Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government have been advised by HM Treasury that Barnett consequentials will be passed to the Scottish Government as a result of the £63m swimming pool support package announced by the UK Government.

As you will be aware any Barnett consequentials will be added to the Scottish block as a whole and Scottish Ministers will decided how best to allocate resources. As part of this process, consideration will be given to what support can be provided to the sport and leisure sector in Scotland.

In 2022-23 the Scottish Government has provided £2,259,987 to NHS Boards as set out in the following table.

The Scottish Government are fully aware that rising energy costs are a significant issue for leisure centres and swimming pools. We recognise the positive financial and environmental benefits to increasing the energy efficiency of leisure centres and swimming pools throughout Scotland.

Following the announcement by the UK Government of the financial package to support swimming pools in England, we are considering what support, including ensuring the longer term sustainability and energy efficiency of these facilities, can be provided to the sport and leisure sector in Scotland.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-16005 on 25 March 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 .

We ask for this information as part of routine monitoring of implementation of the Young Patient’s Family Fund and anticipate having this detail available at the end of the financial year. NHS Boards reported spend in these categories for 2021-22 and we are committed to working with Boards to develop a robust reporting process.

I am aware of Glasgow City Council’s unsuccessful bid for Levelling up Funding for their proposed M8 ‘garden cap’ project. However the Levelling Up Fund is a UK Government initiative which clearly encroaches on devolved areas of transport policy. The Scottish Government has had no input into the development of the fund nor any responsibility for award decisions. Therefore, all the final decisions are solely taken by the UK Government.

The Scottish Government recognises the important role the M8 plays in providing access to key markets, jobs and services in Scotland and beyond. However given that this proposal is about the wider public realm and land-use within the city it is more appropriate that this work is led by the City Council. Transport Scotland, on behalf of Scottish Ministers, has a statutory duty as the Trunk Road Authority to ensure that any potential impacts on the trunk road network are appropriately assessed and any adverse impacts mitigated, where required.

Transport Scotland will continue to engage constructively with local authorities where proposals or projects are considered to have a potential impact on transport assets and services owned and or provided by Scottish Ministers and I trust that Local Authorities will likewise proactively seek the advice and guidance of my officials at Transport Scotland on such matters.

Transport Scotland, through its Trunk Road Operating Companies and Design Build Finance Operate (DBFO) Concessionaires, is responsible for the management and maintenance of the strategic trunk road network, including motorways. Repair of potholes on all other roads is the responsibility of the local authorities.

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that all people living in Scotland with long term conditions such as coeliac disease are able to access the best possible care and support, and benefit from healthcare services that are safe, effective and put the person at the centre of their care.

The Network Support Grant Plus was always a temporary fund to support operators to recover from the effects of the Covid 19 pandemic. It has been extended on two occasions since June 2022. Scotland, like the rest of the UK, operates a de-regulated bus market due to decisions taken by the UK Government in the 1980s. This means that bus operators must return to a commercially sustainable model, and adapt their networks to account for the new travel patterns.

Notwithstanding, the Scottish Government continues to provide support through the Network Support Grant, which keeps fares more affordable and networks more extensive than would otherwise be the case. I have committed to review all funding to bus operators to ensure it is delivering best value to the taxpayer. This review will include an exploration of further conditionality being applied to Government subsidy in future.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-15868 on 24 March 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 .