Chamber and committees

GlobalScots by location

Planning authorities are required to determine planning applications in accordance with the development plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise, including, for example, taking account of the socio and economic impacts of a proposed development.

It would not be appropriate for the Scottish Government to comment on the terms and impacts of the planning decision by Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park Authority.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-14348 on 31 January 2023. 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

This is an operational matter for the Scottish Enterprise, who administer the GlobalScot network. I have asked their Chief Executive to respond.

The latest trunk road Network Management Contracts (NMCs) in the two northern units commenced on 16 th August 2022. Both contracts are contracted to run for a minimum eight years and include the trunk roads in the Highlands and Islands. The focus on the new contracts strives for increased quality and innovation which delivers best winter practice in Scotland, serving communities and businesses by operating a safe and efficient network. Overall, from a winter service perspective, there have been significant changes delivered by the NMC contracts. These include enhancing our operational responses during snow events with a particular focus on vulnerable locations, extension of patrol routes as well as a proactive approach in treating our footways. To provide a joined-up approach where trunk road and local authority footpaths intersect, our Operating Companies consult with each respective local authority to agree levels of service provided.

Defects on roads, including potholes, can appear as the result of a number of factors, and it is up to roads authorities to maintain roads that they are responsible for. On the trunk road network, the Operating Companies are required to complete regular safety inspections and safety patrols. Their inspection teams are on the network to identify defects, including potholes, prioritise them based on the potential risk to road safety and where possible repair them or call for back-up.

While specific winter plans sit with Scotland’s Railway delivery partners (Network Rail, ScotRail, and other train and freight operators) Transport Scotland continue to engage with the industry to ensure plans are developed and delivered as required.

All Ministerial engagements and travel information (including costs) are proactively released 3 months in arrears and available here Ministerial engagements, travel and gifts - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Scottish Government officials make provisional overseas travel plans as part of official government business diary management and planning for Ministers. Until the date of the visit, these are provisional and contingent on Parliamentary Business and other commitments and issues arising.

Established in 2001; led and managed by Scottish Enterprise, GlobalScot is a worldwide network of business professionals, entrepreneurs, business leaders and community figureheads, who have a connection to Scotland and work voluntarily to help the wider Scottish business community thrive internationally by providing market intelligence, connections and mentorship. They also act as advisors and advocates in promoting Scotland as a place to live, work, invest and study. GlobalScots were vital in the development of the National Strategy for Economic Transformation, and Sector Export Plans as well as in supporting the delivery of Scotland’s Inward Investment Plan.

As, this is an operational matter for the Scottish Enterprise, who administers the GlobalScot network. I have asked their Chief Executive to respond.

The Scottish Breast Screening Programme (SBSP) currently operates six breast screening centres, complimented by twenty mobile breast screening units. These service each area of Scotland on a three yearly rotational basis and are intended to address the geographical challenges faced by the breast screening programme in Scotland.

The Scottish Government remains committed to improving the service and providing equality of access to breast screening. This commitment is laid out within the major review of the breast screening programme, which was published on 23 May 2022, and is being taken forward by a dedicated Modernisation Programme Board, which is working to ensure the programme is fit for the future. Further information on the review can be found here: Scottish Breast Screening Programme: major review - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

The RSA programme started in 1972 and not all records dating back to this time are available to Scottish Government or Scottish Enterprise. In answering this question we have therefore provided all information available to both Scottish Government and Scottish Enterprise.

Scottish Enterprise who currently have responsibility for delivery of the programme, have interrogated all digital records available to them and provided the information in the following table. This captures the year in which grant offers were accepted and the maximum grant payable, broken down by local authority area. It does not reflect the funding paid to projects in those local authority areas, or the duration of the projects.

It should be noted that while the digital records available to Scottish Enterprise include some grant awards dating back to 1994, it was not responsible for recording keeping prior to 2009 and so cannot guarantee that the information provided is a complete record of all grant awards made in the local authority areas within that timeframe or in the period preceding it.