Paul Sweeney

20 Dec 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether expressions of interest will be invioted to develop the air rights above (a) Charing Cross and (ii) High Street railway station in Glasgow to assess the potential for funding improvement of the (a) station infrastructure and (b) wider cityscape.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: This is a matter for Network Rail as the landowner. Transport Scotland would be engaged by Network Rail as a mandatory consultee under its license condition 17 obligations, when considering the disposal of railway land and/or rights in railway land.

18 Dec 2024 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the progress to restore the Mackintosh Building of the Glasgow School of Art.  

17 Dec 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what (a) CalMac and (b) CMAL are doing to honour the request of Selby Town Council for artefacts of the decommissioned ferry, MV Hebridean Isles, such as the ship's bell and builder's plate, to be salvaged and gifted to the town where the ship was originally built by Cochrane Shipbuilder…

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: CMAL, as vessel owner, have received a number of applications for items associated with the MV Hebridean Isles retiral from service. These are currently being reviewed by CMAL along with input from CalMac. This list of items for retrieval includes requests ma…

17 Dec 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it can do to support the Norwegian-UK Strategic Partnership declared on 16 December 2024 as it relates to Scotland.

Answer · Angus Robertson: The Scottish Government has long recognised the importance of developing strong ties with Norway to fully realise our shared ambitions in devolved areas such as culture, education, energy and climate. The First Minister and the Cabinet Secretary for Constitut…

17 Dec 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has assessed what technical solutions could be adopted by bus operators to reduce the risk of collisions with low bridges.

Answer · Jim Fairlie: It is deeply concerning that there have been two recent incidents involving buses colliding with low bridges, and I wish to express my best wishes for a speedy recovery to those injured. Both incidents are currently under investigation.While vehicle safety is…

16 Dec 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding its recent report, Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) Services in Scotland: An analysis of updated NHS Board survey data, which confirms that NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde is offering the Lightning Process for people with ME/CFS, what its position is o…

Answer · Jenni Minto: The Health and Social Care Standards, published in 2017, set out the expectation that care should be provided by health and social care professionals based on the most relevant evidence, guidance and best practice, as is appropriate to their profession and pa…

15 Dec 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when Scottish Enterprise will publish its initial masterplan for the development of its five-acre site adjacent to the Broomielaw in Glasgow.

Answer · Kate Forbes: This is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise. I have asked their Chief Executive, Adrian Gillespie, to contact you directly with a response.

15 Dec 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether there has been any progress on the proposals to establish a Scottish Stock Exchange.

Answer · Tom Arthur: The Scottish Government recognise that stock exchanges can be an alternative platform for some companies seeking to raise substantial capital for growth investment, whilst also offering investors the opportunity to contribute to the development of listed comp…

9 Dec 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-31732 byFiona Hyslop on 9 December 2024, in light of its response that it does not holdthe information requested, what its position is on whether not holding thisinformation in relation to a matter of industrial finance (a) is unusual in aninternati…

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: With the goal of providing a full response to the member, Scottish Government officials have liaised with a range of organisations including those reserved to the UK Government. This includes the UK National Shipbuilding Office - responsible for the UK Nation…

5 Dec 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much money it has allocated to providing free bus travel for people seeking asylum in its draft Budget 2025-26.

Answer · Jim Fairlie: The draft 2025-26 Budget, which is subject to Parliamentary approval, has allocated funding to provide free bus travel for asylum seekers in the 2025-26 financial year. Further information will be provided in due course.People seeking asylum in Scotland who a…

4 Dec 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide more information on its plans to provide free bus travel for asylum seekers as set out in its draft Budget 2025-26, including (a) a clear timeline for developing and fully implementing this policy, (b) clarity on whether free bus travel will be provided for a…

Answer · Jim Fairlie: The draft 2025-26 Budget, which is subject to Parliamentary approval, has funding allocated to provide free bus travel for asylum seekers in the 2025-26 financial year. Further information on delivery will be provided in due course.We are committed to explori…

4 Dec 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide further detail on the regeneration funding for Possilpark as set out in its draft Budget 2025-26, including how much funding will be allocated to this area.

Answer · Tom Arthur: The funding announced in the draft Scottish Budget will develop an underused space at 252 Saracen Street, Possilpark, into a new Social Entrepreneurial Centre providing 379sqm of space for those from disadvantaged communities to meet, innovate and support new…

3 Dec 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the estimated capital cost is of permanently replacing the M8 Woodside Viaducts with a surface level dual carriageway; whether this could be partly funded by high-density commercial development of any surplus land released adjacent to a new road, and how this option compares with th…

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: No work has been undertaken to consider permanently replacing the M8 Woodside Viaducts with a surface level dual carriageway. Therefore, it is not possible to determine what the design and estimated capital cost of such an option would be, the practicalities …

3 Dec 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the root cause of the structural problem with the M8 Woodside Viaducts was due to movement in the supporting pillars caused by a change in the water table, which was triggered by nearby construction activity at Phoenix Road.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Transport Scotland engineers advise that there is no reason to believe that there has been any structural damage to the Woodside Viaduct as a result of a changing water table due to construction or any other activity at Pheonix Road.The works are as a result …

3 Dec 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will engage with the Ministry of Defence on its plan to tender for two new floating docks for submarine maintenance at Faslane, and establish the feasibility for these docks to be constructed in whole or part at Scottish shipyards, such as Ferguson Marine.

Answer · Kate Forbes: The Scottish Government will interact with the UK Government and Ministry of Defence to support the opportunity for any significant contracts with the potential to provide ongoing employment opportunities for shipyards and fabrication businesses in Scotland.T…

2 Dec 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many men are currently waiting more than 18 months for a vasectomy.

Answer · Neil Gray: The information requested is not held centrally by the Scottish Government.Public Health Scotland (PHS) uses the national waiting times datamart to collect electronic patient records covering the waits that patients experience waiting for treatment as an inpa…

27 Nov 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether all parts of the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde area have access to home ear wax removal, and, if this is not the case, which parts of the NHS board area do not currently have access to this service.

Answer · Neil Gray: The 2018 GP contract committed Health Boards to set up Community Treatment and Care (CTAC) services to transfer workload from GP practices to NHS Board-employed staff allowing GP practices to focus on what only they can do. Territorial Health Boards and Integ…

27 Nov 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what members of the health and social care workforce are qualified to carry out home ear wax removal services, and what assessment it has made of any vacancy levels in this area, including any recruitment and retention challenges.

Answer · Neil Gray: The ability to undertake ear wax removal depends on an individual’s role, scope of practice and competence and this is dependent on workforce and requirements of services within their respective Health Boards and HSCPs. Whilst the Scottish Government se…

27 Nov 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with (a) NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (GGC) and (b) health and social care partnerships (HSCPs) in the NHS GGC area regarding home ear wax removal, and how it is supporting HSCPs to make this service available to patients who need it.

Answer · Neil Gray: The Scottish Government has not held any specific discussions with NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde and its respective HSCPs on home ear wax removal. The Scottish Government has regular engagement with all HSCPs areas on GP contract implementation progress.

26 Nov 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which harbour authorities in Scotland currently levy a leisure vessel conservancy fee, and what the annual fee is in each harbour authority that has such a levy.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government does not hold information on fees set by ports.Statutory Harbour Authorities are independent bodies governed by their own legislation. A Statutory Harbour Authority’s powers, duties and geographic area of jurisdiction are set out…

24 Nov 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to introduce a general development programme to promote the improvement of shipbuilding and dock facilities in Scotland, including through patient loans, grants for capital investments and refund guarantees for shipbuilding projects, in compliance with the Subsidy Contro…

Answer · Kate Forbes: The Scottish Government provides a range of support to shipbuilding, marine engineering, harbours and ports across Scotland but has no plans to introduce a new general development programme to promote and improve shipbuilding and dock facilities.The Scottish …

24 Nov 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what UK financial institutions currently provide refund guarantee products for shipbuilding projects.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government do not hold this information. It is a matter for UK shipyards to come to commercial agreements on guarantees with financial institutions as stipulated in shipbuilding procurements.

24 Nov 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has noted the reportedly promising results from clinical trials in China of a surgical cervical shunting procedure, cervical lymphatic-venous anastomosis (LVA), to unclog cerebral lymphatic systems in patients with Alzheimer’s disease, as reported in General Psychiatry v…

Answer · Jenni Minto: The LVA research reported in General Psychiatry volume 37, issue 3 is a single case study rather than a Clinical Trial or series of Clinical TrialsThe Scottish Government works in partnership with the NHS Boards through NHS Research Scotland (NRS) to deliver …

21 Nov 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with the (a) Metro Mayor of (i) Greater Manchester and (ii) the West Midlands and (b) Secretary of State for Transport regarding the potential revival of the HS2 Phase 2 development and how this could be extended further up the West Coast Main Line to Glasgow.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Scottish Government Ministers have had engagement with the Secretary of State for Transport regarding the reintroduction of the High Speed Rail Crewe to Manchester Bill (on 25 July 2024) and officials are engaged with counterparts on medium-long term strategi…

21 Nov 2024 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it prioritises local suppliers when purchasing flowers or floral arrangements for events, in order to support the reportedly growing flower farming industry in Scotland.

Answer · Claire Baker (on behalf of the SPCB): Floral arrangements are supplied via our service partner for Catering Services, Sodexo Limited. Their flower supplier is a small business in Edinburgh established for over 25 years providing fresh flowers and arrangements throughout the year for various event…

21 Nov 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many hectares of agricultural land were taken out of use for farming in each of the last 10 years.

Answer · Jim Fairlie: The figures set out in the following table have been derived from data contained within the Integrated Administration and Control System (IACS). IACS contains land parcels that have been registered with Rural Payments and Inspections Division (RPID) for agric…

19 Nov 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on how many times section 45 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997 has been used.

Answer · Ivan McKee: Section 45 of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997 has been used once since 2012 to issue a direction specifying minimum compensation.In 2019 the Scottish Government published a case study of this instance, highlighting t…

19 Nov 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many people in Scotland who are above state pension age pay the (a) starter, (b) basic, (c) intermediate, (d) higher,  (e) advanced and (f) top rate of Scottish income tax.

Answer · Shona Robison: Information on the number of Scottish Income Tax payers by age and band are only available from the Survey of Personal Incomes and the latest data is for 2021-22. Table 1 provides the number of taxpayers of State Pension age by band in Scotland.Given this dat…

19 Nov 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many farms in Scotland are bigger than 200 acres (81 hectares).

Answer · Jim Fairlie: In 2024, based on data from the June Agricultural Census, there were 9,309 agricultural holdings in Scotland with a total land area more than or equal to 81 hectares (approximately 200 acres).

12 Nov 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with (a) NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and (b) its Health and Social Care Partnerships (HSCPs) regarding home ear syringing, and how it is supporting HSCPs to make this service available to patients who need it.

Answer · Neil Gray: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) does not recommend manual ear syringing.