- Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 May 2022
-
Current Status:
Answered by Lorna Slater on 14 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown, by local authority area, showing the progress of work in establishing a nature network, and what support is being provided for that work by the Scottish Government and its agencies.
Answer
In our Programme for Government the Scottish Government has committed to developing nature networks across Scotland, as we recognise the key role they can play in protecting and enhancing biodiversity. We are working closely with NatureScot and key stakeholders to develop a national framework and guidance which will help us support Local Authorities and others in developing new, and expanding existing, nature networks. A key part of this work will also be encouraging co-operation and knowledge exchange across local authorities.
- Asked by: Kaukab Stewart, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 May 2022
-
Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 14 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what the timescale is for holding the abortion centre buffer zones summit, which the First Minister said, on 12 May 2022, that she would convene and chair.
Answer
The First Minister will hold a summit on abortion on 27 June 2022. The summit will focus primarily on buffer zones, and organisations such as MSPs, CoSLA, Police Scotland and women’s rights organisations will be invited to attend.
- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 May 2022
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 14 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what concessionary schemes exist across all of Scotland’s transport networks for injured veterans.
Answer
The Veterans Railcard provides a one-third discount on rail journeys across the UK. It is available to all veterans who have served for at least one day or more in Her Majesty’s Armed Forces or Merchant Mariners who have seen duty on legally defined military operations. The terms and conditions for the railcard are set by National Rail (part of the Rail Delivery Group).
In addition, the Disabled Persons Railcard also provides one-third discount on rail journeys across the UK for a cardholder and a companion travelling with them. Veterans in receipt of War Disablement Pension Mobility Supplement or War or Service Disablement Pension for 80% or more disability are eligible to apply for this railcard.
Under the National Concessionary Bus Travel Scheme for Older and Disabled People (NCTS), veterans resident in Scotland aged 60 and over are eligible to apply for free bus travel throughout Scotland. In addition injured veterans may also qualify for free bus travel if they satisfy the disability eligibility criteria for the NCTS which can be found on the Transport Scotland website and which include being in receipt of a War Disablement Pension Mobility Supplement.
Veterans age 21 or younger can also qualify for free bus travel under the National Concessionary Bus Travel Scheme for Young People.
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 May 2022
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 14 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the conclusion of the Rail Accident Investigation Branch into the Carmont rail crash, when it will replace the 25 Class 43 HSTs in the ScotRail fleet, and, if Transport Scotland's position remains that this will occur only when "Network Rail has completed the electrification of all or most of the routes they serve", as reported in The Herald on 21 May 2022, when that electrification will be completed.
Answer
The RAIB report into the Carmont accident did not state that the High Speed Trains (HSTs) are unsafe. There is a need to identify the optimum programme of any practicable changes that may emerge from the analysis of duty holders and safety bodies in following the recommendations of the RAIB Carmont Report with respect to HSTs in Scotland.
The aim is to do this in a practical way, and in an appropriate timescale in the context of the Scottish Government’s plans for decarbonisation of the rail network and the development of the future train fleet which will support that objective.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 May 2022
-
Current Status:
Answered by Clare Haughey on 14 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will include information in Scotland's Baby Box to raise awareness of local authority reusable nappy schemes and community nappy libraries.
Answer
Scotland’s Baby Box ensures that every family with a newborn has access to essential items needed in the first six months of a child’s life. From the outset we have ensured that the only written information contained within the Baby Box is tailored to its specific aims and contents.
There are currently 7 leaflets contained within Scotland’s Baby Boxes including advice and information on safe sleeping, breastfeeding, postnatal depression and Social Security child payment.
The Nappy Voucher contained within the Baby Box signposts to the Scottish Government’s ParentClub website which highlights the benefits of using reusable nappies.
- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 May 2022
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 14 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to encourage more injured veterans to use public transport.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-08732 on 14 June 2022. 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: Collette Stevenson, MSP for East Kilbride, Scottish National Party
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 May 2022
-
Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 14 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what estimates it has made of the number of (a) local authority, (b) registered social landlord and (c) other affordable homes built in the (i) East Kilbride constituency and (ii) South Lanarkshire Council area in each year since 1999.
Answer
The table below shows the actual number of local authority, registered social landlord and other affordable homes that have been delivered in the South Lanarkshire Council Area between April 1999 to end March 2022 (as per our latest published quarterly housing statistics). These include new build homes, rehabilitation projects, conversions and off-the-shelf purchases of both new and second hand homes.
We do not hold figures at a constituency level.
Financial Year | South Lanarkshire Affordable Homes Delivered |
Council House Social Rent | RSL* Social Rent | Other Affordable Homes | Total |
1999-00 | 0 | 87 | 46 | 133 |
2000-01 | 0 | 101 | 153 | 254 |
2001-02 | 0 | 138 | 102 | 240 |
2002-03 | 0 | 234 | 44 | 278 |
2003-04 | 0 | 173 | 39 | 212 |
2004-05 | 0 | 255 | 157 | 412 |
2005-06 | 0 | 194 | 99 | 293 |
2006-07 | 0 | 143 | 12 | 155 |
2007-08 | 0 | 142 | 23 | 165 |
2008-09 | 0 | 343 | 79 | 422 |
2009-10 | 0 | 274 | 134 | 408 |
2010-11 | 0 | 98 | 42 | 140 |
2011-12 | 61 | 243 | 31 | 335 |
2012-13 | 20 | 200 | 48 | 268 |
2013-14 | 117 | 136 | 59 | 312 |
2014-15 | 0 | 45 | 76 | 121 |
2015-16 | 37 | 81 | 36 | 154 |
2016-17 | 72 | 162 | 66 | 300 |
2017-18 | 83 | 171 | 15 | 269 |
2018-19 | 201 | 283 | 23 | 507 |
2019-20 | 78 | 206 | 13 | 297 |
2020-21 | 197 | 142 | 7 | 346 |
2021-22 | 362 | 189 | 3 | 554 |
Total Homes | 1,228 | 4,040 | 1,307 | 6,575 |
* Registered Social Landlords | | | |
We also publish homes delivered by local authority broken down by social and other affordable homes and this can be accessed via our webpage - Affordable Housing Supply Programme: completions quarterly updates - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) . This information is updated quarterly following publication of official statistics.
Based on management information we currently estimate around 425 affordable homes could potentially be delivered across the South Lanarkshire council area in 2022-23, with 67 of these homes expected to be in East Kilbride.
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 May 2022
-
Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 14 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what communications it has had with the UK Government regarding the location of settlement in Scotland for Ukrainian refugees.
Answer
The Scottish Government is not involved in the UK Government’s private sponsorship arrangements, or associated matching process through Homes for Ukraine.
The Scottish Government and partners are working hard within the UK Government’s sponsorship scheme to provide a fast and safe alternative to displaced people from Ukraine seeking sanctuary in Scotland and providing support when they do get permission to travel.
Once people have arrived through our super sponsor scheme, a national matching service, delivered by COSLA, will match those settling here with longer-term accommodation across Scotland. Displaced people from Ukraine are asked to complete a short questionnaire that captures key information and preferences. This information is then used to find suitable longer-term accommodation. All 32 of our local authorities are taking part in this programme, and hosts have offered up their homes right across the country. The national matching service will ensure that people are offered settlement opportunities across Scotland, recognising that people will have different preferences and available housing is limited in some local authorities
- Asked by: Meghan Gallacher, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Monday, 13 June 2022
-
Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 14 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its nursery recruitment targets.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 14 June 2022
- Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Monday, 13 June 2022
-
Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 14 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what immediate action it will take, in light of recent reports that nearly £2 million in Pupil Equity Funding has been spent on police officers in schools since 2018.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 14 June 2022
