Liam McArthur

6 Nov 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has allocated to improve the energy efficiency of (a) business buildings, (b) local authority buildings, excluding housing, (c) social housing and (d) domestic housing in each of the last five years.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The Scottish Government funds both heating and insulation measures as part of our energy efficiency programmes (e.g. as an integral part of Home Energy Scotland advice services). Measures are tailored to reflect the needs and circumstances of the household an…

6 Nov 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to prioritising the installation of low-carbon heating in the existing housing stock ahead of improving energy efficiency in that sector.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The Scottish Government’s fuel poverty and domestic energy efficiency programmes operate on the principle of `fabric first’. We would not normally consider replacing an existing heating system unless the property has first been insulated as effectively as pos…

6 Nov 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much it is has invested in (a) decarbonising heat and (b) improving energy efficiency in each of the last five years, broken down by sector. 

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The Scottish Government has invested approximately £730m in funding over the last five years to support decarbonisation of heat and improve energy efficiency in buildings. This includes both grant funding and Government backed loans. For some programmes fund…

6 Nov 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to reintroduce the Energy Efficiency (Domestic Private Rented Property) (Scotland) Regulations, and when it expects these will come into force.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: On 11 March, Parliament approved the affirmative Energy Efficiency (Domestic Private Rented Property) (Scotland) Regulations 2020, which were due to come into force on 1 April, prohibiting the letting of properties with new tenancies that fall below the minim…

3 Nov 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it currently supports individuals leaving prison who need emergency housing.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: In Scotland, local authorities have a legal duty to offer a minimum of advice, assistance and temporary accommodation to all homeless households and those at risk of homelessness, this includes people leaving prison. Local authorities continue to implement t…

3 Nov 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many tonnes of textile waste were (a) generated and (b) recycled in Scotland in (i) 2017, (ii) 2018, (iii) 2019 and (iv) 2020.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The following table shows the textiles waste generated, prepared for reuse and recycled in Scotland from household waste from 2017 to 2019. The remaining textile waste is managed through incineration or landfill. Household waste data is the most robust data …

3 Nov 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it monitors the number of individuals asked to undertake repeat periods of self-isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic, and whether it considers there is a need for further support for these individuals.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: We are aware that if someone is identified as a close contact of a positive case on multiple occasions, they may have to self-isolate more than once. The Scottish Government does not hold data about the monitoring of individuals who have been asked to underta…

3 Nov 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-32366 by Jeane Freeman on 7 October 2020, what (a) minimum and (b) maximum cycle threshold has been set for each platform running PCR (polymerase chain reaction) tests for COVID-19.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Cycle Threshold, or CT value, is the number of PCR cycles that it takes before the virus is first detected; the lower the CT value the higher the level of virus in the original sample. Each manufacturer of the PCR test will recommend a differing maximum …

3 Nov 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) average and (b) longest time it has taken for an ambulance call out to arrive at an incident in each month since January 2020, broken down by Scottish Ambulance Service Regional Operational Division, also broken down by what proportion of the calls each month this represente…

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The information has been placed in the Parliament’s information centre (Bib 62076).

3 Nov 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-28871 by Joe FitzPatrick on 15 May 2020, whether it will update the information that was provided and publish the figures regarding ambulance call outs for each month since May 2020.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: Further to the information highlighted by myself in answer S5W-28871, please see the updated table as requested: Updated Purple and Red Incidents Attended, 01-01-2017 – 31-10-2020    2017 2018 2019 2020 National Purple Incidents Attended 8677 9591 …

26 Oct 2020 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish details of organisations with whom Test and Protect data can be shared, and for what purposes.

19 Oct 2020 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it supports island-based veterans.

16 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the development of its fuel poverty strategy, and when it expects to be able to publish a final version.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: Work on the development of the Fuel Poverty Strategy was paused earlier in the year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Planning is now underway to establish the timing and process to develop the final strategy, which we have committed to publishing, through the Pr…

7 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what rate of cycles Scotland’s polymerase chain reaction tests for COVID-19 are being run at, and for what reason they are being run at this rate.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: PCR cycles vary from one platform to another depending on the exact PCR protocol being used. There is no uniform “rate of cycles Scotland's polymerase chain reaction tests for Covid-19 are being run at".  

5 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the response by the Minister for Energy, Connectivity and the Islands on 20 August 2020 (Official Report, c.41) on the introduction of road equivalent tariff (RET) on ferry routes across the Pentland Firth, when further work on fares to establish an agreed mechanism for deliv…

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: Further to my answer to your previous question S5O-04489 on 20 August 2020, I can confirm that we have been able to restart work to consider fares on ferry routes across the Pentland Firth. However, this work is at an early stage and is subject to the continu…

30 Sep 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it expects the next publication of statistics relating to drugs deaths.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: National Records Scotland (NRS) is responsible for publishing the drug death statistics every year. NRS has confirmed the next publication of their Drug-related deaths in Scotland bulletin, covering year 2019 will be published in December 2020. An exact publ…

30 Sep 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-30135 by Joe Fitzpatrick on 20 July 2020, which indicated that it was awaiting details from the National Records of Scotland (NRS) regarding the date of publication of the 2019 drug death statistics, whether it will provide an update on what action …

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: NRS are responsible for publishing the drug death statistics every year. They have indicated on their website that the 2019 bulletin will be published in December 2020. Scottish Government officials have been in contact with officials from NRS around the next…

30 Sep 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Transport Scotland and SERCO Northlink Ferries to find a suitable replacement vessel for when the MV Hamnavoe is on refit.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The subject continues to be discussed between the Scottish Government, through Transport Scotland officials and Serco NorthLink during regular contract management engagement. The MV Hamnavoe will be unavailable for five days in January 2021 and the dry docki…

30 Sep 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the refit period for the MV Hamnavoe will take place; how long it will last, and what plans are in place to ensure that a passenger vessel will be allocated to the Stromness-Scrabster route as replacement cover during the refit period.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The MV Hamnavoe will be unavailable for five days in January 2021 and the dry docking will coincide with the forecast period of least demand identified from both a passenger and freight perspective. Serco NorthLink continue to use their best endeavours to se…

25 Sep 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will provide updated COVID-19 guidance for livestock keepers.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Scottish Government has published three sets of guidance that refer to livestock. The latest guidance "Farmers and Crofters" is published on the Rural Payments website and was last updated on 22 September 2020. The document provides guidance for working s…

23 Sep 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what funding it has allocated to (a) maintain and (b) expand the Aberdeen Problem Solving Approach.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Specific project funding of around £78,000 per annum was allocated between 2016-17 and 2018-19 to help the Aberdeen problem solving approach (PSA) become established. The Scottish Government also funded and commissioned research which was published in 2018. …

22 Sep 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-31492 by Fergus Ewing on 18 September 2020, whether the full £65 million budget for the Less Favoured Area Support Scheme (LFASS) will be reinstated for 2021, and how it plans to continue funding LFASS in future years.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-31492 on 10 September 2020. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusin…

16 Sep 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to minimise the time taken between a person being convicted and sentence being passed; how it monitors this; what the average time has been in each of the last five years and, if no monitoring takes place, how it can ensure that the convicted person’s rights are …

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Sentencing decisions, including sentence deferrals, are operational matters for the independent courts, who may defer sentence in any given case after conviction for a period and on such conditions as they may determine. Data held by the Criminal Justice Boa…

16 Sep 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what targets it has set for the electrification of ferry services; what progress has been made since 2016, and what contribution the electrification of ferries can make to achieving the plan for net-zero carbon emissions by 2045.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The Scottish Government’s Climate Change Plan states that we will increase the number of low emission ferries in the Scottish Government fleet by 30% by 2032 and we remain committed to achieving this target. Investigations have begun into the electrification …

16 Sep 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will provide updated COVID-19 health and safety guidance for taxi and private-hire car licensees.

Answer · Ash Denham: The Scottish Government guidance for transport operators in Scotland was first published on the Transport Scotland website in May and has been reviewed on an on-going basis throughout the pandemic with amendments made at appropriate points. This guidance is a…

14 Sep 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the specification for the new ChargePlace Scotland contract will be published on placement of the tender.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Transport Scotland can confirm that the specification for the contract will be published on the Transport Scotland website following contract award. As mentioned the published information will not contain any contractually sensitive information (e.g. price in…

14 Sep 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason quarantine measures introduced for travellers from Greece were applied to all parts of the country, including the islands, and not just the areas that were affected by outbreaks of COVID-19.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government has taken an evidence-based approach to decisions on quarantine measures which are focused on protecting public health and suppressing transmission of the virus. Our decisions are informed by a range of evidence. We receive analysis a…

14 Sep 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what investigations Transport Scotland has carried out into faults affecting the EV charging network between 4 and 7 September 2020; what conclusions were reached regarding the source of the faults, and what steps are being taken to avoid them occurring again.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The CPS network back office is managed under contract by BP Chargemaster (BPCM). Over the weekend of 4 September to 7 September there was intermittent loss of communications between charge points and the back office. BPCM had started investigations on Friday…

11 Sep 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to its answer to question S5W-28699 by Humza Yousaf on 11 May 2020, whether it will provide an update on the progress towards building all elements of the new women’s prison estate.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows: In line with Scottish Government guidance, work on the construction of the new Women’s National Facility and the Community Cus…

11 Sep 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the average number of hours per week prisoners have been engaged in purposeful activity in each of the last 12 months, broken down by institution.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows: The table provided shows the average number of Purposeful Activity (PA) hours, people in custody engaged in each week, per pub…