- Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Alba Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 June 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 18 June 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-27511 by Ivan McKee on 30 May 2024, whether it will release the correspondence from its (a) ministers and (b) officials with the (i) chairs and (ii) chief executives mentioned.
Answer
My recent letter to chairs and chief executives of public bodies can be viewed at www.gov.scot/publications/making-the-most-of-resources-letter-to-public-bodies/ .
Contact by Scottish Government officials took the form of routine informal engagement between public body sponsor teams and staff in the organisations they sponsor. There was no formal correspondence from officials to chairs or chief executives.
As I have stated in other PQ replies (including S6W-27509 and S6W-27510 on
30 May 2024), it is for each public body to ensure that it fulfils all statutory duties to which it is subject, and to answer for its actions.
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: Tuesday, 04 June 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 18 June 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to (a) the First Minister's National Advisory Council on Women and Girls 2024 Report and (b) reported concerns that a lack of urgency, coherence and accountability on the part of the Scottish Government has prevented the implementation of all previous recommendations of the advisory council.
Answer
We are grateful to the National Advisory Council on Women and Girls and the Empowering Women Panel for the considerable work they put into the 2024 report. The Scottish Government is committed to working with the Council and Panel to meet our shared goal of greater equality for women and girls. We welcome the report are giving it our full consideration before responding formally to the Council.
While we recognise progress has been made in this area, there is much more to do. I met with the co-chairs of the NACWG recently and discussed how we can best make that progress. I look forward to carrying on that discussion and taking forward any actions required.
- Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 June 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 18 June 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will implement a Scottish version of the UK Government's national school breakfast club programme, specifically with a view to tackling child poverty.
Answer
The Scottish Government is committed to developing plans to deliver free breakfasts to all primary and special school children.
Breakfasts are being provided across Scotland by a range of service providers including public, private and third sector. We are working with Local Authorities and key stakeholders to better understand and map existing provision. This work is ongoing and alongside learning from other approaches across the UK, will inform the development of a delivery strategy for breakfast provision, including how a future offer can support the Government's mission to eradicate child poverty.
- Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Alba Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 June 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 18 June 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-27514 by Ivan McKee on 30 May 2024, when it plans to update the Parliament on the Public Service Reform programme, including whether the current landscape remains (a) appropriate, (b) value for money and (c) effective.
Answer
The objective of the Public Service Reform programme is to ensure our public services remain sustainable that the future system must ensure the public service landscape is the right size and composition. Our commitment to reform balances responding to short-term budget pressures whilst building a platform for longer-term reform. There are over 30 actions under the PSR programme, including work to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.
We are committed to providing regular updates to the Parliament on the PSR programme and, as such, a detailed report was made to Parliament via the Finance and Public Administration Committee (FPAC) on 19 December 2023, noting a commitment to six monthly updates.
However, in line with the pre-election guidance, the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government, Shona Robison MSP wrote to the Convener of FPAC on 4 June highlighting the need to delay the publication of the next update. A revised publication date will be confirmed in due course which will set out our progress on the PSR programme.
During this election period I remain committed to pressing forward on delivering on the immediate actions. Therefore, have written directly to public bodies reiterating my focus on improved effectiveness and setting out my intent to meet with public bodies.
- Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Alba Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 June 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 18 June 2024
To ask the Scottish Government how much the potential designation of a new national park has cost to date.
Answer
The Scottish Government has received nominations from five areas which wish to be considered for designation as a new National Park.
The delivery costs to date, excluding staffing costs and expenses, are £331,409.05.
These costs are broken down as follows:
£100,000.00 funding to NatureScot for New National Parks
£27,387.77 on consultation activities
£48,269.22 on impact assessments
£147,653.06 on nominations support funding
In 2022 NatureScot was asked to undertake public consultation and stakeholder engagement in order to provide advice to the Scottish Government on the future of National Parks in Scotland. More information is available here: National Parks Advice to Ministers - February 2023 | NatureScot.
- Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Alba Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 June 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 18 June 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-27509 by Ivan McKee on 30 May 2024, whether it will release (a) copies of the letters sent by the minister and (b) the responses received from the (i) chairs and (ii) chief executives mentioned.
Answer
My recent letter to chairs and chief executives of public bodies can be viewed at www.gov.scot/publications/making-the-most-of-resources-letter-to-public-bodies/ .
In my letter, I reminded chairs and chief executives that it is incumbent on each public body to adhere to the statutory duties to which it is subject, which for many includes reporting requirements in Part 3 of the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010.
No substantive response from chairs and chief executives has, so far, been received to this letter.
- Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Alba Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 June 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 18 June 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-27514 by Ivan McKee on 30 May 2024, whether it plans to publish the findings of the internal review and the report provided to ministers, and when it expects ministers to respond.
Answer
Scottish Government officials have reviewed the Chief Executive Framework and the report is being finalised. This report will be provided to Ministers for consideration in the summer. The outcomes of the review will be shared with relevant stakeholders and a new Chief Executive Framework published thereafter.
- Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 June 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 18 June 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it still plans to add the data from 134,000 children gathered in the Health and Wellbeing Census to the Administrative Data Research Scotland system; what its position is on whether the data was captured ethically and legally, and whether it will implement measures to mitigate any risks of being able to link the data back to the respondents, in light of the Information Commissioner's Office advice to the Scottish Government in August 2023 that the arrangements for processing the data did not meet requirements of Article 4(5) of the UK GDPR around pseudonymisation, and Article 25 around Data Protection by Design and Default.
Answer
The Scottish Government is fully committed to making best use its data, including making this available for further statistical analysis and research, subject to data protection legislation. The 2021-22 Health and Wellbeing Census data was added to Administrative Data Research Scotland (ADR-S) in May 2024. Further information on ADR-S can be found here: ADR Scotland - ADR UK
The HWB Census underwent an Ethics Peer Review in line with the Scottish Government social research: protocols and guidance. Scottish Government social research: protocols and guidance - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)
Data provided into the ADR-S infrastructure does not include the Scottish Candidate Number (SCN). The SCN is replaced with a pseudonym for this purpose.
In light of the ICO's recommendations, the Scottish Government is introducing enhanced technical and organisational measures to ensure that any data which contains the SCN and is processed for statistical and research purposes will have a pseudonym created. The SCN and the method of pseudonymisation will be held separately. These enhanced measures have been agreed with the ICO.
- Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Alba Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 June 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Kate Forbes on 18 June 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-24385 by Shona Robison on 22 January 2024, whether it will provide an updated list of any current (a) ministerial taskforces, (b) Cabinet committees, (c) Cabinet sub-committees, (d) ministerial working groups and (e) other ministerial committees.
Answer
Kate Forbes: Information on Cabinet and Cabinet Sub-Committees is available on the Scottish Government website here; any change to these structures would be updated on these pages:
Cabinet and Ministers - gov.scot ( www.gov.scot )
Cabinet sub-committees: factsheet - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)
There is also a range of other Ministerial groups and taskforces that are co-ordinated by individual portfolios. These are developed as required and change over time, therefore a comprehensive list of such groups is not available.
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 June 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 18 June 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to any (a) current and (b) future mineral mining exploration and related activities in Scotland, what plans it has to ensure that just transition principles are applied to support any communities in Scotland that are affected by such activities.
Answer
The Scottish Government is committed to delivering a just transition to net zero for all communities in Scotland, working with those most impacted to provide a fairer, greener future for all. Our approach is therefore being informed by communities, businesses, workers and their trade unions across Scotland.
Where new development proposals come forward, Policy 33 of National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) sets out that development proposals for the sustainable extraction of minerals will only be supported by that policy where relevant criteria are met. This includes where it is demonstrated that there are no significant adverse impacts on nearby homes and local communities, provision of an adequate buffer zone between sites and settlements, and the inclusion of schemes for a high standard of restoration and aftercare.
Where any mineral extraction takes place, relevant environmental permitting and licensing requirements will apply ensuring continuing environmental protection.
