- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 November 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Siobhian Brown on 19 November 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what funding it allocated to its violence reduction strategy in its 2024-25 Budget, and how this compared with each year since 2020-21.
Answer
Funding allocated to its violence reduction strategy* are as follows:
Year | £000 |
2020-21 | 1,848,000 |
2021-22 | 1,884,500 |
2022-23 | 2,041,500 |
2023-24 | 2,041,500 |
2024-25 | 2,016,500 |
*These allocations of funding do not including additional Scottish Government funding to Police Scotland, other justice agencies, local authorities, health boards, third sector organisations and cross government policy related areas that address the underlying causes of violence including but not limited to addressing child poverty, early years, employability and housing.
- Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 07 November 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 19 November 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-25674 by Patrick Harvie on 7 March 2024, whether it will provide an updated table regarding the number of children who have undertaken cycling proficiency training, based on the latest information available.
Answer
Further to question S6W-25674, the latest Bikeability Scotland participation statistics are as follows:
LOCAL AUTHORITY | 2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 | 2013-14 | 2014-15 | 2015-16 | 2016-17 | 2017-18 | 2018-19 | 2019-20 | 2020-21 | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | 2023-24 | |
Aberdeen City | 21% | 25% | 31% | 57% | 68% | 62% | 68% | 42% | 47% | 9% | 27% | 67% | 100% | 100% | |
Aberdeenshire | 93% | 93% | 76% | 91% | 91% | 63% | 80% | 79% | 85% | 27% | 51% | 65% | 65% | 71% | |
Angus | 74% | 72% | 74% | 57% | 43% | 45% | 50% | 67% | 78% | 41% | 71% | 88% | 94% | 96% | |
Argyll & Bute | 45% | No return | No return | No return | No return | No return | No return | No return | No return | No return | Pilot | Pilot | 22% | 26% | |
Clackmannanshire | 11% | 11% | 37% | 37% | 39% | 44% | 17% | 33% | 100% | 33% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | |
Dumfries & Galloway | 70% | 73% | 47% | 30% | 29% | 41% | 43% | 38% | 36% | 4% | 5% | 29% | 69% | 86% | |
Dundee | 0% | 0% | 3% | 23% | 29% | 17% | 11% | 53% | 91% | 67% | 82% | 97% | 100% | 100% | |
East Ayrshire | 7% | 9% | No return | No return | No return | No return | No return | No return | No return | No return | Pilot | Pilot | 10% | 8% | |
East Dunbartonshire | 5% | 3% | 5% | 24% | 14% | 8% | 22% | 15% | 67% | 76% | 94% | 100% | 100% | 100% | |
East Lothian | 0% | 0% | 11% | 26% | 29% | 23% | 29% | 41% | 49% | 24% | 47% | 94% | 100% | 100% | |
East Renfrewshire | 33% | 40% | 70% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 0% | 100% | 67% | 83% | 96% | |
Edinburgh | 29% | 40% | 52% | 72% | 70% | 48% | 68% | 60% | 53% | 7% | 26% | 40% | 41% | 38% | |
Falkirk | 4% | 6% | 10% | 8% | 22% | 12% | 4% | 6% | 8% | 19% | 6% | 2% | 21% | 19% | |
Fife | 31% | 21% | 16% | 16% | 18% | 21% | 36% | 22% | 29% | 23% | 24% | 33% | 35% | 21% | |
Glasgow | 4% | 4% | 15% | 28% | 25% | 34% | 29% | 35% | 34% | 22% | 33% | 31% | 22% | 24% | |
Highland | 34% | 28% | 16% | 29% | 28% | 29% | 36% | 21% | 30% | 12% | 15% | 22% | 32% | 26% | |
Inverclyde | 4% | 21% | 35% | 10% | 30% | 30% | 20% | 15% | 26% | 0% | 5% | 5% | 10% | 30% | |
Midlothian | 10% | 40% | 63% | 87% | 63% | 63% | 81% | 75% | 69% | 22% | 41% | 65% | 67% | 67% | |
Moray | 96% | 65% | 58% | 47% | 62% | 49% | 37% | 40% | 56% | 27% | 62% | 76% | 93% | 95% | |
Na h-Eileanan Siar | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 5% | 96% | 100% | 0% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | |
North Ayrshire | 0% | No return | No return | No return | No return | No return | No return | No return | No return | No return | No return | No return | No return | No return | |
North Lanarkshire | 0% | 7% | 5% | 0% | 4% | No return | 9% | 10% | 11% | 15% | 29% | 50% | 82% | 64% | |
Orkney | 40% | 40% | 65% | 95% | 90% | 65% | 68% | 63% | 58% | 37% | 90% | 65% | 100% | 100% | |
Perth & Kinross | 91% | 61% | 40% | 37% | 34% | 62% | 52% | 51% | 61% | 26% | 67% | 87% | 90% | 99% | |
Renfrewshire | 6% | 8% | 22% | 29% | 20% | 22% | 20% | 22% | 29% | 10% | 59% | 72% | 84% | 86% | |
Scottish Borders | 54% | 54% | 43% | 8% | 27% | 29% | 31% | 31% | 8% | 2% | 25% | 41% | 100% | 100% | |
Shetland | 100% | 53% | 45% | 90% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 25% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | |
South Ayrshire | 79% | 55% | 73% | 76% | 83% | 76% | 81% | 83% | 88% | 44% | 34% | 41% | 59% | 58% | |
South Lanarkshire | 0% | 10% | 17% | 28% | 39% | 34% | 39% | 39% | 43% | 15% | 10% | 40% | 40% | 32% | |
Stirling | 17% | 18% | 5% | 43% | 65% | 68% | 50% | 72% | 66% | 26% | 58% | 74% | 87% | 100% | |
West Dunbartonshire | 9% | 12% | 9% | 21% | 44% | 41% | 49% | 56% | 59% | 13% | 38% | 28% | 31% | 38% | |
West Lothian | 21% | 0% | 15% | 15% | 15% | 15% | 17% | 11% | 26% | 9% | 9% | 22% | 30% | 37% | |
TOTALS | 32% | 32% | 35% | 37% | 40% | 38% | 42% | 42% | 47% | 20% | 37% | 50% | 60% | 60% | |
| | 2012-13 | 2013-14 | 2014-15 | 2015-16 | 2016-17 | 2017-18 | 2018-19 | 2019-20 | 2020-21 | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | 2023-24 |
Number of pupils trained across all levels of Bikeability Scotland | 25,974 | 30,800 | 32,105 | 33,082 | 36,711 | 36,314 | 43,700 | 16,327 | 41,046 | 52,604 | 60,228* | 54,039 |
- Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 October 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Angus Robertson on 19 November 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether the Creative Industries Leadership Group's "working group reports", which are referenced in the minutes of the meeting on 8 June 2022, will be published.
Answer
The Scottish Government committed to publishing a summary of discussions and action points from the working groups which can be found in the published minutes of the group on https://www.gov.scot/groups/creative-industries-leadership-group/ However, due to the interest from the member, the reports, and the Scottish Government response, will be published in full as soon as possible.
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 25 October 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 19 November 2024
To ask the Scottish Government how many new skilled workers the renewables industry estimates will be needed for renewable energy and grid upgrade projects.
Answer
The Scottish Government is aware of a number of reports that set out the potential opportunities for workers in the renewable energy and electricity grid sectors. For example Robert Gordon University research suggests that there could be between 7,000 and 33,000 offshore renewables sector jobs in the North East of Scotland by 2030 while SP Energy Networks suggest that there could be between 40,000 and 80,000 jobs in 2035 in Scotland in electricity networks and related infrastructure.
Independent analysis prepared by EY to better understand our energy requirements as we transition to net zero suggests that with the right support, there could be almost 80,000 low carbon energy production sector jobs in Scotland in 2050.
- Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 October 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 19 November 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-26654 by Jenny Gilruth on 10 May 2024, whether it has any plans to seek to amend section 42(4) of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 to alter the statutory walking distances of (a) two miles for children aged under eight and (b) three miles for children aged eight or over.
Answer
As part of their statutory responsibilities in relation to home to school transport local authorities are also required by the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 to have regard to the safety of pupils.
Where local authorities conclude a route used by pupils to walk to school is unsafe transport should be provided even though the distance falls short of their normal distance criteria. Existing guidance sets out that Ministers expect local authorities to keep their criteria for providing school transport under review and be flexible enough to take into account factors, relative to the nature of the route, which might affect pupil safety.
The Cabinet Secretary for Transport, the Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity and I have commissioned an update to the Scottish Government’s school transport guidance for local authorities to provide further clarity on our expectations in relation to safety.
The statutory minimum walking distances set out in legislation are a long-standing feature of our education system and there are no plans to change them. The Scottish Government published guidance for local authorities regarding home to school transport in 2021.
- Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 October 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Angus Robertson on 19 November 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what value it places on heritage industries like spinning and the wool sector.
Answer
The Scottish Government recognises the intrinsic value of traditional skills and practices within heritage industries, and their important role both in local communities and within our wider society.
- Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 October 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Angus Robertson on 19 November 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with New Lanark Mill regarding the reported proposals for it to close.
Answer
There was no formal consultation with Scottish Government or Historic Environment Scotland on the closure of the spinning mill, though Historic Environment Scotland had been aware of an ongoing review of the Trust’s various enterprises as part of its wider vision to create long term sustainability for the World Heritage Site.
The decision to close the New Lanark Spinning Mill is a decision for the owner of the site, New Lanark Trust, to make. New Lanark Trust has the responsibility for these difficult commercial decisions which it needs to consider within the context of the wider implications for the World Heritage Site to ensure its long-term sustainability.
- Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 November 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 19 November 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether there is evidence that vacancies advertised in maternity services align with the workforce plans of NHS boards for midwifery.
Answer
Whilst the Scottish Government sets the strategic policy direction for the NHS in Scotland, operational matters including staffing requirements are in the first instance the responsibility of the relevant NHS board. Recruitment is a matter for health boards who will take into account turnover, retention, absence rates and budgets when making recruitment decisions. This can mean that vacancies fluctuate across boards and by specialism. It is for health boards to ensure safe and effective staffing levels, and recruit to these to provide services.
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 November 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 19 November 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what impact its decision to introduce a means-tested Pension Age Winter Heating Payment will have on strategic objective 5 of its National Islands Plan: Implementation Route Map 2024 to reduce levels of fuel poverty.
Answer
The Scottish Government continues to call on the UK Government to overturn their decision to limit eligibility for Winter Fuel Payments.
The decision was taken without consultation and has forced us to review the way in which the Pension Age Winter Heating Payment (PAWHP) will be delivered.
Nonetheless, the PAWHP will make a significant contribution towards the heating expenses of low-income, pension-aged island households.
Since December 2022, we have also provided £3.4 million in support of island households through the Islands Cost Crisis Emergency Fund.
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 November 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 19 November 2024
To ask the Scottish Government how much funding has been allocated to date to "additional travel and subsistence support for island women to attend courses on the mainland", as set out in its National Islands Plan: Implementation Route Map 2024.
Answer
Since the establishment of the Practical Training Fund for Women in Agriculture, the Scottish Government has distributed approximately £600 in support of women and girls aged 13 and over who are living on islands and sought financial support for travel and accommodation costs to attend courses on the mainland.
