Parliamentary questions
Rhoda Grant
2,396 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
8 Nov 2023 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what support it will provide to the creative industries in the Highlands and Islands region.
7 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much of the cost associated with the National Dashcam Safety Portal pilot would have been (a) expected to have been paid from Police Scotland's existing budget and (a) provided by the Scottish Government.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: In August 2021, Police Scotland submitted a bid to the Road Safety Framework Fund and received a grant offer of £300,000 for a National Dashcam Safety Portal (NDSP) pilot. £21,732 of this funding was utilised to undertake initial scoping work on options and …
7 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it expects the Digital Evidence Sharing Capability to be rolled out.
Answer · Angela Constance: Police Scotland are the lead delivery partner for Digital Evidence Sharing Capability (DESC) and are responsible for planning and milestone management. DESC roll out is currently expected to start in early 2024.
7 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the full implementation costs were of joining the National Dashcam Safety Portal.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-22833 on 23 November 2023. 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-commit…
7 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the full implementation costs will be of the Digital Evidence Sharing Capability.
Answer · Angela Constance: The full implementation cost for Digital Evidence Sharing Capability is £33 Million over a 10-year period which is detailed in the full business case. This figure includes supplier costs, storage, and resources from justice partners. DESC will deliver conside…
7 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much of the cost associated with the Digital Evidence Sharing Capability will be (a) expected to be paid from Police Scotland's existing budget and (b) provided by the Scottish Government.
Answer · Angela Constance: The implementation cost of DESC is funded by Scottish Government. There is no cost expected to be paid from Police Scotland or other justice partners existing budget. When DESC is fully implemented the lifetime management costs of DESC are expected to be me…
1 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-22383 by Michael Matheson on 3 November 2023, in relation to the National Centre for Remote and Rural Health and Care, what specific steps are (a) being taken and (b) planned to (i) improve rural primary care staff recruitment and (ii) skills develo…
Answer · Michael Matheson: The National Centre for Remote and Rural Health and Care, for the first time, will combine rural specific workforce and service development, with research and evaluation into one National Centre. The Centre’s initial focus is identifying and promoting approa…
1 Nov 2023 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it works collaboratively to tackle depopulation in rural areas of the Highlands and Islands region.
31 Oct 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether all the partners to the private finance pilot between NatureScot, Palladium, Lombard Odier and Hampden & Co remain actively involved in and committed to the private finance pilot.
Answer · Gillian Martin: Nature Scot are in regular communication with project partners Palladium, Lombard Odier and Hampden & Co who all remain actively involved in and committed to the pilot.
23 Oct 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the progress of the National Centre for Remote and Rural Health and Care, which is expected to launch in October 2023 to improve primary and community services, and what work has been carried out to date.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The National Centre for Remote and Rural Health and Care launched at the beginning of October, and is currently focused on delivering a programme of work designed to improve the capability of rural, remote and island primary care and community services, and s…
12 Oct 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many freight sailings there were on routes from Aberdeen on the Northern Isles Ferry Services contract with Serco NorthLink, from January 2019 to date, broken down by month.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Freight Sailings from Aberdeen Jan-19 Feb-19 Mar-19 Apr-19 May-19 Jun-19 Jul-19 Aug-19 Sep-19 Oct-19 Nov-19 Dec-19 Aberdeen - Lerwick 13 18 18 14 14 13 13 14 11 14 12 8 Aberdeen - Lerwick via Kirkwall 5 4 4 4 5 7 9 9 7 8 …
12 Oct 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what recent assessment it has made of the (a) crewing levels and (b) frequency of ferry services between the mainland and the Orkney Islands.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: A transport appraisal of passenger and freight ferry services between the Northern Isles and the Scottish mainland, in line with the Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance (STAG), was undertaken in 2016-2017 to inform the specification of the Northern Isles Fe…
12 Oct 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what recent assessment it has made of freight services on non-Aberdeen routes in the Northern Isles Ferry Services contract.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: A transport appraisal of passenger and freight ferry services between the Northern Isles and the Scottish mainland, in line with the Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance (STAG), was undertaken in 2016-2017 to inform the specification of the Northern Isles Fe…
12 Oct 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the monthly passenger carrying statistics were on each route in the Northern Isles Ferry Services contract with Serco NorthLink, from January 2023 up to the latest available figures.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The monthly passenger carrying statistics on each route in the Northern Isles Ferry Services contract with Serco NorthLink from January 2023 up to the latest available figures can be found on Serco NorthLink Ferries’ website here: NorthLink Statistics | Nort…
4 Oct 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether universal school breakfast provision is a means of building a food system that ensures the right to food for children and young people, as laid out in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the International Covenant on Economic, Soci…
Answer · Natalie Don: Article 24 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child includes the right to adequate nutritious food. Universal school breakfast provision does have the potential to give further and fuller effect to this right. The Concluding Observations f…
4 Oct 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it remains committed to its Programme for Government 2021-22 commitment to "develop plans to deliver free breakfast to all primary and special school children", in light of this commitment not being included in its Programme for Government 2023-24.
Answer · Natalie Don: The Scottish Government remains committed to developing plans to deliver free breakfasts to all primary and special school children. The First Minister announced in this year’s Programme for Government that the Scottish Government remains focused on tackling…
3 Oct 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what steps have been taken to bring domestic abuse courts to the Highlands and Islands.
Answer · Angela Constance: This question relates to operational matters that are the responsibility of the Scottish Court and Tribunals Service (SCTS) corporate body. The question has been passed to the Chief Executive of the SCTS who reply in writing within 20 days.
3 Oct 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it expects that a biodiversity code, which mirrors the woodland and peatland codes, will be (a) drafted, (b) consulted on and (c) ready for implementation.
Answer · Gillian Martin: The Scottish Government is not aware of a timetable in place for the drafting, consultation phase or implementation of a biodiversity code that could operate in Scotland. The Woodland Carbon Code and Peatland Code both operate at a UK-scale and the role of Sc…
2 Oct 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a list of the 30 police buildings that Police Scotland plans to dispose of, as detailed in its proposals submitted to the Scottish Police Authority.
Answer · Angela Constance: The Police Scotland Estate Strategy seeks to deliver modern, fit for purpose police buildings which are co-located with strategic partners, and which meet the needs of 21st century operational policing. To date over 60 co-locations have been delivered. Overa…
22 Sep 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has undertaken any analysis to identify where in (a) Scotland, (b) England, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland potential purchasers of Scottish carbon credits are located.
Answer · Gillian Martin: Scottish Government has not undertaken an analysis of where in the UK potential purchasers of Scottish carbon credits are located. Voluntary carbon credits purchased from the UK’s Woodland Carbon Code and Peatland Code can only be used to compensate for UK-b…
22 Sep 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what process will be followed in the development of the market framework for private investment, as referenced in the Programme for Government 2023-24; over what timescale it is envisaged that the framework will be developed; at what point public engagement will be invited during the dev…
Answer · Gillian Martin: The Programme for Government commitment to publish proposals for a market framework will be taken forward during 2023-24. It will be developed as part of the commitment in the National Strategy for Economic Transformation to develop a values-led high integrit…
22 Sep 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has assessed or commissioned any independent analysis of (a) the potential future price of carbon in so far as that relates to carbon credits that may be traded from within Scotland and (b) any risks in projecting future carbon prices, and whether it will publish any such asse…
Answer · Gillian Martin: The Scottish Government has not assessed or commissioned any such independent analysis in respect of nature-based carbon credits or prices to date. Analysis of recent carbon prices commissioned by the Woodland Carbon Code will be published in due course.
22 Sep 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether carbon credits generated in Scotland can be traded outwith the UK.
Answer · Gillian Martin: Voluntary carbon credits generated in Scotland and purchased from the UK’s Woodland Carbon Code and Peatland Code can only be used to compensate for UK-based emissions, in a UK-wide market.
22 Sep 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to bring forward proposals for the regulation of carbon market participation in Scotland, and what the timetable is for any such plans.
Answer · Gillian Martin: The Scottish Government currently has no plans to bring forward proposals for the regulation of carbon market participation for Scotland. It is committed to developing a values-led high integrity market for responsible investment in natural capital and will p…
21 Sep 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the conclusions and recommendations in the Social Research report, Mobilising private investment in natural capital.
Answer · Gillian Martin: Scottish Government commissioned this report from Finance Earth to better understand the potential role of blended finance in mobilising responsible private investment for peatland restoration. We will draw on its conclusions and recommendations as we develop…
21 Sep 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it remains committed to its policy of offering grant support for peatland restoration until 2030.
Answer · Gillian Martin: The Scottish Government remains committed to supporting the restoration of 250,000 hectares of degraded Scottish peatlands by 2030. Earlier this year the First Minister’s policy prospectus ‘New Leadership - A Fresh Start’, reaffirmed this commitment with an i…
21 Sep 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the full £250 million of funding that it has committed for peatland restoration will remain available for that purpose until 2030.
Answer · Gillian Martin: The Scottish Government remains committed to achieving its target to restore 250,000 hectares of peatland by 2030. The Scottish Government remains committed to funding peatland restoration and also has an obligation to balance the budget each year. Annual sp…
21 Sep 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what contractual relationships it or NatureScot has with (a) Palladium, (b) Lombard Odier and (c) Hampden Bank in support of mobilising private finance into nature; what payments have been made to any of those parties in the (i) last financial year and (ii) current financial year to date…
Answer · Lorna Slater: Neither the Scottish Government nor NatureScot has contractual relationships with or has made payments to Palladium, Lombard Odier or Hampden and Co Bank in support of mobilising private finance into nature. NatureScot is a signatory of the Memorandum of Unde…
21 Sep 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answers to questions S6W-20719 and S6W-20720 by Fiona Hyslop on 12 September 2023, and further to its meeting with Police Scotland in August 2023, whether it will provide an update on the proposed pilot National Dashcam Safety Portal, which was due to be implemented in Ja…
Answer · Angela Constance: Police Scotland has concluded that a stand-alone portal is not the optimum route to create the capability for digital media submissions to be submitted by members of the public. However, Police Scotland plan to utilise the Digital Evidence Sharing Capability…
12 Sep 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to address recently reported safety concerns in the accident and emergency department in Dr Gray's Hospital.
Answer · Michael Matheson: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-21342 on 27 September 2023. 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-commi…