- Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 09 January 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Clare Haughey on 20 January 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Police Scotland regarding the future use of the term, minor-attracted person, when referring to paedophiles, and whether it will discourage use of the term across government agencies and public bodies.
Answer
The Scottish Government has discussed the use of the term Minor Attracted Person with Police Scotland following recent media coverage. Police Scotland has confirmed that it does not use the term and it is not used by its partners. The Scottish Government does not use this term and it is not used by Scottish public bodies.
Police Scotland has issued a statement which confirms that it does not use this term and explains the context to it being referred to in a June 2022 Police Scotland performance report.
- Asked by: Paul McLennan, MSP for East Lothian, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 09 January 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi McAllan on 20 January 2023
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-12681 by Màiri McAllan on 13 December 2022, whether detailed marine spatial plans, as opposed to broad spatial areas, will be provisionally set in the new National Marine Plan (NMP2), in line with section 11(2)(a)(ii) of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010, unless and until superseded by regional plans agreed under the terms of that same Act.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-12759 on 15 December 2022.
The purpose of Scotland’s National Marine Plan is to set out the strategic policies for the sustainable development of our marine resources. Regional marine plans are currently being developed for 3 out of the 11 Scottish Marine Regions (Orkney, Shetland and the Clyde) with preparatory work being undertaken by Local Coastal Partnerships in other regions.
The content of the new National Marine Plan (“NMP2”) is yet to be defined. As the process to replace the current National Marine Plan progresses, the content of NMP2 will be established and consideration will be taken as to whether NMP2 will include detailed spatial plans.
The Marine Scotland Directorate undertakes national marine planning activities in accordance with the requirements and conditions set out in the Marine Acts: Marine (Scotland) Act (2010) and the Marine and Coastal Access Act (2009). NMP2 will be developed in accordance with the policies, including the National Spatial Strategy, set out in the fourth National Planning Framework (NPF4)(once adopted).
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: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 12 January 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 20 January 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to promote financial literacy and education for young people in order to help them better understand and manage their finances.
Answer
The Scottish Government recognises the importance of financial education in order to equip young people to live independently and confidently. These topics are embedded in the curriculum in Scotland through numeracy and maths, business studies and personal and social education.
Education Scotland provide professional learning and resources for practitioners on financial education. It also features in qualifications, particularly through SCQF 4 and 5 Personal Finance awards, and through Applications of Mathematics, which provides advanced learning on a range of core and practical maths skills, including finance, up to Higher level.
At local level, schools have access to a range of organisations who visit schools to reinforce and enhance learning such as HMRC, Barclays Lifeskills, NatWest MoneySense and the Young Enterprise ‘My Money’ Talks.
The Scottish Government is also supporting young people after they leave school with a new School Leavers Toolkit which includes practical information about budgeting and finances.
- Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 12 January 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Lorna Slater on 20 January 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the implementation of the European Union’s Single Use Plastic Directive (SUPD), including Article 6 on produce design requirements and tethered caps; whether it plans to adopt the SUPD in full or in part, and in the event that it does, whether its approach to implementation will include (a) the organisation of any public consultation events and (b) proposed changes to legislation, and what the timescales would be for any such activities.
Answer
The Scottish Government is committed to maintaining alignment, where possible, with developing EU standards, including those set out by the EU Single-Use Plastics Directive. Last year, Scotland became the first part of the UK to implement a ban on some of the most problematic single-use plastic products through the Environmental Protection (Single-use Plastic Products) (Scotland) Regulations 2021. This legislation delivered Article 5 of the EU Single-Use Plastics Directive.
The Scottish Government is going further than these Regulations to deal with the problem of single-use plastics. For example, last year we announced plans to introduce a mandatory charge on single-use cups by 2025. This commitment aligns with Article 4 of the EU Single-Use Plastics Directive.
At present, the Scottish Government has not set a timetable for the implementation of Article 6 requirements. Any proposed Scottish Government action in this area will be subject to parliamentary scrutiny and public consultation. We are already taking concrete action, including by implementing a deposit return scheme and a reformed extended producer responsibility scheme for plastic packaging. With specific reference to Article 6, from 2025 drinks producers will be required to meet a 90% collection target of all in-scope drinks containers (plastic, glass, and metal).
- Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 12 January 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Elena Whitham on 20 January 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what measures it is taking to ensure there are welfare facilities within all fire stations in Scotland, so that firefighters can decontaminate themselves following any exposure to cancerogenic fire contaminants.
Answer
The safety and wellbeing of all fire and rescue officers is of upmost importance to the Scottish Government.
The Scottish Government has continued the commitment to support SFRS service delivery and reform with a further uplift of £10m resource for 2023-24, which will bring the total budget to £362.7m.
I am aware that SFRS has been engaged with the FBU and the work of Lancaster University for a number of years and its well established contamination working group has taken action across all aspects of operations to reduce exposure to harmful contaminants. This includes investment in new fire appliances and fire station facilities.
This continues to be a priority for SFRS and the contaminants group will continue to consider the research and take appropriate action.
- Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 12 January 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom Arthur on 20 January 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether a 10-week period was sufficient time for the public consultation on a proposed Scottish Aggregates Levy Bill.
Answer
The public consultation on developing a Scottish tax to replace the UK Aggregates Levy was open from 26 September to 5 December 2022. This was thought to be a sufficient window considering the issues in question, plans for concurrent stakeholder engagement, and the relatively recent review of the UK levy.
A total of 25 consultation responses were received. These are now being analysed to help inform our next steps, and a formal consultation report will be published in due course.
Although the consultation is an important part of our engagement, it is only part, and does not represent the entirety of it. Consistent with our Framework for Tax, we will continue to listen to and work with all stakeholders throughout the entire process leading up to introduction of the new tax.
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 09 January 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi McAllan on 20 January 2023
To ask the Scottish Government which estates within the Monadhliath Deer Management Group have received funding for peatland restoration in each of the last five years through the peatland restoration project funds administered by NatureScot (formerly Scottish Natural Heritage); how much each estate has received in each of the last five years, and who the owners were of each estate that received funding.
Answer
Organisation/Applicant | Paid
2018-19 | Paid
2019-20 | Paid
2020-21 | Paid
2021-22 | Paid 2022-23
(to 6 Jan 23) |
Aberarder Estate | 1,320.00 | 38,734.50 | 146,185.00 | - | 169,584.35 |
Alvie Estate | 147,684.50 | 90,035.00 | 73,508.00 | 79,860.00 | - |
Balavil Estate | 990.00 | 38,376.00 | 107,840.00 | - | 162,389.87 |
Braeroy Estate | 96,408.10 | 166,112.90 | 172,174.70 | 160,257.00 | 107,378.61 |
Cluny Estate | - | - | 17,110.00 | 24,540.00 | - |
Dalmigavie Estate | - | 96,020.00 | - | 186,982.00 | 203,381.35 |
Dunachton Estate | 990.00 | - | 104,756.00 | 97,680.00 | 69,811.93 |
Dunmaglass Estate (Conagleann Ltd) | 3,300.00 | 129,895.00 | 6,600.00 | 150,995.71 | 132,976.36 |
Farr & Glen Kyllachy Estate (Newbie Salmon Fisheries Ltd) | 188,609.60 | 238,260.00 | 238,037.00 | 143,356.50 | 58,263.00 |
Glenbanchor Estate | 990.00 | 47,864.00 | - | - | - |
Glenmazeran (The Englefield Estate Trust Corporation) | 227,466.24 | 188,189.28 | 212,035.61 | - | 64,663.46 |
Glenshero Estate (JAHAMA Highland Estates) | - | - | 97,042.00 | 159,676.60 | - |
Kinrara Estate | - | - | - | 202,109.60 | 262,525.90 |
Pitmain Estate | 185,908.00 | 193,769.62 | 141,905.00 | 35,000.00 | 116,890.61 |
Monadliath Deer Management Group | 31,656.00 | 46,409.36 | 43,575.00 | 42,999.40 | 38,078.40 |
Total | 885,322 | 1,273,666 | 1,360,768 | 1,283,457 | 1,385,944 |
Table 1. Peatland Action grants allocated to the Monadliath Deer Management Group 2018-19 to present.
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 06 January 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 20 January 2023
To ask the Scottish Government how much it has spent on the Rural Housing Fund in each year since its introduction.
Answer
The following table provides a breakdown of the spend from the main Rural and Islands Housing Fund in each year since the funds were launched in 2016-17, broken down by rural (mainland) and Islands. The Rural and Island Housing Fund plays an important role in offering support to community organisations and others while complementing the significant delivery through our mainstream programme by Councils and Registered Social Landlords in rural and island areas.
| | 2016-17 | 2017-18 | 2018-19 | 2019-20 | 2020-21 | 2021-22 | 2022-23 |
| | £m | £m | £m | £m | £m | £m | £m |
| Rural and Islands Housing Fund - Total | 0.101 | 1.061 | 1.650 | 2.822 | 4.916 | 4.793 | 2.327 |
| Rural | 0.074 | 0.961 | 1.451 | 2.140 | 3.062 | 1.867 | 0.900 |
| Islands | 0.027 | 0.100 | 0.199 | 0.682 | 1.854 | 2.926 | 1.427 |
| Note: 2022-23 spend is based on provisional programme management information to end December 2022 and could be subject to change. |
- Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 06 January 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 20 January 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will actively engage with Aberdeen-based North Star Shipping, which has reportedly secured $172.2 million of financing and loan support to begin the next phase of its plan to build 40 Service Operation Vessels, in order to ensure that this long-term ship design and build opportunity is able to be undertaken by the Scottish shipbuilding industry.
Answer
The Scottish Government is supportive to the shipbuilding industry which has strategic importance to Scotland’s economy and its wider manufacturing base; and we actively engage with the industry, both with individual companies through our enterprise and skills agencies and collectively through the Aerospace and Defence Industry Group.
- Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 06 January 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 20 January 2023
To ask the Scottish Government when the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care last visited Inverclyde Royal Hospital in person.
Answer
I visited Inverclyde Royal Hospital on 4 July 2022. All Ministerial engagements, including visits, is routinely published on the Scottish Government website and can be found at: www.gov.scot/collections/ministerial-engagements-travel-and-gifts/ .
