Questions and answers

Question reference: S4W-28758

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 December 2015
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 10 December 2015

To ask the Scottish Government how many times the helipad at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital Glasgow has been closed and for what reasons.

Question reference: S4W-28794

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 December 2015
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 10 December 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what the role is of (a) The Democratic Society and (b) Alliance-Scotland in the Healthier Scotland National Conversation.

The Democratic Society has had no role in the Healthier Scotland Conversation.

The Health and Social Care Alliance are one of several partners working with us to support the national conversation through facilitated engagement events across the country. They have worked with local Third Sector Interfaces to support 32 public Conversation Café events across Scotland. The alliance are also working with us, NHS Health Scotland and the University of Strathclyde to ensure that the conversation is as wide reaching as possible, working with groups who may not otherwise contribute and who may require additional facilitation support.

Question reference: S4O-05192

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 December 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 December 2015

To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers that it will end fuel poverty by November 2016.

Question reference: S4W-28761

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 December 2015
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 9 December 2015

To ask the Scottish Government when the consultation on the Independent Living Fund Scotland closed.

Question reference: S4W-28763

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 December 2015
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 9 December 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what criteria apply to the allocation of the Independent Living Fund Scotland.

Question reference: S4W-28766

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 December 2015
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 9 December 2015

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has decided who should operate the Independent Living Fund Scotland.

Question reference: S4W-28787

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 December 2015
Current Status: Answered by Aileen McLeod on 9 December 2015

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish its response to the Scottish Natural Heritage report, Beavers in Scotland.

Question reference: S4W-28674

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 November 2015
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 8 December 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what financial support it has provided for the restoration and preservation of Dumbarton Castle in each of the last seven years.

Dumbarton Castle is a property in the care of the Scottish Ministers (PiC). The conservation, operation and management of the PiCs is now delegated to Historic Environment Scotland following its assumption of the functions of Historic Scotland and The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland on 1 October 2015.

The Chief Executive of Historic Environment Scotland has informed me that total financial support for restoration and preservation of Dumbarton Castle in each of the last seven years is as follows:

2008-09	£101,225
2009-10	£135,153
2010-11	£192,636
2011-12	£233,680
2012-13	£201,980
2013-14	£257,797
2014-15	£360,518
Total	£1,482,989

The financial support is split between the annual direct running costs of the dedicated masonry conservation unit based at Dumbarton; the annual on-going conservation and maintenance costs; and project costs for specific elements of work within the castle. This includes external masonry repairs to the Guardhouse; roof repairs to the Governor’s House; structural stabilisation of the French prison; consolidation of the west face of the King George Battery; rock scaling works; and handrail and drainage improvements.

Question reference: S4W-28676

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 November 2015
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 8 December 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what future investment it has planned for Dumbarton Castle.

Scottish Ministers have responsibility for the management and conservation of a number of historic properties, including Dumbarton Castle. The functions relating to the care, conservation and management of the properties in care and collections associated with them have been delegated to Historic Environment Scotland (HES) under Sections 3 and 8 of the Historic Environment Scotland Act 2014 in two schemes of delegation.

To support the implementation of the schemes, HES will develop and publish a range of principles, policies and standards that will govern what they do. HES have developed a condition monitoring system for the properties in care and established a baseline condition report, which is available on its website. These will inform plans for strategic investment across the properties in care through the asset management plan, which is being developed and is due to be published in 2016.

The Chief Executive of HES has informed me that plans to invest in Dumbarton Castle over the next five years are being developed. All spending is subject to a variety of factors including income generated by tourism and the outcome of the spending review, which will be published on 16 December 2015.

Question reference: S4W-28675

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 November 2015
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 8 December 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what progress is being made with the repairs to Dumbarton Castle and when it expects the scaffolding to be removed.

Dumbarton Castle is a property in the care of the Scottish Ministers (PiC). The conservation, operation and management of the PiCs is now delegated to Historic Environment Scotland following its assumption of the functions of Historic Scotland and The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland on 1 October 2015.

The Chief Executive of Historic Environment Scotland has informed me that good progress is being made with the current works to conserve the exterior of the Governor’s House and masonry works to the external elevations are on programme.

The scaffold will be removed in sections as the works are completed. It is estimated that this will be between December 2015 and December 2016.

Chamber and committees