Tim Eagle

14 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the Rural Delivery Plan Ministerial Working Group will next meet.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Rural Delivery Plan Ministerial Working Group was established in June 2023 to oversee the development of the Rural Delivery Plan, with meetings held approximately quarterly. A date for the next meeting will be confirmed soon.  

14 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding has been allocated to support the work of the Rural Delivery Plan Ministerial Working Group in each year since it was established.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Rural Delivery Plan Ministerial Working Group is supported by officials from the Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands portfolio, and a small amount of funding will be dedicated to supporting the Rural Delivery Plan. The Rural Delivery Plan is an opport…

14 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the rationale is for the figure of 1,000 hectares as the threshold for a public interest test for the purpose of sale or transfer of land in the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Mairi Gougeon: The transfer test will provide an opportunity for Scottish Ministers to consider potential transfers of landholdings over 1000 hectares. Potentially, this could lead to some landholdings being lotted into smaller parts, if that may help local c…

14 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the delivery of 10% of new affordable housing in rural areas, as set out in its Rural and Islands Housing Action Plan, is an equitable figure, in light of reports that 17% of Scotland’s overall population lives in rural areas.

Answer · Paul McLennan: Our 110,000 affordable homes target includes that “at least” 10% of those homes will be delivered in rural and island areas. We allocate Affordable Housing Supply Programme funding to local authority areas based on our Strategic Housing Investment Framework a…

10 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of people diagnosed with type 1 diabetes are currently using (a) insulin pumps, (b) continuous or flash glucose monitors and (c) hybrid closed loop systems, broken down by NHS board area.

Answer · Jenni Minto: Not all the information requested is held centrally. Some information on the percentage of people using glucose monitors and other diabetes technologies can be found in the Scottish Diabetes Survey, which provides an annual summary of key issues and trends i…

10 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many people currently diagnosed with type 1 diabetes have made requests to their NHS board to access hybrid closed loop systems, broken down by NHS board.

Answer · Jenni Minto: The information requested is not held centrally.  

10 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on Diabetes UK’s call for new national targets to aim for 100% of children and 70% of adults with type 1 diabetes to be using hybrid closed loop technology by 2030, as set out in its report, Diabetes Tech Can’t Wait.

Answer · Jenni Minto: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-27895 on 28 May 2024. The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that everyone living with diabetes can access the care that they need to live their lives well. This includes increasing access to diabetes…

10 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has any plans to provide NHS boards with any additional funding towards the roll-out of new diabetes technologies in 2024-25, and, if so, whether it will provide details of this.

Answer · Jenni Minto: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-27895 on 28 May 2024. The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that everyone living with diabetes can access the care that they need to live their lives well. This includes increasing access to diabetes…

10 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is aware of any so-called postcode lottery in accessing diabetes technologies in different NHS board areas, and, if so, whether it will provide details of this.

Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government role is to provide frameworks, policies, and resources to enable Scotland’s NHS Boards to deliver healthcare services that meet the needs of their local populations. The treatment and care of patients is a matter for each individual N…

9 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on how many properties on the 15 islands that had R100 subsea cables installed are (a) still due to be connected in R100 contracts and (b) have been connected as a result of R100 contracts, broken down by island.

Answer · Tom Arthur: The number of premises that are either due to be delivered or have been delivered on the 15 islands that have had new subsea cables installed as part of the Scottish Government’s £600 million R100 contracts are in the following table. Island Local Authority…

9 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether any repair work has been required on the 16 R100 subsea cables to Scottish islands, broken down by (a) year and (b) cost of repair.

Answer · Tom Arthur: The BT Subsea Team has confirmed that there have been no recorded faults or repairs required to the R100 subsea cables to Scottish islands since deployment in 2022.

9 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any trunk road upgrades that may be needed in the future, broken down by (a) section and (b) local authority area, as well as the date that the repair work (i) was first identified as required and (ii) is projected to be completed by.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Transport Scotland conducts machine-based based surveys using specialist vehicles each year to gather information on the surface integrity of the road; the friction characteristics of the surface; and the structural capacity (strength) of the underlying road …

7 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on progress with the introduction of Road Equivalent Tariff (RET) on Dunoon-Gourock services provided by (a) CalMac Ferries and (b) Western Ferries.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Ferry fares policy, including Road Equivalent Tariff (RET), is currently being reviewed through the Fair Fares Review and Islands Connectivity Plan. The draft Islands Connectivity Plan Strategic Approach, published for consultation on 1 February 2024, made a…

7 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the total cost of any financial penalties issued by Transport Scotland to CalMac Ferries since October 2022.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The level of performance deductions incurred by CalMac Ferries Ltd since October 2022 has been answered recently in a Freedom of Information request. The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Inform…

7 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has allocated to the Mental Health Recovery and Renewal Fund in each year since it was established.

Answer · Maree Todd: The Mental Health Recovery and Renewal Fund had an annual budget of £120 million and ran from 2021-22 to 2022-23. It supported delivery of the Mental Health Transition and Recovery Plan Coronavirus (COVID-19): mental health - transition and recovery plan - s…

7 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many schools currently offer so-called Code Clubs as an extracurricular activity in the Highlands and Islands region, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: Information on the number of schools currently offering Code Clubs as an extra-curricular activity is not held centrally by the Scottish Government. The Scottish Government recognises the benefits of extra-curricular activities which are rightly determined a…

7 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many schools in the Highlands and Islands region are currently rated (a) excellent, (b) very good, (c) good, (d) satisfactory, (e) weak and (f) unsatisfactory by Education Scotland, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: HM Inspectors evaluate the quality of education in Scottish schools using quality indicators. 'How good is our school? (4th edition)’ has been in use since September 2016. HM Inspectors use a six-point scale to grade individual quality indicators. There are …

7 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it allocated to the Arctic Connections Fund for (a) 2023-24 and (b) 2024-25.

Answer · Angus Robertson: (a) In 2023-24 the Arctic Connections fund was allocated £83,276. The projects funded can be found at Arctic Connections Fund: successful projects 2023 to 2024 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) . (b) Establishing the Arctic Connections Fund was a commitment in the…

7 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government in what ways it supports (a) local authorities and (b) schools to encourage young people to learn coding.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Scottish Government recognises the significance of learning coding skills as part of the wider technologies curriculum, with a range of specific Experiences and Outcomes under the heading “Understanding and analysing computing technology”. The Government…

7 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government in what ways it monitors the efficacy of funding awarded to organisations from the Arctic Connections Fund.

Answer · Angus Robertson: Following a competitive assessment process, successful applicants are required to produce a mid-project progress report during their nine-month duration and an end of project report, enabling officials to monitor and evaluate the efficacy of projects. The fun…

7 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether NHS boards are required to inform it of the number of Golden Hello payments that are made to GPs in each financial year, and, if so, whether it will provide details of this.

Answer · Neil Gray: NHS Boards are not required to inform the Scottish Government of the number of Golden Hello payments that are made to GPs in each financial year. This is an operational matter for the NHS Boards and the Scottish Government does not directly monitor these oper…

7 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has conducted any studies to monitor the number of (a) further and (b) higher education graduates that leave the Highlands and Islands region, and, if so, whether it will publish details of this.

Answer · Graeme Dey: The Scottish Government has not conducted any specific studies to monitor the number of further or higher education graduates that leave the Highlands and Islands region. The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) and the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) col…

7 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) primary, (b) secondary and (c) special schools in the Highlands and Islands region have received an inspection by HM Inspectors in each year since 2016, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: HM Inspectors inspect a sample of primary, secondary and special schools annually across Scotland. They evaluate the quality of education using various quality indicators from the quality framework 'How good is our school? (4th edition).' From the 2015-16 ac…

7 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-16374 by Michael Matheson on 17 April 2023, for what reason it does not monitor the number of Golden Hello payments made to GPs.

Answer · Neil Gray: This is an operational matter for the NHS Boards and the Scottish Government does not directly monitor these operational arrangements. However we will be evaluating the role the scheme plays in supporting GP retention.

7 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide details of how funding from the Mental Health Recovery and Renewal Fund was distributed to NHS boards in each year since it was established.

Answer · Maree Todd: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W- 27332 on 22 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…

7 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it did not renew its Mental Health Recovery and Renewal Fund for 2024-25.

Answer · Maree Todd: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-27332 on 22 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/…

7 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding has been (a) allocated to and (b) awarded through the Islands Programme in each year since it was established.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: To date, £12,351,185 of capital investment has been awarded via the Scottish Government’s Islands Programme across 61 projects and 50 islands. 2021-22 The 2021-2022 Islands Programme was delivered through the Islands Infrastructure Fund and was allocated £5…

7 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has committed multi-year funding for the Data Lab innovation centre, and, if so, whether it will provide details of this.

Answer · Graeme Dey: The Data Lab has secured long term investment of up to £2 million per annum as part of the overall Scottish Government-funded SFC Innovation Centre programme, which will see investment of up to £8 million per annum across four innovation centres. The Scottish…

7 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it can provide the dates on which the Young Islanders Network has met since its establishment.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: To date, the Young Islanders Network has held online sessions on: 10-03-2022 31-03-2022 28-04-2022 12-05-2022 26-05-2022 09-06-2022 23-06-2022 11-08-2022 29-09-2022 17-11-2022 08-12-2022 18-01-2023 09-02-2023 02-03-2023 23-03-2023 20-04-2023 …

7 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government on how many occasions (a) local authorities and (b) NHS boards have carried out an Island Communities Impact Assessment since the introduction of the Islands (Scotland) Act 2018.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Scottish Government does not hold information on the number of ICIAs completed by other Relevant Authorities who are responsible for publishing their own assessments in the way that they consider appropriate.