- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 29 September 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 25 October 2023
To ask the Scottish Government how many autistic people are currently being held in mental health hospitals; of those, how many (a) are under 18, (b) were admitted to hospital for treatment or assessment following offending, (c) have been in hospital for more than a decade, and what the average number of days that they have been in hospital is.
Answer
The latest data available on admissions and length of stay for people in Mental Health Hospitals is collected as part of the Mental Health & Learning Disability Inpatient Census and Out of Scotland NHS Placements Census, 2022 .
At the census point 11 April 2022, 152 adults with a diagnosis of autism were inpatient within an NHS Scotland hospital. In addition, there were 9 patients under 18. There were a further 11 adults with a diagnosis of autism inpatient outwith an NHS Scotland hospital. These individuals also may or may not have a co-occurring diagnosis for a learning disability.
Data on the numbers of people with a diagnosis of autism who have been admitted to hospital for treatment following offending is not collected.
There were 24 patients with a diagnosis of autism who have been in an NHS Scotland hospital more than a decade, with an average length of stay of 16 years and 10 months. There are fewer than 5 further patient(s) with an autism diagnosis who have been treated outwith NHS Scotland more than a decade. These individuals also may or may not have a co-occurring diagnosis for a learning disability.
The latest publication of the Mental Welfare Commissions Mental Health Act Monitoring Report covers the period 2021-22 and provides some information on compulsory treatment under criminal proceedings and you may wish to ask if they have further information on disaggregated data.
- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 28 September 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 24 October 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken to resolve reported supply chain issues affecting the switchover of the LED street light network.
Answer
Streetlighting is the responsibility of local councils. We are not aware of any particular supply chain issues but we would be happy to consider this if the member can provide more information.
- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 06 October 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 23 October 2023
To ask the Scottish Government who pays for a public local inquiry into onshore wind farm planning applications exceeding 50 megawatts; how many of these public local inquiries there have been in the last 10 years, and how much each of these inquiries cost.
Answer
In the period 10-10-13 to 9-10-2023 there have been 43 public local inquiries held by the Planning and Environmental Appeals Division (DPEA) in respect of onshore wind farm proposals exceeding 50 megawatts which require consent under Section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989.
Parties involved in planning proceedings are expected to meet their own costs. DPEA meet the costs of the reporter and administrative staff; advertisement of the case and the cost of the inquiry venue if necessary; and the general administrative costs of the case. DPEA do not record staff costs as reporters and administrative staff normally deal with a number of different case types at the same time.
DPEA began recording venue and advertisement costs from April 2019. The costs of inquiries from that date onwards are provided in the following table.
*The pattern of meeting types detailed in the information below reflects inquiries which took place during covid-related restrictions which meant that DPEA had to introduce virtual events. As covid restrictions have lifted, DPEA has transitioned back to holding some events in-person, some virtually, and some a mix of the two
Case reference | Name and Location | *Meeting type | Venue Costs | Advert Costs | Total |
WIN-370-4,5 & 6 | Craiginmoddie, Carrick & Knockcronal Windfarms - Dailly & Straiton, South Ayrshire | In-Person & Virtual | 4,766 | 1,598 | 6,364 |
WIN-130-6 | Narachan Hill Wind Farm, Land East Of Tayinloan, Argyll & Bute | Virtual | 0 | 401 | 401 |
WIN-270-16 | Cairn Duhie Wind Farm, Ferness, Nairnshire | Virtual | 0 | 963 | 963 |
WIN-270-15 | Kintradwell Wind Farm, Brora/Golspie | In-Person & Virtual | 1,200 | 543 | 1,743 |
WIN-110-3 | Glendye Wind Farm, Fasque & Glendye Estates, Arnhall, Aberdeenshire | In-Person & Virtual | 431 | 519 | 950 |
WIN-170-2007 | Faw Side Community Wind Farm, Castleweary, Hawick | In-Person & Virtual | 2,533 | 781 | 3,314 |
WIN-110-2 | Clashindarroch ii Wind Farm, Clashindarroch Forest, Near Huntly | Virtual | 0 | 124 | 124 |
WIN-270-14 | Kirkan Wind Farm, Garve, Highland | Virtual | 0 | 1,023 | 1,023 |
WIN-130-5 | Sheirdrim Wind Farm, Achaglass & Gartnagrenach Estates, Argyll & Bute | Virtual | 0 | 282 | 282 |
WIN-110-1 | Fetteresso Wind Farm, Stonehaven | Virtual | 0 | 976 | 976 |
WIN-170-2006 | Sanquhar ii Community Wind Farm, Sanquhar | Virtual | 0 | 1,538 | 1,538 |
WIN-270-13 | Limekiln Wind Farm Extension, South East Of Reay, Caithness | Virtual | 0 | 1,710 | 1,710 |
WIN-170-2005 | Shepherds Rigg Wind Farm, Carsphairn | Virtual | 0 | 985 | 985 |
WIN-370-3 | Clauchrie Wind Farm, Barrhill, South Ayrshire | Virtual | 0 | 1,570 | 1,570 |
WIN-270-12 | Strathy Wood Wind Farm, Strathy Forest, Sutherland | Virtual | 0 | 542 | 542 |
WIN-370-2 | Arecleoch Wind Farm Extension, Barrhill, South Ayrshire | Virtual | 0 | 1,667 | 1,667 |
WIN-270-11 | Glenshero Wind Farm, 8 Km West Of Laggan | Virtual | 0 | 7,317 | 7,317 |
WIN-130-4 | Blarghour Wind Farm, Inveraray/Portsonachan | Virtual | 0 | 1,197 | 1,197 |
WIN-300-4 & 5 | Clash Gour Wind Farm, Forres & Rothes iii WF, Rothes | In-Person & Virtual | 10,230 | 5,911 | 16,141 |
WIN-140-8 | Crystal Rigg iv Wind Farm, Crichness, Scottish Borders | In-Person | 1,102 | 523 | 1,625 |
WIN-300-3 | Paul's Hill ii Wind Farm, Knockando | In-Person | 790 | 1,451 | 2,241 |
WIN-170-2004 | North Lowther Wind Farm, Sanquhar | In-Person | 683 | 444 | 1,127 |
| | | Totals | 21,735 | 32,065 | 53,800 |
- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 October 2023
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 26 October 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the work that it is doing to support the reopening of Insch War Memorial Hospital.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 26 October 2023
- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 28 September 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 13 October 2023
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the Onshore Wind Sector Deal for Scotland excludes any reference to the WSP publication, A Review of Noise Guidance for Onshore Wind Turbines: Project Report, which was published in October 2022 on behalf of the UK Government Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.
Answer
Under the lead of the UK Government, the ETSU steering group (which comprises of the four Governments of the UK) are considering how best to take forward the recommendations of the WSP report. Whilst these next steps are being agreed, there are no specific actions for inclusion in the Sector Deal.
Once the next steps have been agreed, the Scottish Government will engage with industry.
Scottish Government officials continue to engage with UK Government officials on this work.
- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 18 September 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 2 October 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether it is a requirement for CCTV in state hospitals to capture or record audio, and, if not, whether there are plans to require this in the future.
Answer
Under the Mental Health (Safety and Security) (Scotland) Regulations 2005 there is no requirement for CCTV in The State Hospital to capture or record audio.
The Scottish Government does not currently have any plans to require that CCTV captures or records audio. Should there become a clear need for this requirement that cannot be addressed through other methods we will consider whether it would be appropriate to introduce this.
- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 September 2023
Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 4 October 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what action it plans to take to improve the durability of Scottish crops over the coming years.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 4 October 2023
- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 August 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 22 September 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether any opt-out clauses were included in the R100 contract with Openreach to allow work to be awarded to other providers in the event that Openreach is unable to meet delivery dates, and, if so, whether it will provide details of any such clauses.
Answer
There are no opt-out clauses included in the R100 Contracts. These are grant funding agreements which subsidise the supplier (Openreach) to deliver its own network to specific contracted premises.
The Scottish Government continues to support other providers to extend their broadband networks via the Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme but this is focused on premises that will not be connected commercially or via the R100 contracts.
- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 11 September 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 22 September 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether local authorities are liable for damages to vehicles caused by potholes where a pothole has been identified for repair but has not been fixed, and the local authority has failed to warn road users of the pothole.
Answer
The Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 places statutory responsibility for local roads on local authorities. It would not be for the Scottish Government to comment specifically on a local authority’s liability for damages to vehicles.
However, in general a local authority may compensate for damages to vehicles caused by road defects if the road defect is deemed as a hazard that would create a significant risk of an accident to a careful road user and it can be shown that the local authority was a fault for failing to deal with the road defect in line with its procedures.
- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 11 September 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 22 September 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether there are any requirements for local authorities to repair potholes identified for works within a certain timeframe.
Answer
The Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 places statutory responsibility for local roads, including the timeframe for repairing defects on local authorities. As such it is the responsibility of the local authority to determine how best to meet its duties on local roads in their respective areas.
SCOTS (the Society of Chief Officers of Transportation in Scotland) is responsible for implementing best practice on local road maintenance and has published a best practice guide detailing recommended repair times for different categories of road defects: Road Asset Inspections: A Risk Based Approach - Road Asset Safety Inspection Strategy (scotsnet.org.uk)
