- Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 December 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 15 December 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of how the £3.9 million it announced on 18 March 2022 to support visitor management and rural tourism (a) has been and (b) will be spent.
Answer
This one off funding was allocated to organisations to help manage visitors in 2022 as we continue to recover from the Covid-19 Pandemic and manage increased domestic visitors to Scotland’s countryside. It has supported the following:
Organisation | Amount | What is it delivering? |
NatureScot | £250k | Approx. 14 seasonal staff on National Nature Reserves |
NatureScot | £1.5m | Another round of the Better Places Fund to support approx. 100 ranger posts. This fund was open to local authorities, community groups, land management ngos and estates. |
Forestry and Land Scotland | £660k | 28 seasonal rangers |
Scottish Water | £150k | 6 seasonal posts |
Cairngorms National Park Authority | £500k | 25 seasonal, trainee and partner rangers |
Loch Lomond & the Trossachs National Park Authority | £630k | 35 seasonal posts including countryside rangers, environment officers and boat patrols. |
VisitScotland | £100k | Targeted marketing and awareness at key groups aimed at informing and educating countryside users, including wild campers and campervan and motorhome users. |
Police Scotland | £110k | Research and recommendations on management and enforcement options that could better allow key partners to manage certain situations efficiently. |
Summary | £3.9m | ? Circa 200 seasonal ranger posts in rural hot spot areas ? Key activity such as boat and land patrols and close working with Police Scotland on specific rural operations ? Targeted marketing and awareness raising campaigns ? Further research and development to look at how visitors (and in particular those in breach of the Scottish Outdoor Access Code) can be better managed in the future. |
This one off funding was in addition to our £3m contribution to the Rural Tourism Infrastructure Fund, which has brought our investment in rural visitor infrastructure to £18m. More information on projects funded in 2022-23 can be found here .
Funding amounts for each organisation were informed by recommendations of the Visitor Management Steering Group established by Scottish Ministers in 2020. For more information, please see here .
Feedback indicates that the majority of elements have been able to progress and have now been delivered. A formal report will be submitted to the Scottish Government in due course.
- Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 December 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Kevin Stewart on 15 December 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reported comments by Donald Macaskill, of Scottish Care, that between 30% and 40% of care homes could be on the verge of closure by spring 2023.
Answer
The Scottish Government are aware of the severe pressures that exist in our health and social care system and the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care has established the Ministerial Advisory Group to ensure that we collaborate effectively to meet the challenges. Scottish Care are represented on this group.
Many of the policy and economic levers that would alleviate pressures on care homes and other businesses are reserved to Westminster and the Cabinet Secretary recently wrote to the UK Government (and the other UK nations) to again raise these matters. Within our remit, we are increasing our support for SMEs by investing £300,000 to expand the capacity of the Business Energy Scotland advice service, and doubling the energy efficiency cashback element of the SME Loan Cashback scheme to £20,000. The Scottish Government has also set out £600 million of total investment to support winter resilience across our health and care system. This includes £144 million to support the December 2021 uplift to £10.02 per hour, as well as a further £200 million to increase the minimum rate of pay to £10.50 per hour for adult social care workers in commissioned services.
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 December 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 15 December 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what measures and funding are being put in place to address the challenges for ports and harbours that are set out in the publication, Delivering Scotland's Blue Economy Approach.
Answer
Delivering Scotland’s Blue Economy Approach is the first phase in how we will deliver our Vision and takes stock of how current, and forthcoming, actions across Marine Scotland and the wider Scottish Government will support the delivery of the six Blue Economy outcomes.
Ports and harbours are key Blue Economy infrastructure and Delivering Scotland’s Blue Economy Approach sets out action already underway that will support that infrastructure in progressing towards our outcomes. Action includes investment of £580 million over 5 years in vessels and ports supporting the lifeline ferry network through the Infrastructure Investment Plan; funding through Marine Fund Scotland to support projects focused on achieving an innovative and economically sustainable marine economy; and the Scottish National Investment Bank recently provided a £30 million loan to the Port of Aberdeen.
As part of our next steps, we will continue to engage with key stakeholders and our international neighbours to deliver a collaborative, inclusive approach to achieving our Vision and our joint ambitions for our shared marine space.
- Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 05 December 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 15 December 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking in light of reported evidence that shows some people dependent on alcohol reduce other expenditure, such as on food and utilities.
Answer
We are concerned by evidence about the financial strain some economically vulnerable groups are experiencing, such as those dependent on alcohol. We are working on a range of actions to make alcohol treatment services more accessible to those who need them, to support individuals to reduce their alcohol consumption.
Anyone worried about affording essentials like food or fuel should contact their local authority where they can be put in contact with local advice and support.
Our cost of living website provides information on the wide range of advice and financial support available.
- Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 05 December 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Kevin Stewart on 15 December 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what length of time it expects the transfer of staff to the National Care Service to take under Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) (TUPE) regulations.
Answer
Paragraph 48 of the National Care Service (Scotland) Bill Policy Memorandum sets out the local decisions required. This can be accessed at: https://www.parliament.scot/bills-and-laws/bills/national-care-service-scotland-bill/introduced
These local decisions will inform future discussions on any staff transfers. The length of time taken to transfer staff is directly related to these local level decisions.
- Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 05 December 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Kevin Stewart on 15 December 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will inherit any local authority liabilities in relation to any assets transferred to the National Care Service.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-12831 on 15 December 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: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 05 December 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 15 December 2022
To ask the Scottish Government on what date it will announce the appointment of a Women's Health Champion, and when the role holder will commence their duties.
Answer
An announcement on the appointment of the Women’s Health Champion will be made shortly.
The role holder will commence their duties as Champion to drive change and share best practice and innovation, following the announcement.
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Date lodged: Friday, 28 October 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 15 December 2022
To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to its publication, High rise inventory 2021: summary report, of the (a) 38 buildings in which aluminium composite material (ACM) panels were identified and (b) 23 buildings with Category 3 ACM panels, how many are owned by (i) registered social landlords, (ii) private owners or landlords, (iii) multiple private owners or landlords and (iv) a mix of registered social and private owners and landlords.
Answer
The High Rise Inventory provides information on the construction and fire safety of high rise domestic buildings. It was completed by Local Authority Building Standards departments for all relevant buildings, with data provided or verified to the best of the respondents’ knowledge at the time of completing the inventory. It should be viewed as a snapshot in time. The summary report was based on information held in the Inventory in February 2020.
On the basis of the information provided all of the 38 buildings, in which aluminium composite material were identified, and the 23 buildings with Category 3 aluminium composite panels are classified as owned by private landlords.
- Asked by: Graeme Dey, MSP for Angus South, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 December 2022
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 22 December 2022
To ask the Scottish Government how it will seek to achieve a balance between food and energy security, in relation to permitting the use of productive agricultural land for the deployment of large-scale solar arrays.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 22 December 2022
- Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 December 2022
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 22 December 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has with the UK Government regarding reports of delays of payment of Energy Bills Support Scheme vouchers.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 22 December 2022
