- Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 25 March 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Kate Forbes on 19 April 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the Starlink satellite service as a means of providing superfast broadband to hard-to-reach properties across Scotland.
Answer
Officials advise that Starlink's base level satellite internet service offers speeds of between 50Mbps and 150Mbps, but that Starlink's beta commercial service is currently only available at a latitude below 55 degrees. This means it is unavailable to the vast majority of premises in Scotland at this time.
Starlink has indicated that they have plans to make their service available above 55 degrees latitude in financial year 2022-23 – however, there is no firm date for further availability of the service.
- Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 25 March 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Kate Forbes on 19 April 2022
To ask the Scottish Government how many properties in (a) Perth and Kinross and (b) Fife are deemed to be eligible for the £5,000 main voucher portion of the Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme that is available to people who will not receive broadband services under the R100 programme.
Answer
As of 31 March 2022, 3,890 properties in Perth and Kinross, and 3,801 properties in Fife, remain eligible for the main voucher worth up to £5,000 through the R100 Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme component of the R100 programme.
- Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 25 March 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Kate Forbes on 19 April 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will extend the deadline for applications for the interim voucher portion of the Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme for people who are experiencing delays under the R100 programme.
Answer
As of 31 March 2022, the interim voucher portion of the R100 Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme is now closed. The main voucher worth up to £5,000 remains open for those who are not planned to benefit from build through R100 contracts or commercial coverage.
- Asked by: Michelle Thomson, MSP for Falkirk East, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 March 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom Arthur on 19 April 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on the most recent data on levels of income tax paid at the UK median wage level for all employees in Scotland, and how that compares with the rest of the UK.
Answer
Across the whole UK, median annual pay for employees was £25,891 for the tax year ending 5 April 2021.
In the current tax year, someone earning that much would pay £2,662 in the rest of the UK, but £2,647 in Scotland.
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 April 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 19 April 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of children living in unsuitable temporary accommodation have received a wellbeing assessment by each local authority in each year since the recommendation in the Ending Homelessness Together action plan was published.
Answer
While the Scottish Government collects data on the number of children living in unsuitable accommodation, it does not ask for returns from local authorities on any wellbeing assessments undertaken. This information would have to be requested directly from local authorities.
We are aware of a number of support assessments undertaken by local authorities as part of their housing assessment to record people’s needs. It is important, as part of this process and alongside the support provided to households experiencing homelessness, that the specific needs of children in the household are identified and met and their rights upheld.
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 April 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Kate Forbes on 19 April 2022
To ask the Scottish Government how many households have received support under the Council Tax Reduction scheme in each year since it was introduced, broken down by local authority.
Answer
The number of recipients of Council Tax Reduction is calculated as a monthly snapshot, and results are published at local authority level on the Scottish Government website at https://www.gov.scot/publications/council-tax-reduction-local-authority-tables-and-charts/
- Asked by: Meghan Gallacher, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 March 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 19 April 2022
To ask the Scottish Government (a) whether and (b) how any impact on the routine vaccination programme in NHS boards that (i) have had code black status declared and (ii) are in more rural areas has been different from any impact in other NHS boards.
Answer
The routine immunisation programmes have continued in Scotland throughout the COVID-19 pandemic despite code black status being declared in some NHS Boards.
Uptake rates for routine programmes have remained consistently high across Scotland. Maintaining the best possible uptake of immunisations is a priority for the Scottish Government and NHS Scotland, and this reflects the hard work and commitment of our colleagues within the NHS.
The latest statistical releases from Public Health Scotland can be found here: Publications - Public Health Scotland
- Asked by: Meghan Gallacher, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 March 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 19 April 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to ensure that there are enough invigilators for examinations, in light of reports of increasing numbers of staff absences due to COVID-19.
Answer
Recruitment of invigilators is an operational matter for the SQA. SQA is working with centres to ensure sufficient numbers of invigilators are available, with contingencies in place to mitigate any unexpected absences due to Covid-19 during the exams.
- Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 March 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Ash Regan on 19 April 2022
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the comments by the Minister for Community Safety, during a debate in the Parliament on 10 February 2022, that “an independent Scottish Government analysis is under way to look at lessons that have been learned internationally about implementing laws to challenge men’s demand [for prostitution]”, who is carrying out this independent analysis, and whether that individual or organisation has previously publicly expressed views as to their preferred model for implementing such laws.
Answer
An evidence review on international approaches to challenging demand is being carried out by Scottish Government’s Justice Analytical Services (JAS), and will be published later this year as an official social research report.
As is the case with all Analytical Services Divisions within the Scottish Government, JAS provide impartial evidence-based advice to support policy development - with all social research needing to comply with the Scottish Government’s ethical principles. These principles specifically require researchers to consider and address ethical risks to protect against distortion and bias in the interpretation of findings.
This analysis will support the development of a model for Scotland which effectively tackles and challenges men’s demand for prostitution, whilst taking into account Scotland’s unique legal and societal landscape.
- Asked by: Meghan Gallacher, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 March 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 19 April 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what contingencies have been put in place for online exam revision classes in the event of school staff absences and/or student illness due to COVID-19.
Answer
Schools are best placed to support learners and give them the best chance to demonstrate their potential. Guidance makes clear that schools should ensure remote learning materials are in place in circumstances where they are required. We continue to make resources available to support that contingency.
£4 million of funding is being made available to schools and colleges to increase Easter study support where appropriate, particularly for those from the most deprived backgrounds. Schools and colleges have the flexibility to deliver that support as they see fit, including online.
This support is complemented by an enhanced range of options for online learning through the National e-Learning Offer (NeLO). In the event of school staff absences and learners revising at home, even at short notice, NeLO is available. Educators can refer their learners to collections of resources - recorded, supported and often live interactive webinars - and schools can make parents and learners aware that these resources are available whenever remote learning is required.