- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 14 May 2021
Submitting member has a registered interest.
-
Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 24 May 2021
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the UK Government’s plan to give financial support to farmers for animal welfare enhancements, how it plans to financially support farmers in Scotland to ensure and improve on-farm animal welfare.
Answer
The Scottish Government is currently considering the recommendations of the farmer-led groups set up in the last parliament concerning future financial support for farmers. These included recommendations to improve animal health and welfare. The Scottish government is committed to working with farmers, crofters and others as we take this work forward.
- Asked by: Michael Marra, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Friday, 14 May 2021
-
Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 24 May 2021
To ask the Scottish Government whether local authorities will be able to retrospectively draw down funding under the phase three timetable of the Scottish Schools for the Future programme.
Answer
All projects in the Learning Estate Investment Programme have been in the design and development phase when they have been announced as part of the programme. The intention would be that this continues to be the case.
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
-
Date lodged: Friday, 14 May 2021
Submitting member has a registered interest.
-
Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 24 May 2021
To ask the Scottish Government whether it is considering a ban on (a) enriched cages for hens and (b) farrowing crates for sows.
Answer
The Scottish Government takes the welfare of all animals very seriously; and provision is made for the keepers of all animals to provide for their welfare under the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006.
The Scottish Government is aware of calls for the phasing out of enriched cages for laying hens and farrowing crates for sows across Europe and will consider these carefully.
- Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 May 2021
-
Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 24 May 2021
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its work to produce a Fuel Poverty Strategy.
Answer
We remain committed to finalising the Fuel Poverty Strategy later this year and an update on the resumption of work to produce it was sent to the Convener of the Local Government and Communities Committee on 22 March 2021. Further information on the work to develop the draft strategy and also on the appointment of the statutory Fuel Poverty Advisory Panel will be provided in due course.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 May 2021
-
Current Status:
Answered by Kate Forbes on 24 May 2021
To ask the Scottish Government by what date taxi (a) drivers will receive their second COVID-19 grant of up to £1,500 and (b) operators will receive their £10,000 COVID-19 payment.
Answer
The Scottish Government is working with a range of key sector stakeholders and local authorities to meet this commitment and make payments at the earliest opportunity within the first 100 days of the administration.
- Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 May 2021
-
Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 24 May 2021
To ask the Scottish Government whether, similar to Wales and Northern Ireland, it will produce guidance on school uniform supplies, regarding (a) reducing costs, (b) preventing exclusive suppliers and (c) making uniforms affordable for all, and if so, when the guidance will be delivered.
Answer
The Scottish Government recognises the cost of buying a school uniform can be considerable for many families. In 2018, in partnership with local authorities, we introduced the national minimum school clothing grant of £100 for all eligible children and young people.
We are committed to developing guidance to ensure consistency on school uniform policies across all of Scotland, ending expensive insistence on exclusive suppliers and to support the automation of school clothing grants in every local authority area in order to remove barriers to application and to boost uptake. We will work with our partners in local government on the development of guidance and on measures to support the automation of school clothing grants during 2021-22.
- Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 May 2021
-
Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 24 May 2021
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on when it will publish the outline business case for its proposed publicly-owned energy company.
Answer
The outline business case for the public energy company will be published once the new administration has had an opportunity to consider its conclusions and recent changes with the GB energy market.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 May 2021
-
Current Status:
Answered by Kate Forbes on 24 May 2021
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the (a) survey and remodelling work in the R100 North of Scotland lot area and (b) estimated timetable for the roll-out of superfast broadband in this area.
Answer
The Scottish Government provided Openreach with a finalised speed and coverage template (or SCT) for the R100 North lot contract at the end of March 2021 as outlined in response to S5W-36133 on 23 March 2021. The remodelling exercise to finalise their coverage footprint is ongoing and will be subject to rigorous review through Scottish Government governance and assurance structures, and those of Building Digital UK (BDUK). The full picture across the R100 North lot contract area is expected to be available by Summer 2021.
Survey vessels have begun detailed survey work in preparation for the deployment of 16 new subsea cables.
The roll-out of R100 build in the North lot – and the associated survey work – will be completed in phases, and build plans will be reflected in our online checker at scotlandsuperfast.com.
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: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 May 2021
-
Current Status:
Answered by Kate Forbes on 24 May 2021
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the level of funding which has been invested each year by the Scottish National Investment Bank since it was established, including debt, equity loans or other forms of investment.
Answer
The Scottish National Investment Bank opened for business in November 2020 and has since committed £52.5 million in investments.
To date £22.9 million has been drawn and invested in both debt and equity investments that align with the Bank’s missions.
The Bank will also publish annual accounts each year which will include information on how much it has invested during the financial year. Details of the Bank’s existing investments are published on the portfolio page on the Bank’s website: www.thebank.scot/our-portfolio/ as will details of future investments.
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 May 2021
-
Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 24 May 2021
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports of cases of the so-called Indian variant of COVID-19 increasing, when it plans to offer vaccinations to under-16s, and whether it plans to prioritise young people who (a) have (i) cystic fibrosis and (ii) other serious lung conditions and (b) are otherwise clinically vulnerable.
Answer
The Scottish Government continues to be guided by the science and independent advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).
The Scottish Government vaccination programme adheres to strict medical guidance and JCVI advice and at present although this situation is constantly reviewed; the MHRA has not authorised any vaccines for those aged under 16 years old, across the Four Nations.
If there is a change for under 16 year old then the vaccination process will be in accordance JCVI advice and supply of authorised vaccines.