Richard Leonard

24 Jul 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what steps (a) it and (b) NHS boards are taking to ensure that people with long COVID are receiving the appropriate occupational rehabilitation services.

Answer · Jenni Minto: We are making available £3 million from our £10 million long COVID Support Fund over this financial year to support NHS boards to increase the capacity of existing services, develop these into more clearly defined local pathways and provide a more co-ordinate…

10 Jul 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many appeals have been made by (a) parents, (b) reporters and (c) safeguarders, regarding the decision of a Children’s Panel, in each of the last five calendar years, and how many of those were (i) refused, (ii) sent back to the Children’s Panel to reach a new decision and (iii) case…

Answer · Natalie Don: This is a matter for the Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration. Information regarding the outcome of appeals is included in their annual statistics which can be found here: Official Statistics - SCRA . Page 29 of the Statistical Analysis for 2022-23 …

29 Jun 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has made an assessment of the number of properties that will no longer be eligible for support through the Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan and Private Rented Sector Landlord Loan schemes for solar PV and/or energy storage systems because they are unable to have a heat pump…

Answer · Patrick Harvie: On behalf of the Scottish Government, Element Energy previously conducted analysis of the technical suitability of low-carbon heating technologies in Scottish domestic buildings. A copy of this report is available below. Scottish Government (2020). Technical…

29 Jun 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many properties have received support from the (a) Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan and (b) Private Rented Sector Landlord Loan scheme for solar PV and/or energy storage systems where the household did not claim any qualifying benefits, since the scheme was created.

Answer · Patrick Harvie: Neither the Home Energy Scotland (HES) Grant and Loan Scheme or the Private Rented Sector (PRS) Landlord Loan Scheme require the household or applicant to be in receipt of benefits to be eligible for funding. Accordingly, no information is collected in regard…

29 Jun 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many applications have been made to the (a) Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan and (b) Private Rented Sector Landlord Loan scheme for solar PV and/or energy storage systems, since the scheme was created, and how many applications have been successful.

Answer · Patrick Harvie: The requested application figures for solar PV and/or energy storage systems for the Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan Scheme and Private Rented Sector Landlord Loan Scheme are set out in the following tables: Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan Scheme Ap…

29 Jun 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it approved the decision to change the funding criteria so that applications for solar PV and/or energy storage systems would no longer be considered unless they were part of a package together with a heat pump or high heat retention storage heaters, through the Home Energy Scotl…

Answer · Patrick Harvie: The Home Energy Scotland funding schemes are delivered under contract by the Energy Saving Trust (EST) on behalf of Scottish Government. Although delivered by EST, decisions around the design of the schemes are the sole responsibility of Scottish Government. …

29 Jun 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the basis was for the decision for applications to the Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan and Private Rented Sector Landlord Loan schemes for solar PV and/or energy storage systems to be ineligible unless the applicant is also applying for this as part of a package together with a …

Answer · Patrick Harvie: The purpose of the Home Energy Scotland (HES) Grant and Loan scheme is to decarbonise heat in homes through installation of zero emissions heating systems, and reduce heat demand through energy efficiency measures, in support of the Scottish Government’s Heat…

29 Jun 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many applications have been made to the (a) Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan and (b) Private Rented Sector Landlord Loan scheme for a heat pump or high heat retention storage heaters, since the scheme was created, and how many applications have been successful.

Answer · Patrick Harvie: The requested application figures for heat pumps and high heat retention storage heaters for the Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan Scheme and Private Rented Sector Landlord Loan Scheme are set out in the following tables: Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loa…

20 Jun 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what annual budget saving it anticipates will be achieved from the reported removal of 10 appliances from fire stations across Scotland.

Answer · Siobhian Brown: The Scottish Government allocates a budget to the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service as part of the annual Budget Act process. Decisions on how that budget is spent in order to deliver a balanced budget is a matter for the SFRS Board and Chief Officer as the Ac…

20 Jun 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the total spend by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service was on the contract with Systel for a new national command and control mobilising system.

Answer · Siobhian Brown: The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service has confirmed it has made payments to Systel totalling £1,715,475.84 in relation to this contract.

20 Jun 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much has been spent by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, to date, on the legal process following its decision to terminate its contract with the supplier, Systel, for a new national command and control mobilising system.

Answer · Siobhian Brown: Further to the termination of the contract, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service has confirmed it has paid £18,079.44 to date on external legal fees pursuing a claim against the supplier Systel.

6 Jun 2023 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the recent Accounts Commission report, Local government in Scotland: Overview 2023.

24 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will intervene and prevent any further privatisation of the national electric vehicle (EV) charging network.

Answer · Mairi McAllan: ChargePlace Scotland’s assets are owned by 400 separate organisations across the public, private and third sectors. These organisations are responsible for commercial decisions relating to their own charge point assets. Transport Scotland are currently suppo…

24 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions Transport Scotland has had with (a) COSLA and (b) any other public body regarding the electric vehicle (EV) charging network in relation to it remaining in public ownership, rather than being privatised.

Answer · Mairi McAllan: In January 2022 the Scottish Government published its draft vision for Scotland’s future public electric vehicle charging network that meets the needs of the people of Scotland and which supports a just transition and the delivery of our climate commitm…

24 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will require Transport Scotland to undertake a public consultation on any privatisation of the electric vehicle (EV) charging network.

Answer · Mairi McAllan: There has been no decision to privatise charge points on the ChargePlace Scotland network. Our draft Vision is clear that the public charging network will need to grow at scale and pace and that it will be impractical for the public sector to deliver this alo…

24 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the cumulative spend on ChargePlace Scotland has been since its creation.

Answer · Mairi McAllan: Through grant funding the Scottish Government has invested over £65 million since 2011 to support the installation of charge points operating on the ChargePlace Scotland network. The total value of the contracts to operate the ‘back-office’ service to manag…

24 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it was consulted by Transport Scotland prior to the decision to privatise the electric vehicle (EV) charging network.

Answer · Mairi McAllan: Transport Scotland has not made a decision to privatise charge points on the ChargePlace Scotland network.ChargePlace Scotland’s charging assets are owned by over 400 separate organisations across the public, private and third sectors and therefore are …

23 May 2023 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether agricultural support is delivering value for money.

23 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it can take in response to the recently published Office of National Statistics figures, which reportedly show that Scotland is the "zero-hours contracts capital of the UK", with 105,000 workers in Scotland on zero-hours contracts.

Answer · Neil Gray: The Scottish Government firmly opposes the inappropriate use of zero-hours contracts and other non-standard types of employment that offer workers minimal job or financial security. We continue to press the UK Government for the full devolution of employment …

23 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action public bodies can take to ensure that their procurement processes help drive down the use of zero-hours contracts in Scotland.

Answer · Tom Arthur: Through our Fair Work First policy, we are applying Fair Work criteria to as many public contracts as we can. Employers are being asked to commit to adopting a range of fair work practices including: no inappropriate use of zero hours contracts; and fair pay …

23 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it can provide a list of the actions that it is taking, within its current powers, to reduce the number of people in Scotland on zero-hours contracts.

Answer · Neil Gray: My previous answer to S6W-18372 on 8 June 2023 provides the details on how the Scottish Government is engaging with various stakeholders, businesses, unions and employers on the matter of Zero Hours Contracts using our Fair Work policy to promote fairer work …

23 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the (a) business community, (b) UK Government and (c) Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC), regarding how to reduce the number of people in Scotland on zero-hours contracts.

Answer · Neil Gray: My officials have held numerous engagements with a range of employers in relation to the refreshed Fair Work Action Plan, and updates in Fair Work Policy. Specifically, applying the Fair Work criteria to public sector grants, other funding, and contracts wher…

16 May 2023 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its plans for Scottish carbon credits, including how it ensures benefits for local communities.

10 May 2023 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the timescale is for the completion of the Monklands Replacement Project.

4 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) longest, (b) average and (c) median waiting time was for engagement with users of Social Security Scotland’s webchat facility, in each month since January 2023.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: Information on the (a) longest, (b) average and (c) median waiting time for answered webchats in 2023 to date is provided in the following table. Month Longest Wait Time (hours: minutes: seconds) Mean Wait Time (minutes: seconds) Median Wait time (minutes…

4 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) longest, (b) average and (c) median wait time was for callers to Social Security Scotland’s contact telephone number, in each month since January 2023.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: Information on the (a) longest, (b) average and (c) median waiting time for answered telephone calls in 2023 to date is provided in the following table. Month Longest Wait Time (hours: minutes: seconds) Mean Wait Time (minutes: seconds) Median Wait time (…

4 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) longest, (b) average and (c) median time taken was between a successful application for Adult Disability Payment being received and the first payment being made, in each month since January 2023.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: Official statistics covering processing times for Adult Disability Payment are published as a part of the regularly scheduled quarterly publication. The latest Adult Disability Payment statistical publication was published on 14 March 2023, covering up to end…

26 Apr 2023 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to support responsible and ethical tax collection practices.

24 Apr 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether any budget for railway enhancements is included in its recent Statement of Funds Available (SOFA) for Control Period 7 (CP7).

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The recent Statement of Funds Available (SoFA) includes funding of £4.2 billion for Operations, Maintenance and Renewals for the rail network in Scotland. The budget for railway enhancements is not included in the SoFA. This aligns with the Department for Tra…

24 Apr 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the total budget is for railway enhancements for Control Period 7 (CP7).

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The budget for rail enhancements for the whole of Control Period 7 (April 2024 – March 2029) has not yet been allocated.