Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-22474

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 9 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when it anticipates (a) phase one, (b) phase two and (c) phase three of the medium-term solution to address the problems with the A83 will be completed.

The Scottish Government is committed to an infrastructure solution to address landslip risks at the A83 Rest and Be Thankful and shares the urgency communities and businesses place on maintaining and improving connectivity of this vital route.

The medium term solution consists of improvements to the existing Old Military Road through the Glen Croe corridor to make it a more resilient diversion route until the long term solution is in place. These improvements will improve the resilience of the diversion route, reduce journey times, and are the quickest to implement, of relatively lower cost and would have the least impacts overall across the range of criteria assessed of the medium term options considered.

A detailed programme for the proposed improvements is being developed. These include debris catch fences, temporary bunds, drainage improvements and widening and discrete realignment to improve bends and avoid flooding. It is expected that these works will be carried out on a phased basis starting later this year with Phase 1 which is realignment of the southern end of the route. It is anticipated that Phases 2 and 3 will commence in financial year 2024-25, subject to obtaining any necessary statutory authorisation consents. Construction of these phases is expected to take approximately 12 months subject to weather conditions.

Question reference: S6W-22478

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 9 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the recent flooding in Argyll, whether this has had an impact on the plans for the A83, and, if so, whether it will provide details of this.

The Scottish Government remains committed to medium and long term solutions to address the landslip risks at the A83 Rest and Be Thankful. This scheme is a priority for the Scottish Government, it is a key recommendation in STPR2, it is included in the Programme for Government 2023 to 2024 as well as the First Minister’s Policy Prospectus.

The recent exceptional rainfall on the A83 at the start of October resulted in seven landslides reaching the A83 trunk road, encompassing two very significant landslides at the A83/A815 junction, four landslides at Glen Kinglas and one small landslide at the Rest and be Thankful. Four further landslides were captured by hillside mitigation above the trunk road that includes pits, bunds and catch-fences, with two slips occurring at Glen Kinglas and two at the Rest and be Thankful.

The recent storm events in the areas have not impacted the development of the scheme, and we are still very much focussed on progressing this scheme as quickly as we are able to bring the benefits to those who use the A83.

Question reference: S6W-22476

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 9 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what capital spending is required for the completion of the long-term solution for the A83, and how this will be phased over each financial year.

The Scottish Government is committed to an infrastructure solution to address landslip risks at the A83 Rest and Be Thankful and shares the urgency communities and businesses place on maintaining and improving connectivity of this vital route. At the recent Cabinet public discussion on 2 October in Inverary, the First Minister gave a firm commitment to a solution to the challenges at the Rest and Be Thankful, including a commitment for the funding.

Spending as set out in the Scottish Budget 2023-24 is confirmed which includes progressing the necessary detailed design work for the long term solution, currently progressing at pace. The detailed development and assessment of the preferred option will culminate in the publication of draft road Orders, compulsory purchase Orders and Environmental Impact Assessment Report for formal comment and we expect to publish draft Orders by the end of 2024.

Progress following publication of draft Orders will depend on the level and nature of any representations, including objections, to the published draft Orders. Procurement of a main works contractor for the permanent, long term solution can only commence upon completion of the statutory authorisation process.

The current estimated cost of the preferred option is approximately £405 million - £470 million (at 2023 prices). We will continue to develop and assess the scheme proposals in order to deliver the best value for taxpayers’ money.

Funding to take forward the construction stage of the long-term solution in future years will be determined as part of the annual Scottish Budget setting process and subsequent capital spending reviews.

Question reference: S6W-22213

Asked by: Keith Brown, MSP for Clackmannanshire and Dunblane, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 13 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 9 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on how many baby boxes have been issued in the NHS Forth Valley area to date.

Question reference: S6W-22242

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 16 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 9 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what specific forms of consultation will be used during the independent review of Adult Disability Payment.

Question reference: S6W-22479

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 9 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many NHS-funded care home beds are currently empty.

The statutory responsibility for delivering and commissioning services at a local level lies with local authorities, NHS boards and integrated health and social care partnerships. Publicly funded places in care homes are covered by the National Care Home Contract, which is negotiated annually between COSLA and Scottish Care. The information requested on the number of NHS funded beds that are currently empty is not held by the Scottish Government.

Question reference: S6W-22480

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 9 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason 10-15% of care home beds are reportedly lying empty given high demand for bed capacity.

The figure of 10-15% reflects data taken from the 2022 Care Home Census. The latest census will be published in due course and may reflect different data.

Reasons behind this figure include: the fact that registered beds do not necessarily equate to available beds for a wide range of reasons; a UK-wide staff shortage in the social care sector which has an impact on bed availability; different care home providers using different business models which can affect the number of people that can be admitted at any one time.

Question reference: S6W-22593

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 9 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many payments have been made from the Fuel Insecurity Fund in each financial year since it was established, broken down by local authority area.

Since being established in the winter of 2020 as part of the wider Winter Support Fund, the Scottish Government has made available a total of £48.47 million to date, to our third sector partners to deliver the Fuel Insecurity Fund. We have agreed a flexible approach to the delivery of support which ensures the Fund can be distributed quickly to those households who are at risk of self-rationing or self-disconnecting their energy use.

The Scottish Government does not hold the breakdown by local authority area, of individual fuel vouchers or household support payments made through our partners.

Our Fund partners work with their network of Scotland-wide referral partners to carefully assess eligible households for crisis support based on their individual circumstances and actual need.

Question reference: S6W-22178

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 27 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 9 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, pending the outcome of the judicial review of the decision of the UK Secretary of State for Scotland to issue an order under section 35 of the Scotland Act 1998 in respect of the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill, whether it plans to implement a gender self-identification policy across the entire public sector.

It is for individual organisations to create their own policies in accordance with the Equality Act 2010. The Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill does not modify the Equality Act 2010. The Scottish Parliament’s power to legislate on equality is limited as equal opportunities are reserved to the Westminster Government. Responsibility for oversight of compliance with the 2010 Act rests with the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) which has issued guidance on how the Regulations should be applied in practice. The Scottish Government expects all relevant organisations to comply with the requirements of the 2010 Act and with the relevant codes of practice and other guidance published by the EHRC.

Question reference: S6O-02736

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 November 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the ADHD medication shortages, as referred to in the National Patient Safety Alert of 27 September.

Chamber and committees