Parliamentary questions

Liam McArthur

3,644 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

24 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will ensure that Circularity Scotland is subject to any forthcoming legislation on Freedom of Information in Scotland.

Answer · Lorna Slater: I refer the member to my answer to question S6W-12732 on 14 December 2022. 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…

24 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reasons Circularity Scotland was not established using a similar model to Crown Estate Scotland and Scottish Water.

Answer · Lorna Slater: It was determined during the development of the Regulations underpinning Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme, that Scotland follow international best practice in line with the ‘polluter pays’ principle, and just like similar schemes around the world, a scheme th…

24 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any potential impact on relations between the Deposit Return Scheme administrator and producers where Circularity Scotland is not subject to Freedom of Information legislation.

Answer · Lorna Slater: Just like similar schemes around the world, Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) is being delivered and funded by industry. It is for them to determine the appropriate manner in which to meet their obligations under the Regulations, including whether or not…

24 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the arrangement whereby the Deposit Return Scheme administrator is not subject to Freedom of Information legislation currently meets the principles of the Council of Europe Convention on Access to Official Documents.

Answer · Lorna Slater: The Council of Europe Convention on Access to Official Documents (also known as the ‘Tromsø Convention’) relates to official documents held by public authorities. Whilst the UK is not a signatory to the Convention, the Scottish Government recognises the impor…

24 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which minister decided that Circularity Scotland, as scheme administrator of the Deposit Return Scheme, would not be subject to Freedom of Information legislation, and on what date this decision was taken.

Answer · Lorna Slater: The Cabinet Secretary for The Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform announced in Parliament on 8 May 2019 that Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) would be a privately operated scheme, in line with international best practice. This approach was then …

24 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6T-01276 by Lorna Slater on 21 March 2023 and in relation to her comment that Circularity Scotland “does not provide a public service”, on what evidentiary basis it determined this to be the case, in light of the statement on the Circularity Scotland w…

Answer · Lorna Slater: Circularity Scotland provides services to drinks producers and retailers to help them comply with their obligations under the Deposit Return Scheme Regulations. By helping these companies do so, they will ensure the benefits of Scotland’s DRS will be achieve…

24 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it considered any other options for the Deposit Return Scheme administrator, which would have been subject to Freedom of Information legislation.

Answer · Lorna Slater: Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme was developed in line with the ‘polluter pays’ principle, and just like similar schemes around the world, is being delivered and funded by industry. The Deposit Return Scheme for Scotland Regulations 2020 enable any public or …

24 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason Circularity Scotland was created as a private, not-for-profit company, and what the potential implications are for Freedom of Information legislation, in comparison to other companies and bodies that administer government schemes.

Answer · Lorna Slater: In line with the ‘polluter pays’ principle, and just like similar schemes around the world, Scotland’s deposit return scheme is being delivered and funded by industry, led by the scheme administrator, Circularity Scotland. This was the approach agreed and vot…

22 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to make an announcement on future funding allocations for regional Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) groups.

Answer · Graeme Dey: As set out in the Future Skills Action plan, the Scottish Government is committed to the important work that the DYW Groups do to improve the relationship between young people and employers. To support this commitment, allocations and grant letters were issue…

22 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its commitment to “phasing out the need to install new or replacement fossil fuel boilers in off gas properties from 2025”, as set out in its Heat in Buildings Strategy, whether it plans to offer support to help people move to zero or low emissions heating systems rapidly at…

Answer · Patrick Harvie: The Heat in Buildings Strategy confirms our intention to introduce legislation (subject to consultation) prohibiting the use of direct emission heating systems in Scotland’s homes by 2045. We plan to introduce such requirements from 2025 and are developing ap…

22 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to ban the use of direct emissions heating systems for existing off-gas-grid properties from 2025.

20 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason grant and loan support is not available through Home Energy Scotland for air-to-air heating systems.

Answer · Patrick Harvie: The renewable heating element of the Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan Scheme provides funding for well-established technologies to support households to decarbonise heating their homes in line with the Scottish Government’s Heat in Buildings Strategy. Air…

20 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment has been carried out of the potential benefits of including air-to-air, as well as air-to-water, heating systems in schemes available for grant and loan support through Home Energy Scotland.

Answer · Patrick Harvie: The renewable heating element of the Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan Scheme provides funding for well-established technologies to support households to decarbonise heating their homes. The Scottish Government has previously commissioned research to under…

13 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding is currently allocated for goose management schemes, and how much has been spent in each of the last three years, broken down by scheme.

Answer · Mairi McAllan: Management Agreement Costs Schemes for Annex 1 goose species (barnacle geese, white-fronted geese) and pink-footed geese at Strathbeg Financial Year Islay Kintyre Slamannan Solway South Walls Strathbeg Uist, Coll & Tiree 2019-20 £937,000 £64,282 …

13 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-10628 by Ivan McKee on 6 September 2022, whether it will provide an update on when it anticipates the 4G masts in Rackwick and Stronsay in Orkney, as part of the Scottish 4G Infill Programme, will be activated.

Answer · Ivan McKee: We can confirm that build work for the Scottish 4G Infill programme masts at both Rackwick and Stronsay is now complete and activation is currently expected to take place in April 2023.

9 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-15406 by Lorna Slater on 7 March 2023, what considerations have been given, specifically, to the export of waste in its work with local authorities to develop solutions to manage their residual waste ahead of the landfill ban in 2025.

Answer · Lorna Slater: We are continuing to support local authorities to secure landfill ban compliant residual waste treatment options. We are doing this by facilitating collaborative procurement through Zero Waste Scotland, and funding provision of additional technical, procureme…

8 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-12361 by Mairi McAllan on 1 December 2022, whether the Steering Group carrying out the review of its goose management policies shared a draft report with stakeholders in February 2023.

Answer · Mairi McAllan: We shared the results from the goose management policy questionnaire and discussed priorities at the National Goose Forum meeting on? 14 February 2023, however a draft report of the review of goose management policy was not ready in February to be shared. We…

8 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-12361 by Mairi McAllan on 1 December 2022, whether it will provide an update regarding the date on which it anticipates that the goose management policy review report will be published.

Answer · Mairi McAllan: As set out in the answer to S6W-15782 on 20 March 2023, stakeholders will be consulted on a draft report in April. Following this the Steering Group will produce a final report which will be submitted to Ministers and published in due course thereafter. All …

7 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on when it anticipates meeting the target of 10% of everyday journeys to be taken by bicycle.

Answer · Patrick Harvie: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-13420 on 19 January 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…

7 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how many applicants to the Access Bikes scheme have received an interest-free loan to date, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Patrick Harvie: The Access Bikes scheme closed in February 2022. During the life of the scheme, 4 loans were distributed, though we do not hold information on the recipients or local authority area. A new Access Bikes scheme has been running since April 2022 which focuses o…

7 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which specific organisations have been involved in distributing funding allocated to the Access Bikes scheme, and how much funding was allocated to each.

Answer · Patrick Harvie: The Access Bikes scheme closed in February 2022. The scheme was run by Cycling UK, who partnered with Capital Credit Union and ScotWest Credit Union as a mechanism for offering the loans. £250,000 was originally provided for financial transactions, though onl…

7 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to reopen the Access Bikes scheme.

Answer · Patrick Harvie: The original Access Bikes scheme closed in February 2022. A new Access Bikes scheme has been running since April 2022.

7 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how many people have expressed an interest in receiving an interest-free loan through the Access Bikes scheme to date, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Patrick Harvie: The Access Bikes scheme closed in February 2022. During the life of the scheme, 348 people expressed an interest, 43 people advanced to the application stage and 4 of those applications were successful and received a loan. A new Access Bikes scheme has been …

7 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many additional miles travelled by bicycle, that have replaced miles travelled by vehicles, it estimates there have been as a result of the Access Bikes scheme.

Answer · Patrick Harvie: We do not hold information on mileage travelled by the recipients, but from follow-up surveys for the new Access Bikes scheme running since April 2022, we can confirm that 76% of scheme recipients have swapped car journeys for bike journeys.

7 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how many people to date have repaid their interest-free loans through the Access Bikes scheme.

Answer · Patrick Harvie: The Access Bikes scheme closed in February 2022. During the life of the scheme, 4 loans were distributed, and 3 of those have been repaid. A new Access Bikes scheme has been running since April 2022 which focuses on assisting those facing challenges to acces…

7 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any potential impact on bus services in (a) Orkney, (b) the Highlands and Islands and (c) Scotland that may result from the Network Support Grant Plus coming to an end at the end of March 2023.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Network Support Grant Plus was always intended to be time limited COVID recovery funding. I have extended it on two occasions; in June 2022 and October 2022 and operators agreed to the extension being dependent on an end point in March. Operators are also…

6 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to attend the Arctic Circle Assembly in Reykjavik in 2023.

Answer · Angus Robertson: Scottish Ministers have attended the Arctic Circle Assembly (ACA) every year it has been held since 2016. The Scottish Government remains committed to building on the strong partnership that it has established with the Arctic Circle secretariat, with a view t…

2 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-07730 by Jamie Hepburn on 27 April 2022, whether it will provide an update on what date it anticipates that the consultation on the proposed Scottish Exchange Programme will be launched.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: We are fully committed to delivering our Programme for Government and manifesto commitments. We will be able to provide further information in due course.

1 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what specific steps it is taking to engage with Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) people to meet the target of recruiting 4% BME teachers in schools by 2030, as recommended in the report, Teaching in a diverse Scotland: increasing and retaining minority ethnic teachers.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The Scottish Government is clear that the continued under-representation of minority ethnic teachers, at all levels, is unacceptable and requires continued action. Through our Diversity in the Teaching Profession and Education Workforce (DITPEW) working group…

24 Feb 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what (a) volume and (b) percentage of Scottish waste was exported to other parts of the UK in (i) 2020, (ii) 2021 and (iii) 2022.

Answer · Lorna Slater: That information is not available for the years requested. Due to the cyber attack suffered by SEPA in 2020, data for that year is unavailable. The 2021 data is expected to be available from 28 March 2023, following publication of official statistics on Wast…