Martin Whitfield

30 Aug 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it has reportedly (a) reduced funding for the Coalfields Regeneration Trust (CRT) and (b) instructed the CRT to end its grant programme.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: In 2023-24, funding is being delivered within the context of the most challenging budget settlement since devolution as set out by the Deputy First Minister in our Medium Term Financial Strategy, which makes clear the difficult choices that would be required …

30 Aug 2023 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its target for renewable heating systems in homes.

17 Jul 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many pupils are currently learning in a school that requires major rebuilding or refurbishment, broken down by local authority.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Scottish Government does not hold information on major rebuilding or refurbishment requirements. It is the statutory responsibility of local authorities to manage and maintain their school estate. Since 2007 the quality of the school estate has improved …

17 Jul 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of school buildings are currently believed to be past their estimated initial design life, which could be extended with adequate maintenance, broken down by local authority.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Scottish Government does not hold this information. It is statutory responsibility of local authorities to manage and maintain their school estate.  

17 Jul 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the cost was of using external designers for school building projects, from 2016-17 to date, (a) in total and (b) broken down by local authority.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Scottish Government does not hold this information. It is statutory responsibility of local authorities to manage and maintain their school estate.

17 Jul 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the total current overspend costs are on building new (a) schools and (b) nursery buildings, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Scottish Government does not hold this information. It is statutory responsibility of local authorities to manage and maintain their school and ELC estate.

17 Jul 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many schools have a dedicated car park for staff, (a) in total and (b) broken down by local authority.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Scottish Government does not hold this information. It is statutory responsibility of local authorities to manage and maintain their school estate.

17 Jul 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many schools have been identified as containing asbestos, from 2015 to date, (a) in total and (b) broken down by local authority.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Scottish Government does not hold this information. However, local authorities are required to keep an up-to-date record of the location of asbestos in their schools. Although Health and safety legislation is not devolved to the Scottish Government, we t…

17 Jul 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many new schools are currently planned to be built, broken down by local authority.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Scottish Government does not hold this information. It is statutory responsibility of local authorities to manage and maintain their school estate.

17 Jul 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many schools have been substantially refurbished, from 2016-17 to date, (a) in total and (b) broken down by local authority.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: A total of 255 substantial refurbishment projects were completed between 2016-17 and 2021-22. These figures do not include new-build schools. Figures for 2022-23 are not yet available. Table 1 shows the breakdown by local authority. Only refurbishments with …

17 Jul 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many schools were in good or satisfactory condition, from 2016-17 to date, (a) in total and (b) broken down by local authority.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The total number of publicly funded schools reported as in good or satisfactory condition in the School estates annual survey from 2016 to 2022 is shown in the table below. Figures from the 2023 survey are not yet available. The number of schools by conditio…

17 Jul 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the number of school buildings that currently pose a risk to life, (a) in total and (b) broken down by local authority.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Scottish Government does not hold this information. Building safety is a matter for the owner – who in this case would be individual local authorities - acting in accordance with the relevant health and safety legislation. Moreover, health and safety legi…

17 Jul 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many schools have been built, from 2017 to date, broken down by local authority.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: A total of 147 school builds were completed between 2016-17 and 2021-22. Figures for 2022-23 are not yet available. Table 1 shows the breakdown by local authority. Only builds with a cost of £500,000 or more for primary and £1 million or more for secondary a…

20 Jun 2023 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service faces “insufficient resource to meet statutory and policy obligations” due to budget cuts.

14 Jun 2023 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it will give in the academic year 2023-24 for the Rights Respecting Schools Awards programme.     

16 May 2023 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will propose scheduling parliamentary time to debate the potential role of artificial intelligence in the scrutiny of legislation.

3 May 2023 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with NHS Lothian, and local groups, since March 2023 regarding the reopening of the Edington Hospital in North Berwick.  

26 Apr 2023 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with industry bodies and colleges regarding the provision of green skills training for green jobs of the future.  

22 Mar 2023 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met EDF and the Nuclear Industry Association regarding the future of Torness nuclear power station. 

14 Mar 2023 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to maintain relationships with Scotland's European neighbours post-Brexit.

14 Mar 2023 · SPCB Oral Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what steps it will take to create a more family-friendly environment.

6 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the recent inspection by Historic Environment Scotland of the works at the Union Chain Bridge over the River Tweed, and what its position is on whether the works carried out by Northumberland County Council comply with the consents granted in relation to the site'…

Answer · Neil Gray: The Scottish Government delivers support for the historic environment through sponsorship of Historic Environment Scotland. We rely on Historic Environment Scotland as the experts to conserve and protect our important heritage assets for current and future ge…

28 Feb 2023 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential impact of the retirement of Hunterston B and Torness on Scotland’s CO2 emissions.

21 Feb 2023 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the recent study by the University of Stirling, published on 20 February 2023, which showed that the curriculum is narrowing under the Curriculum for Excellence, with a reduction in the choice of school subjects.

20 Feb 2023 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what recent action the Scottish Government has been taking to keep The Promise to young people in care.

26 Jan 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what requirements there are to undertake a Children’s Rights and Wellbeing Impact Assessment (CRWIA) as part of designing and planning new schools.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: Child Rights and Wellbeing Impact Assessment (CRWIA) is a process through which authorities can identify, research, analyse and record the anticipated impact of any proposed measure – including new schools - on children’s human rights and wellbeing. The CRWI…

26 Jan 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to update its guidance, School design: optimising the internal environment: building our future: Scotland's school estate, which was published in 2007.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: As part of a continual cycle of feedback and sharing lessons learned, Scottish Government and COSLA jointly published ‘Scotland’s Learning Estate Strategy - Connecting People, Places and Learning’ in 2019. This includes information from a findings report whic…

26 Jan 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what information it collects on whether new schools in Scotland meet the standards set out in the (a) UK Government document, Building Bulletin 93: Acoustic design of schools: performance standards, and (b) Scottish Government guidance, School design: optimising the internal environment:…

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: It is the statutory responsibility of all local authorities to manage and maintain their school estate, therefore, we do not routinely collect this information. Information is however gathered via a Post-Occupancy Evaluation of each school constructed or ref…

18 Jan 2023 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill, including the latest discussions it has had with the UK Government.

14 Dec 2022 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on BMA Scotland’s reported estimate that Scotland is approximately 1,000 short of the required number of whole time equivalent GPs.