- Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 14 April 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 5 May 2022
To ask the Government whether it plans to introduce emergency redress funding for social tenants facing higher fuel bills as a result of work to decarbonise their energy supplies, in line with the recommendation of the Zero Emissions Social Housing Taskforce.
Answer
The Scottish Government is committed to a just transition to net zero and this includes supporting those who are least able to pay.
As part of a wider package of funding announcements made to tackle the cost of living crisis, we have committed a further £10 million to continue our Fuel Insecurity Fund, which has been helping households at risk of self-disconnection, or self-rationing their energy use, since late 2020.
This money is in addition to the £25m funding we have provided this winter to local authorities to tackle financial insecurity and the further £6m provided to trusted third sector partners to help low income families.
Anyone struggling with their energy bills can get in touch with our Home Energy Scotland service for advice and support to reduce their fuel costs.
The Scottish Government’s full response to the recommendations made by the Zero Emissions Social Housing Taskforce will be published after the local government elections.
- Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 April 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 5 May 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made on establishing the licencing scheme frameworks for local authorities to take forward its proposed registration requirements for short-term lets.
Answer
The Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 (Licensing of Short-term Lets) Order 2022 came into force on 1 March 2022. Licensing authorities have until 1 October to open schemes in their areas to receive applications from new and existing hosts. We published updated guidance for licensing authorities on 18 March, and we will continue to work closely with them in the run up to schemes opening.
- Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 April 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 5 May 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on whether it plans to provide Care and Repair with further funding, in addition to the £500,000 previously committed, to support older and vulnerable people to upgrade their fire alarms in line with new regulations, in light of reports that some people contacting Care and Repair for support are being told it has no funding available to support them with installing new fire alarms.
Answer
In order to support older and disabled people in meeting this new legislation, we have provided a total of £1.1 million in 2021-22 to Care and Repair Scotland.
We also provided £1 million to SFRS for their Home Fire Safety visits to help those most vulnerable to the risk of fire to meet the new standard. The general principle is that owners are responsible for the cost of looking after private property. Our targeted funding is reaching those most at risk and least able to do the work themselves. There are no currently plans to provide further funding.
The Scottish Government published a statement in partnership with COSLA on 21 January 2022 confirming that local authorities will take a proportionate and measured approach to compliance and individual circumstances will be taken into account.
Whilst we encourage homeowners to install these alarms at their earliest opportunity to protect lives and possessions, we have emphasised consistently that there will be no penalties for non-compliance.
- Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 April 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi McAllan on 5 May 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what action SEPA and local authorities have taken on the next round of their shared strategies and plans, and how this action is informed by the recommendations of any joint Scottish Government/COSLA working groups on these issues.
Answer
SEPA’s flood risk management plans for Scotland were approved by Scottish Ministers in December 2021, and published on SEPA’s website. The plans, produced in partnership with responsible authorities, identified flood management actions for over 440 priority communities.
This work is split into six-year cycles and covers a range of actions including furthering the understanding of climate change impacts, increasing community resilience, and developing and implementing flood protection schemes. Coordination of the proposed actions will be developed in the local flood risk management plans, currently being prepared by the 14 lead local authorities, which are due for publication in December 2022.
A flooding working group is currently considering its recommendations to the joint Scottish Government / COSLA (officers) Settlement Distribution Group (SDG). These will be considered by the SDG in late-summer of 2022, and will inform subsequent discussions between Ministers and Council Leaders on the arrangements required for the effective delivery of flood risk management for the period to 2028.
Flood Risk Management Plans | SEPA .
- Asked by: Meghan Gallacher, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 04 April 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 5 May 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on how self-declaration, in the context of the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill, may affect sex discrimination cases.
Answer
Sex discrimination cases will continue to be dealt with under the Equality Act 2010. The provisions of the 2010 Act are not modified by the proposals in the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill. The Bill also does not change the legal effects of a Gender Recognition Certificate as they are currently set out in the Gender Recognition Act 2004.
- Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 21 April 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 5 May 2022
To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that the standards set out in NHS service specifications for rare and complex diseases, such as cystic fibrosis, are adhered to, and to what extent these service specifications represent a statutory expectation of the minimum level of care that patients should expect to receive.
Answer
The National Services Division (NSD) of NHS National Services Scotland commission a number of highly specialised services in Scotland for patients who require investigation, treatment and ongoing follow up care for rare and complex conditions such as Cystic Fibrosis. Each designated service is subject to strict governance and performance reviews to ensure they maintain the highest possible standards of person-centred care across Scotland.
More information about specialist services is available on the NSD website: About specialist services | National Services Scotland (nhs.scot)
Where a formal review has been undertaken, a report of the review findings and recommendations is presented to both the National Patient, Professional and Public Reference Group (NPPPRG) and National Specialist Services Committee (NSSC) for scrutiny.
We have set out the wider policy within which NHS Scotland is expected to deliver services, and expect all NHS Boards to provide high quality care that is safe, effective and person-centred. Where there are specific issues that prevent them from doing so, robust processes are in place for NSD to provide support as required.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 21 April 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 5 May 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what support is being put in place to enable people with long COVID to return to work; what assessment has been made of the numbers of people requiring such support, and whether it plans to develop an occupational health return-to-work support service for people with long COVID similar to the service reportedly starting in other UK nations.
Answer
Salus and Working Health Services Scotland (WHSS) provide return to work and occupational health services for people who have health conditions or injuries that are impacting on their work, including long COVID. These services are adapting to meet the additional needs required of them due to the pandemic. Currently there are no plans to develop an occupational health return-to-work support service for people with long COVID.
NHS inform provides people living with long COVID with clear and accessible guidance on managing their symptoms. It includes specific advice on navigating a return to work and signposts to information developed by the Society of Occupational Medicine and the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service.
- Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 April 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 5 May 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what the total volume, in kilograms, was of (a) cod, (b) haddock, (c) herring, (d) whiting, (e) sole, (f) plaice and (g) saithe that was discarded by Scottish boats in 2021, in ICES (International Council for the Exploration of the Sea) areas (i) 4 and (ii) 6a.
Answer
The total quantity of discards from Scottish vessels is not currently estimated. Marine Scotland estimates the total weight of unwanted catch (catch that was not considered suitable for commercial sales) for demersal trawlers and seine netters for each year, using data collected by scientific observers on-board fishing vessels. (Fishing trips by vessels using other gears are not surveyed.) The estimates for 2021 are given in the following table. These estimates are for fishing trips by UK vessels landing into Scotland and Scottish vessels landing abroad.
Estimates of the total weight of unwanted catch (kg) caught in 2021 in ICES subarea 4 and division 6a by UK vessels landing into Scotland and Scottish vessels landing abroad, fishing with demersal trawls or seines.
Species | ICES region |
(i) 4 | (ii) 6a |
(a) Cod | 2,161,000 | 532,000 |
(b) Haddock | 7,051,000 | 4,061,000 |
(c) Herring | 337,000 | 332,000 |
(d) Whiting | 1,703,000 | 216,000 |
(e) Sole | 0 | 2,500 |
(f) Plaice | 49,000 | 75,000 |
(g) Saithe | 721,000 | 56,000 |
- Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 April 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 5 May 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what the total volume, in kilograms, was of below Minimum Conservation Reference Size (a) cod, (b) haddock, (c) herring, (d) whiting, (e) sole, (f) plaice and (g) saithe that was discarded by Scottish boats in 2021, in ICES (International Council for the Exploration of the Sea) areas (i) 4 and (ii) 6a.
Answer
The total quantity of discards below Minimum Conservation Reference Size from Scottish vessels is not currently estimated. Marine Scotland estimates the total weight of unwanted catch (catch that was not considered suitable for commercial sales) below Minimum Conservation Reference Size for demersal trawlers and seine netters for each year, using data collected by scientific observers on-board fishing vessels. (Fishing trips by vessels using other gears are not surveyed.) The estimates for 2021 are given in the following table. These estimates are for fishing trips by UK vessels landing into Scotland and Scottish vessels landing abroad.
Estimates of the total weight of unwanted catch (kg) below Minimum Conservation Reference Size caught in 2021 in ICES subarea 4 and division 6a by UK vessels landing into Scotland and Scottish vessels landing abroad, fishing with demersal trawls or seines.
Species | ICES region |
(i) 4 | (ii) 6a |
(a) Cod | 338,000 | 1,000 |
(b) Haddock | 4,087,000 | 3,048,000 |
(c) Herring | 1,000 | 42,000 |
(d) Whiting | 271,000 | 84,000 |
(e) Sole | 0 | 2,500 |
(f) Plaice | 30,000 | 47,000 |
(g) Saithe | 4,000 | 0 |
- Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 May 2022
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 12 May 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what progress it has made in closing the attainment gap among school pupils.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 12 May 2022
