- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 April 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom Arthur on 6 May 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to any impact that a saturation of onshore windfarms can have on rural communities and their long-term viability.
Answer
The Scottish Government’s draft National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) set out how our approach to planning and development can achieve a net zero, sustainable Scotland by 2045. The draft NPF4 included green energy policy 19 which would support renewable energy development other than in National Parks and National Scenic Areas, subject to an assessment of their impacts on a case by case basis. Criteria for assessing proposals were also set out, including impacts on communities and individual dwellings.
The Parliamentary scrutiny period and public consultation on Draft National Planning Framework 4 has now concluded. Responses received are now being analysed and will inform the finalised NPF4, which will be submitted for Parliament’s approval, prior to adoption by Scottish Ministers.
- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 April 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom Arthur on 6 May 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will review planning gains for onshore windfarm developments, in order to allow rural communities to offset any negative impact that a saturation of windfarms may have on them.
Answer
Draft National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) set out a spatial strategy based on how our approach to planning and development can help to achieve a net zero, sustainable Scotland by 2045. This included a new policy on community wealth building, supporting a more people-centred approach to economic development. This draft policy proposed that individual proposals in national and major categories of development should contribute to community wealth building objectives.
The Scottish Government also encourages renewable energy businesses and communities to utilise its Good Practice Principles for Community Benefits from Onshore Renewable Energy Developments (and Shared Ownership of Onshore Renewable Energy Developments) (May 2019) which sets out national standards for implementing community benefits.
The Parliamentary scrutiny period and public consultation on Draft NPF4 has now concluded. Responses received are now being analysed and will inform the finalised NPF4, which will be submitted for Parliament’s approval, prior to adoption by Scottish Ministers.
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 14 April 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom Arthur on 6 May 2022
To ask the Scottish Government how the effectiveness of the Third National Planning Framework (NPF3) was monitored and evaluated and whether this was done against the outcomes set out in the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997.
Answer
In 2019 we published our National Planning Framework 3 (NPF3) Monitoring Report which reflected on progress across the 30 key actions and 14 national developments. NPF3 was published in 2014 so was not monitored against the 6 outcomes which were introduced by the Planning (Scotland) Act 2019.
We will work with key stakeholders to ensure monitoring for NPF4 is proportionate and effective.
- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 April 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom Arthur on 6 May 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider a moratorium on onshore windfarm developments until National Planning Framework 4 is published later in 2022.
Answer
The Scottish Government has no plans to introduce a moratorium on windfarm development.
To achieve a net zero, nature-positive Scotland, our planning system must be rebalanced so that climate change and nature recovery are the primary guiding principles for all our plans and all our decisions. Draft National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) set out new Universal Policies that should apply to all planning decisions to help us tackle the climate and nature crises and ensure Scotland adapts to thrive within the planet’s sustainable limits. It also included green energy policies which support renewable energy development other than in National Parks and National Scenic Areas, subject to an assessment of their impacts on a case by case basis.
The Parliamentary scrutiny period and public consultation on Draft National Planning Framework 4 has now concluded. Responses received are now being analysed and will inform the finalised NPF4, which will be submitted for Parliament’s approval, prior to adoption by Scottish Ministers.
- Asked by: Meghan Gallacher, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 04 April 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 5 May 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on how self-declaration, in the context of the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill, may affect sex discrimination cases.
Answer
Sex discrimination cases will continue to be dealt with under the Equality Act 2010. The provisions of the 2010 Act are not modified by the proposals in the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill. The Bill also does not change the legal effects of a Gender Recognition Certificate as they are currently set out in the Gender Recognition Act 2004.
- Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 21 April 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 5 May 2022
To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that the standards set out in NHS service specifications for rare and complex diseases, such as cystic fibrosis, are adhered to, and to what extent these service specifications represent a statutory expectation of the minimum level of care that patients should expect to receive.
Answer
The National Services Division (NSD) of NHS National Services Scotland commission a number of highly specialised services in Scotland for patients who require investigation, treatment and ongoing follow up care for rare and complex conditions such as Cystic Fibrosis. Each designated service is subject to strict governance and performance reviews to ensure they maintain the highest possible standards of person-centred care across Scotland.
More information about specialist services is available on the NSD website: About specialist services | National Services Scotland (nhs.scot)
Where a formal review has been undertaken, a report of the review findings and recommendations is presented to both the National Patient, Professional and Public Reference Group (NPPPRG) and National Specialist Services Committee (NSSC) for scrutiny.
We have set out the wider policy within which NHS Scotland is expected to deliver services, and expect all NHS Boards to provide high quality care that is safe, effective and person-centred. Where there are specific issues that prevent them from doing so, robust processes are in place for NSD to provide support as required.
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 April 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 5 May 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what the cost has been of housing individuals and families in temporary accommodation in each local authority area in each year since 1999.
Answer
The Scottish Government does not collect data on the cost to local authorities for housing homeless households in temporary accommodation. This information would need to be requested from each local authority directly.
Funding for local authorities is provided by way of a block grant. It is the responsibility of each local authority to manage their own budget and to allocate the total financial resources available to them on the basis of local needs and priorities, including any funding to combat homelessness, having first fulfilled their statutory obligations and the jointly agreed set of national and local priorities.
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 21 April 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Kate Forbes on 5 May 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether its officials were formally directed by any of its ministers to undertake the arrangements necessary for the contract for the production of Hulls 801 and 802 following the advice from officials on the advisability of proceeding with the arrangements for the award of this contract.
Answer
Ministers did not direct officials or CMAL to enter into the contract; nor did officials or CMAL seek such a direction or “written authority” from Ministers. Transport Scotland and CMAL ensured that Ministers were informed of, and accepting of, the risks associated with this contract following which Ministers provided some additional assurances sought by CMAL. These exchanges have been set out in the public record since 2019.
The Auditor General confirmed last week that Audit Scotland was “clear in our judgment that there was no formal written authority”.
- Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 21 April 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 5 May 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what support has been given to GP practices in the transition away from strict COVID-19 regulations to ensure that patients are not adversely affected by any problems associated with understaffing, overcrowding and a lack of in-person appointments.
Answer
We published our NHS Recovery Plan last August and continue to work with Public Health Scotland on updating guidance for Primary Care settings, covering key issues such as the removal of mandatory physical distancing requirements, access for patients and infection prevention and control.
We increased the Primary Care Improvement Fund to recruit multi-disciplinary teams from £110m in 2020-21 to £155 million in 2021-22, and this will increase again to £170m in 2022-23.
- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 May 2022
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 11 May 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what impact the boycott announced by the Scottish Solicitors Bar Association will have on the number of outstanding trials in Scotland.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 11 May 2022
