Parliamentary questions

Liam McArthur

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

8 Mar 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide details of the proposed site locations for the 124 mobile masts that will be erected under the Shared Rural Network Programme; what the timeframe is confirming these site locations, and what support the Infralink programme will provide to securing them.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: Rollout of the Shared Rural Network (SRN) programme is being led by the UK Government and the four main mobile network operators. While we have seen draft coverage maps, the Scottish Government is unsighted on the specific details of locations to be used for …

8 Mar 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the new toolkit by the Infralink programme will be launched, and how it will help to support the roll-out of 4G and 5G infrastructure.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The Infralink project aims to facilitate improved and accelerated deployment of 4G, 5G and other digital connectivity through simplification of the process for use of publicly owned assets (such as buildings and land) by the telecommunications industry for th…

3 Mar 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how may planning appeals for onshore wind farms have taken the climate emergency into account, since it was declared in May 2019.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: Reporters are required to make planning appeal decisions on the basis of the development plan for the area unless material considerations indicate otherwise. Material considerations include Scottish Government Policy, the National Planning Framework (NPF) and…

3 Mar 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that the climate emergency is a primary consideration in decision-making processes for planning matters.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: National Planning Framework 3 and Scottish Planning Policy, our current national planning policy, published in 2014, aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and they remain in-force until replaced. Since then the Planning (Scotland) Act 2019 includes meeting …

3 Mar 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many planning appeals for onshore wind farms, which have been granted, have taken the climate emergency into account.

3 Mar 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether delays to the National Planning Framework 4 will have any impact on Net Zero targets.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: Scotland is leading the way on tackling climate change. The Climate Change Plan update, published in December, announces over 100 new policies and sets us on a pathway toward a just transition to net zero by 2045. It is also clear that National Planning Frame…

3 Mar 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether consideration is being given to allowing personnel who are on rotation from working offshore and are travelling back from overseas, to self-isolate at home rather than in a hotel.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Changes were made to the sectoral exemption for oil and gas workers under the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (International Travel) (Scotland) Regulations, so that workers returning from an installation in the North Sea who have transited via a non-acute ris…

25 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask to ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-34704 by Fergus Ewing on 3 February 2021, what its most recent communication with the Farming and Food Production Future Policy Group (FFP-FPG) indicated about timetables for publishing its final report, and in particular whether the final re…

Answer · Fergus Ewing: Further to my answer to question S5W-34704, the situation remains the same. Given the industry involvement in the Group, it is unfortunately inevitable that Covid and Brexit have significantly impacted upon the Group’s work. As an independent Group, it is for…

22 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what financial support is (a) available and (b) being considered for fitness instructors, personal trainers, sport coaches and other freelance physical activity workers who have been unable to operate due to the COVID-19 restrictions.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Since the start of the Covid-19 outbreak the Scottish Government has worked closely with the UK Government and private and public sector partners to develop a range of support mechanisms for businesses. Information on all available support for businesses can …

19 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that the process of deciding on criteria for national developments to be incorporated into National Planning Framework 4 will be participative, and whether it has considered using a citizen’s assembly to discuss the proposals for national developments.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The criteria for analysing national developments was published in January 2020. We have not used a citizen’s assembly to discuss the proposals for national developments but instead issued an open call for nominations during our Call for Ideas early engagement…

19 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it will decide the criteria for national developments to be incorporated into National Planning Framework 4, and what the process leading up to that decision will be.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The criteria for analysing national developments was published in January 2020 as part of our Call for Ideas early engagement programme. The four criteria are: reducing emissions; supporting health, wellbeing, sustainability and quality of life of our populat…

18 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it uses symptomatic COVID-19 testing to establish the rate of positivity, and what consideration it has given to using data from sentinel testing.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government currently measures the test positivity rate (percent of tests that are positive) by calculating the total number of positive PCR tests reported on a particular day divided by the overall number of PCR tests reported that day. The posit…

17 Feb 2021 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Orkney Islands Council regarding the reopening of schools.

15 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with island (a) NHS boards, (b) local authorities and (c) travel providers, including Loganair, Northlink Ferries and Pentland Ferries, regarding the (i) feasibility of and (ii) requirement for COVID-19 testing at island entry points.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The Minister for Public Health and I met with island MSPs on? 26 February to discuss the potential for, and implications of, pre-travel testing for our islands. We have to consider testing options alongside the many other layers of protection we now have aga…

15 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it will provide to the owners of fishing vessels that are ineligible for the Seafood Producers Resilience Fund because they are recent entrants to the sector and cannot demonstrate landings exceeding £20,000 in any year since 2017 and at least 50% of their declared overall c…

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Seafood Producer’s Resilience Fund is a £6.45m fund to support those parts of the Scottish Seafood sector where the evidence is strongest of hardship as a result of the public health situation, and the impact, in the short term, of EU Exit. By supporting …

12 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the retrospective island communities impact assessment of Highlands and Islands Airports Limited's (HIAL) proposed Air Traffic Management Strategy programme will be published.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The retrospective Island Communities Impact Assessment prepared by Reference Consulting will be presented to the HIAL Board on? 25 February 2021. It is anticipated that it will be published on the HIAL web site within five working days of that Board meeting.

8 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will provide an update on work being carried out to consider (a) fares on ferry routes across the Pentland Firth, and (b) an agreed mechanism for delivering Road Equivalent Tariff (RET) in Orkney and Shetland.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The Scottish Government remains committed to reducing fares on ferry routes across the Pentland Firth. This work was necessarily paused in March 2020 while Scottish Government resources were pivoted to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, however work has now re…

8 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it expects to have determined the impact of the UK’s new subsidy control system on ferry services, and by what date this information will be set out in more detail.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: Scottish Government officials are currently working to understand the various impacts of the new Subsidy Control rules which were introduced, without prior notice, on an interim basis on 1 January 2021. The UKG department with responsibility for the new rule…

8 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it will make available to distilleries, in line with the Brewers Support Fund.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: We understand the significant impact that Covid and related restrictions have had on many businesses across Scotland including those linked to hospitality. Since the start of the pandemic, our support for business and the economy has totalled more than £3 bil…

5 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what financial support is available to wholesalers in areas subject to Level 3 restrictions, that are reliant on the retail, catering and hospitality sectors.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government has provided £5.5m support to food and drink wholesalers in December 2020 and January 2021 through the Scottish Wholesale Food and Drink Resilience fund to help companies suffering severe hardship as a result of Covid 19 restrictions. …

5 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on proposals for national fixed pricing on electricity distribution networks; whether it has discussed this with the UK Government in the last 12 months and, if so, whether it will publish the outcome of these discussions.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: Electricity network policy and pricing is reserved to the UK Government, and is one of a number of areas where the Scottish Government seeks to influence UK ministers’ decisions and to deliver outcomes for Scotland which reflect our distinct circumstances, am…

3 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what financial support is available for community centres and halls during the COVID-19 pandemic, and what consideration it is giving to offering any additional support.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: The £40m Community and Third Sector Recovery Programme was launched on 21 September 2020 and provides funding for community and third sector organisations as they continue to respond to the ongoing impact of the pandemic and to adapt and re-start delivery of …

27 Jan 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will consult on its planned Fuel Poverty Strategy; what the deadline for this consultation will be, and what the estimated timeline is to progress this work.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: In preparing the Fuel Poverty Strategy, we will allow sufficient time to consult widely with stakeholders and the public, including those with direct lived experience of fuel poverty and the characteristics specified within the Fuel Poverty (Targets, Definiti…

27 Jan 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-33242 by Kevin Stewart on 23 November 2020, when it estimates its Fuel Poverty Strategy will be published; whether a timetable has been established, and whether this will be before the end of the current parliamentary session.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: As I set out in my response to S5W-33242 on 23 November 2020, the Programme for Government commits us to publishing the Fuel Poverty Strategy this year and I will write to the Local Government and Communities Committee when I am able to confirm details of the…

27 Jan 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for how long work on its Fuel Poverty Strategy was paused, and when work resumed.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: Work on the Fuel Poverty Strategy was paused in March 2020 and remains on hold. Since then my officials have been focused on the immediate support needs of those facing difficulties in meeting fuel costs during the pandemic, including most recently disbursing…

27 Jan 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-33242 by Kevin Stewart on 23 November 2020, whether it will publish copies of records and minutes of any meetings held subsequently to progress this work.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: When work on the Fuel Poverty Strategy recommences, notes of meetings with stakeholders will be published in line with normal procedures. In the interim I can advise the member that I met virtually with Ann Loughery, the Independent Chair of the Fuel Poverty …

25 Jan 2021 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on reducing the remand population, in light of reports that it has nearly doubled since April 2020 and that people awaiting trial are restricted to their cells for 23 hours a day.

21 Jan 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to the need to extend some university courses to allow practical work to be undertaken, and what provision can be made to ensure that any additional costs incurred do not fall on the students.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government is engaged in regular discussions with students, universities and colleges to address issues facing learners as a result of disruption to learning and teaching caused by COVID-19 restrictions. A Ministerial Task force has been establis…

20 Jan 2021 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it will provide to the businesses and sectors most directly impacted by Brexit.

15 Jan 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will lay regulations to implement the terms of the single-use plastics directive, which is due to be implemented by the EU in July 2021.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The proposed introduction of market restrictions (bans) on certain single-use plastic items forms part of a package of wider measures being taken forward by Scottish Ministers to address marine litter and support a shift away from our throwaway culture. We ar…