Paul Sweeney

14 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will urgently seek to revise the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (Scotland) Amendment Order 2024, which was laid before the Parliament on 28 March 2024 and is due to come into effect on 24 May 2024, in light of reported concerns that it will lead to i…

Answer · Ivan McKee: The Scottish Parliament Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee considered the negative instrument on 14 May and agreed to make no recommendations. The legislation comes into force on 24 May 2024.  

14 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the prior approval mechanism in the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (Scotland) Amendment Order 2024 could cause permanent damage to the nation's built heritage.

Answer · Ivan McKee: Phase 3 of Scottish Government’s Permitted Development Rights (PDR) review has focussed on new and extended PDR for domestic and non-domestic renewable energy equipment. The measures streamline the planning process for various low carbon technologies and for …

14 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has consulted local authorities on the new regulations in the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (Scotland) Amendment Order 2024 and the prior approval mechanism that it sets out.

Answer · Ivan McKee: Phase 3 of the Review of Permitted Development Rights (PDR) has focussed on new and extended PDR for domestic and non-domestic renewable energy equipment to help address the climate and cost crises. A public consultation setting out proposed changes, includin…

14 May 2024 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, in light of reports of a group of protesters forcing entry into a parliamentary constituency office in Glasgow on 21 February 2024 and intimidating parliamentary staff in their place of work, and Police Scotland's subsequent description of the incident as a "peaceful p…

Answer · Claire Baker (on behalf of the SPCB): In the wake of the protest at Mr Sweeney’s office, the Parliament’s Security Office engaged with the ‘Operation Sandbed’ team within Police Scotland on behalf of the SPCB.  Protest activity can cause alarm and the Security Office shared Mr Sweeney’s concerns,…

13 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with the Gaza Families Reunited campaign following the letter that the former Minister for Equalities, Migration and Refugees sent to the UK Government Minister for Legal Migration on 12 April 2024, and whether it has any plans to convene a working group of sta…

Answer · Kaukab Stewart: The Scottish Government supports the Gaza Families Reunited campaign’s calls for the UK Government to create a scheme to allow Palestinians in the UK to bring family members trapped in Gaza to a place of safety in the UK. The former Minister for Equalities, …

13 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to any potential impact on devolved benefits in Scotland, what engagement it has had with the Ministry of Defence, including Veterans UK, regarding reported delays in the award and payment of war pensions for veterans resident in Scotland.

Answer · Graeme Dey: The Armed Forces Pension Scheme and benefits including the War Pension Scheme are wholly reserved to the UK Government and are assessed and administered by Veterans UK on behalf of the Ministry of Defence. The Scottish Government is therefore unable to interv…

13 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what steps it is taking to address any stigma associated with veterans' mental health.

Answer · Maree Todd: The Veterans Mental Health Advisory Group was established to progress the Veterans Mental Health & Wellbeing Action Plan. Tackling stigma is a key objective. A Veterans Voice group serves to ensure the views of veterans inform the development and implementat…

13 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what mandatory support and training is in place for workers in (a) NHS Scotland and (b) local authorities to ensure that they are equipped to meet the complex needs of veterans.

Answer · Graeme Dey: The General Practice Armed Forces and Veterans Recognition Scheme opened to General Practices across Scotland in November 2023. The scheme aims to raise awareness among General Practice teams of some of the health challenges that veterans and Armed Forces fam…

13 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what help is available to support veterans and armed forces personnel to seek out and engage with public or third sector-provided services, such as services relating to health and housing, which they may be hesitant to engage with due to fear of perce…

Answer · Graeme Dey: The Scottish Government continues to provide annual grant funding to Veterans Scotland who have developed Veterans Assist. This online resource signposts and connects the veterans community and their families with the organisations and services best placed to…

13 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what funding is available for projects working to support and improve the lives of former service personnel and their families in 2024-25, including any projects that are run by veterans themselves, in the absence of the Scottish Veterans Fund.

Answer · Graeme Dey: The Scottish Veterans Fund continues to be our main route to directly fund projects supporting the Armed Forces Community in Scotland. In this financial year we are providing around £460,000 through the fund to help organisations deliver 14 projects across Sc…

13 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support is available to veterans to meet the costs of dental care and treatment.

Answer · Jenni Minto: There are no specific provisions for veterans with respect to the costs of dental care and treatment, and individuals must meet existing exemption criteria in order to qualify for free care. Free dental treatment is available for people who are under 26 years…

8 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider amending the provisions in the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 in relation to the licensing and regulation of taxis in order to make the provision of a card payment facility mandatory, in light of reported concerns regarding the inconvenience that cash-only …

Answer · Siobhian Brown: It is a matter for local licensing authorities to determine how to licence taxis and private hires within their areas within the powers they are provided with in the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982. This includes in terms of setting conditions as part of…

8 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it anticipates that its Vacant and Derelict Land Investment Programme (VDLIP), based on the current trend, will have brought all 848 hectares of vacant and derelict land across the 619 sites in Glasgow back into productive use.

Answer · Tom Arthur: Since 2021 the low carbon Vacant and Derelict Land Investment Programme (VDLIP) has supported the productive reuse of 50.5 hectares of vacant and derelict land across nine projects in Glasgow. The aim of the VDLIP is to help with tackling persistent vacant a…

7 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will engage with the Invictus Games Foundation regarding a potential bid to host the 2029 or 2031 iteration of the Invictus Games in Glasgow.

Answer · Angus Robertson: Glasgow is an excellent host city for Major Events, as proven most recently by the successes of the UCI Cycling World Championships in 2023 and the World Athletics Indoor Championships in March 2024. A decision on whether to bid to host the Invictus Games in…

7 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with (a) Eurostar Group and (b) other train operating companies about reviving the Regional Eurostar and Nightstar services that were proposed to run from Glasgow Central and Edinburgh Waverley to Paris Nord.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government has had no meetings or discussion with Eurostar Group and other operators regarding the Regional Eurostar and Nightstar services, which was cancelled in the 1990's.  

6 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the reported long-term costs involved in maintaining the M8 inner ring road section through Glasgow, as well as reported negative environmental and social impacts on the urban neighbourhoods of inner city Glasgow, whether Transport Scotland is considering taking any action o…

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-27301 on? 17 May 2024. 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…

6 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made in relation to the recommendations of the Broomielaw District Regeneration Framework by Austin-Smith:Lord for Glasgow City Council, which were approved by the local authority in June 2019, including (a) that Transport Scotland establishes an M8 Transformation …

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Transport Scotland continues to engage with Glasgow City Council regarding their aspirations for this area, noting it is they who are responsible for bringing forward land use changes and the associated planning duties. Transport Scotland’s interests lie in t…

4 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it is not emulating the approach of the Danish Energy Agency by taking a 20% state ownership share in the development of new offshore wind farms.

Answer · Gillian Martin: We are committed to maximising the public benefits of our renewables revolution and will explore all options open to us to do so. ScotWind reflects very significant market ambition for offshore wind in Scottish waters and will deliver over £750m in revenues …

2 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-25983 by Fiona Hyslop on 18 March 2024, for what reason the name of the financial institution providing the Bank Refund Guarantee (BRG) is deemed to be commercially confidential.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: CMAL has taken further advice on this question. The financial institutions providing the bank refund guarantees for the Little Minch vessels are Yapi Kredi and Halk Bank respectively.    

2 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to promote the development of Bruntwood SciTech's Met Tower digital and tech hub project in Glasgow.

Answer · Kate Forbes: Scottish Enterprise has been working with partners and Bruntwood SciTech on proposals for the redevelopment of the Met Tower in Glasgow. Scottish Enterprise has advised that Bruntwood SciTech has recently confirmed that commercial property market conditions, …

2 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-24477 by Joe FitzPatrick on 18 January 2024, for what reason the Scottish Ministers have yet to reach a decision on the proposal for this urban regeneration project in Glasgow, and whether they will now approve it without further delay.

Answer · Ivan McKee: This called-in case is still under consideration and a decision will issue as soon as possible. A response on the project is expected to issue by 29 May.  

1 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-24902 by Shona Robison on 21 February 2024, whether it will consider the possible development of a methodology for calculating a discrete tax to GDP ratio for Scotland as part of the annual Government Expenditure and Revenue Scotland (GERS) report.

Answer · Ivan McKee: The Government Expenditure and Revenue Scotland (GERS) report sets out the ratio of total revenue to GDP for Scotland, which in 2022-23 was 41.1%. This presentation is consistent with the UK Public Sector Finances. The latest GERS publication is available at:…

1 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-25231 by Joe FitzPatrick on 29 February 2024, whether it will provide an update on when the (a) Regeneration Capital Grant Fund (RCGF) and (b) Vacant and Derelict Land Investment Programme (VDLIP) will reopen to new projects.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: We are not yet in a position to advise on any future funding rounds for the Regeneration Capital Grant Fund or the Vacant and Derelict Land Investment Programme. We will be in touch with COSLA and local authorities when we have further information and will al…

1 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to its answer to question S6W-25684 by Tom Arthur on 4 March 2024, whether it will consider calculating discrete Scottish public sector net debt and publishing this in the annual Government Expenditure and Revenue Scotland (GERS) report.

Answer · Ivan McKee: There are no plans to produce estimates of Scottish public sector net debt. The Scottish Government has limited borrowing powers, and borrowing by the UK Government is not identified to any country or region in the UK. As such it is not possible to calculate …

1 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will request that ScotRail reviews its decision to maintain toilet access charges at Glasgow Queen Street station.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: This is an operational matter for ScotRail.  

30 Apr 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Change Mental Health report, The Rural Divide: The Realities of Mental Healthcare for Children and Young People in Rural Scotland, on mental health services in rural areas.

Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government acknowledges this report and we recognise that people in rural areas can experience particular challenges in relation to their mental health and wellbeing. We also recognise that CAMHS performance still varies across Health Boards, an…

30 Apr 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to address any inequalities in access to mental health services in rural areas. 

Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government recognise that people in rural areas can experience particular challenges in relation to their mental health and wellbeing. We have a specific focus on rural communities within the Communities Mental Health and Wellbeing Fund. Across …

30 Apr 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether any (a) existing and (b) new claimants of the Adult Disability Payment will be affected by the UK Government's proposed reforms to the Personal Independence Payment (PIP), in light of reports that some people with mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety could be d…

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: Last week I sought urgent clarity from the DWP that people receiving our Adult Disability Payment will not be penalised and will continue to automatically receive the reserved benefits that they rely on. I have also sought assurances from the UK Government it…

30 Apr 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding has been allocated to Breathing Space in the last four financial years, including 2024-25, broken down by year.

Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government has invested over £7.3 million to deliver the Breathing Space service over the last 3 financial years, as follows: 2021-22: £2.372 million 2022-23: £2.354 million 2023-24: £2.6 million Breathing Space forms part of a wider range …

29 Apr 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it provides to people seeking asylum who are resident in Scotland, including anyone who may be impacted by the Illegal Migration Act 2023.

Answer · Kaukab Stewart: The Scottish Government is strongly opposed to the Illegal Migration Act that will push vulnerable people further into destitution and increase the risk of exploitation and we have raised our serious concerns with the Home Secretary. We continue to deliver a…