Parliamentary questions
Tim Eagle
1,493 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
7 May 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has multi-year funding in place for its Scottish 4G Infill Programme (S4GI) beyond 2024-25, and, if so, whether it will provide details of this.
Answer · Tom Arthur: Delivery of the Scottish 4G Infill Programme completed in November 2023 and no further funding has been allocated to this programme beyond 2023-24 .
7 May 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how many so-called mobile phone "notspots" there are in the Highlands and Islands region, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Tom Arthur: The Scottish Government does not collect or hold data on current 4G and 5G mobile notspots. Ofcom produces an annual Connected Nations report including coverage and performance of mobile networks at local authority area. This is accessible at https://www.of…
7 May 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many new masts have been deployed through the Scottish 4G Infill Programme (S4GI), broken down by (a) year and (b) local authority area since the programme was established.
Answer · Tom Arthur: The following tables set out the 55 new masts deployed through the Scottish 4G Infill Programme which completed in November 2023 by year and by local authority area. Year Number of masts deployed (activated for 4G) 2020 7 2021 19 2022 4 2023 25 …
7 May 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on how many communities are unable to access (a) 4G and (b) 5G mobile signals in the Highlands and Islands region, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Tom Arthur: The Scottish Government does not collect or hold data on current 4G and 5G mobile coverage. Ofcom’s mobile and broadband checker provides predictions of mobile coverage at postcode level and is available on its website at: https://checker.ofcom.org.uk/en-gb/…
7 May 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government on how many occasions it has carried out an Island Communities Impact Assessment since the introduction of the Islands (Scotland) Act 2018.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: You can find ICIAs completed by the Scottish Government on the publications section of the Scottish Government website alongside other impact assessments.
7 May 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many new masts it anticipates will be deployed through the Scottish 4G Infill Programme (S4GI), broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Tom Arthur: The Scottish 4G Infill (S4GI) Programme completed in November 2023 with the successful delivery of 55 new masts. No further masts will be deployed through the S4GI programme.
7 May 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it (a) has allocated for 2023-24 and (b) plans to allocate for 2024-25 to the Young Islanders Network.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: In 2023-2024 the Scottish Government awarded Youth Scotland £120,000 to support the delivery of the Young Islanders Network. In 2024-2025 the Scottish Government will provide a grant of up to £130,000 to Youth Scotland.
7 May 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how many private (a) 4G and (b) 5G networks have been built in the Highlands and Islands region, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Tom Arthur: The Scottish Government does not collect or hold data on deployment of private 4G and 5G networks.
7 May 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has allocated to its Scottish 4G Infill Programme (S4GI) for 2024-25.
Answer · Tom Arthur: Delivery of the Scottish 4G Infill Programme completed in November 2023 and no further funding has been allocated to this programme for 2024-25.
7 May 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it can confirm which local authority areas each member of the Young Islanders Network is from.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Young Islanders Network’s extensive membership covers all six island local authorities: Shetland Islands Council, Orkney Islands Council, Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar, Highland Council, Argyll and Bute Council, and North Ayrshire Council.
7 May 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it will support NHS boards, in light of NHS Highland reportedly stating that it is no longer able to provide its pilot service for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) assessment and treatment due to the ending of the Mental Health Recovery and Renewal Fund.
Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government provided funding for adult neurodevelopmental pathway trials in 2022. Following the adult neurodevelopmental pilots, a final report was published in March 2023 outlining what is required to provide a multi-disciplinary neurodevelopment…
7 May 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide details of any financial support that it offers towards the construction of private mobile phone networks.
Answer · Tom Arthur: There is no financial support currently available from the Scottish Government towards the construction of private mobile phone networks.
7 May 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its response to the Freedom of Information request, FOI/202400394662, for what reason only 14 properties in the Western Isles have been connected to superfast broadband through the R100 programme since it was established in 2016.
Answer · Tom Arthur: The Western Isles fall within the £421.6 million Scottish Government investment in the R100 North contract which is expected to connect over 2,200 premises across the Western Isles to full fibre broadband. Work is currently scheduled to begin in the latter ha…
30 Apr 2024 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what steps it is taking to improve ambulance turnaround times.
25 Apr 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on how many buildings are listed as category (a) A, (b) B and (c) C, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Kaukab Stewart: The information requested is available on the Historic Environment Scotland website at https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/search . A search can be conducted using the filters to specify a category of listed building as well as the local authority area.…
25 Apr 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on how many buildings that are listed as category (a) A, (b) B and (c) C contain reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC), broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The Scottish Government does not hold information on the number of buildings listed as category (a) A, (b) B and (c) C containing reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC). Assessment for the presence of RAAC and for putting in place appropriate measures …
25 Apr 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential implications of buildings within the heritage sector containing reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC).
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The Scottish Government has not made any assessment of the potential implications of buildings within the heritage sector containing reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC). Assessment for the presence of RAAC and for putting in place appropriate measur…
25 Apr 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on any new passing loops that are (a) completed and (b) in progress, on the Highland Main Line, as per the recommendation in the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2).
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Phase one of the Highland Main Line Improvement Project was delivered in December 2012, increasing services from 9 to 11 trains per day in each direction, and reducing journey times by an average of 6 minutes at a cost of £1.2 million. Highland Mainline Impr…
17 Apr 2024 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what activity it will undertake regarding its Action Plan to Address Depopulation.
12 Apr 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the Minister for Higher and Further Education will report back to the Parliament on any initial steps it has made following the publication of the independent report, Fit for the Future: developing a post-school learning system to fuel economic transformation.
Answer · Graeme Dey: In my appearance on 10 January 2024 at the Education, Children and Young People Committee I undertook to provide further information on the progress of post-school education and skills reform in March. On 27 March 2024 I wrote to the Convenor of the Committee…
11 Apr 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the reported warning from industry leaders that the reported £32 million reduction to the forestry and woodland creation budget will lead to 10 million trees being burnt or destroyed in some other way, with the cost of the wastage amounting to losses of £4.5 milli…
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Scottish Government remains fully committed to maximising the important contribution forestry and tree nurseries make in tackling the climate emergency, in the face of the most challenging budget settlement since devolution from the UK Government. The fun…
11 Apr 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has allocated to the Monitor Farms Scotland programme in each year since it was established.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Scottish Government has allocated approximately £6 million to the Monitor Farm Scotland programme since it was established in 2003. Please note that the Scottish Government’s e-record system was developed in 2005, therefore only partial data is available …
11 Apr 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the regulatory approach to gene editing in Scotland, what its response is to reports that the European Parliament has voted to ease regulations in relation to gene editing.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: We are aware of the European Parliament’s adopted negotiating position with regard to the consideration of new genomic techniques following proposals by the European Commission in July 2023. We are looking carefully at the implications of these legislative pr…
11 Apr 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it (a) is spending and (b) plans to spend any funds raised from the interest applied to the Self-Build Loan Fund.
Answer · Paul McLennan: The Self Build Loan Fund is recyclable meaning that when loans are repaid, the money can be re-used, during the life of the fund, supporting more self-builders and providing more homes for future generations. Interest from the SBLF is used to offset the cost…
11 Apr 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many farms have participated in the Monitor Farms Scotland programme in each year since it was established.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: 57 Monitor Farms have participated in the Monitor Farm Scotland programme since it was established in 2003. The Monitor Farm Scotland programme is the Scottish Government’s foremost and established farmer led initiative.
11 Apr 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to gather the views of (a) scientists, (b) farmers, (c) food producers, (d) manufacturers and (e) consumers, in relation to reducing regulations on gene editing.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: The views of stakeholders in Scotland – scientists, farmers, food producers and manufacturers, but especially, consumers and the public as a whole – will inform any future changes in relation to new genetic technologies such as gene editing. We are aware of t…
11 Apr 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-09549 by Shona Robison on 19 July 2022, whether it will provide an update on (a) how many and (b) what value of Scotland Self-Build Loan Fund loans it has issued in each year of operation, and how many homes have been completed, broken down by local…
Answer · Paul McLennan: Since June 2022 a further 9 loans have been issued under the Self Build Loan Fund, with a total value of £1,367,967, and this is shown in table 1. The number of loans issued since June 2022, split by local authority, is shown in table 2. Table 1: Number and …
11 Apr 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the Self-Build Loan Fund, how many people have defaulted on their loan repayments in each financial year since it was launched.
Answer · Paul McLennan: A total of 49 loans have been made to applicants, with 44 loans either fully repaid within agreed timescales or in the process of doing so. A total of 6 loans became subject to the default interest rate during 2023-24, 2 of these were repaid in full during th…
8 Apr 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much funding (a) it and (b) NHS Scotland has allocated to promote public awareness to (i) improve the understanding of and (ii) reduce the stigma associated with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in each year since 2016.
Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government has not allocated any funding specifically to promote public awareness to improve the understanding of and or reduce the stigma associated with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, however the Scottish Government is working to ens…
8 Apr 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to enhance training for healthcare professionals to improve the quality of care and support for people living with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government has commissioned work through NHS Education for Scotland (NES) and the National Autism Implementation Team to provide a range of professional learning about ADHD and neurodevelopmental conditions at informed, enhanced, specialist and e…