Claudia Beamish

1 Jun 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that the National Indicator target of improving the condition of protected nature sites is met in 2018.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The target included in ‘Scotland’s Biodiversity: A Route Map to 2020’ was to have 80% of designated features on protected sites in favourable or recovering condition by 2016. This target has been met. Scottish Natural Heritage and partner organisations are c…

1 Jun 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to implement reform in fisheries in line with (a) its three-pillar approach to marine nature conservation, (b) its inshore fisheries strategy and (c) independent scientific recommendations, including those suggesting a need for spatial management.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: Our Inshore Fisheries Strategy recognises the importance of fishing to Scotland and is helping to provide a more sustainable, profitable and well-managed inshore sector. This year we have introduced a range of measures to improve inshore fisheries management,…

1 Jun 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has carried out or plans of the social and cultural impact of the marine protected area network.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The 2016 Scottish Marine Protected Areas Socioeconomic Monitoring report provides an assessment of emerging evidence on the socio-economic impacts of Scotland’s Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), that includes some cultural and social considerations, such as beha…

1 Jun 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve the environmental sustainability of fisheries.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: Each Autumn, the Scottish Government participates in the suite of international negotiations that set fishing levels for quota stocks for the coming year. The Government's negotiating position is underpinned by a set of long-standing guiding principles that i…

1 Jun 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has carried out or plans of the impact of the marine protected area network on (a) the maintenance and recovery of overall marine ecosystem health and (b) climate change resilience.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Marine Scotland is currently developing an MPA monitoring strategy that will ensure the necessary information is collected from the MPA network to underpin assessment and reporting obligations. The data collected from implementing this strategy together with …

24 May 2017 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the timescale and arrangements are for the consultation on the review of priority marine features outside of the marine protected areas network.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The exact timescales are still being determined because the review will require a Strategic Environmental Assessment. It is envisaged that stakeholder engagement will begin after summer recess with a view to public consultation around the end of 2017. The Sco…

17 May 2017 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it supports women into work.

12 May 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how protected areas contribute to its biodiversity strategy, and what objectives it has set for these.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Scotland’s protected areas have been recognised and designated as nationally important for nature conservation. As such, they play a key role in delivering our international and national commitments to protecting, enhancing and restoring Scotland’s biodiversi…

12 May 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with Scottish Natural Heritage regarding protected areas and any potential changes to site condition monitoring.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: There are no plans to change site condition monitoring. The Scottish Biodiversity Strategy Protected Areas Working Group (whose membership includes the Scottish Government, Forestry Commission Scotland, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and Scottish…

12 May 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action Scottish Natural Heritage takes to ensure that designated features are brought into favourable condition.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and partner organisations are working with land managers across Scotland to address the causes of designated features being in unfavourable condition. When a designated feature in unfavourable condition is identified, SNH seeks…

9 May 2017 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment has been made of the impact that an increased carers allowance would have on disability poverty.

2 May 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-08876 by Derek Mackay on 28 April 2017, how many of (a) its and (b) its agencies' staff have made a request to take carers leave in each year since 2011 and how many requests were granted, also broken down by the number of days taken.

Answer · Derek Mackay: We use our E-HR system to capture data on staff taking carers leave. This system captures data after the leave has been approved, it does not capture requests. Table 1 shows the number of staff taking carers leave. Table 1. The number of directly employed …

28 Apr 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-08876 by Derek Mackay on 28 April 2017, how many of (a) its and (b) its agencies' staff have advised that they have caring responsibilities in each year since 2011.

Answer · Derek Mackay: Scottish Government introduced a system to allow staff to record their caring status in 2014. Table 1 shows the numbers each year from then. Table 1. Number of directly employed staff who reported having caring responsibilities in each of the years, since t…

28 Apr 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of it having had the power to do so since September 2016 and the commitment made in its programme for government, when it will increase carers allowance, and whether the first payment will be backdated to that date.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: It would not have been feasible to implement the increase from September 2016. UK Regulations, which transfer competence for Carer’s Allowance to the Scottish Parliament, will not come into force until later this month. Scottish legislation will then need to …

28 Apr 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether delivering increases in carers allowance in lump sums would minimise administrative costs.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Increasing Carer’s Allowance to the same level as Job Seeker’s Allowance is one of the key commitments we have made in respect of our new social security powers and reflects the recognition we give to carers who make such an important contribution to our soci…

28 Apr 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-07548 by Jeane Freeman on 24 April 2017, whether it will make the information requested regarding the feasibility study on increasing carers allowance available for MSPs by placing it in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe) and, if so,…

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government has no authority in relation to the DWP feasibility study which is not held by the Scottish Government for the purposes of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act (FOISA) because the report has been received in confidence from the UK…

26 Apr 2017 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the remit and timescale of its proposed review of personal and social education.

Answer · John Swinney: Initial discussions have been held between officials from the Scottish Government, Education Scotland and COSLA to consider potential options for taking this review forward. These ideas will now be developed further to produce a detailed scope and timeline fo…

19 Apr 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what carers' leave (a) it and (b) its agencies offers to staff.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government is committed to supporting staff with caring responsibilities. For staff on Scottish Government Main and Scottish Government Marine terms and conditions and members of the Senior Civil Service we offer up to five days paid carers leave…

19 Apr 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what pilots of carers' leave it has commissioned.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: Employment rights, including statutory leave, are generally reserved to the UK Government. The Scottish Government funds the Carer Positive scheme which encourages employers in Scotland to support their employees who are carers to balance employment and thei…

27 Mar 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Scottish carer’s benefit will retain the benefit cap exemption that has been in place since November 2016.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Recipients of Carer’s Allowance are exempt from the UK Government’s benefit cap and we expect them to remain so when a Scottish carer’s benefit is introduced.

27 Mar 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, when it will provide a substantive answer to question S5W-07548, which received a holding response on 10 March 2017.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-07548 on 24 April 2017. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/2…

22 Mar 2017 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to concerns that reductions to local government budgets will have a negative impact on local services in South Scotland.

1 Mar 2017 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to address environmental concerns regarding aquaculture industry production targets.

24 Feb 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government on what date it received the feasibility study on carers allowance from the Department for Work and Pensions, and whether it will put this in the public domain.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The feasibility study on increasing carers allowance was received from DWP on the 11th January 2017. An FOI request and subsequent review in relation to the DWP feasibility report were also received and have been dealt with in line with the requirements of t…

31 Jan 2017 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what work it is doing to identify economic gender inequality.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The Scottish Government strongly supports inclusive growth based on equal opportunities and a fair and inclusive jobs market. No one should be denied opportunities because of their gender. We recognise that good quality data on gender inequality is key to de…

26 Jan 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the potential for blue carbon habitats to store and sequester carbon, for what reason the protection and restoration of these habitats is not included in the draft Climate Change Plan.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government and Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) have been working to assess the extent and potential of blue carbon in Scotland. In 2014 SNH published an initial assessment of blue carbon stores in Scotland’s coastal and marine environment, and fu…

26 Jan 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what work has been done since the second Report on Proposals and Policies (RRP2) to review and develop policies on blue carbon and consider proposals to capture their potential.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-06640 on 6 February 2017. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness…

26 Jan 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what work it has done since the second Report on Proposals and Policies (RPP2) to increase understanding of the distribution of blue carbon habitats, their condition and potential contribution to emission reductions.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-06640 on 6 February 2017. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness…

25 Jan 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what practical measures (a) will be and (b) have been undertaken by (i) it, (ii) Clyde 2020, (iii) the South West Inshore Fisheries Group and (iv) the Clyde Marine Planning Partnership to deliver on its commitment in April 2014 to regenerate fish stocks in the Clyde by 2020.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: My prerogative as Cabinet Secretary for the Rural Economy and Connectivity is to support and facilitate growth and consolidate activity in rural and coastal communities. The fishing industry, together with other marine industries, is a key player in the rural…

25 Jan 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what practical measures it will undertake to ensure that all of Scotland's seas and inshore waters achieve good environmental condition by 2020.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government has made considerable progress in its work to protect the marine environment. The National Marine Plan was adopted in March 2015 and provides a framework for consistent decision making that takes account of the marine environment. Wor…