Questions and answers

Question reference: S6O-03199

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 March 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to bring empty properties back into use for housing.

Question reference: S6W-25630

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 February 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 6 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many local authority wards have a population of over 15,500 residents, broken down by (a) local authority and (b) population.

I have asked Janet Egdell, Chief Executive of National Records of Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows:

Of the 355 wards in Scotland, 162 had a population over 15,500 as at 30 June 2021. The following table shows the number of electoral wards with a population over 15,500, by local authority.

Number of electoral wards with a population over 15,500, by local authority, as at 30 June 2021

Local authority	Number of wards with over 15,500 residents	Number of wards with up to 15,500 residents	Total number of wards
Scotland	162	193	355
Aberdeen City	11	2	13
Aberdeenshire	6	13	19
Angus	4	4	8
Argyll and Bute	0	11	11
City of Edinburgh	17	0	17
Clackmannanshire	0	5	5
Dumfries and Galloway	0	12	12
Dundee City	8	0	8
East Ayrshire	2	7	9
East Dunbartonshire	3	4	7
East Lothian	5	1	6
East Renfrewshire	5	0	5
Falkirk	8	1	9
Fife	15	7	22
Glasgow City	23	0	23
Highland	1	20	21
Inverclyde	0	7	7
Midlothian	3	3	6
Moray	1	7	8
Na h-Eileanan Siar	0	11	11
North Ayrshire	4	5	9
North Lanarkshire	12	9	21
Orkney Islands	0	6	6
Perth and Kinross	3	9	12
Renfrewshire	6	6	12
Scottish Borders	0	11	11
Shetland Islands	0	7	7
South Ayrshire	2	6	8
South Lanarkshire	10	10	20
Stirling	2	5	7
West Dunbartonshire	2	4	6
West Lothian	9	0	9

Source: Electoral Ward Population Estimates, published by National Records of Scotland.

The population of each ward is published in ‘Electoral Ward Population Estimates’,

on the National Records of Scotland website: https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/statistics-and-data/statistics/statistics-by-theme/population/population-estimates/2011-based-special-area-population-estimates/electoral-ward-population-estimates

Question reference: S6W-25730

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 23 February 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 5 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking now to plan and prepare for maintaining hepatitis C elimination once it has been achieved, in light of the acknowledgement in its recent Sexual Health and Blood Borne Virus Action Plan of the importance of working to maintain elimination once it has been achieved.

Public Health Scotland is responsible for ongoing surveillance of hepatitis C and will monitor achievement and maintenance of the elimination target in Scotland. This intelligence, combined with expert advice such as through the Scottish Health Protection Network’s Viral Hepatitis Group, will be used to inform an effective, flexible and evidence-based approach to maintaining elimination. It should also be noted that some of the key interventions for hepatitis C elimination, such as such as injecting equipment provision, will continue to be important for preventing other blood borne viruses and health outcomes.

Question reference: S6W-25592

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 16 February 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 4 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many car thefts have been recorded in the past three years, and, of those, how many involved (a) a perpetrator breaking into the home to take keys and (b) the use of so-called cloning equipment to steal the car without the keys.

The Scottish Government does not hold information specifically on the number of car thefts. Information on the number of thefts of a motor vehicle is provided below, but it is not possible to break that down by type of motor vehicle.

In terms of a perpetrator breaking into a home to take keys, it should be noted that this is recorded as a crime of housebreaking and not as a theft of a motor vehicle. The data held by the Scottish Government does not include information on what was stolen during any recorded crime of housebreaking.

The Scottish Government does not hold information on the use of so-called cloning equipment to steal a car without the keys.

Crimes of theft of a motor vehicle, Scotland, year ending December 2021 to year ending December 2023

	Year ending December 2021	Year ending December 2022	Year ending December 2023
Theft of a motor vehicle	4,240	4,975	5,438

Source: Recorded Crime in Scotland Accredited Official Statistics, year ending December 2023

Question reference: S6W-25629

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 February 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 4 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to expand the Rapid Cancer Diagnostic Service to cover all of Scotland.

As reflected in Scotland’s Cancer Strategy for Scotland, published June 2023, we are committed to “expanding and evaluating Rapid Cancer Diagnostic Services to ensure population-based coverage”.

The University of Strathclyde published a final evaluation report on 29 February 2024 reflecting on the first two years of RCDSs operating in NHS Scotland. This work was commissioned to inform roll-out, including optimal components and highlighting its success. Following its release, we’ll work with Boards across Scotland to consider the findings and ensure learning is embedded.

Question reference: S6W-25631

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 February 2024
Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don on 4 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what work it has undertaken to provide resources to GP link workers to refer patients requesting support for forced adoption to peer support groups.

The Scottish Government has funded Health in Mind to deliver a historic forced adoption peer support service and implement a comprehensive communication strategy to help raise awareness of this support. As part of this, Health In Mind has contacted all health boards in Scotland and asked them to share information about the service with their GP practices.

Health In Mind has also shared details of the service with adoption related organisations, social work departments, third sector organisations and a variety of community spaces such as libraries and churches, as well as on social media platforms. Further details of the peer support service are available online: https://health-in-mind.org.uk/how-we-can-help/national-services/historic-adoption-trauma-support-service/

Question reference: S6W-25628

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 February 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 4 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many patients have been referred to the Rapid Cancer Diagnostic Service in each NHS board that it is operational in, in each of the last three years.

A final two year report of Scotland’s early adopter sites, was published by the University of Strathclyde on Thursday 29 th February highlighting its success, a summary of which is available at rapid-cancer-diagnostic-services-evaluation-summary-february-2024.pdf (nhscfsd.co.uk)

The report found that 3,616 RCDS referrals were received and 2,489 (~69%) accepted. The remainder of referrals were largely either redirected to site-specific cancer pathways (~15%) or did not progress onto the RCDS pathway as they didn’t meet referral criteria (~12%).

This data covers the time period from when RCDSs were activated up to October 2023. Work is continuing with PHS to establish a national data collection for RCDSs.

Question reference: S6W-25111

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 02 February 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 1 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on how many children have attended independent schools in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.

This data has been collected by the Registrar of Independent Schools from available independent school census statistics. The census commences in the September of each year in accordance with part 4 of the Registration of Independent Schools (Scotland) Regulations 2006 (as amended by the Registration of Independent Schools (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2021).

The following table outlines the number of children and young people who attended an independent school in each year since 2015, broken down by local authority. This data is not held from before 2015.

Local Authority	Pupil Numbers 2021	Pupil Numbers 2020	Pupil Numbers 2019	Pupil Numbers 2018	Pupil Numbers 2017	Pupil Numbers 2016	Pupil Number 2015
Aberdeen City Council	3,072*	3,032	3,082	3,402	3,115	3,034	3,256
Aberdeenshire Council	18*	15	15	15	21	23	21
Angus Council	223*	219	211	222	223	223	249
Argyll and Bute Council	352*	321	332	352	366	367	362
City of Edinburgh Council	11,298*	11,055	11,161	11,102	10,993	10,917	10,974
Clackmannanshire Council	1,550	1,530	1,531	1,509	1,469	1,409	1,470
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar	9	13	12	13	13	17	15
Dumfries and Galloway Council	27	42	42	36	43	44	34
Dundee City Council	956*	920	954	968	979	1,002	1,022
East Ayrshire Council	12	51	51	35	32	31	43
East Dunbartonshire Council	19	16	16	1	0	15	1
East Lothian Council	753*	745	806	811	805	874	867
East Renfrewshire Council	205	199	199	209	219	220	221
Falkirk Council	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Fife Council	1,196*	1,148	1,120	1,087	1,078	1,098	1,107
Glasgow City Council	5,068*	5,004	5,196	5,238	5,369	5,420	5,506
Highland Council	0	0	0	0	0	1	1
Inverclyde Council	686	689	719	739	754	787	771
Midlothian Council	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Moray Council	603	600	607	626	598	605	645
North Ayrshire Council	56	66	66	74	91	72	66
North Lanarkshire Council	44	48	48	43	46	49	51
Orkney Islands Council	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Perth and Kinross Council	1,424*	1,350	1,454	1,443	1,423	1,434	1,478
Renfrewshire Council	233	236	237	246	263	268	263
Scottish Borders Council	134	142	157	155	156	154	161
Shetland Islands Council	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
South Ayrshire Council	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
South Lanarkshire Council	588	578	585	597	622	643	667
Stirling Council	292	279	269	254	509	545	560
West Dunbartonshire Council	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
West Lothian Council	16	18	18	11	11	12	11
Scotland	28,834	28,316	28,888	29,188	29,198	29,264	29,822

Some pupils will attend a school in a different local authority from the local authority area in which they reside.

Some pupils will be from outwith Scotland and attend a boarding school.

Some independent schools have a presence in more than one local authority, pupils from such schools have been allocated to the local authority of the main school.

The figures for 2021 differ from those provided in answer to PQ from September 2023 (S6W-21172 Written question and answer: S6W-21172 | Scottish Parliament Website ). *Figures have been corrected following the identification of schools being allocated to the wrong local authority. The total of pupils in independent schools for 2021 remains the same.

Question reference: S6W-25117

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 02 February 2024
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 1 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had regarding potentially changing procurement rules in order to allow the Coalfields Regeneration Trust to deliver a grants programme to support grassroots community organisations in the former coalfields.

The Scottish Government’s procurement rules exist to ensure funds are spent in a way that delivers the most benefit to society. These rules apply across all Scottish Government grants and we have had no discussions about potentially changing them.

We are however discussing with CRT other ways in which they can best support community organisations where these meet the regeneration outcomes and conditions of its existing grant award. Officials have also asked CRT to examine alternative routes for future funding of community organisations.

Question reference: S6W-25108

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 02 February 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 1 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when it will provide an update on the Sheriffhall roundabout upgrade project.

The Scottish Government is committed to delivering the grade separation of Sheriffhall roundabout, as part of its £300 million commitment to the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal.

Following publication of the draft Orders and Environmental Statement, Transport Scotland received a significant number of objections to the proposed scheme. Although Transport Scotland engaged widely with objectors, it was unable to resolve all objections. In view of this, a Public Local Inquiry was held from 31 January to 8 February 2023. As with all trunk road projects this is the appropriate statutory forum for considering objections received and not withdrawn. The independent Reporter has now presented their recommendations to the Scottish Ministers and this is under active consideration.

Construction of the proposed scheme can only commence if it is approved under the relevant statutory authorisation process and thereafter a timetable for its progress can be set.

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