- Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 20 June 2024
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Current Status:
Answer expected on 18 July 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to publish national guidance on how to convert temporary accommodation into permanent homes.
Answer
Answer expected on 18 July 2024
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 20 June 2024
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Current Status:
Answer expected on 18 July 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what the cost was of setting up the Pain Management Task Force prior to it commencing meetings in June 2022, including a breakdown of any payments for (a) workers, (b) secondments, (c) members, (d) travel costs, (e) IT and (f) other expenses.
Answer
Answer expected on 18 July 2024
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 20 June 2024
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Current Status:
Answer expected on 18 July 2024
To ask the Scottish Government how much time, on average, it takes for a student midwife to be repaid for any expenses incurred on clinical placements, and what action it is taking to decrease this.
Answer
Answer expected on 18 July 2024
- Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 10 June 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi McAllan on 20 June 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what the oil and gas sector supply chain employment levels have been in Scotland in each of the last 10 years.
Answer
This information is not held centrally.
Offshore Energies UK (OEUK), a representative membership body for the UK offshore energy industry, estimated in their 2024 Economy and People report that the oil and gas sector supports around 206,000 jobs across the UK in total, including supply chain and wider induced activity.
- Asked by: Collette Stevenson, MSP for East Kilbride, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 June 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 20 June 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds regarding the value of each local authority's reserves in real terms in 2023-24, and how this compares with the equivalent value in (a) 2003-04 and (b) 2013-14.
Answer
The following table shows the cash and real terms value of Local Authority General Fund reserves at 31 March 2014 (final audited) and 31 March 2024 (budget estimate). Please note that the information requested on reserves is not held prior to 2007.
Adjustments for inflation have been made using the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) deflators for March 2024 (available at: GDP deflators at market prices, and money GDP - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) ).
Figures for 31 March 2024 will be superseded on 25 June 2024 by data published in Local Government 2023-24 Provisional Outturn and 2024-25 Budget Estimates.
Further information on Local Government Finance Statistics can be found at: Local government finance statistics - gov.scot (www.gov.scot).
General Fund Reserves (in £ millions) as at 31 March | | |
Sources: LFR 23 for 31 March 2014 (audited data), POBE 2023 for 31 March 2024 which is a budget estimate provided in early 2023. |
| | Cash Terms | | Real Terms (2023-24 Prices) |
Local Authority | 31-Mar-14 | 31-Mar-24 | | 31-Mar-14 | 31-Mar-24 |
| | Final Audited | Budget Estimate | | Final Audited | Budget Estimate |
Aberdeen City | 57.1 | 70.1 | | 75.2 | 70.1 |
Aberdeenshire | 57.5 | 73.8 | | 75.7 | 73.8 |
Angus | 19.8 | 45.7 | | 26.1 | 45.7 |
Argyll & Bute | 44.0 | 88.2 | | 58.0 | 88.2 |
City of Edinburgh | 123.3 | 198.7 | | 162.3 | 198.7 |
Clackmannanshire | 12.0 | 14.2 | | 15.8 | 14.2 |
Dumfries & Galloway | 58.4 | 70.2 | | 76.9 | 70.2 |
Dundee City | 8.1 | 44.2 | | 10.6 | 44.2 |
East Ayrshire | 28.0 | 38.6 | | 36.9 | 38.6 |
East Dunbartonshire | 11.3 | 28.0 | | 14.9 | 28.0 |
East Lothian | 9.2 | 16.6 | | 12.1 | 16.6 |
East Renfrewshire | 14.9 | 23.5 | | 19.6 | 23.5 |
Falkirk | 25.8 | 33.2 | | 33.9 | 33.2 |
Fife | 85.0 | 181.9 | | 111.9 | 181.9 |
Glasgow City | 32.8 | 137.6 | | 43.2 | 137.6 |
Highland | 40.3 | 72.7 | | 53.1 | 72.7 |
Inverclyde | 42.9 | 6.4 | | 56.5 | 6.4 |
Midlothian | 20.5 | 7.8 | | 27.0 | 7.8 |
Moray | 21.4 | 19.6 | | 28.1 | 19.6 |
Na h-Eileanan Siar | 18.3 | 14.2 | | 24.1 | 14.2 |
North Ayrshire | 25.2 | 109.0 | | 33.1 | 109.0 |
North Lanarkshire | 75.0 | 256.6 | | 98.8 | 256.6 |
Orkney Islands | 23.8 | 34.3 | | 31.3 | 34.3 |
Perth & Kinross | 48.2 | 39.8 | | 63.5 | 39.8 |
Renfrewshire | 52.9 | 73.3 | | 69.7 | 73.3 |
Scottish Borders | 17.1 | 34.2 | | 22.6 | 34.2 |
Shetland Islands | 13.9 | 25.8 | | 18.2 | 25.8 |
South Ayrshire | 22.9 | 11.1 | | 30.2 | 11.1 |
South Lanarkshire | 13.4 | 108.0 | | 17.6 | 108.0 |
Stirling | 13.3 | 66.0 | | 17.5 | 66.0 |
West Dunbartonshire | 10.1 | 4.6 | | 13.3 | 4.6 |
West Lothian | 22.6 | 9.7 | | 29.7 | 9.7 |
Ayrshire VJB | 0.2 | 0.4 | | 0.3 | 0.4 |
Central VJB | 0.8 | 0.5 | | 1.0 | 0.5 |
Dunbartonshire & Argyll & Bute VJB | 0.5 | 0.4 | | 0.6 | 0.4 |
Grampian VJB | 0.2 | 0.5 | | 0.3 | 0.5 |
Highland & Western Isles VJB | 0.1 | 0.1 | | 0.2 | 0.1 |
Lanarkshire VJB | - | 1.3 | | - | 1.3 |
Lothian VJB | - | 0.5 | | - | 0.5 |
Orkney & Shetland VJB | - | 0.0 | | - | 0.0 |
Renfrewshire VJB | 0.5 | 1.0 | | 0.6 | 1.0 |
Tayside VJB | 0.1 | 0.1 | | 0.1 | 0.1 |
Tay Road Bridge | 1.2 | 1.2 | | 1.5 | 1.2 |
HITRANS | 0.2 | 0.0 | | 0.3 | 0.0 |
NESTRANS | 0.0 | 2.7 | | 0.0 | 2.7 |
SESTRAN | - | 0.0 | | - | 0.0 |
SPT | 12.5 | 83.2 | | 16.5 | 83.2 |
SWESTRANS | - | 0.0 | | - | 0.0 |
TACTRAN | - | 0.0 | | - | 0.0 |
ZetTrans | - | 0.0 | | - | 0.0 |
Scotland | 1,085.4 | 2,049.6 | | 1,428.8 | 2,049.6 |
| | | | | | |
VJB = Valuation Joint Board | | | | | |
GDP Deflator | 75.97 | 100.00 | | | |
- Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 13 June 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 20 June 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what it can do to extend the scope of the Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012 to cover all public procurement of goods and services.
Answer
The Scottish Government cannot extend the coverage of the Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012 as it applies to England and Wales only.
The Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 applies a sustainable procurement duty on Scottish public bodies which whilst similar to the general duty found in the Public Services (Social Value) Act 2012, is more far reaching The sustainable procurement duty requires a Scottish public body to consider and act on opportunities to: improve the economic, social and environmental wellbeing of its area; facilitate the involvement of SMEs, third sector bodies and supported businesses; and promote innovation.
The legislation in Scotland also includes provisions for oversight, requiring public bodies with an annual procurement spend of £5 million or more to set out in annually reviewed procurement strategies how they will comply with the Act and to publish annual procurement reports setting out how they have complied with their strategies. The content of these reports forms the basis of the Scottish Ministers Annual report on procurement activity in Scotland. For example - Procurement activity: annual report 2021 to 2022 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) .
- Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 June 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom Arthur on 20 June 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what recent assessment it has made of the number of qualified offshore commercial divers residing in Scotland.
Answer
The Diving at Work Regulations are enforced by the Health & Safety Executive, a UK Government agency. This is therefore a reserved matter and the Scottish Government do not hold such information.
- Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 07 June 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi McAllan on 20 June 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6T-02027 by Màiri McAllan on 4 June 2024 and her statement that “we are not dropping targets”, whether it will clarify whether this means that it is still committed to meeting both its outstanding 2013 and 2020 household recycling targets as currently set.
Answer
The Scottish Government continues to work towards meeting 2013 and 2020 household recycling targets.
To help us meet our targets, the Circular Economy Bill and draft Circular Economy and Waste Route Map set out further measures to improve and modernise local recycling services and drive up reuse and recycling rates.
This Bill also includes a commitment – in line with advice from the Climate Change Committee – to set new circular economy targets from 2025 so they are future proofed, support our work to tackle the climate emergency and help us measure progress in reducing emissions.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 13 June 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Graeme Dey on 20 June 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact on colleges of the 4.8% reduction in revenue funding in its Budget for 2024-25, in light of the Scottish Funding Council figures that were issued on 30 May 2024.
Answer
The teaching funding available to each college/region has been maintained and is unchanged from the funds made available for Academic Year 2023-24. We recognise the range of financial challenges which colleges and universities are managing, and have sought to minimise the impact on frontline allocations for learning and teaching and support for students.
- Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 07 June 2024
Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 20 June 2024
To ask the Scottish Government how it engages with rail companies that employ staff in Scotland, and in what ways it expects the Fair Work Framework principles to be applied.
Answer
Our vision is for Scotland to be a leading Fair Work Nation by 2025, where fair work drives success, wellbeing and prosperity for individuals, businesses, organisations and society. In the absence of powers over employment legislation, the Scottish Government encourages all employers in Scotland to adopt Fair Work practices and play their part in making Scotland a leading Fair Work Nation.
The Scottish Government expects public bodies to show leadership in that regard, and implement and promote Fair Work First in all relevant procurement processes (and suppliers delivering public contracts).
Scottish Rail Holdings (SRH) oversees the delivery of rail operations by ScotRail Train Limited and Caledonian Sleeper Limited, which moved into the public sector in April 2022 and June 2023 respectively. SRH has responsibility for engaging with its subsidiaries to promote fair work practices . In addition, the Scottish Ministers set out in their High Level Output Specification for the current 5 year railway funding period (2024 -2029) that they expect Network Rail in Scotland to follow the Scottish Government’s Fair Work principles.
Most cross-border passenger railway operators are the responsibility of the UK Government and this level of operational detail is not covered through Scottish Government engagement. The Scottish Government does not engage to this level either with ‘open-access’ operators which include all rail freight operators and rail charter operators.
