Parliamentary questions
Tim Eagle
1,493 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
9 Aug 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-15885 by Angus Robertson on 24 March 2023, whether the National Records of Scotland remains committed to maintaining a website for the Scottish Register of Tartans, in light of its digital strategy, and, if so, whether it now has plans to modernise …
Answer · Angus Robertson: I have asked Janet Egdell, Chief Executive of NRS to respond. Her response is that the National Records of Scotland (NRS) are responsible for the Scottish Register of Tartans website. NRS remains committed to maintaining a website to support the Scottish Regi…
9 Aug 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its plans to establish an international office in Warsaw.
Answer · Angus Robertson: Our plans to open an office in Warsaw will be considered as part of the wider review of government spending. It is necessary to ensure resources are used economically, efficiently and effectively, and high levels of scrutiny are applied to expenditure.
9 Aug 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many meetings (a) the First Minister and (b) previous First Ministers had with the leader of Orkney Islands Council in each year since 2021.
Answer · Shona Robison: Since 2021, Scottish Ministers have regularly met with Council Leaders, including Orkney Islands Council, to discuss a range of issues of mutual interest.The First Minister and previous First Minister have also committed to meeting with the COSLA Presidential…
9 Aug 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it purchased any artwork in 2023-24, and, if so, whether it can provide details of this, including any associated costs.
Answer · Ivan McKee: There were no artwork purchases in 2023-24.A detail of artwork spend in previous years is outlined below.Financial YearSpend on Photography/Wall Art18-19£019-20£252.0020-21£49.9521-22£600.7022-23£471.7323-24£0Total Spend&po…
9 Aug 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many meetings (a) the First Minister and (b) previous First Ministers had with the leader of Argyll and Bute Council in each year since 2021.
Answer · Shona Robison: Since 2021, Scottish Ministers have regularly met with Council Leaders, including Argyll and Bute Council, to discuss a range of issues of mutual interest.The First Minister and previous First Minister have also committed to meeting with the COSLA Presidentia…
9 Aug 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-11194 by Angus Robertson on 27 October 2022, whether its over-arching General Report of Scotland’s Census 2022 will be laid before Parliament in 2024, and, if so, when.
Answer · Angus Robertson: I have asked Janet Egdell, Chief Executive of National Records of Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows:NRS are currently publishing topic data from Scotland’s Census 2022. Later in 2024, we will publish multivariate data. This means we will p…
9 Aug 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the total cost has been of consultancy fees relating to Transport Scotland’s work on developing long- and medium-term resilient routes to replace the existing A83 Rest and Be Thankful corridor in each year since 2021.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government is committed to delivering medium and long term solutions to address the landslip risks at the A83 Rest and Be Thankful.Delivery of a permanent and resilient solution is a priority and we will continue to seek ways to achieve that as q…
9 Aug 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many public electric vehicle (EV) charging points are suitable for (a) light commercial vehicles, (b) heavy goods vehicles and (c) buses, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: As a result of £65m of public investment since 2011, and increasing private sector investment, Scotland has one of the most comprehensive public EV charging networks of any part of the UK, with over 5,800 public EV charge points, and is on target to hav…
9 Aug 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it still plans to bring forward its proposed Crofting Bill before the end of the current parliamentary session.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: The Scottish Government is committed to reforming crofting law, subject to agreement by parliament, to support the future of crofting. The Scottish Government sets out its legislative agendas for each year in the respective Programme for Government.A consulta…
9 Aug 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has plans to increase the number of public electric vehicle (EV) charging points that are suitable for (a) light commercial vehicles, (b) heavy goods vehicles and (c) buses, and, if so, whether it can provide details of any such plans.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Through the £30 million EV Infrastructure Fund, the Scottish Government has provided each Local Authority with up to £140,000 to support the cost of carrying out analysis to identify future public EV charging requirements for cars and light commer…
9 Aug 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-12374 by Humza Yousaf on 5 December 2022, whether the cytosponge diagnostic service is now available in all island NHS boards.
Answer · Neil Gray: Service innovation and redesign are central to the future of NHS, and the CytoSCOT programme is an excellent example of how innovation in diagnostic services can support patients to access alternatives to traditional endoscopy closer to home, helping to reduc…
9 Aug 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on any engagement that it has had with relevant stakeholders regarding the future of Kinloch Castle on the Isle of Rum.
Answer · Gillian Martin: The Scottish Government is currently carrying out research with Rum residents and wider stakeholders, with the aim of reaching consensus on conditions of sale for Kinloch Castle. The Kinloch Castle Delphi Study is being led by analysts within the Rural and En…
9 Aug 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many complaints have been made to NHS non-Executive Whistleblowing Champions in each year since 2019, also broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Neil Gray: This information is not held centrally.The non-executive Whistleblowing Champion role has no operational involvement in cases, rather it is an assurance role which helps NHS boards comply with their responsibilities in relation to whistleblowing.
9 Aug 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much funding has been allocated to support the work of Scotland’s Makar in each year since 2021.
Answer · Angus Robertson: The Scottish Government has allocated £20,000 per annum to support the Makar since 2021.
9 Aug 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many meetings (a) the First Minister and (b) previous First Ministers had with the leader of Comhairle nan Eilean Siar in each year since 2021.
Answer · Shona Robison: Since 2021, Scottish Ministers have regularly met with Council Leaders, including Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, to discuss a range of issues of mutual interest.The First Minister and previous First Minister have also committed to meeting with the COSLA President…
9 Aug 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has commenced the process of appointing Scotland’s next Makar, in light of the term time having been reduced from five years to three years, and, if so, whether it can provide details of the process.
Answer · Angus Robertson: The First Minister recently met with Kathleen Jamie at Bute House to mark her term and thank her for her stellar work over the last three years as Scotland’s fourth modern Makar, as an ambassador for poetry, in Scotland and overseas. The next National M…
9 Aug 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government (a) where and (b) when the Convention of the Highlands and Islands will next meet.
Answer · Kate Forbes: The next meeting of the Convention of the Highlands and Islands will take place on 7 October and will be hosted by Shetland Islands Council in Lerwick.
9 Aug 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has engaged with (a) NHS Highland and (b) Argyll and Bute Health and Social Care Partnership regarding the provision of dialysis services in Lorn and Islands Hospital.
Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government has had no recent engagement with (a) NHS Highland and (b) Argyll and Bute Health and Social Care Partnership regarding the provision of dialysis services in Lorn and Islands Hospital.It is the responsibility of NHS Boards, working wit…
9 Aug 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many licence applications NatureScot received for the culling of (a) Greylag, (b) pink-footed and (c) Canada geese in (a) 2022-23 and (b) 2023-24, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: The information you requested is as follows:RegionYearGreylagPink-footedCanadaAberdeen2022111 2023020 2024110 Angus2022010 2023000 2024100 Argyll and Bute2022505 2023101 2…
9 Aug 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how any instances of bullying and harassment have been recorded in NHS Scotland in each year since 2021, also broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Neil Gray: Please see the breakdown of recorded bullying and harassment cases as advised by each NHS Board through Staff Governance Monitoring returns from 2021 in the following table. Please note, recorded cases for 2023-24 are not yet available centrally.As defined in…
5 Aug 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it considered investing in new canals as part of the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2).
Answer · Jim Fairlie: Canals in Scotland were not considered during the second Strategic Transport Projects Review, as water-based transport on canals and estuaries (such as water taxis) were deemed to be out of scope of the review, as noted in the Appendix A of the. Final te…
5 Aug 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any canal repairs that may be needed in the future, and whether it will provide a breakdown of any such repairs by (a) section, (b) local authority area and (c) the date that the repair work (i) was first identified as required and (ii) is projected to be c…
Answer · Jim Fairlie: The Scottish Government has not made such an assessment. These are operational matters for Scottish Canals as part of their Asset Management Strategy work and responsibility to maintain and develop Scotland's canal network.
5 Aug 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has conducted any recent studies into the impact of coastal erosion in the Highlands and Islands region, and, if so, whether it will provide details of this.
Answer · Gillian Martin: It is important we work together to understand and plan for coastal change. The Scottish Government’s Dynamic Coast (DC) project is helping us understand the erosion threat to Scotland’s coast including in the Highlands and Islands.DC2 assesses co…
5 Aug 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has allocated to canal maintenance in each year since 2016.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: Since 2016, the Scottish Government has provided Revenue and Capital Grant support to Scottish Canals as follows:YearRevenue (£m)Capital (£m)Total (£m)2016-178.002.0010.002017-188.104.9313.032018-198.1010.4818.582019-208.766.5015.262020-2112…
31 Jul 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many vessels have been reported to have run aground on the Cuan Sound in each year since 2021, broken down by month.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government does not hold this information. Shipping safety is a matter reserved to the UK Government. Coastguard operations are the responsibility of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency, reporting to the UK Secr…
22 Jul 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-28192 by Jenny Gilruth on 1 July 2024, whether it can confirm that there were no participants in the November 2023 Computing Science week from (a) Argyll and Bute Council, (b) Orkney Islands Council and (c) West Dunbartonshire Council.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: Based on registrations for November 2023 Computing Science week, there were no schools registered for Education Scotland's organised live webinars from Argyll and Bute, Orkney Islands or West Dunbartonshire. It is difficult to be definitive on how many school…
22 Jul 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the Scottish Bracken Working Group has identified any effective alternatives to Asulox to help control bracken, and, if so, whether it will provide details of these.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: Minutes from the Scottish Bracken Working Group meetings are available at the following link: Bracken: Scottish Working Group - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) . A number of alternative methods of control are available to aid bracken management, which should be de…
22 Jul 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when the Scottish Bracken Working Group (a) last met and (b) is next due to meet.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: The Scottish Bracken working Group last met on 27 June. The next meeting is due to take place on 19 September. More information on the group, including meeting minutes, can be viewed at the following link: Bracken: Scottish Working Group - gov.scot (www.gov…
22 Jul 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has conducted any analysis of the reported expansion of bracken, following its decision not to reauthorise the use of Asulox for the purpose of bracken control.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: In 2023, the Health and Safety Executive, the pesticides regulator, did not authorise Asulox for use in Scotland because of the risk it poses to the environment and human health. The Scottish Government recognises that there is a lack of information on which…
22 Jul 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to review its position on the authorisation of Asulox in bracken control, in light of reports that farmers and crofters are struggling to control the spread of bracken.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: No application for the use of Asulox during 2024 was submitted. Asulam, the active substance in Asulox, has been withdrawn in the UK for over 15 years. For 10 years Asulox was approved annually as an emergency authorisation, for limited and controlled use e…