- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 30 August 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 24 September 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the findings of the Ironside Farrar report, which was prepared on behalf of Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and Crown Estate Scotland, Port Enhancements for Offshore Wind: Assessment of Current and Future Marshalling & Assembly Capacity in Scottish Ports, and whether it plans to take any action as a result of the report's findings.
Answer
The offshore wind sector has a vital role to play in decarbonising our energy system and ensuring we become a net-zero economy by 2045. With a pipeline of new projects set to be provided by the first cycle of ScotWind leasing, the Scottish Government committed to setting out a Strategic Investment Assessment (SIA) for Offshore Wind within our first 100 Days of Government and this was published on 20 August. The findings contained within the report by Ironside Farrar were essential in assessing current and future marshalling and assembly capacity in Scotland’s ports and form a key element of the SIA findings and recommendations. Both the SIA and the Ironside Farrar report set out a clear path of the steps we must take to seize the economic opportunity offshore wind supply chain presents for Scotland. The Scottish Offshore Wind Energy Council (SOWEC) co-chaired by Ivan McKee, Minister for Business, Trade, Tourism and Enterprise and Brian McFarlane of SSE, will be responsible for taking forward delivery of the recommendations and actions from the SIA which includes the findings from the Ironside Farrar report.
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 26 August 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Graeme Dey on 24 September 2021
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-01360 by Graeme Dey on 16 August 2021, when it expects (a) its and (b) each of its agencies' vehicle fleets to be fully comprised of zero-emission vehicles.
Answer
The Scottish Government and all associated agencies, are currently working towards the targets set out in the 2019-20 Programme for Government, where we outlined our commitment to phase out the need for all petrol or diesel cars in the public sector fleet by 2025 and for all other new petrol and diesel vehicles by 2030.
- Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 09 September 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Graeme Dey on 24 September 2021
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the financial outturn report of December 2020, how (a) revenue and (b) capital underspends in the Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity portfolio have been allocated, and what underspend remains unallocated.
Answer
The Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity portfolio underspend reported in the portfolio outturn statement in the Scottish Government Consolidated Accounts for the year ended 31st March 2020 of £232 million forms part of the overall Scottish Government outturn, with underspends carried forward in the Scotland Reserve to support the delivery of the Government’s outcomes, meaning there is no loss of spending power to Scotland. Overall changes to the Scottish Budget are set out in full at budget revisions.
- Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 09 September 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Graeme Dey on 24 September 2021
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the financial outturn report of December 2020, how (a) revenue and (b) capital underspends in the Transport Scotland budget have been allocated, and what underspend remains unallocated.
Answer
The Transport Scotland budget underspends form part of the Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity portfolio underspend reported in the portfolio outturn statement in the Scottish Government Consolidated Accounts for the year ended 31st March 2020 of £232 million, which in turn forms part of the overall Scottish Government outturn, with underspends carried forward in the Scotland Reserve to support the delivery of the Government’s outcomes, meaning there is no loss of spending power to Scotland and no underspend remains unallocated. Overall changes to the Scottish Budget are set out in full at budget revisions.
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 26 August 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Graeme Dey on 24 September 2021
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-01360 by Graeme Dey on 16 August 2021, what the reasons are for 13% of its vehicle fleet, which includes Transport Scotland’s fleet, being comprised of zero-emission vehicles, and what its position is on whether this percentage should be higher.
Answer
The Scottish Government’s policy is to replace vehicles when they reach the end of their operational life cycle, with fully electric replacements, wherever possible.
During the last 3 years we have procured 63 Ultra Low Emitting vehicles (ULEV’s). 40% of the purchases were zero-emission electric vehicles.
This replacement strategy allows us to increase the number of electric vehicles on the fleet, year on year, implementing the targets set out in the 2019-20 Programme for Government, where we outlined our commitment to phase out the need for all petrol or diesel cars in the public sector fleet by 2025 and for all other new petrol and diesel vehicles by 2030.
- Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 09 September 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Clare Haughey on 24 September 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to ensuring that (a) people with lived experience and (b) frontline service providers are able to contribute to the development of a national transitions strategy.
Answer
The Scottish Government is committed to improving the lived experiences of young people who require additional support and listening to what matters to them. I refer to the response provided in S6W-02859 on 24 September 2021.
We will continue to seek input and advice from the Disabled Children and Young People’s Advisory Group (DCYPAG), our long standing practitioner forum.
The Scottish Government also commissioned the Association for Real Change (ARC) Scotland to deliver the Principles into Practice Trial Programme, using good practice principles for transition, in 10 local authority areas. Principles into Practice sets out practical steps to be taken locally to coordinate planning and practice to improve the transition to young adult life.
The learning from early adopters of this work will be used to inform the development of a National Transitions Strategy alongside direct engagement with children, young people, their parents and carers, to fully explore the gaps in provision and support as they see them.
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: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 09 September 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Kate Forbes on 24 September 2021
To ask the Scottish Government which additional projects will be funded from the £254 million to support transport, housing and digital initiatives announced in 2016 as part of the Aberdeen City Region Deal.
Answer
In 2016 the Scottish Government committed to invest up to £125 million in the Aberdeen City Region Deal, matched by the UK Government. Alongside the Deal, the Scottish Government announced an additional £254 million of investment in the North East’s Infrastructure.
This includes £200 million to help improve journey times and increase capacity on key rail links between Aberdeen and the Central Belt, and £24m for a new grade separated junction at the Laurencekirk A90/A937 south junction. The rail improvement project is on course to conclude option selection by early next year and we expect to complete the project by the end of 2026. We also continue to push forward with the statutory authorisation stage for the A90/A937 Laurencekirk Junction Improvement scheme. Delivery of the scheme itself can only commence if it is approved under the relevant statutory procedures, at which point a timetable for the construction phase can be set.
In addition, up to £10 million was committed to help extend digital infrastructure across the City Deal region and the City Network Extension project, which is delivering full fibre connectivity to a number of public sector sites across the city of Aberdeen, is expected to complete later this year while the Full Fibre Project in Aberdeenshire is expected to complete next year.
To date no eligible housing infrastructure projects have been submitted as part of the £20m indicative allocation referred to in the 2016 agreement.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 09 September 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi McAllan on 23 September 2021
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the target to create 4,000ha of native woodland annually set out in its Programme for Government, whether this is an increase to the current target set out in the Biodiversity Strategy of between 3,000ha and 5,000ha.
Answer
In the Programme for Government 2021 - 2022 we have updated the target from a minimum of 3,000 hectares per year of new native woodland creation, to a minimum of 4,000 hectares. That is an increase.
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 September 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi McAllan on 23 September 2021
To ask the Scottish Government whether the Cleaner Air for Scotland 2 (CAFS 2) Ministerial Group will have oversight of transport policies that are not mentioned in the CAFS 2 strategy but which could deliver air quality benefits.
Answer
The purpose of the Ministerial Group will be to oversee at a strategic level implementation of the actions set out in Cleaner Air for Scotland 2(CAFS 2) and the accompanying delivery plan. The transport section of CAFS 2 sets out current Scottish Government transport policy as it relates to air quality.
- Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 09 September 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Angus Robertson on 23 September 2021
To ask the Scottish Government on what date ministers decided to restart work on holding a new independence referendum.
Answer
The Programme for Government , published and debated in the Scottish Parliament on 7 September, set out that “The Scottish Government will work to ensure that a legitimate and constitutional referendum can be held within this Parliament, and if the Covid crisis is over, within the first half of this Parliament.”