Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-30594

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 24 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the possible introduction of a non-domestic rates public health supplement on retailers, as set out in the 2024-25 Budget, whether it (a) has assessed and (b) will assess the potential impact on support for new or renewal ballots for business improvement districts from those firms liable for the new levy.

The Scottish Government has not assessed the specific impact of a non-domestic rates public health supplement on support for new or renewal ballots for Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) and there are currently no plans to do so. However, the Scottish Government continues to engage with a broad range of stakeholders to understand the impact of Non-Domestic Rates policies and would welcome any contributions from Improvement Districts.

Question reference: S6W-30595

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 24 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it had with Scotland’s Improvement Districts regarding the possible introduction of a non-domestic rates public health supplement on retailers prior to the announcement in the 2024-25 Budget, and what discussions it has had since.

Question reference: S6O-03835

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 October 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on whether it will review any guidance in relation to the teaching of gender identity in schools, in light of the Cass report.

Question reference: S6O-03784

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 September 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will increase funding to enable more trees of commercial species to be planted in Scotland.

Question reference: S6O-03655

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 August 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the economy secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding support for any businesses impacted by the ban on wood burning stoves in new build homes.

Question reference: S6W-28689

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 July 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 8 August 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the current GP contract, which has required, as of March 2023, the transfer of vaccination services in rural areas from GPs to NHS boards, has been a success; what its position is on whether this policy has resulted in any potential increased risks of death in infants, and, if so, whether it plans to take any action to address any such risks.

The 2018 GP Contract was negotiated on a national basis with the BMA’s Scottish GP Committee which represents all Scottish GPs. The Contract is based on the transfer of some services to Health Board delivery to allow GP practices to focus on what only GPs can do. This means that GP practices are no longer the default providers of vaccinations.

The Scottish Government agreed a process with the GP committee to allow the continued delivery of vaccines, and other services intended for transfer, by GP practices where, due to remoteness and rurality, Health Board delivery would be difficult.

The seven key principles of service design are that any redesigned services should be:

? safe for patients and staff;

? person-centred;

? equitable;

? outcome focussed;

? effective;

? sustainable; and

? affordable

The vast majority of vaccinations are now delivered by Health Board employed staff with a consequent release of capacity for GP practices.

If vaccination rates drop in any Health Board area, the Scottish Government would expect that board to examine its vaccination arrangements and make any necessary adjustments, including the full use of the flexibilities provided under the GP contract, to ensure a proper level of vaccination. This is a continuation of the expectation the Scottish Government would have had of Health Boards when delivery was mostly in the hands of GP contractors; Health Boards were still responsible for ensuring that a proper level of vaccination was met.

The decline in childhood uptake we are seeing nationally is of course a cause for concern. On 16 July, Public Health Scotland published a report on ‘Understanding and addressing declines in childhood immunisations’. This research provides valuable insights into various aspects of childhood immunisation delivery in Scotland.

The Scottish Vaccination and Immunisation Programme are working together to take forward the recommendations in the report. This will ensure that the learning and good practice highlighted in this report is put into action to improve uptake, and ensuring that the delivery of immunisations across all childhood programmes is equitable and accessible.

Question reference: S6W-28537

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 15 July 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 7 August 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the advanced works for the dualling of the A9 between Tomatin and Moy; whether it will specify what upgraded active travel works have been undertaken, what the total cost was for this work, what consultation it undertook, whether this work has been completed, and, if this is not the case, when it anticipates that this work will be completed.

It is important to recognise that the dualling of the A9 between Tomatin and Moy and indeed, the whole A9 dualling programme seeks to enhance journey reliability and safety for all road users, including pedestrians, cyclists, and bus and coach passengers, as well as vehicle drivers and passengers. The design of each project builds in these elements, for example, the provision of new bus stops is integral to the contract for the Tomatin to Moy section.

The advance works listed in the response to S6W-28536 on 7 August 2024 include the following elements of work that will make improvements for pedestrians, cyclists, and bus and coach passengers.

? Tomatin Distillery Access and Local Road Improvements Project:

This advance works contract provided new facilities for pedestrians, cyclists, and bus and coach passengers to facilitate more reliable and safer travel in the area. This included footpaths, a new footbridge which replaced an existing footbridge over All na Frithe watercourse, and new bus stops and bus shelters. Public lighting was also provided along the new footpaths. These enhancements were completed in autumn 2022.

? Lynebeg Railway Underbridge:

This advance works contract included the provision of a new bus lay-by and bus shelter, and associated sections of new footpath, to provide better facilities for pedestrians and bus and coach passengers. This enhancement was completed in Spring 2022.

The cost information available does not enable a breakdown of costs to be provided for each of these measures included in these advance works contracts.

These works have been delivered early as part of the advanced works contracts for the A9 Dualling: Tomatin to Moy project, which was the subject of statutory consultation following publication of draft Orders and the Environmental Statement on 18 May 2018. Prior to that date, consultations on developing proposals were undertaken with a number of individuals and organisations and those findings helped to inform the nature of and design of the measures set out above that have been undertaken to improve reliability and safety for pedestrians, cyclists and bus and coach passengers who travel on this section of the A9.

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 .

Question reference: S6W-28536

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 15 July 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 7 August 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the advanced works for the dualling of the A9 between Tomatin and Moy, whether it will provide a detailed breakdown of the (a) total cost and (b) cost of any (i) preparatory work and (ii) consultancy fees for the creation of an ecological pond to accommodate a fly species.

Advance works to a cost of £22.6 million have been undertaken for the A9 Dualling: Tomatin to Moy project, to de-risk the main construction works contract.

This cost is broken down as follows:

A9 Dualling: Tomatin to Moy Advance Works	Final Cost
Archaeological Investigation	£0.6m
Tomatin Distillery Advance Worksand Local Road Improvements Project	£1.5m
Ground Investigation Works 2016-2022	£9.5m
Network Rail Lynebeg Underbridge Advance Works	£10.5m
Intelligent Transport System Advance Works (Variable Message Signs and CCTV)	£0.5m
Total	£22.6m

The figures above are exclusive of land acquisition costs and design fees.

The Lynbeg Railway Underbridge advance works contract included construction of a new ecological pond to support local ecology, including a nationally rare sub-species of the Caddisfly, which is encountered at only nine locations in the UK, including Lynebeg. The new ecological pond was constructed to meet the commitments set out in the Environmental Statement for the Tomatin to Moy project, specifically Mitigation Items P12 to W32 and P12 to E31, found on pages 21 to 42 and 21 to 50 of the Environmental Statement respectively. The new pond was constructed during the Lynebeg Railway Underbridge advance works contract to de-risk the programme impact on the main works contract.

The cost information available does not enable a breakdown of costs to be provided in the exact form requested.

Question reference: S6W-28531

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 15 July 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 7 August 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what the sum was of the tender by the sole bidder for the contract for the dualling of the A9 Tomatin to Moy under the original tender process, in light of the recent award of the re-tendered contract for £184.7 million.

Following the conclusion of the procurement process and contract award for the A9 Dualling Tomatin to Moy project, I recently wrote to the Net Zero Energy and Transport Committee to disclose this information which I am aware is of great interest. An extract of this letter containing this information is provided below:

'Having considered carefully our obligations around confidentiality and transparency, and following consultation with the contractor involved, I can advise that the contract value for the single bid received in October 2022 in relation to the previous procurement for the A9 Dualling: Tomatin to Moy project was £169,986,287.00 at October 2022 prices.

At the time of receipt of this tender, which was the first procurement of a major roads project undertaken by Transport Scotland following the occurrence of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Scottish Ministers were unable to conclude that the tender submission represented best value for the taxpayer. As only a single tender was received on that procurement, no direct market comparator cost was available at that time. The cost of the tender received was significantly higher than both the original £115 million cost estimate for this project, even after allowing for significant inflationary effects, and a cost comparator bid of £136,945,150 compiled by Transport Scotland’s technical advisors.

I am delighted that the recent procurement process has led to a successful contract award and I am pleased to see progress with the delivery of the dualling. I am strongly of the view that the conclusion reached in respect of the previous procurement was appropriate based on the information available at that time. It is imperative that the Government ensures appropriate use of public funds and as best value for the taxpayer could not be demonstrated as outlined above, it was clearly not appropriate for the Government to proceed with a contract award at that time.'

Question reference: S6W-28532

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 15 July 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 7 August 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether the original tender for the A9 Tomatin to Moy dualling contract was rejected on the grounds of excessive cost.

Following careful consideration of the single tender received in 2022, the price of which was significantly higher than expected, Ministers concluded that award of the contract at that time would not represent best value for the taxpayer. Further background on this decision is set out in my response to S6W-28531 on 7 August 2024.

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 .

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