- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 10 February 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 3 March 2022
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-00906 by Jamie Hepburn on 28 June 2021, whether it will provide an update on the proposed Scottish Education Exchange Programme.
Answer
The development of a Scottish Education Exchange Programme is a Programme for Government commitment and will help maintain Scotland’s place as an outward looking, internationally connected destination for work and study.
We are engaging with stakeholders from across the education spectrum including higher and further education, community learning and development, youth work and adult education, schools and sports and are developing the programme ensuring it is fit for Scotland.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 10 February 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 3 March 2022
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-01090 by Jamie Hepburn on 13 July 2021, how it has assessed how the existing Turing Scheme will better reflect the needs of Scotland.
Answer
We have been engaging closely with the UK Government to establish that Scottish stakeholders can provide feedback and ensure that the Turing Scheme better reflects their needs.
In Turing Scheme’s first round of application results, each nation within the UK received less funding than previously secured under Erasmus plus. This highlights the need for the Scottish Government to consider how best to offer staff and learners further opportunities for mobility exchange.
- Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 February 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi McAllan on 3 March 2022
To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to publish its latest review into snaring, which, under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, was due to be completed by December 2021.
Answer
The Scottish Government intends to lay a copy of the report before the Scottish Parliament, as soon as it is practicable, as set out in accordance with Section 11F(5) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. The Scottish Government will also publish a copy of the report on its website.
- Asked by: Siobhian Brown, MSP for Ayr, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 February 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 3 March 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has for a replacement scheme for Erasmus, following the UK's exit from the EU.
Answer
The Scottish Government recognises the importance of educational mobility. While we remain committed to Erasmus plus, in the interim we are creating a Scottish Education Exchange Programme to support participants from across Scotland’s education system.
This is a Programme for Government commitment and will help maintain Scotland’s place as an outward looking, internationally connected destination for work and study.
- Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 February 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 3 March 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing colleges and universities to return to on-campus learning.
Answer
Throughout the pandemic, the Scottish Government has worked in collaboration with the college and university sectors to provide support and guidance, and to ensure the safety of staff and students. Following the publication of the Scottish Government’s updated Strategic Framework on 22 February, we are working with partners on the Advanced Learning COVID-19 Recovery Group to develop a framework to replace prescriptive sector-specific guidance.
This framework will provide high-level guiding principles and support for institutions in developing local solutions. We will also work with universities and colleges to support the development of institution-level COVID-19 Response Committees. The committees – using existing structures where possible with representatives from the institution, trade unions, students and accommodation providers – will monitor the public health and wider context, with a view to adjusting local safety protocols accordingly. This will enable decisions on COVID-safety measures, beyond any that may be in place across society, to be determined locally and, where possible, collectively.
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 11 February 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 3 March 2022
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-05802 by Michael Matheson on 3 February 2022, what the membership is of the (a) Bioenergy Policy Working Group and (b) Bioenergy Expert Panel, and whether it will publish the minutes of the meetings of the Bioenergy Policy Working Group.
Answer
a) The Bioenergy Policy Working Group consists Scottish Government officials from a number of policy areas.
- Agriculture Transformation for Environment and Climate Change
- Bioenergy
- Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage (CCUS)
- Critical Energy Infrastructure & Commercial Projects
- Domestic Climate Change
- Environmental Protection - Air Quality
- Environmental Quality and Circular Economy
- Heat Strategy
- Hydrogen
- Industrial Decarbonisation
- Industrial Strategy and Technologies
- Just Transition
- Land Use Strategy
- Land Use Transformation
- Natural Capital and Land Management
- Office of the Chief Economic Adviser (OCEA)
- Rural and Environment Science and Analytical Services (RESAS)
- Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture (SASA)
- Scottish Forestry
- Sustainable Aviation
- Transport -Supply Chains and Alternative Fuels
- Whole Energy System
Minutes from the meetings will be published as soon as practical. However the group are still in the process of developing policy and considering options.
b) The Bioenergy Expert panel has still to be assembled.
- Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 11 February 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Keith Brown on 3 March 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the planning and development of a replacement for HMP Barlinnie.
Answer
I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:
SPS is currently in the process of selecting a contractor to initially develop a design for HMP Glasgow and thereafter award a contract for the construction of the new prison.
It is anticipated that a contractor will be appointed later this year to develop the design stage of the project.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 24 February 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Keith Brown on 3 March 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) design capacity, (b) number of occupants and (c) occupancy rate was in each prison in January 2021.
Answer
I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:
The following table details the (a) average occupancy (b) design capacity and (c) the occupancy rate of each prison over January 2021;
JANUARY 2021
The occupancy rate and the design capacity rates provided are the average for the calendar month.
Establishment | Average Occupancy | Average Design Capacity | Average Occupancy Rate |
Addiewell | 713 | 702 | 102% |
Barlinnie | 1214 | 987 | 123% |
Cornton Vale | 64 | 109 | 59% |
Dumfries | 182 | 176 | 104% |
Edinburgh | 859 | 867 | 99% |
Glenochil | 668 | 668 | 100% |
Grampian | 437 | 552 | 79% |
Greenock | 191 | 218 | 88% |
Inverness | 101 | 93 | 109% |
Kilmarnock | 524 | 501 | 105% |
Low Moss | 805 | 785 | 103% |
Open Estate | 147 | 284 | 52% |
Perth | 669 | 631 | 106% |
Polmont | 362 | 758 | 48% |
Shotts | 544 | 538 | 101% |
- Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 24 February 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 3 March 2022
To ask the Scottish Government how many individuals have been employed as youth workers in each of the last five years, broken down by local authority.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-01070 on 9 July 2021. 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: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 25 February 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Keith Brown on 3 March 2022
To ask the Scottish Government how many hours of purposeful activity prisoners had, on average, per week in (a) 2019, (b) 2020 and (c) 2021, broken down by prison.
Answer
I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:
The following table details the average number of purposeful activity hours per week for convicted prisoners across the prison estate, in each financial year that incorporates 2019, 2020 and 2021: -
Year | April 2018 – March 2019 | April 2019 – March 2020 | April 2020 – March 2021 | April 2021 – January 2022 |
Establishment | Average PA hours | Average PA hours | Average PA hours | Average PA hours |
Barlinnie | 14 | 12 | 10 | 10 |
Cornton Vale | 19 | 20 | 20 | 26 |
Dumfries | 18 | 15 | 8 | 10 |
Edinburgh | 12 | 13 | 9 | 10 |
Glenochil | 17 | 16 | 11 | 11 |
Grampian | 25 | 25 | 19 | 16 |
Greenock | 20 | 22 | 19 | 22 |
Inverness | 25 | 25 | 24 | 27 |
Low Moss | 23 | 22 | 16 | 18 |
Castle Huntly | 22 | 21 | 20 | 22 |
Perth | 18 | 14 | 9 | 14 |
Polmont | 21 | 18 | 14 | 19 |
Shotts | 25 | 25 | 9 | 10 |
HMP Addiewell and Kilmarnock are privately operated prisons and are not required to provide PA hours on a monthly basis. The delivery of PA hours within these two establishments is monitored through contractual arrangements with SPS Controllers and Contract Managers to ensure compliance.