Colin Beattie

11 Mar 2021 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish its Energy Strategy Position Statement.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: Scotland’s Energy Strategy Position Statement, which provides an overview of our approach to supporting the energy sector in the lead up to COP26 and our approach to ensuring a green economic recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic whilst remaining aligned to our…

10 Mar 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress is being made with ensuring that housing developers comply with fire safety standards in the homes that they build.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: Scottish Government has recently strengthened guidance on the roles and responsibilities of any person undertaking new building work. The Building Standards Procedural Handbook, published on 1 October 2019, emphasises the importance of regular and effective c…

10 Mar 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the compliance plan approach it was developing alongside a review of the relevant person function in relation to housing developments.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Compliance Plan work stream is, one of seven, being taken forward under the direction of the Building Standards Futures Board. A Compliance Plan Working Group was established at the end of 2020, with representation from industry and academia and has now m…

9 Mar 2021 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what recent representations it has made to the UK Government regarding visas for people wishing to work in Scotland, and whether it is able to clarify the visa requirements for student internships to ensure that these international exchanges can continue.

1 Mar 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will reconsider using mass vaccination venues as the main premises for administering the COVID-19 vaccine to people with learning disabilities and autism, and whether it will consider offering the vaccine to these groups through their GPs, in light of this offering a more fami…

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Individuals who require adjustments for themselves or someone they care for should contact their Health Board and GP, so that specialists are made aware of their specific needs and can make adjustments best suited to the patient. Appointments may be moved to…

23 Feb 2021 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it has been working with COSLA to ensure that fast growing local authorities, such as Midlothian, are effectively funded through COSLA’s funding formula.

16 Feb 2021 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government how the Scottish National Investment Bank will support the economic regeneration of communities when the COVID-19 restrictions are lifted.

3 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on progress with the plans to upgrade the Sheriffhall roundabout; what investment is planned as part of this; by what date work will commence, and what the timetable is for each stage.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government remains committed to undertaking improvements at Sheriffhall in its £120m investment as part of the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal and continues to progress the scheme through the statutory processes. Following pub…

2 Feb 2021 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support is being provided to Scotland’s food and drink industry in response to exporting issues as a result of Brexit.

20 Jan 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will introduce guidance or legislate to exempt a person who lives with someone who is shielding from COVID-19 from having to go to work, similar to the approach taken during the first lockdown.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Family or household members living with someone on the shielding list were not advised not to go into work during the first lockdown. The Chief Medical Officer’s letter of 26 March 2020 did ask people to minimise time spent with others in their household and …

19 Jan 2021 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it has taken to continue positive collaboration with European countries following the UK's exit from the EU.

22 Dec 2020 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has received an update from the UK Government on the UK Shared Prosperity Fund and how it might impact on Scotland's public finances.

30 Nov 2020 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it is providing to the holiday accommodation sector regarding the relaxation of the COVID-19 restrictions over Christmas.

18 Nov 2020 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on replacing the European structural funds that will be lost to Scotland as a result of leaving the EU.

Answer · Ivan McKee: Structural Funds have been key to Scotland’s economic development over the past 40 years, investing more than £5.6 billion into a wide range of projects. As the United Kingdom crashes out of the EU at the end of next month so Scotland will no longer have acce…

20 Oct 2020 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the timeline for the draft consultation on the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

8 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider putting in place a regular COVID-19 testing regime for home carers in order to prevent house-to-house transmission, in light of the stricter measures already in place for care home staff.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: A Clinical and Scientific review of the Scottish Governments COVID-19 Testing Strategy published on 23 October 2020 has been carried out in light of the latest evidence of the state of the epidemic in Scotland and understanding of testing capacity and demand …

21 Sep 2020 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether an up-to-date impact assessment on Scottish tax revenues post-COVID-19 and post-Brexit has been prepared.

25 Aug 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to people in Pathhead, Fala and Fala Dam who have had no access to public transport following the closure of the A68 due to a landslide.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Transport Scotland liaises closely with Midlothian Council on a daily basis to discuss and mitigate any concerns highlighted as a result of the landslide or local impacts around the affected area. Public transport operates in a deregulated market where indivi…

25 Aug 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to the residents of Fala and Fala Dam who have been affected by flooding following recent extreme weather.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: A number of residential properties in Fala Dam suffered from flooding overnight on 11/12 August 2020. Evidence suggests that this incident was associated with the failure of the embankment supporting the A68 trunk road to the south of the village, and the res…

30 Jun 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to reopen (a) swimming pools, (b) therapy pools and (c) gyms for people dependent on these to help deal with medical conditions.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: The Scottish Government recognises the importance of aquatic and other physical therapies to many people and will continue to gather the clinical evidence that would support the reopening of these services. We will prepare guidance in consultation with sport…

8 Jun 2020 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the impact of Brexit on EU-UK relations, in light of concerns that any breakdown could have a detrimental impact, including in Scotland, on the response to issues such as the COVID-19 crisis.

8 Jun 2020 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the guidance for passengers arriving in Scotland from abroad.

26 May 2020 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what projection it has made of the estimated tax shortfall for the current financial year as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak.

19 May 2020 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what extra support it is giving to councils in less wealthy areas to assist with their response to the COVID-19 outbreak, in light of figures suggesting that people in the most deprived areas are twice as likely to die from the virus.

25 Mar 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to extend business rates relief to producers, in light of the impact of COVID-19 on businesses.

Answer · Ben Macpherson: Non-domestic rates is a tax on non-domestic properties, and producers will be located in many different sectors and may operate in many different types of property. Agricultural lands and heritages are exempt from rating. The Scottish Government is deliverin…

25 Feb 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which local authorities have not met their statutory requirement to publish an antisocial behaviour strategy.

Answer · Ash Denham: In order to ensure that every local authority has a current antisocial behaviour strategy I have instructed my officials to write to every local authority, under section 2 of the Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004, seeking a copy of their current a…

25 Feb 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which local authorities have included the provision of youth shelters in their antisocial behaviour strategy.

Answer · Ash Denham: The Scottish Government does not hold this information centrally.

18 Feb 2020 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what is being done to find a long-term solution to the pollution issue in the River Esk in the Midlothian North and Musselburgh constituency.

9 Jan 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that the self-certification of the safety of new buildings by so-called relevant persons is reliable and carried out to a proper standard.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Building (Scotland) Act 2003, requires the “relevant person” submitting a completion certificate to certify that the work done is constructed in accordance with the approved building warrant and complies with the building regulations. On submission of the…

9 Jan 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports of new buildings being found to have defective fire protection despite the so-called relevant person claiming that they were in compliance with building standard regulations and had been issued with a completion certificate.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Scottish Government is not complacent about fire safety in new buildings and has strengthened the guidance on the roles and responsibilities of the “relevant person” in the Procedural Handbook, published on 1 October 2019. A new “Compliance Plan” approac…