Chamber and committees

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-04204 on 19 November 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

Monitoring has found previous flooding incidents in Newcastleton to be due to recurring blockages in the network which Scottish Water’s Sewer Response Team duly attended and cleared. Scottish Water is also aware that more recent incidents have arisen from severe wet weather events leading to surface and river flooding.

The primary flooding issue in Newcastleton is associated with the Liddell Water breaking its banks and I refer the member to the answer to S6W-04149 on 17 November 2021 for further information.

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

The information requested is available at:

General Practice - GP Workforce and practice list sizes 2010 - 2020 - General Practice - GP workforce and practice list sizes - Publications - Public Health Scotland

Table 2 shows the number of GPs in each board.

Table 4 shows the registered number of patients in each board.

The Scottish Government provides loans with cashback grants to enable households in all parts of Scotland to install renewables and energy efficiency measures. Funding is delivered through Home Energy Scotland and managed, on behalf of Scottish Government, by the Energy Saving Trust,

To further support households in understanding the application process, Home Energy Scotland provides:

• free, impartial, bespoke advice through Home Energy Scotland, including specialist home renewables advice;
• the Green Homes Network which allows households to find out about the experience of others who have already installed renewables measures; and
• the Renewable Installer Finder Tool which helps households find installers and suppliers in their area.

Going forward, and following the recent publication of the Heat in Buildings Strategy, we are developing a bespoke public engagement strategy for heat in buildings. This builds on the objectives and guiding principles of our Public Engagement Strategy for Climate Change, as well as our existing support and advice programmes.

We are investing in growing our advice services so that they continue to meet people's needs and this includes improving our digital presence and continuing to provide in-depth support for installing zero emissions heating systems.

The Scottish Government’s Heat in Buildings Strategy, published in October 2021, committed to establishing a Green Heat Finance Taskforce by the end of 2021. The purpose of the Taskforce is to develop a portfolio of innovative financial solutions involving the private, public and third sectors for building owners in Scotland to ensure that by 2045, our homes and buildings no longer contribute to climate change, as part of the wider just transition to net zero.

The Taskforce will forge a new partnership approach between the Scottish public sector, heat decarbonisation experts and the financial sector to explore potential new and value for money innovative financing mechanisms for individual and community level investment in zero emissions heat. The Taskforce has a crucial role in shaping how the transition to zero emissions heat in Scotland’s buildings is financed, therefore the membership of the Taskforce will be drawn from expertise including green finance, the heat and energy efficiency sector and consumer groups. Further details of the composition of the Taskforce will be provided by the end of 2021.

The Scottish Government has no plans to introduce a requirement for evacuation alert systems to be installed in new buildings between 11 and 18 metres in height. See answer to S6W-04133 on 19 November 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 .

On 1 October 2019, the Scottish Government introduced evacuation alert systems in new high rise domestic buildings with a floor over 18m. The government also published Practical Fire Safety Guidance for Existing High Rise Domestic Buildings. The guidance promotes using a risk based approach to determine the fire safety measures required. Therefore, upgrading existing high rise domestic buildings with evacuation alert systems may be implemented where the level of fire risk is justified, taking into account the time, cost and disruption to building occupants involved.

We are not aware of any recommendation from the Grenfell Inquiry Phase 1 report relating to evacuation alert systems to be installed in new and existing high rise buildings over 11 metres in height.

The data about the efficacy of the Hawick flood defences is not held by the Scottish Government. The scheme is being taken forward and constructed by Scottish Borders Council and they will be able to provide the relevant data.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-03854 on 19 November 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

The care experience survey programme, of which the Cancer Patient Experience Survey is part of, is due to be under review shortly to allow for the context of COVID-19.

The Scottish Cancer Patient Experience Survey is run in partnership with Macmillan Cancer Support and is designed to be comparable with Cancer Patient Experience Surveys run in England and Wales. A change in methodology, such as altering the sampling frame, surveying people at different stages of treatment or surveying the relatives of those who have passed away, would result in survey results that are not comparable to the English & Welsh survey results. Such a change would require extensive consultation with stakeholders.

In order to capture the experience of patients with a less survivable cancer we are using tools such as Care Opinion and working with our third sector partners to collate best available evidence.