Questions and answers

Question reference: S5W-21270

Asked by: Johann Lamont, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 25 January 2019
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 7 February 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that the resources that it has committed to implementing the Carers (Scotland) Act 2016 are used to support carers directly and to prevent reductions to carer support services.

The 2018-19 budget includes an additional £66 million to support additional expenditure by local government on social care on a number of responsibilities, including for implementation of the Carers Act. This funding also recognises general social care pressures they and integration authorities are facing.

It is the responsibility of individual local authorities to manage their own budgets and to allocate their total financial resources available to them. Individual local authorities’ allocation of funding should be on the basis of local needs and priorities, having first fulfilled their statutory obligations (including under the Carers Act) and the jointly agreed set of national and local priorities.

The new ‘Carers Census’ is monitoring take-up of adult carer support plans, young carer statements and carer support under the Carers Act since it took effect last April.

Question reference: S5W-21267

Asked by: Johann Lamont, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 25 January 2019
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 7 February 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that it is delivering its funding promise to carers.

The 2018-19 budget includes an additional £66 million to support additional expenditure by local government on social care on a number of responsibilities, including for implementation of the Carers Act. This funding also recognises general social care pressures they and integration authorities are facing.

In 2019-20, we are increasing our package of investment in social care and integration to exceed £700 million. This includes £40m to support the continued implementation of the Carers (Scotland) Act 2016 and extending free personal care to under 65s, as set out in the Programme for Government.

We have agreed priority actions to support implementation of the Act with the Carers Act Implementation Steering Group - made up of local authorities, health boards, COSLA, third sector, and carer representatives. The ‘Carers (Scotland) Act 2016 Implementation Plan 2018-2020’ is published on the Scottish Government website at: https://www.gov.scot/publications/carers-scotland-act-2016-national-implementation-plan-2016-2019/

In terms of social security, we have delivered the Carer’s Allowance Supplement, which puts an extra £442 into eligible carers’ pockets in 2018-19, an increase of 13% and an investment of over £33 million in carers. This will be uprated by inflation in 2019-20, increasing investment to over £37 million. We will introduce a new Young Carer Grant of £300 annually for carers aged 16-17 (and 18 if still at school) this autumn. We will also introduce an additional payment for carers of more than one disabled child by the end of the parliamentary term.

Question reference: S5W-20941

Asked by: Johann Lamont, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 January 2019
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 31 January 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what meetings it has had with Glasgow City and Renfrewshire councils since January 2018 to discuss a rail link to Glasgow Airport.

Transport Scotland and Network Rail are continuing to work collaboratively with the Glasgow Airport Access Project team as they reconsider the evidence base and transport appraisal work to address comments raised in an independent audit of the Outline Business Case.

Since January 2018 Transport Scotland have attended a series of meetings in their role within the Glasgow Airport Access Project Stakeholder Group to discuss the scope of the business case review and the specific packages of work to address the comments made in the independent audit.

In the coming weeks I will Chair the next meeting of the Glasgow Airport Access Executive Steering Group which includes the Leaders of both Glasgow City and Renfrewshire Councils and representatives from Glasgow Airport.

Question reference: S5W-20940

Asked by: Johann Lamont, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 January 2019
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 31 January 2019

To ask the Scottish Government whether it supports a dedicated rail link to Glasgow Airport.

The Scottish Government remains committed to working with our City Region Deal partners to find solutions to improve surface access to Glasgow Airport. In doing so we must recognise, as stated on a number of occasions, there are significant challenges to the delivery of any rail link to Glasgow Airport.

Transport Scotland and Network Rail are continuing to work collaboratively with the Glasgow Airport Access Project team as they reconsider the evidence base and transport appraisal work to address comments raised in an independent audit of the Outline Business Case.

Question reference: S5W-20939

Asked by: Johann Lamont, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 January 2019
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 31 January 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, in the event that it is required, whether it will provide additional funding to Glasgow City and Renfrewshire councils to deliver a rail link to Glasgow Airport.

The Scottish Government has committed £500 million of funding to the Glasgow City Region Deal as part of its £1.13 Billion Infrastructure Fund. Therefore the Councils involved in the project are in the fortunate position of being able to fund a range of potential improvements that may facilitate improved access at Glasgow Airport as part of the City Region Deal. The allocation of funding within the Deal is for the Glasgow City Region Deal Cabinet to decide, subject to appropriate business case development and normal statutory process.

Question reference: S5W-20944

Asked by: Johann Lamont, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 January 2019
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 31 January 2019

To ask the Scottish Government which business organisations in Glasgow it has met to discuss a rail link to Glasgow Airport.

I met with Glasgow Chamber of Commerce on 3 October 2018 where a wide range of strategic transport planning and connectivity matters were discussed. Airport access was discussed briefly at a meeting I had with the Business Services Association on 11 November 2018. Mr Yousaf, in his role as Minister for Transport and the Islands, previously met with the Glasgow Chamber of Commerce and the Renfrewshire Chamber of Commerce where airport access was also discussed.

Question reference: S5W-20943

Asked by: Johann Lamont, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 January 2019
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 31 January 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what meetings ministers have had with officials from Glasgow Airport since January 2018 to discuss a rail link.

I met with Derek Provan CEO of AGS Airports Ltd in November 2018 and in the coming weeks I will Chair the next meeting of the Glasgow Airport Access Executive Steering Group which includes the Leaders of both Glasgow City and Renfrewshire Councils and representatives from Glasgow Airport. Glasgow Airport officials met with my predecessor My Yousaf in June 2018 and they were also represented at wider meetings with Ministers such as the meeting Mr Yousaf held with Renfrewshire Chamber of Commerce in March 2018.

Question reference: S5W-20945

Asked by: Johann Lamont, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 January 2019
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 31 January 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what meetings it has had with officials from the Glasgow City Deal Cabinet to discuss the delay over work on a rail link to Glasgow Airport.

Question reference: S5O-02843

Asked by: Johann Lamont, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 January 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 31 January 2019

To ask the Scottish Government when work will begin on the Glasgow Airport access project, and how it will ensure that it is delivered as outlined in the business case.

Question reference: S5W-20211

Asked by: Johann Lamont, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 November 2018
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 24 December 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, what its response is to reports that NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde refers a lower percentage of people require surgical procedures to the Golden Jubilee National Hospital for treatment.

Chamber and committees