- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 December 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Keith Brown on 22 December 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what the qualifying criteria are for recipients of the St Andrew's Award for exceptional acts of bravery.
Answer
Thank you for your question. The criteria for emergency workers differ from that of the public. For emergency workers, the criteria are:
The individual (or team) acted beyond the normal expectation of them and made a deliberate decision to do so in the knowledge of the dangers / risks involved e.g., where the incident escalated unexpectedly beyond the initial assessment and the individual had to adapt their training or improvise to achieve the desired outcome.
The individual (or team) displayed outstanding bravery in the knowledge of significant risk or danger to their own life whilst protecting or attempting to protect another person. Consideration of the UK Gallantry Award System may also come into play in these situations.
The individual (or team) showed personal courage in the face of violent or unpredictable circumstances.
Where the individual (or team) made a significant contribution to reducing risk to the public and preventing future deaths or injuries.
Where an individual or team has gone beyond the expected contribution to their service and has through determination, innovation and persistent effort overcome obstacles resulting in a quantifiable contribution to public safety.
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 December 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 22 December 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had regarding a review of the funding formula for local government.
Answer
The Local Government distribution formula is kept under constant review and is agreed with COSLA each year.
Any requests for changes to the agreed distribution formula must, in the first instance, come through COSLA.
- Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 08 December 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 22 December 2022
To ask the Scottish Government how many active working groups there are that fall under the remit of (a) climate change, (b) environment, (c) land reform, (d) green skills, (e) circular economy and (f) biodiversity, and whether it will provide a list of these groups.
Answer
There are currently a number of Scottish Government working groups that fall under the remit of Net Zero, Energy and Transport. A list of relevant groups has been provided below, set against the remit headings provided.
a)Climate Change
- Peatland Science and Technical Advisory Group (Peatland STAG)
- Analysis of Demand Management Options Steering Group
- National strategy for 20mph Working Group
- Zero Emission Truck Taskforce
- Private Water Supply Working Group
- Soils Working Group
- Wild Salmon Strategy Implementation Plan Advisory Group
- Scottish Forestry Customer Reps Group (CRG)
- Scottish Forestry CRG Tree on Farms sub group
- Scottish Forestry CRG Technical sub group
- Scottish Forestry National Stakeholder Group
- Scottish Blue Carbon Forum
b)Environment
- Contaminated Land Advisory Group
- Scottish Noise Mapping Stakeholder Group
- Cleaner Air for Scotland 2:
1. Ministerial Group
2. Delivery Group
3. Public engagement working group
4. Health working group
5. Agriculture and Environment working group
6. Domestic (household) emissions working group
7. Placemaking working group
- Air Quality - LAQM/CAA Review Group
- Zero Emission Truck Taskforce
- Scottish Forestry Phytopthora ramorum review working group
- Marine Litter Strategy Steering Group
c) Land Reform
- The Land Reform Bill Oversight Group
d) Green Skills
- Transport Sector Skills & CESAP Transport Policy Working Group
- Climate Emergency Skills Action Plan Implementation Steering Group
o Education subgroup
o Travel subgroup
o Heat in Buildings subgroup
e) Circular Economy
- Single Use Cups Charge Advisory Group
- Waste Data Strategy Board
- National Flytipping Forum
- Zero Waste & Circular Economy Programme Board
- Food Waste Reduction Programme Board,
- Recycling Improvement Fund Programme Board
- Waste & Resources Sector Forum
- Joint Scottish Government/Local Government Strategic Steering Group on Circular Economy & Waste
- Biodegradable Municipal Waste Landfill Programme Board
- Deposit Return Scheme System Wide Assurance Group
- Deposit Return Scheme Executive Oversight Group
- Deposit Return Scheme Communications and Engagement Group
f) Biodiversity
- Science Advisory Group for Scottish Biodiversity Strategy
- Raptors & Forestry Joint Working Group
- Black Grouse Working Group
- Capercaillie Working Group
- Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 19 December 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 22 December 2022
To ask the Scottish Government how much has been allocated to teach (a) English, (b) Gaelic, (c) Scots, (d) French, (e) Spanish, (f) German, (g) Italian, (h) Urdu, (i) Mandarin and (j) Cantonese in schools in each year since 2016-17.
Answer
The Scottish Government provides local authorities with an annual local government finance settlement which in 2022-23 amounts to almost £12.7 billion. Over 93 percent of this total funding, representing £11.8 billion, is by means of a block grant. Individual local authorities can allocate this sum together with their locally raised income through council tax and fees and charges to meet local needs and priorities, having first fulfilled their statutory obligations and the jointly agreed set of national and local priorities.
The Scottish Government does not allocate education funding on a per subject basis and therefore does not hold the information requested. Statutory responsibility for the delivery of education sits with local authorities and schools as set out under the Education (Scotland) Act 1980. This provides local authorities and schools with the autonomy and flexibility to plan their curriculum to best meet the needs of their learners and local circumstances. The setting of school budgets remains the responsibility of each local authority.
Education Scotland, Regional Improvement Collaboratives and local authorities provide direct support to schools in terms of teaching and learning across all subjects. The Scottish Government also funds other bodies direct to deliver additional support. For example, in 2022-23 we are funding the Scotland’s National Centre for Languages £570,000 to support teachers and schools in delivering high quality language learning.
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 19 December 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 22 December 2022
To ask the Scottish Government when the Fuel Poverty Advisory Panel last met and what actions were agreed.
Answer
The Scottish Fuel Poverty Advisory Panel (“the Panel”) is an independent advisory Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB). The Panel’s secretariat can be contacted by emailing [email protected] for the requested information, as this information is not held by the Scottish Government. However, my officials were invited for a part of the most recent meeting of the Panel on 28 November for a discussion on the Fuel Poverty and Heat in Buildings Strategies.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 15 December 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 22 December 2022
To ask the Scottish Government, further to its answer to question S6W-10993 by Michael Matheson on 4 October 2022, whether it will provide an update on whether it intends to join the Beyond Oil and Gas Alliance as a core member.
Answer
As I have previously said , we have committed to undertaking a programme of work and analysis to better understand Scotland’s energy requirements as we transition to net zero and how this aligns with our climate change targets. We continue to engage with BOGA and as part of a wider programme of analysis and engagement with a range of organisations and stakeholders.
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 09 December 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 22 December 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will bring forward the timetable for its planned expansion of free school meals to every primary school-aged child, in light of the cost of living crisis.
Answer
We remain committed to the expansion of universal free school meals in primary schools. In the Scottish budget for 2023-24, we announced additional investment of £16 million in revenue funding and £80 million in capital funding for free school meal expansion. This will continue to fund the next phase of our expansion, which will be targeted to Primary 6 and 7 pupils in receipt of the Scottish Child Payment, helping children most in need first. This will be the next step in fulfilling our commitment to universal provision of free school meals in primary schools.
- Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 08 December 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by George Adam on 22 December 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the conclusion in the Scottish Information Commissioner’s May 2022 Progress Report that the Scottish Government is failing on matters such as records management requirements when handling Freedom of Information requests, five years after the intervention was announced.
Answer
The Scottish Government welcomed the Commissioner’s progress report in May. The Scottish Government published its Improvement Plan 2022-23 in July setting out the actions we are taking to address each of the areas where the Commissioner identified a need for further improvement – including in relation to records management in request handling. The Government continues to work on standardising its records management practice and engagement with all staff is ongoing to ensure compliance with appropriate legislation and guidance.
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 December 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 22 December 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on the reasons for the post of Gaelic Development Officer at Community Land Scotland, which was established to extend the use of Gaelic within vernacular communities, reportedly being discontinued.
Answer
Community Land Scotland Gaelic Development Officer post was a pilot project that was run in partnership between Bòrd na Gidhlig and Community Land Scotland . This project is now being evaluated and the report is expected in February 2023. This evaluation report will help inform future funding initiatives in our Gaidhlig communities.
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 December 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 22 December 2022
To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to increase community engagement for strengthening Gaelic in communities, in light of reports that the post of Gaelic Development Officer at Community Land Scotland has been discontinued.
Answer
The Scottish Government has provided additional funding of £200k in 2021-22 and 2022-23 to Bòrd na Gidhlig to support the network of Gaelic Development Officers across Scotland. These officers are supporting the Gaelic communities by providing a range of c ommunity-based activities through a variety of different schemes.
The focus of Bòrd na Gidhlig’s evaluation review of the Community Land Scotland Gaelic Development Officer post is to develop, and put in place, a more comprehensive and sustainable framework for delivering community based developments in Ga elic . At the core of this framework is the move towards a multi year funding arrangement to better support the work of development officers and to strengthen the network of officers to maximise the benefit to their communities. There are currently a total of 58 officer posts that have been supported by the Bòrd in communities this financial year with an investment of over £1.1M.