Sarah Boyack

30 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, following the latest ministerial reshuffle, which minister now has responsibility for refugees from Ukraine.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The First Minister appointed myself as Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, and I will have responsibility for Ukraine Resettlement and continue to support displaced people from Ukraine across Scotland.  

22 Mar 2023 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential reduction in taxation revenue from the Land and Buildings Transaction Tax - Green Freeports Relief proposals, which were published for consultation on 17 March 2023.

19 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of primary care provision in Gilmerton.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Scottish Government continues to support practices to maintain access to GP services for residents. The General Practice Access Group is working towards developing a set of principles to share with all practices this Spring.

19 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has at any point offered, or signalled support for, health services as part of the Gilmerton Gateway project.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government is working with NHS Lothian on a range of capital investment projects, including the Edinburgh Cancer Centre, a National Treatment Centre, a replacement for the Edinburgh Eye Pavilion and a number of primary care projects and we are in…

19 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the adequacy of GP provision in Edinburgh.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Scottish Government continues to support practices in the Edinburgh area to maintain access to GP services for residents. The General Practice Access Group is working towards developing a set of principles to share with all practices this Spring.

16 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the letter from the Scottish Government’s Health Finance Directorate to NHS boards stating that all capital investment projects are paused and that only projects that are legally committed to will be funded for the financial years to 2025-26, whether the plans to build the E…

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Health Finance Directorate has not written to NHS Boards stating that all capital investment projects should be paused. The Directorate does however, engage regularly with all NHS Boards, including NHS Lothian, on the overall funding position for both cap…

16 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-07586 by Patrick Harvie on 7 April 2022, for what reason it did not set out more detailed proposals on a Wellbeing and Sustainable Development Bill by the end of 2022.

Answer · Patrick Harvie: The Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Covid Recovery wrote to the Convener of the Finance and Public Administration Committee on 13 December 2022, which provided the Scottish Government’s response to the ‘Ambitions into Action’ Inquiry. The let…

16 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-11088 by Patrick Harvie on 29 September 2022, how many organisations it has engaged with since September 2022 regarding establishing a Future Generations Commissioner.

Answer · Patrick Harvie: Since 1 September 2022, I have held four meetings with representatives of larger stakeholder groups who have a keen interest in the development of a Wellbeing and Sustainable Bill and the establishment of a Future Generations Commissioner. In addition, I atte…

16 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it still has an inter-ministerial group on policy coherence for sustainable development, and, if so, how many times it has met since May 2021, and who its members are.

Answer · Christina McKelvie: In line with the 2021 Programme for Government commitment, the Ministerial Working Group on Policy Coherence for Sustainable Development (PCSD) reconvened and met on 29 June 2022. Going forward, the Ministerial Working Group will support and input to the Well…

14 Mar 2023 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many police officers there currently are in the Edinburgh divisional area.

8 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will next publish a Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme in Scotland: statistics report.

Answer · Neil Gray: The next statistical release on the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme in Scotland will be published by the Scottish Government on 23 March 2023. Additionally, the Scottish Government publish a calendar of forthcoming statistical releases. The calendar can be found …

28 Feb 2023 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has plans to extend free bus travel to everyone under the age of 26.

27 Feb 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-14430 by Jamie Hepburn on 9 February 2023, whether it plans to consult with (a) universities and colleges and (b) the National Union of Students Scotland on collecting data on student homelessness, as part of the review of homelessness data collecti…

Answer · Shona Robison: Homelessness data collected by the Scottish Government is management information gathered by local authorities as part of carrying out their statutory duties in providing support to anyone in Scotland who is found to be unintentionally homeless/threatened wit…

27 Feb 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-14430 by Jamie Hepburn on 9 February 2023, when the full review of homelessness data collections (a) was commissioned and (b) will be published.

Answer · Shona Robison: In consultation with local authority data providers a review was felt to be valuable to ensure data collections were as up to date as possible, reflecting changes in homelessness legislation, terminology and policy. In addition, the review would aim to ration…

24 Feb 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-14560 by Neil Gray on 21 February 2023, how many times the Joint Assurance Review group has met since November 2022.

Answer · Neil Gray: The Joint Assurance Review group has met 10 times since November 2022. There are currently four more meetings planned up until 28th March 2023.

24 Feb 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-14560 by Neil Gray on 21 February 2023, who the members of the group undertaking the Joint Assurance Review are.

Answer · Neil Gray: Members of the group come from organisations including; Scottish Government, COSLA, Glasgow City Council, Landry and Kling, and Edinburgh City Council.

22 Feb 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a list of the datasets that are published within the Constitution, External Affairs and Culture portfolio, and what the frequency of publication of each is.

Answer · Angus Robertson: The Scottish Government published the following datasets within the Constitution, External Affairs and Culture portfolio in the last 12 months: Publication title Frequency of publication Last published Link Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme in Scotland: statist…

21 Feb 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has stopped all planning, and dropped any assumption, regarding an independence referendum taking place in October 2023.

Answer · Angus Robertson: The Scottish Government accepts the Supreme Court’s judgment as to whether the Scottish Parliament has the power to legislate for an independence referendum without a Section 30 order. There is however a democratic mandate for an independence referendum, and…

21 Feb 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many cabins were occupied on the MS Ambition on (a) 1, (b) 8 and (c) 21 February 2023.

Answer · Neil Gray: The Scottish Government routinely publishes the latest data and information on the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme in Scotland, including the number of people temporarily housed on the MS Ambition. As published on 23 February, there were around 995 guests onboard …

21 Feb 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many people were temporarily housed on the MS Ambition on (a) 1, (b) 8 and (c) 21 February 2023.

Answer · Neil Gray: The Scottish Government routinely publishes the latest data and information on the Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme in Scotland, including the number of people temporarily housed on the MS Ambition. As published on 23 February, there were around 995 guests onboard …

21 Feb 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many civil servants are currently working on the Building a New Scotland series, given as a (a) headcount and (b) FTE staff figure.

Answer · Angus Robertson: Work to develop the prospectus is drawing on a range of officials across the organisation who will contribute to varying extents as part of their wider responsibilities in supporting the Scottish Government. The exact number of officials contributing as part …

3 Feb 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-14221 by Neil Gray on 31 January 2023, whether the date reconciliation project has been completed.

Answer · Neil Gray: The statistical release on Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme expressions of interest data reconciliation exercise was published by the Scottish Government on 17 February 2023: https://www.gov.scot/publications/ukraine-sponsorship-scheme-in-scotland-expressions-of-i…

3 Feb 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-14221 by Neil Gray on 31 January 2023, when it will provide an update to the Parliament on these matters.

Answer · Neil Gray: The statistical release on Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme expressions of interest data reconciliation exercise was published by the Scottish Government on 17 February 2023: https://www.gov.scot/publications/ukraine-sponsorship-scheme-in-scotland-expressions-of-i…

3 Feb 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-14221 by Neil Gray on 31 January 2023, whether it will provide an update on the launch of its Offers of Accommodation scheme.

Answer · Neil Gray: The Offers of Accommodation scheme set out to replace the previous two-stage Expression of Interest process which enabled potential hosts to submit information about their properties, with a streamlined, single-stage online form, designed on user-centred prin…

3 Feb 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-14221 by Neil Gray on 31 January 2023, whether it will provide an update on the property matching app that it is developing.

Answer · Neil Gray: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-14804 on 22 February 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…

27 Jan 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will no longer need the MS Ambition beyond the current contract end date of 31 March 2023.   

Answer · Neil Gray: The use of MS Ambition was always intended to be a temporary measure and the contact will end on 31 March. Our Priority now is on moving people safely from the ship and towards longer-term accommodation. As part of the joint Glasgow City Council-Scottish Gove…

27 Jan 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on whether it plans to extend the contract for the MS Ambition beyond the current contract end date of 31 March 2023.

Answer · Neil Gray: There are no plans to extend the contract of MS Ambition beyond 31 March 2023.  

26 Jan 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has considered providing financial support to community organisations impacted by increasing fuel bills.

Answer · Tom Arthur: While the powers to take meaningful action sit with the UK Government, the Scottish Government is doing all it can to support non-domestic energy consumers with high energy bills. Our Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES) has added a Community Build…

26 Jan 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the impact in Scotland of the changes to the Energy Bills Discount Scheme due to take effect in March 2023.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The significant cut by the UK Government in support for businesses with their energy costs beyond March is very concerning, particularly for the more vulnerable sectors. Scottish ministers wrote to the UK Government at the end of last year to express our di…

26 Jan 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the impact in Scotland of increased fuel bills.

Answer · Michael Matheson: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-14517 on 7 February 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-committ…