Tavish Scott

2 Feb 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it introduced means testing for the revised croft house grant scheme that it announced on 1 February 2016.

Answer · Aileen McLeod: In response to the Scottish Government’s consultation exercise to review the croft house grant scheme, a number of stakeholders and individual crofters suggested that it might be helpful to introduce additional targeting of grant support through the scheme. I…

1 Feb 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-21123 by Nicola Sturgeon on 14 May 2014, when it will implement each of the recommendations of the Review of Scottish Public Sector Procurement in Construction.

Answer · Keith Brown: A programme of work – overseen by the Construction Review Delivery Group – is currently ongoing to implement the 66 accepted recommendations from the 2013 Review of Scottish Public Sector Procurement in Construction. It is expected that work relating to the r…

1 Feb 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the provisions of the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 relating to the publication of procurement strategies will come into force.

Answer · Keith Brown: The Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 (Commencement No. 3 and Transitional Provisions) Order 2016 states that the provisions relating to the publication of procurement strategies will come into force on 18 April 2016. The Commencement Order also contain…

1 Feb 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what role the Scottish Futures Trust will play in funding the expansion of Aberdeen Harbour referred to in the Aberdeen city deal.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government is supportive of the proposal to expand Aberdeen Harbour and is committed to working with the UK Government, local regional partners and private sector partners to deliver this project. It is ultimately a decision for the private secto…

28 Jan 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-29354 by John Swinney on 28 January 2016, how many applications for assistance under the Bellwin Scheme have been refused since 2007; who submitted them; for what reason, and what the value was of each claim.

Answer · John Swinney: The applications for additional financial assistance under the Bellwin Scheme that have been turned down since 2007 are as follows: 2008-09 – Scottish Borders Council – three separate incidents of flooding and winter weather – the claim was £250,000 above th…

25 Jan 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much it will provide to the integrated health and social care boards in 2016-17, broken down by local authority area, and from which budget line this will be sourced.

Answer · Shona Robison: Details of allocations to integration authorities are provided in the answer to question S4W-30141 on 26 February 2016. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: h…

25 Jan 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what financial sanctions can be applied to local authorities that do not comply with its teacher-number criteria.

Answer · Angela Constance: The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring we have the right number of teachers, with the right skills, in the right places to educate our young people. That is why we provided additional funding of £51 million to local authorities in 2015 specifically …

25 Jan 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish the details of the 2016-17 budget of each territorial NHS board.

Answer · Shona Robison: Page 32 of the Draft Budget for 2016-17 provides indicative baseline funding for NHS territorial boards: http://www.gov.scot/Resource/0049/00491140.pdf Details of the finalised 2016-17 baseline budgets of each territorial NHS board will be published followi…

20 Jan 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-27988 by Richard Lochhead on 10 November 2015, whether land classified as code PGRS continues to be downgraded to region 3 payment under the common agricultural policy Basic Payment Scheme and, if so, whether it will provide a breakdown of such land…

Answer · Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-27988 on 10 November 2015. As explained previously, there is nothing in the classification process which results in land classified as PGRS being automatically assessed as Payment Region 3 land. Land parcels w…

20 Jan 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many inspections it has carried out under the common agricultural policy Basic Payment Scheme: revised provisional payment region scheme, broken down by Rural Payments and Inspections Directorate office area.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The following is the breakdown of Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) inspections selected for the 2015 scheme year, by business, by office. Office BPS inspections Ayr 109 Benbecula 39 Dumfries 86 Elgin 39 Galashiels 132 Golspie 29 Hamilton 46 Inverne…

19 Jan 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many employees have left Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd since January 2007; how much it has paid in settlement agreements, and how many such agreements have been reached.

Answer · Derek Mackay: Between 1 January 2007 and 1 January 2016, 415 staff left Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd representing a turnover of less than 10%.

19 Jan 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government on what date the contract for the temporary position of business development manager at Sumburgh Airport is due to finish.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The fixed term contract for the Sumburgh business development manager ends on 19 May 2018.

18 Jan 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many companies in Scotland were invited to (a) apply for the tendering list and (b) submit a final bid for the new digitalisation programme at the National Library of Scotland.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: This is a matter for the National Library of Scotland and the information is not held centrally. I have asked the Chief Executive, Dr John Scally, to write to the Member.

18 Jan 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assistance is available to people with private water supplies who have been affected by flooding.

Answer · Aileen McLeod: The Scottish Government has announced an aid package to local authorities to enable them to provide support and assistance to those who have been most affected by the recent flooding events. Local authorities are able to provide a grant of £1,500 to every hou…

18 Jan 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how recent flooding has affected people with private water supplies in each local authority area.

Answer · Aileen McLeod: Information about the impact of flooding specifically on owners and users of private water supplies is not collected or held centrally and the Scottish Government has not had any contact from individual local authorities regarding the impact of the recent flo…

18 Jan 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will review the Bellwin Scheme and what the review will include.

Answer · John Swinney: I will consider the operation of the Bellwin Scheme in the light of the recent severe flooding incidents across Scotland, to ensure that it remains effective for the purpose of meeting extraordinary financial issues that arise from such events.

18 Jan 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) average and (b) longest length of time is between incidents occurring and payments being made to local authorities under the Bellwin Scheme.

Answer · John Swinney: Responsibility for making a claim under the Bellwin Scheme rests with the local authority. The Scottish Government's guidance states that an interim claim should be received by the Scottish Government within four months of the incident (or such later date as …

14 Jan 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason horse passport issuing organisations can charge owners different rates.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The cost of an equine passport is an individual decision of the private sector equine organisations that have been authorised to issue them. The owner of the equine has the choice of which passport issuing organisation to use.

12 Jan 2016 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assistance it is providing to refugees from Syria and what further discussions it has had with the UK Government on this matter.

6 Jan 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many passengers used Glasgow Queen Street Station in 2014-15.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The Office of Rail and Road has reported that for the 2014-15 year, there were a total of 18,674,245 journeys at Glasgow Queen Street which includes both High and Low Level stations. This can be broken down as 16,959,230 entries and exits, as well as a furthe…

6 Jan 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) trains and (b) passengers are carried through the (i) high and (ii) low level tunnel at Glasgow Queen Street Station per hour at peak period.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The following tables confirm how many trains and passengers travel through Glasgow Queen Street High and Low Level stations per hour at peak period: Glasgow Queen Street High Level Station Low Level Station Trains AM peak (0745-0915 hours) 37 trains (…

6 Jan 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which services will be reduced during the works on the high level tunnel at Glasgow Queen Street Station and whether capacity will be fully retained through the use of longer trains.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The following table summarises the rail services that will have reduced frequency during the Queen Street High Level tunnel closure: Service(s) Existing During tunnel closure Glasgow to Edinburgh via Falkirk High Four trains per hour from 0700 to 1930 ho…

6 Jan 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government to what extent the works on the high level tunnel at Glasgow Queen Street Station will increase average journey times, broken down by affected service.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The following table summarises the estimated impact that the Glasgow Queen Street High Level tunnel closure will have on affected rail services: Service(s) affected Estimated impact (average) Edinburgh to Glasgow Queen Street 20 to 25 minutes longer Dunb…

6 Jan 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which rail services use the high level tunnel at Glasgow Queen Street Station and what the diversionary routes will be for each service during its closure.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The following table summarises what rail services use Glasgow Queen Street High Level station and what the diversionary routes will be for the duration of the tunnel closure: Rail Service Group Diversionary Impact Aberdeen/Dyce/Dundee/Perth Diverted to Gl…

6 Jan 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps will be taken to minimise disruption caused by the closure of the high level tunnel at Glasgow Queen Street Station and to what extent services using the low level tunnel will be affected.

Answer · Derek Mackay: ScotRail following industry processes and consultations has undertaken detailed work to ensure that the temporary timetable in place throughout the duration of the Queen Street High Level tunnel closure allows the vast majority of customers to travel to and f…

6 Jan 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government on what dates it expects the closure of the high level tunnel at Glasgow Queen Street Station to (a) start and (b) end; what the reason for the closure is, and whether the work is directly related to the (i) redevelopment of the station or (ii) electrification of the Glasgow to Edinburgh…

Answer · Derek Mackay: The tunnel will close from Sunday 20 March to Monday 8 August 2016. The station is being closed to enable Network Rail to replace nearly two kilometres of 40 year old concrete slab track within the Queen Street tunnel and supports the introduction of a new g…

6 Jan 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much compensation franchise holders will receive due to the closure of the Glasgow Queen Street Station high level tunnel; how this is expected to be spent, and whether affected passengers can expect a reduction in their journey costs.

Answer · Derek Mackay: Network Rail costs for the works in the tunnel are currently estimated to be in the region of £60 million. This includes an estimated £16 million in lost revenue compensation for train operating companies, based on a 20-week tunnel closure, in accordance with…

6 Jan 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-12861 by Keith Brown on 28 February 2013, for what reason the Infrastructure Investment Plan 2015 does not include reference to a Scottish section of high speed rail between Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Answer · Derek Mackay: A draft business case considering a high speed rail link between Edinburgh and Glasgow was submitted as advice to ministers in 2014. It was clear from this work that what high speed rail is built in Scotland depends on the high speed route coming up from the…

6 Jan 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which of its economic development plans since 2007-08 have included reference to Iran.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: None of the Scottish Government economic strategies since 2007-08 have included specific reference to Iran.

6 Jan 2016 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it, or Scottish Development International, will support any trade mission to Iran following the visit by SNP parliamentarians in December 2015.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Scottish Development International officials would be happy to receive more information on a proposed trade mission to Iran with regard to dates, companies attending and sectors that it will cover and will take a decision on the level of support it can offer …