- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 February 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 4 March 2024
To ask the Scottish Government when it will decide on a final design plan for HMP Glasgow.
Answer
I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:
HMP Glasgow will deliver safe and secure accommodation, with maximum possible benefit and opportunity to those who live and work there, as well as the surrounding communities. The new prison will provide a better quality of living environment and enable strong relationships with staff and those in our care.
The final design will be concluded in summer 2024, prior to the planned award of the construction contract that is scheduled for autumn 2024.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 February 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom Arthur on 4 March 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its work on inclusive business models.
Answer
The National Strategy for Economic Transformation (NSET) announced an Inclusive Business Models review. The review is ongoing and is led by a representative stakeholder group. The independent review group is chaired by Neil McInroy, Global Lead for Community Wealth Building, The Democracy Collaborative and chair of Economic Development Association of Scotland (EDAS).
The review group is drawing on learning from both national and international experience. It is anticipated that the work will complete, with findings and recommendations published, in Spring 2024.
- Asked by: Annabelle Ewing, MSP for Cowdenbeath, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 23 February 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 4 March 2024
To ask the Scottish Government when the next round of Regeneration Capital Grant funding will open to applications, and how much funding will be made available.
Answer
Funding to support place-based regeneration programmes has been set at £45.8 million for 2024-2025, of which £23 million is required to meet contractual commitments for existing Regeneration Capital Grant Fund (RCGF) and Vacant and Derelict Land Investment Programme (VDLIP) projects.
Ministers are considering options for distribution of the remaining regeneration capital budget allocation for 2024-2025 and we will clarify how this will be allocated in due course.
- Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 23 February 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 4 March 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-24936 by Jenny Gilruth on 21 February 2024, whether it will provide an update on what stage it is at with the development of its new digital strategy for education.
Answer
Officials have been engaging with COSLA on partnership development of this strategy and are jointly planning stakeholder engagement which is expected to commence in the coming weeks.
- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 23 February 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 4 March 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what plans there are to digitise audio recordings of court cases that can be easily provided to those involved in a case, if requested.
Answer
The Scottish Government continues to work with the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service to see how the application of new technology might help minimise the cost of producing transcripts for all those who wish to access them.
- Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 23 February 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 4 March 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-24936 by Jenny Gilruth on 21 February 2024, when it will publish its new digital strategy for education.
Answer
The commitment to develop a new digital strategy for education was made in the 2023 Programme for Government and is expected to complete by Autumn 2024.
- Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 22 February 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 4 March 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on whether it remains committed to expanding the number of Rapid Cancer Diagnostic Services to ensure population-based coverage.
Answer
As reflected in Scotland’s Cancer Strategy for Scotland, published June 2023, we are committed to “expanding and evaluating Rapid Cancer Diagnostic Services to ensure population-based coverage”.
The University of Strathclyde published a final evaluation report on 29 February 2024 reflecting on the successful first two years of RCDSs operating in NHS Scotland. This work was commissioned to inform roll-out, including optimal components. Following its release, we’ll work with Boards across Scotland to consider the findings and ensure learning is embedded.
- Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 22 February 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 4 March 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its estimate of the future potential costs of delivering a new national digital academy.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-22502 on 8 November 2023. 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: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 February 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 4 March 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what plans it has to deliver a new national digital academy.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-22501 on 8 November 2023. 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: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 February 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 4 March 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on how many schools currently pay the costs of school trips and extra-curricular activities for pupils from lower-income families, broken down by local authority.
Answer
Statutory responsibility for the delivery of school education, including any school trips, rests with local authorities. Local authority data on the number of schools trips and how those are funded is not collected centrally.