3/2012 being met, planning obligations entered into under Section 75 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 can be used to secure contributions from those carrying out development. Planning obligations are enforceable, including against successors in title where an obligation is registered in the Land Register of Scotland or the General Register of Sasines.