- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 August 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Kevin Stewart on 14 September 2017
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-10734 by Kevin Stewart on 28 August 2017, what discussions it has had with NHS Scotland to explore how the evidence and information referred to may impact NHS health strategies.
Answer
Fuel poverty is significant to the work of NHS Scotland as it is both a health and health inequalities issue.
The Scottish Fuel Poverty Forum includes two representatives from NHS Scotland. One representing the Scottish Directors of Public Health and, the other representing the Health and Work Directorate, with a focus on health and work, low income and welfare benefits.
Membership of the Scottish Fuel Poverty Forum brings the opportunity for NHS Scotland to further develop the role and contribution of the NHS to tackling fuel poverty. Membership of the Forum also allows these members to provide a health-related perspective to future fuel poverty strategy development to ensure that we deliver better health outcomes to those who are in, or at risk of being in fuel poverty.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 September 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 14 September 2017
To ask the Scottish Government when it last met Orkney Islands Council.
Answer
Scottish Government Ministers and officials regularly meet representatives of all Scottish local authorities to discuss a wide range of issues as part of our commitment to work in partnership with local government to improve outcomes for the people of Scotland. I most recently met with the Leader and Chief Executive of the Council in Orkney on 23 August, when we discussed ferry services and other issues. Indeed Mr McArthur will recall that he and I also met during that visit.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 25 August 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Fergus Ewing on 12 September 2017
To ask the Scottish Government whether it is committed to adopting an "out to in" approach to the delivery of its R100 project to provide high-speed broadband to every premises in Scotland by 2021.
Answer
The Scottish Government has set out a commitment to extend superfast broadband access to every premise in Scotland by 2021, which will primarily benefit consumers in rural areas. Our overall delivery approach is currently being finalised, and we will set out our plans in more detail in the coming weeks.
We expect that initial phases are likely to focus on more rural premises, rather than urban areas where we believe that commercial investment should play a more prominent role. We are also seeking to take account of emerging UK Government plans around a Universal Service Obligation, including the possibility of a voluntary deal between the UK Government and BT.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 August 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 8 September 2017
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4T-01155 by Fergus Ewing on 10 November 2015, whether the Saltire Prize Challenge committee has concluded its consideration of changes to the prize and, if so, what the outcome was.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to questions S5W-10805 and S5W-10806 on 8 September 2017. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 August 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 8 September 2017
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4T-01155 by Fergus Ewing on 10 November 2015, what discussions it has had since with the Saltire Prize Challenge committee.
Answer
Scottish Government officials have had three conference call meetings and a series of email exchanges with members of the Saltire Prize Challenge Committee - the independent panel that oversees the Saltire Prize - since 10 November 2015. Conference call meetings took place on 20 April 2016, 10 November 2016 and 27 January 2017.
The findings of an informal review carried out by Scottish Renewables and revised prize options were shared with the committee in April 2016. However, at the most recent meeting in January 2017, committee members asked for an up-to-date analysis of the marine energy industry to inform their deliberations. Following a competitive tender process, renewable energy consultants Aquatera and Caelulum Limited were appointed in April 2017 to produce a report on the current state of the industry. We expect to have a final report to share with the committee in early September 2017.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 August 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 8 September 2017
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4T-01155 by Fergus Ewing on 10 November 2015, whether it will provide an update on the awarding of the Saltire Prize for marine renewables.
Answer
The Saltire Prize is being redesigned to better reflect the circumstances of the wave and tidal sectors.
The Saltire Prize Challenge Committee - the independent panel that oversees the Saltire Prize - has asked for an up-to-date analysis of the marine energy industry to inform its deliberations on the redesign of the prize. We expect to be able to share this analysis with the committee in early September 2017.
I also refer the member to the answer to question S5W-10805 on 8 September 2017. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 August 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 7 September 2017
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to raise awareness of the policy guidance that was issued by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service on 4 December 2014 regarding communications sent via social media.
Answer
It is a matter for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service to consider what steps, if any, should be taken to raise public awareness of the content of guidance for prosecutors which it publishes.
However, the Scottish Government recognises the importance of ensuring that the public are aware of changes to the criminal law, including offences committed mainly in an on-line environment. That is why, for example, the Scottish Government recently undertook a publicity campaign to make the general public aware of the new law criminalising the non-consensual sharing of intimate images.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 21 July 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 7 September 2017
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact that ending the franchise agreement between Loganair and Flybe will have on air service connections to and from the Highlands and Islands.
Answer
We are aware of the issue and I have spoken to both the Managing Director of Loganair and the Chief Executive of Flybe. We will continue to monitor the situation as it develops.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 August 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 7 September 2017
To ask the Scottish Government what action it takes to promote the principle that crimes committed online should be taken as seriously as those committed in person.
Answer
The Scottish Government works closely with Police Scotland and a range of other stakeholders in relation to cybercrime and cyber resilience.
The Policing 2026 Strategy developed by Police Scotland and the Scottish Police Authority recognises the emerging threat from online crime and one of the main priorities is to strengthen Police Scotland’s cyber capability and capacity. Police Scotland is also investing significant funds in developing its cybercrime infrastructure through the development of a network hubs to ensure that knowledge and skills are maintained to a high level.
The Scottish Government is committed to protecting the police resource budget in real terms in every year of this Parliament – a boost of £100m by 2021. We committed a further £61 million in police reform in 2017-18 to help support Police Scotland to deliver a police service capable of meeting the changing demands of crime and society over the next 10 years.
Scotland’s public sector bodies take cyber security seriously and already implement a wide range of measures to ensure basic security standards are met. The Scottish Government launched the cyber-resilience strategy, Safe, Secure and Prosperous: A Cyber Resilience Strategy for Scotland, in November 2015. The strategy is being taken forward with key partners through the recently established National Cyber Resilience Leaders Board. We have committed to accelerating the development of a public sector action plan to help promote a common approach to cyber resilience across Scotland’s public bodies.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 August 2017
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 6 September 2017
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the reported comments by the chairman of the British Transport Police (BTP) Federation in The Scotsman that it is "in the dark" regarding plans to integrate the BTP into Police Scotland, when it will next meet the BTP Federation to discuss this, and whether it will publish any (a) correspondence and (b) minutes of meetings it has had with the BTP Federation on this issue.
Answer
Scottish Ministers and officials have met BTP Federation representatives on a number of occasions to discuss our plans and further engagement is planned.
During the passage of the Railway Policing (Scotland) Act 2017 we published a series of letters between the Scottish Government, the BTPF and other organisations in respect of the integration of British Transport Police into Police Scotland these can be found on the following links http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/CurrentCommittees/102680.aspx
http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Justice/policies/police-fire-rescue/police-scotland/BTP/BTPFLetter