Liam McArthur

8 Nov 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it will take to promote future take-up of the First Home Fund, including in rural and island communities.

Answer · Shona Robison: The First Home Fund closed at the end of the 2021-22 financial year. The Scottish Government does not plan to reopen the fund - key findings from the evaluation show that 72% of buyers would have been able to purchase a property which met their needs without …

4 Nov 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6F-01419 by Nicola Sturgeon on 6 October 2022, what consideration it has given in its discussions with the UK Government to facilitating new investment in Scotland’s islands.

Answer · Ivan McKee: Discussions with the UK Government on possible Investment Zones remain at an exploratory stage: but we have been clear that any Investment Zones in Scotland would have to be the right fit for Scotland’s economy, reflect our policy and governance landscape, an…

4 Nov 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6F-01419 by Nicola Sturgeon on 6 October 2022, whether it has had any further discussions with the UK Government on this matter, and, if so, what the outcomes of these have been.

Answer · Ivan McKee: We have sought information both on the substance of the UK Government’s policy and on its proposed approach to discussing a possible model for Scotland: we await clarity on both fronts.

3 Nov 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to extend the function of the Scottish Biometrics Commissioner to include oversight of biometric data collected in (a) schools and (b) prisons.

Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Biometrics Commissioner (SBC) Act 2020 establishes the office of the SBC and provides for its functions in relation to the acquisition, retention, use and destruction of biometric data for criminal justice and police purposes. Therefore, biometri…

3 Nov 2022 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what budget was allocated to the Scottish Information Commissioner's office in each of the last five years.

Answer · Maggie Chapman (on behalf of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body: The budget allocated to the Scottish Information Commissioner in the last five years is set out in the table below.YearApproved Budget2022/23£2,120k2021/22£2,030k2020/21£1,903k2019/20£1,673k2018/19£1,565k2017/18£1,573k  

3 Nov 2022 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body how many staff members have been employed in the Scottish Information Commissioner's office (a) in total and (b) for the purpose of handling FOI request appeals, in each of the last five years.

Answer · Maggie Chapman (on behalf of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body: The average number of FTE staff employed by the Scottish Information Commissioner in the last five years broken down into the total number of staff employed and those employed for the purpose of handling FOI request appeals is set out in the table below.YearN…

3 Nov 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-05102 by Graeme Dey on 5 January 2022, how much Highlands and Islands Airports Limited's (HIAL) Air Traffic Management System project has cost to date.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The cost of the Air Traffic Management 2030 Strategy project was £9,963,937.

3 Nov 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will provide further information on the £1.4 million Island Cost Crisis Emergency fund, which was announced by the Deputy First Minister as part of the Emergency Budget Review on 2 November 2022.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The £1.4 million Islands Cost Crisis Emergency Fund was developed acknowledging islands are uniquely exposed to the current cost crisis. In line with due process, the joint Scottish Government/COSLA Settlement Distribution Group will make recommendations on …

1 Nov 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much has been paid in subsidies to (a) Barra, (b) Benbecula, (c) Campbeltown, (d) Dundee, (e) Inverness, (f) Islay, (g) Kirkwall, (h) Sumburgh, (i) Stornoway, (j) Tiree and (k) Wick John O'Groats Airport in each year since 2017-18, broken down by capital and revenue allocations.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The following table provides the information requested in relation to capital allocations. For completeness, HIAL Head Office figures are also included. Figures include both grant and loan funding. Airport 2017-18 (£) 2018-19 (£) 2019-20 (£) 2020-21 (£) …

27 Oct 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-11322 by Michael Matheson on 26 October 2022, whether it will provide a breakdown of the £336 million allocated in 2022-23 by (a) local authority area and (b) type of measure.

Answer · Patrick Harvie: The Scottish Government has allocated £64 million by council area as part of our Area Based Schemes for 2022-23. Details of the grant allocations and outturns for each council as part of our Area Based Schemes programme since 2013 are published on the Scottis…

27 Oct 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-11322 by Michael Matheson on 26 October 2022, whether it will provide a breakdown of the £119 million targeted at fuel poor households in 2022-23 by (a) local authority area and (b) type of measure.

Answer · Patrick Harvie: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-11825 on 9 November 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-committ…

27 Oct 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-11322 by Michael Matheson on 26 October 2022, how much of the £119 million targeted at fuel poor households in 2022-23 has been allocated to (a) Orkney and (b) Shetland.

Answer · Patrick Harvie: The Scottish Government allocated £1,255,953.00 for Area Based Schemes to be designed and delivered by Orkney Council in 2022-23. The Scottish Government allocated £1,324,703.00 for Area Based Schemes to be designed and delivered by Shetland Council in 2022-2…

11 Oct 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the total cost has been of funding any private dental treatment for NHS patients due to a lack of available NHS services in (a) 2020, (b) 2021, and (c) 2022 to date, broken down by NHS board.

Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government does not fund the costs of private dental treatment. The budget for NHS General Dental Services is entirely for NHS dentistry. Private dental care was subject to the same infection prevention controls that reduced access to dental ser…

11 Oct 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many times NHS boards have funded private dental treatment for NHS patients due to a lack of available NHS services in (a) 2020, (b) 2021 and (c) 2022 to date, broken down by NHS board.

Answer · Maree Todd: NHS Boards do not fund the costs of private dental treatment. The budget for NHS General Dental Services is entirely for NHS dentistry. Private dental care was subject to the same infection prevention controls that reduced access to dental services during th…

6 Oct 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-10437 by Shona Robison on 21 September 2022, what is meant by “their duty to establish short-term let licensing schemes by 1 October 2022”, and whether this constitutes a statutory obligation on local authorities to have their scheme opened by 1 Oct…

Answer · Shona Robison: The effect of the provisions in The Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 (Licensing of Short-term Lets) Order 2022 are that new hosts cannot operate without a licence after 1 October 2022. The effect of this is that it placed a statutory duty on local authori…

6 Oct 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the opening of the short-term let licensing scheme on 1 October 2022, how many local authorities have not met this deadline for the scheme opening.

Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-11301 on? 21 October 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…

30 Sep 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the final report of the Green Heat Finance Taskforce will be published.

Answer · Patrick Harvie: The Green Heat Finance Taskforce will publish a final report in September 2023.

30 Sep 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many times the Green Heat Finance Taskforce has met since its creation, and whether a summary of the discussions and action points from these meetings has been published by the Scottish Government.

Answer · Patrick Harvie: The Green Heat Finance Taskforce has met five times, with future meetings scheduled on a bi-monthly basis. Further information on the Taskforce, along with a summary of the meeting discussions, is available on the Scottish Government website Heat in Building…

30 Sep 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will be increasing funds allocated to delivering the fuel poverty strategy, in light of the reported increased number of households estimated to be in fuel poverty, and, if not, whether it still expects to meet its target of no more than 5% of homes in fuel poverty by 2040.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Our Fuel Poverty Act is the most ambitious fuel poverty legislation in the UK, setting us challenging but achievable targets, that in 2040 no more than 5% of households are fuel poor, and no more than 1% are in extreme fuel poverty. As required by the 2019 Fu…

29 Sep 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answers to questions S6W-10436 and S6W-10437 by Shona Robison on 21 September 2022, and in light of Aberdeenshire Council’s short-term lets licensing consultation ending on 7 October 2022, after the deadline for establishing local schemes, what discussions have been held …

Answer · Shona Robison: I wrote to all local authorities on 21 September reminding them of the importance of establishing licensing schemes in their area by 1 October. In that letter I explained that while there are no penalties under legislation for local authorities that failed to…

29 Sep 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answers to questions S6W-10436 and S6W-10437 by Shona Robison on 21 September 2022, how many local authorities have indicated that they were not in a position to establish their short-term lets licensing scheme by 1 October 2022.

Answer · Shona Robison: Since the answers to S6W-10436 and S6W-10437 on? 21 September 2022 were published, a small number of local authorities informed us that their elected members would not be able to meet to ratify their draft short-term let policies until after 1 October 2022. I…

29 Sep 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answers to questions S6W-10436 and S6W-10437 by Shona Robison on 21 September 2022, and in light of the Report to Aberdeenshire Council’s Business Services’ Licensing Sub-Committee of 2 September 2022 under item six, paragraph 3.8.1, whether it can confirm that licensing …

Answer · Shona Robison: In the lead up to the commencement of short-term let licensing on 1 October 2022, we spoke to local authorities about their readiness to implement licensing schemes. This included regular group meetings and individual discussions. A small number of local aut…

27 Sep 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to the reported proposal from the Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers (ASSC) to delay the introduction of short-term lets licensing in light of the current cost of living crisis.

Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S6T-00856 on 21 September 2022 which is available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at Meeting of the Parliament: 21/09/2022 | Scottish Parliament Website

27 Sep 2022 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to improve the resilience of island communities.

7 Sep 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much has been (a) budgeted for and (b) distributed from the Fuel Insecurity Fund in each year of its operation.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Fuel Insecurity Fund was first established in the winter of 2020, as part of the wider Winter Support Fund, to help households struggling with their energy costs who were at risk of severely rationing, or self-disconnecting entirely because they could not…

7 Sep 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the First Minister’s statement to the Parliament on the Programme for Government, on 6 September 2022, that a proposed Housing Bill would "implement key policies on short-term lets", whether this refers to enacted or new regulations on the matter.

Answer · Shona Robison: This refers to the level of fines for some short-term let licensing offences. When we were developing the short-term let licensing legislation in 2020 we consulted on the maximum level of fines for operating without a licence; breaching a licence condition; a…

6 Sep 2022 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met Orkney Islands Council to discuss its budget settlement.

5 Sep 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether any resources have been allocated (a) within its Health and Social Care directorate and (b) to NHS boards to raise awareness of the signs and symptoms of cancer in children.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government allocates funding to the Managed Service Network (MSN) for Children and Young People with Cancer on an annual basis for both children and teenagers and young adults services. This funding provides support for administrative and strateg…

5 Sep 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish a progress update to its cancer strategy for children and young people 2021–2026.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Cancer Strategy for Children and Young People in Scotland is set to run until 2026. This strategy is delivered by the Managed Service Network for children and young people with cancer (MSN CYPC). A progress update to the strategy will be developed by the …

30 Aug 2022 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met NHS Orkney and what issues were discussed.