- Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 May 2021
-
Current Status:
Answered by Kevin Stewart on 4 June 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what (a) guidance and (b) training is currently provided to teachers and learning support staff on recognising the signs of eating disorders in young people.
Answer
The mental health and wellbeing of children and young people is a priority for the Scottish Government and schools play a key role in supporting positive mental health and recognising when children and young people may need additional support.
Prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, we established a mental health in schools working group made up of expertise within the sector. The working group has developed a new mental health professional learning resource for all school staff to support the wellbeing of children and young people within their schools. The resource covers topics such as body image, self-esteem, and talking to children and young people about mental health and wellbeing. This free online professional learning resource will be available in June 2021 and will be open to anyone who wishes to enhance their knowledge and skills. It is primarily aimed at school staff, but anyone who wishes to upskill their knowledge and understanding will be able to access the learning resource.
In addition to this, the National Review of Eating Disorder Services published their recommendations in March 2021, which included recommendations on ensuring that key stakeholders, such as school staff, could identify the signs and symptoms of all eating disorders. We are currently developing our approach to implementing these recommendations.
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Monday, 24 May 2021
-
Current Status:
Answered by Graeme Dey on 4 June 2021
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the current status of low-emission zones.
Answer
Regulations to support the delivery of Low Emission Zones came into effect on 31 May 2021. These are the Low Emission Zones (Emission Standards, Exemptions and Enforcement) (Scotland) Regulations 2021, and the Low Emission Zones (Scotland) Regulations 2021.
Although the timescale for Low Emission Zones (LEZ) implementation has been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, we remain committed to the introduction of LEZs within Scotland’s four largest cities in 2022. We are continuing to support the local authorities with their implementation plans, including the provision of grant funding contributions for the enforcement systems. Work to deliver the LEZs is now at an advanced stage, with the relevant local authorities expected to launch public consultations on their proposed schemes later this year.
The Scottish Government is also providing funding through the LEZ Support Fund to assist small businesses and individuals with the cost of complying with the LEZ requirements.
In addition we are continuing to support the bus industry through a range of measures to provide cleaner, less polluting LEZ compliant buses.
- Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Monday, 24 May 2021
-
Current Status:
Answered by Kate Forbes on 4 June 2021
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Scottish National Party manifesto commitment, what the cost would be of bringing the higher non-domestic property rate into line with that in England, broken down by industry sector.
Answer
In 2021-22, the Scottish poundage is 49.0p with a supplement at the Intermediate Property Rate (IPR) of 1.3p for properties with a rateable value from £51,000 to £95,000; and of 2.6p at the Higher Property Rate (HPR) for properties with a rateable value over £95,000. In England, the equivalent multiplier is 49.9p with a supplement of 1.3p for properties with a rateable value over £51,000. The following table shows the estimated costs of reducing the HPR to 2.2p, thus equalising the total tax rate paid by these properties in Scotland (49p + 2.2p) with the rate they would pay in England (49.9p + 1.3p) had this change been delivered in 2021-22.
Class | Cost to set HPR at 2.2p (£m) |
Shops | 1.67 |
Public Houses | 0.00 |
Offices | 2.02 |
Hotels | 0.03 |
Industrial Subjects | 2.79 |
Leisure, Entertainment, Caravans etc. | 0.06 |
Garages and Petrol Stations | 0.06 |
Cultural | 0.00 |
Sporting Subjects | 0.00 |
Education and Training | 1.34 |
Public Service Subjects | 0.66 |
Communications | 0.08 |
Quarries, Mines, etc. | 0.03 |
Petrochemical | 0.45 |
Religious | 0.01 |
Health and Medical | 0.61 |
Other | 0.31 |
Care Facilities | 0.02 |
Advertising | 0.01 |
Statutory Undertaking | 3.64 |
All | 13.78 |
Source: Scottish Assessors’ Valuation Roll as at 1 April 2021, Local Authority Billing Information as at 1 July 2020. Ratepayers who have repaid or have publicly committed to repaying the equivalent of the RHLA relief awarded in 2020-21 are assumed not to apply in 2021-22.
Figures may not sum due to rounding. Figures shown as ‘0.00’ have rounded to zero but are greater than zero.
In the longer-term, the annual cost of bringing the higher non-domestic property rate into line with England is likely to be higher due to the expiration of 100% Retail, Hospitality, Leisure and Aviation relief on 31 March 2022 and which is estimated to save ratepayers £719 million in 2021-22.
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
-
Date lodged: Monday, 24 May 2021
-
Current Status:
Answered by Mairi McAllan on 4 June 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made on establishing a working group to consider extending the powers of the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Scottish SPCA).
Answer
As stated in the answer to question S5W-34151 on 13 January 2021, work on establishing the taskforce was paused because of the need to focus on the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and other priorities, including EU exit. However, we expect the taskforce to be established later this year and will provide further details in due course.
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
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 May 2021
-
Current Status:
Answered by Kate Forbes on 4 June 2021
To ask the Scottish Government how many businesses in each local authority area have received support from each of the COVID-19 emergency funds that it has created.
Answer
Since the start of the pandemic, businesses have directly benefitted from £3.6 billion in support. The Scottish Government publishes statistics and management information relating to its Covid-19 business grants on its website at Coronavirus (COVID-19): business support funding statistics - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) . The next update is scheduled to be published on 11 June 2021.
- Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Friday, 21 May 2021
-
Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 4 June 2021
To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish Phase 2 of the Strategic Transport Projects Review 2.
Answer
Due to the uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, we have taken a two phased approach to the second Strategic Transport Projects Review. Phase 1 recommendations, which were published on 3 February 2021, identify short-term investment priorities in line with the five year spending review; to help ‘lock in’ some of the sustainable travel choices observed over the past year and provide a step change in investment which supports the priorities and outcomes of the second National Transport Strategy.
Phase 2, which looks beyond the spending review period, is aligned with National Planning Framework 4 highlighting the critical nature of transport and land use interaction. As such Transport Scotland will complete the review in Autumn this year, thereafter it will be published for formal public consultation.
- Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Friday, 21 May 2021
-
Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 4 June 2021
To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish the analysis of the feedback on the Phase 1 Strategic Transport Projects Review 2 Recommendations.
Answer
Transport Scotland published the draft Phase 1 recommendations and an update on the second Strategic Transport Projects Review on 3 February 2021. This included National and Regional Case for Change Reports which contained a list of transport options that are being considered further in Phase 2. We invited stakeholders and the public to feedback with a closing date of
31 March 2021.
As a result of our engagement we received a total of 461 responses, of which 333 are on the Phase 1 Recommendations report and 128 on the Case for Change reports. Given the substantial amount of feedback we have received we are now carefully considering how this will inform Phase 2 of the review.
We will share these key points with the Regional Transport Working Groups in the first instance, and use them to inform the ongoing appraisal, prior to publishing later in the Summer.
- Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Friday, 21 May 2021
-
Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 4 June 2021
To ask the Scottish Government whether people undertaking overseas charity work, such as the delivery of emergency aid, are exempt from COVID-19 managed isolation on their return to Scotland.
Answer
Public health measures have been implemented at borders to minimise the risk of importation of the virus from foreign travel. Recently, this has included alignment on the traffic light system for international travel which came into effect on 17 May 2021. This applies to all arrivals with a few limited sectoral exemptions where necessary to ensure essential or emergency work can be resumed in Scotland. People returning from overseas charity work are currently not exempt from the restrictions and should refer to the guidance provided. All decisions regarding exemptions are kept under review by the Scottish Government and assessed in the light of the latest scientific evidence.
Coronavirus (COVID-19): international travel and managed isolation (quarantine) - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 May 2021
-
Current Status:
Answered by Kate Forbes on 4 June 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of the £48 million budget for the Connecting Scotland programme has been allocated to provide (a) devices, (b) data and (c) training to 60,000 households.
Answer
A total of £48 million has been committed to reach the target of 60,000 households. The proportion allocated to each is:
(a) devices – 36%
(b) data – 54%
(c) training and support – 6%
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 May 2021
-
Current Status:
Answered by Kate Forbes on 4 June 2021
To ask the Scottish Government how phase 3 of the Connecting Scotland programme, to provide laptops, data, and training will be administered; how much money has been allocated to phase 3, and how many (a) devices, (b) data, (c) training sessions will be available in this phase.
Answer
Connecting Scotland is delivered in partnership with the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO). SCVO set up and manage the application, assessment, contracting and distribution of devices. Local authorities assess applications from public and third sector services and organisations, who identify eligible customers and provide frontline Digital Champion support to end users.
A total of £26.6 million has been allocated to Phase 3, with the potential to provide 23,000 devices and data packages. Every Connecting Scotland customer is allocated a Digital Champion and has access to one on one training and support if they want it. So far a total of 2,700 Digital Champions have been trained through the programme. Interim results from our follow-up survey indicate that around half of Connecting Scotland customers found this support helpful in improving their digital skills.