Douglas Lumsden

23 Jan 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to increase public confidence in the achievability of the Clean Power 2030 target, in light of the reported findings of the True North survey.

Answer · Alasdair Allan: The Clean Power 2030 Action Plan was published by the UK Government. The National Energy System Operator, in its advice to the UK Government on the Clean Power 2030 ambition, noted that whilst the ambition is achievable, several elements must deliver at the l…

23 Jan 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-33161 by Fiona Hyslop on 22 January 2025, what the total electricity cost is for powering the 2,297 street lights on the A90, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The total electricity cost for powering the 2,297 street lights on the A90, broken down by local authority, for the financial year 2023-2024 was:Aberdeenshire Council - £72,920Aberdeen City Council - £15,340Angus Council - £69,172Dundee City…

23 Jan 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it provides to local authorities and other stakeholders on how to engage with the Scottish Government Resilience Room during an emergency.

Answer · Angela Constance: “Preparing Scotland” is a set of national guidance documents, currently under review, to assist stakeholders, including local authorities, in planning for, responding to and recovering from emergencies. It consists of a “Hub” which set…

23 Jan 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-33161 by Fiona Hyslop on 22 January 2025, what plans are in place to further upgrade street lighting along the A90, including (a) timelines and (b) estimated costs.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Transport Scotland’s Ancillary Assets Scheme Development Guidance provides direction on the identification, development and assessment of potential lighting schemes to ensure that funding is spent on the most deserving sites that offer best value with a…

23 Jan 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what role the Scottish Government Resilience Room has in coordinating with the UK Government during emergencies that have a cross-border impact.

Answer · Angela Constance: Supporting effective liaison with responders at all levels in Scotland and with the UK Government is key to the Scottish Government Resilience Room’s (SGORR’s) co-ordination of the Scottish Government response to civil contingencies emergencies. F…

23 Jan 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-33168 by Fiona Hyslop on 22 January 2025, how it ensures that regular inspections of A90 overbridges and overpasses are carried out in compliance with relevant safety standards and best practices.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Transport Scotland officials oversee the work of our contractors. They collaborate across disciplines and contractual boundaries to ensure work is completed in the areas of most need and that it represents best value.Officials are supported by the Performance…

23 Jan 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it works with with the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service to ensure accountability and continuous improvement.

Answer · Angela Constance: The Scottish Government works with the SCTS in line with the Framework Document agreed between the SCTS and the Scottish Ministers.The Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service (SCTS) is a non-ministerial office established by the Judiciary and Courts (Scotland) …

23 Jan 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many pieces of (a) physical and (b) email correspondence (i) the First Minister (ii) each cabinet secretary, (iii) each minister and (iv) each law officer has received in each of the last five years. 

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The Scottish Government does not currently hold data on the number of physical items of ministerial correspondence received so we are unable to provide this.However when correspondence is received, by email or by post, these are uploaded onto our corresponden…

23 Jan 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-33161 by Fiona Hyslop on 22 January 2025, how much has been spent on maintaining the 2,297 street lights on the A90 in each of the last five years, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Please see the following table which provides the costs of maintaining the 2297 streetlights on the A90.Activity2020-212021-222022-232023-242024-25Maintenance£2,713.53£8,884.67£850.770.000.00Transport Scotland does not hold the above informa…

23 Jan 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met with Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks; what was discussed, who attended, and when the next meeting will take place.

Answer · Alasdair Allan: At the time of writing, the Scottish Government last met with Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) on 4 February 2025. Scottish Government officials met with SSEN’s Head of Corporate Affairs, Head of Public Affairs and Policy colleagues to …

23 Jan 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many times the Scottish Government Resilience Room has been activated in each of the last five years, and for what specific events.

Answer · Angela Constance: The Scottish Government Resilience Room has been activated 5 times in 2020; 5 times in 2021; 11 times in 2022; 8 times in 2023; 9 times in 2024; and once in 2025 to date. Of these 39 activations, 25 were for co-ordinating the response to severe weather. The r…

23 Jan 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the total cost of operating the Scottish Government Resilience Room has been in each of the last five years.

Answer · Angela Constance: The total cost of operating the Scottish Government Resilience Room as calculated below includes salary costs for the teams responsible for developing and maintaining the SGORR function including co-ordination of resilience communications; on call allowances …

23 Jan 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-33168 by Fiona Hyslop on 22 January 2025, what specific challenges were encountered in repairing the A90 Glencarse overpass following the vehicle strike in March 2023, and how these were addressed.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Following the incident, ecological surveys were required before detailed structural investigations and repair works could begin. These identified protected species in the vicinity of the bridge and as such, repairs could not commence until further surveys wer…

23 Jan 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps are taken to ensure the confidentiality and security of information discussed during meetings in the Scottish Government Resilience Room.

Answer · Angela Constance: SGORR’s information security is guided, like information security in all other parts of Scottish Government, by three key principles: confidentiality (information is classified correctly following government guidance), integrity (information is verified…

23 Jan 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-33168 by Fiona Hyslop on 22 January 2025, what plans are in place to ensure that all overbridges and overpasses on the A90 meet future traffic and load-bearing requirements.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Scottish Ministers have a duty of care to ensure its structures are safe for public use. Our maintenance, strengthening and replacement programmes ensure that all structures and their elements are routinely inspected to determine they are fit for use as well …

23 Jan 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-33168 by Fiona Hyslop on 22 January 2025, whether Transport Scotland or its operating companies have identified any of the A90 overbridges and overpasses as requiring significant structural upgrades or replacement.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Refurbishment and upgrades to the A90 Kingsway, Dundee Strathmartine and Old Glamis footbridges are planned for the 2025-26 financial year.These works are currently at the tendering stage so a detailed construction programme is unavailable. Preparatory works …

23 Jan 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-33168 by Fiona Hyslop on 22 January 2025, whether there have been any reported safety concerns or incidents involving overbridges and overpasses along the A90 in the last five years, and what actions were taken to address these concerns. 

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Safety concerns are recorded as defects and addressed in accordance with contractual requirements and timescales.Safety defects and remedial actions on the A90 over the last five years are detailed below:A90 840 Portlethan Overbridge – Damaged parapet m…

23 Jan 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-33252 by Alasdair Allan on 23 January 2025, who attended each meeting; whether it will publish any formal minutes that were taken, and what plans there are to next meet.

Answer · Alasdair Allan: Please find below a table with a list of who attended each meeting. Any formal minutes will be published on the Scottish Government’s website and at the time of writing, there are no meetings with SSEN scheduled in ministerial calendars.Any meetings tha…

23 Jan 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-33168 by Fiona Hyslop on 22 January 2025, whether Transport Scotland has conducted any assessments on the potential impact of severe weather events, such as those experienced during Storm Babet, on the structural integrity of the A90 overbridges and…

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Transport Scotland has developed an Approach to Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience (ACCAR), which provides a strategic overview of our approach primarily on infrastructure and services directly under Transport Scotland control. A key deliverable of this…

23 Jan 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many of the national flags that it owns have (a) gone missing and (b) been wilfully damaged in each of the last 15 years.

Answer · Ivan McKee: There are no recorded instances of national flags being stolen or wilfully damaged in the last 15 years.

23 Jan 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has cost to maintain the national flags that it owns in each of the last 10 years.

Answer · Ivan McKee: The Scottish Government does not hold this information.

23 Jan 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has spent on hospitality for visitors to its buildings in each of the last five years.

Answer · Ivan McKee: The following table summarises the value of hospitality costs on the Scottish Government’s financial reporting system for each of the last 5 full financial years.2019-20£s2020-21£s2021-22£s2022-23£s2023-24£s578,18190,74882,…

23 Jan 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question by S6W-33053 by Shona Robison on 21 January 2025, what the cost was of contracting media planning and buying agencies in each of the last five years.

Answer · Shona Robison: Total spend with media agencies over the last five years (2019-2024) was £50,729,800.33, as published here Marketing spend - Marketing spend - gov.scotMedia planning and buying is placed by call-off from the Media Planning, Buying and Associated Service…

23 Jan 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures value for money regarding hospitality provision for visitors to its buildings.

Answer · Ivan McKee: As part of wider catering provision in Scottish Government buildings, a catering contract is in-place to ensure value for money for taxpayers. In-line with Scottish Government spending controls, visitor hospitality is only provided in limited circumstances.Ro…

23 Jan 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which national flags it owns.

Answer · Ivan McKee: The national flags owned by the Scottish Government are listed in the following table.CountryScotlandUnited KingdomUkraineWalesFranceGermanyIrelandPolandSpainItalyNetherlandsNorwayDenmarkIcelandSweden

23 Jan 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-33011 by Fiona Hyslop on 22 January 2025, what oversight or guidance it provides to railway station owners and operators to ensure the safety of passengers and staff, and how it monitors the effectiveness of these measures.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Railway safety is a matter reserved to the UK Government and responsibility for this lies with Office of Rail and Road who provides guidance to railway operators.

23 Jan 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which national flags it has purchased in each of the last 10 years.

Answer · Ivan McKee: A breakdown of flags purchased since 2017 is shown in the table below. The Scottish Government does not hold information on flag purchases prior to 2017.Year of PurchaseNational Flag2017Scotland2018Scotland2019Scotland2019United KingdomIceland2020ScotlandUnit…

23 Jan 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many flagpoles it has, broken down by height, and what the maintenance costs have been in each of the last 15 years.

Answer · Ivan McKee: The Scottish Government has 8 flag poles of the following lengths:59 ft (18m) x 2; 56 ft (17m) x 2; and 48 ft (14.6m) x 4We do not hold any information on specific maintenance costs associated with these poles.

23 Jan 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-33178 by Fiona Hyslop on 22 January 2025, how many of the 227 street lights were (a) replacements and (b) upgrades in each year.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Further to question S6W-33178 please see the following table which provides the number of street lamps replaced or upgraded on the A90 trunk road by year.YearReplacedUpgraded202000202100202290202379020245089

23 Jan 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-33096 by Ivan McKee on 21 January 2025, what the cost of maintaining the fleet was in each of the last five years.

Answer · Ivan McKee: The cost of maintaining the Scottish Government in each of the last five years is provided in the following table.YearTotal maintenance cost2019-20£171,4922020-21£134,7492021-22£186,3172022-23£162,2122023-24£162,349