Chamber and committees

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Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S6W-07956

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 08 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 9 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) original budget and (b) actual cost is for each of the Cycle One flood defence schemes that has been started but not completed.

The following schemes are under construction.

	(a) Initial cost (£ million)	(b)Estimated final cost (£ million)
Broughty Ferry	10.0	16.3
Upper Garnock	15.5	18.5
Kirkintilloch - Park Burn	0.4	0.4
Hawick	37.4	78.6
Drumnadrochit	3.4	5.7
Stonehaven	19.9	27.5
Caol and Lochyside	8.4	15.7

Initial costs as provided by local authorities in 2016-17. Final Scheme costs are the latest estimates provided by local authorities. Differences between these latest estimates and initial cost estimates arise because flood protection schemes are put forward for prioritisation at various stages of their development to fit with the flood risk management planning cycle set out in the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009.

Costs are revised over time as designs are finalised and more detailed investigations are carried out, and as new information emerges. Outcomes from community engagement and changes to price and supply of materials may also require revisions to cost estimates.

Question reference: S6W-07958

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 08 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 9 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether any budget overruns on Cycle One flood defence schemes will reduce funding available for Cycle Two schemes.

In 2016, agreement was reached between Scottish Ministers and COSLA on a new strategic funding plan for flood protection schemes. The agreement guarantees that until 2026 the level of flooding capital grant in the local government settlement is set at a minimum of £42 million per annum. 80% of the available £42 million is allocated to the prioritised flood schemes set out in the Flood Risk Management Strategies published by SEPA in 2015 .

The Programme for Government published in 2020 included a commitment to invest an extra £150 million in flood risk management over 5 years in addition to the £42 million per annum. Consideration is being given to how the additional £150m allocated to flooding will be allocated.

In 2021 COSLA recommended to Scottish Ministers that the flood protection schemes eligible for funding which are not yet “legally committed” are paused. Ministers accepted this recommendation and COSLA are currently undertaking a review of these projects to assess their status and viability. COSLA will present the review findings to Ministers in due course. This pause and review of schemes is one element of the work being taken forward to review the current funding and distribution arrangements for flood risk management.

A joint Scottish Government/COSLA Flood Risk Management Working Group has been set up and is considering funding arrangements for flood risk management actions going forward. It will put recommendations to the joint Scottish Government/COSLA officers’ Settlement Distribution Group with Ministers and Council Leaders’ subsequently being provided with advice later in 2022.

Question reference: S6W-07962

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 08 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 9 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what the expected timescale is, within which local authorities are to complete Cycle Two flood defence schemes.

The local flood risk management plans, which are due to be published by December 2022, will provide more detail on how the actions set out in the flood risk management plans for 2022-2028 will be delivered including who will lead them and how the actions will be coordinated with other organisations. They will also provide further information on when the actions will take place and how they will be funded.

As with all infrastructure projects, it can take many years for flood schemes to progress from option appraisal to completion . Given the impacts on individuals, communities and the environment, it is right that flood protection schemes are carefully and thoroughly planned - and balance the interests of the whole community.

Question reference: S6W-07961

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 08 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 9 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when it will announce which new Cycle Two flood defence schemes it will fund.

Question reference: S6W-07957

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 08 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 9 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what the original budget was for each Cycle One flood defence scheme that has not yet not yet been started.

The following schemes are at various stages of development but are not yet under construction:

Scheme	Initial cost (£ million)
Kilmacolm – Glenmosston Burn	0.5
Comrie	15.7
Millport Coastal	12.1
Campbeltown	9.3
Arbroath	11.4
Dumbarton - Gruggies Burn	14.5
Quarrier’s Village	0.2
Dumfries - Whitesands	18.9
Water of Leith (Coltbridge, Gorgie, Saughton) Phase 3	Not held
Mill Burn Millport	1.1
Grangemouth FPS	111.5
St Andrews - Kinness Burn	3.2
Musselburgh	8.9
South Fords	1.4
Milnathort	1.9
Stranraer	0.4
Langholm	2.0
Newton Stewart/ River Cree	7.5
South Kinross	3.2
Scone	0.7
Bridge of Allan	4.4
Haddington	8.5
Stirling	26.2
Callander	2.4

Initial costs as provided by local authorities in 2016-17. Costs are revised over time as designs are finalised and more detailed investigations are carried out and as new information emerges. Outcomes from community engagement and changes to price and supply of materials may also require revisions to cost estimates.

Question reference: S6W-07955

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 08 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 9 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) original budget and (b) actual cost was for each of the Cycle One flood defence schemes that has been completed.

The following formal flood protection schemes are complete.

Scheme	(a) Initial Cost (£ million)	(b) Estimated Final Cost (£ million)
Huntly	4.9	3.8
Newmill	1.9	1.8
Dundee	6.2	6.9
Kirkwall	1.8	1.8
White Cart Water Phase 3	5.9	7.2
Camlachie Burn	1.2	1.7
Smithton and Culloden	15.2	13.0
Bouvrie Burn	0.4	0.4
Broxburn (Liggat Syke) Phase 1	Not held	Not held
New Cumnock Phase 1 Complete Phase 2 Under construction	3.3	7.3

Initial costs as provided by local authorities in 2016-17. Final Scheme costs are the latest estimates provided by local authorities. Differences between these latest estimates and initial cost estimates arise because flood protection schemes are put forward for prioritisation at various stages of their development to fit with the Flood Risk Management Planning cycle set out in the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009.

Costs are revised over time as designs are finalised and more detailed investigations are carried out. Outcomes from community engagement and changes to price and supply of materials may also require revisions to cost estimates.

Question reference: S6W-07838

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 9 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many counsellors to support adoptees will be recruited or trained as part of the recently announced £145,000 of funding.

The funding of around £145,000 was announced to establish specialist support, counselling and the introduction of peer support groups.

We have introduced a working group to assist with the implementation of peer support groups. The group includes people with lived experience, and representatives from Health in Mind and the Scottish Recovery Network. Both organisations have extensive knowledge and experience in setting up and maintaining peer-support in many different areas across the country.

Question reference: S6W-08157

Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 22 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 9 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide details of any discussions or communication it has had with Police Scotland regarding the force’s obligation to record the sex of suspects in line with the Equality Act 2010 definition of sex.

The Scottish Government expects all relevant organisations to comply with the requirements of the Equality Act 2010, including published guidance and codes of practice. The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is the body responsible for regulating matters related to the Equality Act 2010 and publishing associated guidance. The Scottish Government has not discussed with Police Scotland their obligations in relation to recording the sex of suspects under the 2010 Act; questions relating to obligations of public bodies under the 2010 Act could be raised with the EHRC.

Guidance published in September 2021 by Scotland’s Chief Statistician, makes it clear that the collection of data on sex and gender is a matter for public bodies. As such, the operational recording of information of those involved in crime is a matter for Police Scotland. It is intended that all Public Bodies would use this guidance to help them determine how best to record information they collect for their operational matters. In 2019, Scotland’s Chief Statistician established a working group to consider what guidance should be offered to public bodies on the collection, disaggregation and use of data on sex and gender, of which Police Scotland were a member. The office of the Chief Statistician continues to engage with a range of public bodies, including Police Scotland, to support their application of the guidance. In addition, the Scottish Government have an Equality Data Improvement Programme in place to undertake wider work on data and we will be working with Justice bodies as part of that, to support improvements in the range of the equality information that is published.

Question reference: S6W-08070

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 22 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 9 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what research it is carrying out on the potential impact of (a) increases in land prices on rural communities, in light of reports of people buying farmland to get closer to nature, increase tree planting and for renewable energy schemes, and (b) a concentration of land ownership on local communities.

The Scottish Government is currently funding two research projects into land values, landownership, and land use change, through the Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture Strategic Research Programme (SRP) 2022-27. One is at the James Hutton Institute on supporting community engagement in land use decision-making. The second at Scotland’s Rural College, is on impacts of land-based funding mechanisms on land values, and related outcomes for landownership diversification and land use change. These are multi-year projects which will provide a range of outputs over the coming years to inform Scottish Government policy and the wider public debate. Details of all of the projects commissioned through the SRP will be published on the Scottish Government website by the end of June 2022.

In April 2022 the Scottish Land Commission also published research on Scotland's Rural Land Market which is available on their website https://www.landcommission.gov.scot/ .

Question reference: S6W-07725

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 22 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 9 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what assessment has been made of SEPA’s ability to enforce the law and protect the environment following the data breach in December 2020.

The Scottish Government continue to actively monitor SEPA via agreed milestones within its Annual Operating Plan. This will be key to ensuring SEPA continue to maintain a high degree of environmental protection as referred to in S6W-07720 on 9 May 2022 .

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