Rhoda Grant

30 Jan 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its long-term aspirations are regarding Regional Land Use Partnerships, and when it will provide the (a) communities and (b) stakeholders involved in them greater certainty regarding (i) funding and (ii) strategic policy importance.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: We are currently working with the Regional Land Use Partnerships (RLUPs) as we seek to understand and evaluate the progress of the pilot programme. This approach will allow for a decision on the future of the programme to be fully-informed by robust evidence.…

29 Jan 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much Serco NorthLink Ferries received from the (a) final annual subsidy and (b) annual revenue from passengers in relation to the provision of the Northern Isles Ferry Services contract in (i) 2021, (ii) 2022 and (iii) 2023.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The grant subsidy paid to the operator is paid by contract years (July till the following June) and represents the difference between the costs of operating the service and the income generated. This information is collated and published each year on the Tra…

25 Jan 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the appointment of a chair for the public inquiry into the conduct of the former neurosurgeon, Sam Eljamel, and what the timeframe is for the one-to-one clinical reviews to begin.

Answer · Neil Gray: The Lord President has been involved in the process of identifying a chair to the public inquiry and discussions are now at an advanced stage. The member will be aware that there will also be an independent clinical review of individual cases for those former…

23 Jan 2024 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action is being taken to tackle any police staffing shortages and operational capacity issues in the Highlands and Islands.

18 Jan 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what risk assessments have been undertaken by, or with the involvement of, any of its agencies regarding projects seeking to utilise private investment in nature, woodland creation and peatland restoration, and whether it will publish any such assessments.

Answer · Gillian Martin: Risk assessments are a routine part of projects approved under the two established mechanisms for utilising private investment in nature in Scotland - the Woodland Carbon Code and the Peatland Code. We expect Agencies to adhere to the risk assessment process …

18 Jan 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on any progress on the development of the Natural Capital Market Framework announced in its Programme for Government 2023-24; what consultation has taken place on this to date; what further consultation is planned on the proposed contents of the framewor…

Answer · Gillian Martin: Scotland’s Market Framework for natural capital markets aims to guide the development of responsible, high-integrity and values led natural capital markets in Scotland by setting out a clear long-term vision, a policy framework and guidance for market partici…

18 Jan 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is aware of any economic analysis undertaken by South of Scotland Enterprise (SoSE) on any economic benefits of attracting private investment capital into tree planting, peatland restoration and nature bio-diversity, and, if so, whether any such analysis considered (a) both th…

Answer · Gillian Martin: The Scottish Government is not aware of any economic analysis undertaken by South of Scotland Enterprise (SoSE) on any economic benefits of attracting private investment into the region’s natural capital assets.

18 Jan 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what changes (a) have been made and (b) are being considered to the Memorandum of Understanding between NatureScot, Lombard Odier Investment Managers, Hampden & Co and Palladium, in light of the changes to the originally envisaged participation by Lombard Odier Investment Managers.

Answer · Gillian Martin: No changes have been made, or are currently being considered, to the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between NatureScot, Hampden & Co, Lombard Odier Investment Managers and Palladium.

18 Jan 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is aware of any plans by Scottish Water to create new woodlands or restore peatland; if so, how much of the land owned by Scottish Water in total will be used to (a) plant trees and (b) restore peatland, and over how many years; what the (i) size and (ii) location is of each p…

Answer · Mairi McAllan: As this is an operational matter for Scottish Water, and the Scottish Government does not hold this information, I have asked them to respond. Their reply is as follows: Circa 684 Hectares (Ha) (as identified to date) of Scottish Water land is planned for pe…

9 Jan 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on when it plans to make regulations under section 4 of the Civil Partnership (Scotland) Act 2020 to enable pre-existing marriages to become civil partnerships.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: Section 4 of the Civil Partnership (Scotland) Act 2020 (legislation.gov.uk) provides the Scottish Ministers with a regulation-making power to enable marriages to become civil partnerships, if the parties so wish. The Scottish Ministers have not yet made reg…

9 Jan 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-23840 by Mairi Gougeon on 22 December 2023, regarding the Good Food Nation (Scotland) Act 2022, for what reason it was unable to begin the consultation process in sufficient time to allow the draft Plan to be implemented within the original timefram…

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Writing the national Good Food Nation Plan required an extensive internal drafting process, co-ordinating input from across multiple areas of government. This is the first iteration of the Plan and so there was a large amount of feedback on the initial draft,…

19 Dec 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding any customers who had bookings on the cancelled Uig-Tarbert/Lochmaddy ferry service between 16 and 21 December 2023, what specific support and alternative arrangements are being provided.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: CalMac have provided assurances that all traffic for Lochmaddy was accommodated on the Lochmaddy – Ullapool service, or offered space on the Lochboisdale service as an alternative. They have also confirmed that all traffic for Tarbert was accommodated on the …

19 Dec 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has confirmed that the new ferries for the Uig-Tarbert/Lochmaddy route will be able to dock at (a) Uig, (b) Tarbert and (c) Lochmaddy Harbour.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Yes, the infrastructure upgrades for the Little Minch routes are being designed and delivered to improve services to and from Uig, Tarbert and Lochmaddy with the new vessels . When the port works are complete and new vessels are delivered to the operator ther…

19 Dec 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what communication there was between the Highland Council, RJ MacLeod, CMAL and CalMac regarding the issues with new restraint bollards that led to the delayed reopening of Uig Harbour.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Highland Council worked closely with CalMac, the contractor RJ MacLeod and CMAL during and after the vessel berthing trial on the 14 December 2023 when the issue with the new restraint bollards arose. An additional bollard to aid vessel operations was ins…

19 Dec 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the announcement to delay the reopening of Uig Harbour was made less than 24 hours before the scheduled recommencement of ferry services, and for what reason berthing trials for the harbour were not held before 14 December 2023.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Uig second outage period was scheduled from 30 October until 11 December 2023, a period of six weeks. The vessel berthing trial of 10 December 2023 was not undertaken as outage works were hampered by severe weather; with the berthing trial re-scheduled to…

19 Dec 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the delayed opening of Uig Harbour, what action it is taking to ensure that the Uig-Tarbert/Lochmaddy ferry service resumes as a matter of priority.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Following a successful vessel berthing trial on 20 December, ferry services resumed on the Little Minch route on 22 December 2023.  

18 Dec 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its commitment in its refreshed Equally Safe strategy of December 2023 to "eradicate all forms of violence against women and girls" (VAWG), what specific action it will propose to eliminate the various forms of VAWG identified in the strategy, in particular "commercial sexua…

Answer · Siobhian Brown: The Scottish Government will publish a Framework that effectively tackles and challenges men’s demand for prostitution, and to support those with experience of it, early this year. The Framework takes a holistic approach, recognising the links to wider forms …

18 Dec 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the recognition in its Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement, published in November 2023, of "behaviours which are particularly linked to human trafficking and exploitation, such as commercial sexual exploitation", what action it will propose to criminalise men who purchas…

Answer · Siobhian Brown: The Scottish Government will publish a Framework to challenge men’s demand for prostitution and to support those with experience of it, early this year. The Framework will form part of Scotland’s collective approach to tackling commercial sexual exploitation …

13 Dec 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it is making available to NHS Western Isles to improve patient travel support.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Scottish Government officials regularly meet all Health Boards including NHS Western Isles to discuss any challenges impacting services and to provide any necessary support. Funding provided to NHS Boards is aligned to their NRAC shares of funding, which con…

13 Dec 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when NHS Western Isles will be required to renegotiate its contract with NHS Highland that covers multiple services, including cancer services.

Answer · Michael Matheson: It is primarily for the respective NHS Boards, including NHS Western Isles and NHS Highland who have a rolling arrangement based on associated financial projections, to negotiate and agree Service Level Agreements in the best interests of local people. Health…

12 Dec 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to the Good Food Nation (Scotland) Act 2022, for what reason the coming into force date of sections 3, 7 and 8 is proposed to be changed from 31 December 2023 to 30 June 2024.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Section 3 of the Good Food Nation (Scotland) Act 2022 (“the Act”) sets out the requirement to lay the proposed national Good Food Nation Plan before the Scottish Parliament. Section 3(2) stipulates that the Plan must be laid in front of Parliament not later t…

11 Dec 2023 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government’s response is to the recent report by Highland Council, which reportedly warns of a “significant risk” of parts of its region being "drained" of people.

4 Dec 2023 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with its enterprise agencies regarding how to support innovation by small businesses, including in relation to the use of alternative fuels such as hydrotreated vegetable oil.

30 Nov 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to its publication dates, which months it uses to define (a) spring, (b) summer, (c) autumn and (d) winter.

Answer · George Adam: There is no Scottish Government definition of the seasons beyond those commonly understood. The Scottish Government is committed to meeting publication dates that have been indicated whenever possible.  

29 Nov 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what models and approaches have been considered for delivering a public interest test for land reform. 

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The models and approaches that could be considered for delivering a public interest test for land reform were originally set out by the Scottish Land Commission in their discussion paper, Legislative proposals to address the impact of Scotland’s concentration…

29 Nov 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what consultations have taken place to determine the parameters of a public interest test for land reform. 

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The consultation paper Land Reform in a Net Zero Nation sought views on several proposals for inclusion in a new Land Reform Bill. It included proposals for a Public Interest Test on certain land transfers, and set out the criteria for the type of landholdi…

24 Nov 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-21689 by Lorna Slater on 3 October 2023, whether (a) Palladium, (b) Lombard Odier or (c) Hampden and Co Bank is contracted by (i) Forestry and Land Scotland, (ii) Scottish Water, (iii) Cairngorms National Park and (iv) Loch Lomond and The Trossachs …

Answer · Gillian Martin: No payments have been made to Lombard, Hampdens or Palladium from Forestry and Land Scotland or Scottish Water over the last two years. Both Cairngorms National Park Authority and the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park Authority have made payments to…

23 Nov 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the refreshed Rail Services Decarbonisation Action Plan that it committed to publishing in its Programme for Government 2023-24, whether the (a) Far North, (b) Highland, (c) Kyle of Lochalsh, (d) West Highland and (e) Inverness-Aberdeen train line will be included in the refre…

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: As with the current Rail services Decarbonisation Action Plan, the refreshed plan will consider the decarbonisation of all rail routes in Scotland.

21 Nov 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what further action has been taken to reduce the number of cases that have to be transferred from island to mainland courts due to staffing challenges faced by GEOAmey.

Answer · Angela Constance: We have been supporting Scottish Prison Service (SPS) and other partners in delivering an improvement in the GEOAmey contract which has resulted in early positive signs, with a slowdown in staff attrition and improved staff numbers. SPS is continuing to moni…

14 Nov 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the cost is of the Highland Council's current backlog of outstanding road repairs, and what the cost was at the end of (a) 2022-23, (b) 2021-22, (c) 2020-21 and (d) 2019-20.

Answer · Tom Arthur: This is a matter for individual local authorities. The information is not held centrally.