Question ref. S6W-07343
Asked by: Dey, Graeme, Angus South, Date lodged: 16 March 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on the most recent level of an average household water bill in Scotland, and how this compares with (a) England and (b) Wales.
Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 21 March 2022
The average household charge in Scotland is £375 in 2021-22. In 2022-23, this will rise to £391.
By comparison, Discover Water have stated the average charge across England and Wales to be £412 in 2021-22 and £419 in 2022-23. https://discoverwater.co.uk/annual-bill provides further information on individual company charges.
Question ref. S5W-17348
Asked by: Dey, Graeme, Angus South, Date lodged: 19 June 2018
To ask the Scottish Government when it will lay for consultation the proposed draft regulations providing for the disclosure of information about persons who have controlling interests in land in a public register as required by Part 3 of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2016.
Current Status:
Initiated by the Scottish Government.
Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 20 June 2018
The Scottish Government today laid for consultation in the Scottish Parliament proposed draft regulations (SG/2018/103) and a proposed explanatory document (SG/2018/104) for a new Register of Persons Holding a Controlled Interest in Land as required by Part 3 of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2016. It has also laid a draft partial Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment and a draft Privacy Impact Assessment of the draft regulations within the proposed explanatory document.
In addition the Government has published on its website a consultation document to support the consultation, which will run until 8 November 2018.
Question ref. S5W-17047
Asked by: Dey, Graeme, Angus South, Date lodged: 5 June 2018
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the benefits of migration to the Scottish economy and society.
Current Status:
Answered by Alasdair Allan on 13 June 2018
Migration is crucial to the development of Scotland as an inclusive, fair, prosperous, innovative country. It is essential to our economic prospects and our demographic sustainability that Scotland continues to attract the level and nature of migration it needs.
Following the EU referendum we published a report summarising and evaluating the recent literature on the impacts of migrants and migration on Scotland’s economy, labour market, public services, communities and culture. In November last year we set out the evidence about the importance of migration to Scotland, in our submission to the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC). We followed that earlier this year with a discussion paper on Scotland’s Population Growth and Migration Policy detailing the unique challenges facing Scotland’s population and the potential economic gains if migration was sustained. The paper also outlines how a tailored approach for Scotland, with new powers for the Scottish Parliament, could operate.
Question ref. S5W-17005
Asked by: Dey, Graeme, Angus South, Date lodged: 31 May 2018
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Food Supply Chain Manifesto, which calls on the UK Government to guarantee continued access to permanent and seasonal workers for the farming and food production sector.
Current Status:
Answered by Fergus Ewing on 7 June 2018
Reducing access to labour and skills by ending free movement will damage businesses in every sector of the economy in Scotland, and Scottish Ministers are clear that we need a solution for future migration that meets the needs of the agriculture sector.
However, evidence published by the Migration Advisory Committee shows that every sector of the economy - agriculture and fisheries, tourism and culture, healthcare and education - faces labour and skills challenges due to Brexit. We therefore need a migration system which meets the needs of all sectors of the economy, and we need an approach which is simple for employers and individuals to navigate and is flexible enough to meet changing needs.
Most importantly though we need the UK Government to start engaging on this issue. We have set out this Government’s position on the benefits of free movement of people and the need for new powers for the Scottish Parliament on migration. UK Ministers should now meet with the Scottish Government to discuss how we develop solutions tailored to Scotland’s needs.
Question ref. S5W-16960
Asked by: Dey, Graeme, Angus South, Date lodged: 30 May 2018
To ask the Scottish Government when the annual progress report on the Scottish Climate Change Adaptation Programme will be published.
Current Status:
Initiated by the Scottish Government.
Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 31 May 2018
The Scottish Government published its fourth Climate Change Adaptation Annual Report today.
The Report sets out the context for climate adaptation in Scotland, highlighting that we are already experiencing climate change, that there are a range of future risks and opportunities, and that we have a developing evidence base that is informing action.
The Report provides a summary of the core content of the Programme, the highlights to date, and the findings of the first Independent Assessment of the Programme in 2016. Finally, this Report refers to the development of Scotland’s second five-year Adaptation Programme which is to be published in 2019.
The Fourth Annual Report highlights include the latest on flood management, the Peatland ACTION Fund, the new Climate Change Plan’s commitments on woodland creation, the Fourth UK Forestry Standard 2017, a new Centre of Expertise in Plant Health launched in February 2018, Scotland’s National Coastal Change Assessment, Historic Environment Scotland’s climate change risk assessment, Green Infrastructure Fund, A82 Steep Ground Harvesting Project, Edinburgh Adapts, Aberdeen Adapts, Climate Ready Business, NHS Scotland Climate Change Risk Assessment Tool, and the third European Climate Change Adaptation Conference held in Glasgow.
Copies of the Annual Report have been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre, laying number SG/2018/74.
Question ref. S5W-15933
Asked by: Dey, Graeme, Angus South, Date lodged: 17 April 2018
To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish its guidance regarding engaging communities in decisions relating to land, as required under Part 4 of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2016.
Current Status:
Initiated by the Scottish Government.
Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 18 April 2018
The Scottish Government's Guidance on Engaging Communities in Decisions Relating to Land is published today. Copies of the guidance have been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre, laying number SG/2018/32.
Question ref. S5W-15699
Asked by: Dey, Graeme, Angus South, Date lodged: 28 March 2018
To ask the Scottish Government when the Scottish Land Commission will lay its revised Programme of Work in the Parliament.
Current Status:
Initiated by the Scottish Government.
Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 29 March 2018
The Scottish Land Commission will lay its revised Programme of Work in Parliament today, in advance of the first anniversary of the Commission’s establishment on 1 April. Extensive engagement and scoping work in the last six months has enabled the Commission to more sharply focus the Programme of Work to ensure the most positive impact in the short and long term. Copies have been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre, laying number SG/2018/35.
Question ref. S5O-01810
Asked by: Dey, Graeme, Angus South, Date lodged: 14 February 2018
To ask the Scottish Government what further measures it is considering to address the persecution of birds of prey.
Current Status:
Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 21 February 2018
I was extremely concerned to hear about the recent disappearance of a satellite tagged golden eagle in the Pentland Hills. While we may never know exactly what happened to this bird, the circumstances are clearly suspicious. This is especially true when taken in the context of the satellite tagging report that I commissioned and was published last May. This showed that around one third of tagged eagles have disappeared in similar circumstances with many on or near driven grouse moors.
Since the report was published we have set up a review group to examine how we can ensure grouse moor management is sustainable and compliant with the law. The group, which will also consider possible regulatory options including licensing, met for the first time last month and will report back to me in Spring 2019. I await their findings with great interest.
I am also pleased to say that we are supporting a new Police Wildlife Crime Investigative Support Officer post which has now been filled. This officer will bring expertise to wildlife crime investigations across Scotland. We also expect shortly to launch a pilot project to use Special Constables to tackle wildlife crime in the Cairngorms National Park. These new measures build upon existing work, and demonstrate our commitment to put a stop to the wildlife crime that still occurs in parts of our countryside.
Question ref. S5W-13050
Asked by: Dey, Graeme, Angus South, Date lodged: 28 November 2017
To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding Dundee's 2023 European capital of culture bid.
Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 6 December 2017
I have spoken to Dundee City Council’s Leader to offer my full support and I have written to the UK Government and European Commission to understand the potential implications of this situation and to establish what action needs to be taken in order to address it. My officials are in regular contact with the UK Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and Dundee’s bid team about this.
Question ref. S5O-01570
Asked by: Dey, Graeme, Angus South, Date lodged: 29 November 2017
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the work of the Poverty and Inequality Commission.
Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 6 December 2017
The Commission was fully operational eight weeks after launch, with a full complement of commissioners from a range of expert perspectives, and is now supported by its own independent secretariat. The Commission has been tasked to advise Ministers on its child poverty delivery plan and is hard at work on that, while also beginning to develop its longer term work programme.
To date the Commission have held three meetings; minutes of these meetings are currently being published through the Scottish Government website ahead of the Commissions dedicated web presence being established early in the new year.