Parliamentary questions
Miles Briggs
4,209 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
13 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what work it has undertaken to provide for exemption schemes in the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill for people working in agriculture and aquaculture.
Answer · Tom Arthur: As set out in the Policy Memorandum, accompanying the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill, the policy intention is that a local authority can establish exemptions to a visitor levy scheme in its area as it believes are appropriate. The Bill therefore provides for a …
13 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had regarding the introduction of a legal age to buy spray paint.
Answer · Siobhian Brown: Under the Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004, it is an offence to sell aerosol paint to anyone under the age of 16. We believe that the current legislation protects young people and helps to prevent graffiti, while ensuring those wishing to buy spr…
13 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people with "no fixed abode" have been discharged from hospital in each year since 1999, broken down by NHS board.
Answer · Michael Matheson: Published figures on the most recent and historical numbers of patients that have been admitted to hospital can be found within the within the Annual Acute Activity publication, which was published on 26 September 2023 by Public Health Scotland. The publicati…
8 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what funding it is providing for college courses in the traditional crafts, particularly stonemasonry, at colleges in Edinburgh.
Answer · Graeme Dey: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-22482 on? 24 November 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-comm…
8 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what funding it is providing for colleges to deliver courses on the traditional trades.
Answer · Graeme Dey: The Scottish Government have agreed the Skills Development Scotland (SDS) budget for 23/24 and SDS have completed contract awards to support up to 25,500 new Modern Apprentice (MA) starts in 23/24. This may include MAs in traditional craft occupations subject…
8 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the expression of political views by teachers in schools.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: Teachers employed in Scottish schools are required to be registered with the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTCS) by law. They are expected to conduct themselves in accordance with the GTCS Professional Standards which include having knowledge and und…
7 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the estimated delivery date is for the new Edinburgh eye hospital to replace the Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion Redevelopment Project, along with a large proportion of live construction projects across the NHS Scotland Estate, is currently on a period of pause, pending a holistic review by Scottish Government of funding availability.…
7 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how many people have been charged up to double the normal council tax rate for homes that have been empty for 12 months or more, or 24 months where the property is being actively marketed for sale, in each year since 1999, also broken down by local authority.
Answer · Paul McLennan: Local authorities have had the power to charge an empty homes council tax premium of up to 100% since 1 April 2013. The Scottish Government’s statistics show that at September 2022 42,865 homes had been empty for more than 6 months. Of these 27,692 had been e…
7 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to previous commitments by its ministers, how much funding in total it has allocated to each City Region Deal to date, also broken down by project.
Answer · Neil Gray: The Scottish Government has committed over £1.9 billion to the City Region Deals programme and its associated investments. Information on the individual projects funded through the growth deals are outlined in their associated deal agreements. Deal Signed …
7 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many young people with learning disabilities and complex care needs have been held inappropriately in hospitals for assessment and treatment in each year since 1999.
Answer · Maree Todd: The information requested is not held centrally. NHS National Services Scotland has commissioned NHS Lothian to develop a National Learning Disability Child and Adolescent Mental Health Inpatient Unit. This Unit is currently in the planning stages. As part o…
7 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what work it has undertaken to provide for exemption schemes in the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill for military personnel working in Scotland.
Answer · Tom Arthur: As set out in the Policy Memorandum, accompanying the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill, the policy intention is that a local authority can establish exemptions to a visitor levy scheme in its area as it believes are appropriate. The Bill therefore provides for a …
7 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what work it has undertaken to provide for exemption schemes in the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill for workers and business travellers.
Answer · Tom Arthur: As set out in the Policy Memorandum, accompanying the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill, the policy intention is that a local authority can establish exemptions to a visitor levy scheme in its area as it believes are appropriate. The Bill therefore provides for a …
7 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what work it has undertaken to provide for exemption schemes in the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill for school, college and university trips.
Answer · Tom Arthur: As set out in the Policy Memorandum, accompanying the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill, the policy intention is that a local authority can establish exemptions to a visitor levy scheme in its area as it believes are appropriate. The Bill therefore provides for a …
7 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many consultations it has undertaken in each year since 1999.
Answer · George Adam: There is no single central record of consultations undertaken by the Scottish Government since 1999. This answer has therefore been compiled from data from the Scottish Government’s online consultation platform – consult.gov.scot - and from a search of archi…
7 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what work it has undertaken to provide for exemption schemes in the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill for refugees staying in temporary accommodation in Scotland.
Answer · Tom Arthur: The Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill defines overnight accommodation as a room, space, or other accommodation at a type of premises that is provided for residential purposes other than as the individual's only or usual place of residence. Refugees who are staying…
7 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what work it has undertaken to provide for exemption schemes in the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill for people resident in the local authority area where a visitor levy is in place.
Answer · Tom Arthur: As set out in the Policy Memorandum, accompanying the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill, the policy intention is that a local authority can establish exemptions to a visitor levy scheme in its area as it believes are appropriate. The Bill therefore provides for a …
7 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many supported living developments have been built in each local authority area in each year since 1999.
Answer · Paul McLennan: A table showing the number of supported living projects and the number of homes delivered in each local authority area since 1999, which received support from the Affordable Housing Supply Programme or its predecessor programmes, has been placed in the Scotti…
7 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what work it has undertaken to provide for exemption schemes in the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill for youth groups.
Answer · Tom Arthur: As set out in the Policy Memorandum, accompanying the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill, the policy intention is that a local authority can establish exemptions to a visitor levy scheme in its area as it believes are appropriate. The Bill therefore provides for a …
7 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many homes have been secured for key workers as a result of the £25 million of additional funding that it provided for housing for key workers in rural areas.
Answer · Paul McLennan: The Rural Affordable Homes for Key Workers Fund was announced in the First Minister’s Policy Prospectus in April 2023, with further details included in the Rural and Islands Housing Action Plan, published on 13 October 2023. To date no homes have been secure…
7 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what work it has undertaken to provide for exemption schemes in the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill for charities and third sector workers.
Answer · Tom Arthur: As set out in the Policy Memorandum, accompanying the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill, the policy intention is that a local authority can establish exemptions to a visitor levy scheme in its area as it believes are appropriate. The Bill therefore provides for a …
7 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what work it has undertaken to provide for exemption schemes in the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill for outward bound education visits.
Answer · Tom Arthur: As set out in the Policy Memorandum, accompanying the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill, the policy intention is that a local authority can establish exemptions to a visitor levy scheme in its area as it believes are appropriate. The Bill therefore provides for a …
7 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what work it has undertaken to provide for exemption schemes in the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill for medical professionals working in Scotland.
Answer · Tom Arthur: As set out in the Policy Memorandum, accompanying the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill, the policy intention is that a local authority can establish exemptions to a visitor levy scheme in its area as it believes are appropriate. The Bill therefore provides for a …
7 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what work it has undertaken to provide for exemption schemes in the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill for children and young people.
Answer · Tom Arthur: As set out in the Policy Memorandum, accompanying the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill, the policy intention is that a local authority can establish exemptions to a visitor levy scheme in its area as it believes are appropriate. The Bill therefore provides for a …
7 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what work it has undertaken to provide for exemption schemes in the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill for people undertaking respite breaks.
Answer · Tom Arthur: As set out in the Policy Memorandum, accompanying the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill, the policy intention is that a local authority can establish exemptions to a visitor levy scheme in its area as it believes are appropriate. The Bill therefore provides for a …
7 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any potential double charging for boats that do not include accommodation under the provisions in the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill.
Answer · Tom Arthur: Boats that are moored in one location for weeks or months, primarily as a safe haven, will not be liable for a visitor levy, if a local authority introduces one. We continue to discuss and explore with all relevant stakeholders the full implications of a visi…
6 Nov 2023 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister what support the Scottish Government is offering to NHS Lothian to contact the parents and guardians of the over 23,000 children who reportedly may have received substandard testing to identify deafness, including support to identify any other young children who have not received the required…
31 Oct 2023 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the ability of children living in temporary accommodation to access health services, in particular in relation to current levels of treatment from mental health services.
31 Oct 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many people are diagnosed with blood cancer, on average, each year.
Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government does not hold this information. It is publicly available from Public Health Scotland on the incidence publication page for blood cancers: Leukaemias, Hodgkin lymphoma, Non-hodgkin lymphoma and multiple myeloma.
31 Oct 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with NHS Scotland and other partners regarding introducing CAR T-cell therapy for children and young people.
Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Medicines Consortium accepted tisagenlecleucel (Kymriah ® ) for routine use in NHS Scotland in February 2019 for the treatment of B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, which is a very rare type of cancer of the white blood cells. It is used to …
31 Oct 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on how many children and young people who are eligible for CAR T-cell therapy have had to travel to England for treatment, in each of the last six months for which data is available.
Answer · Jenni Minto: This is a matter for NHS National Services Scotland National Services Division. The information requested is not held centrally.