Parliamentary questions
Ash Regan
428 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
2 May 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the work to upgrade existing fibre broadband connections to fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) connections across Scotland; what the projected timeline is for this upgrade work; what steps are being taken to ensure that people can benefit from this work, in light…
Answer · Kate Forbes: The latest update to Ofcom’s Connected Nations report shows that full fibre coverage across Scotland now currently stands at 58%, which represents an increase of 5 percentage points – around 138,000 premises – over the previous three months. This means that o…
2 May 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what preparations in relation to (a) public safety and (b) transport are being taken for the upcoming Taylor Swift concert in Edinburgh, in light of the anticipated demographic of the audience being primarily younger women.
Answer · Siobhian Brown: The Taylor Swift concerts are wholly commercial events and the Scottish Government has no locus for involvement. It is the responsibility of the City of Edinburgh Council as the relevant licensing authority to oversee events of this nature, including ensuring…
23 Apr 2024 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it still plans to deliver the shared policy programme contained within the Bute House Agreement, in light of reports that many of its policies have been discarded.
9 Apr 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it is the case that, from 1 April 2024, fossil fuel and biofuel heating systems will not be permitted in newbuild construction; whether, in addition to oil and gas heating systems, (a) log boilers and (b) solid fuel and woodburning stoves have been banned, and, if so, what assess…
Answer · Mairi McAllan: The New Build Heat Standard (NBHS)means new homes and buildings constructed under a building warrant (applied for on or after 1 April 2024) will not be allowed to use any fixed direct emission heating systems like oil and gas boilers and bioenergy. The NBHS …
27 Mar 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to address the reportedly significant waiting times for access to diabetes technology, such as insulin pumps and continuous glucose monitoring systems, for people with type 1 diabetes across Scotland, including in NHS Lothian, and what steps are being taken to me…
Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government’s Diabetes Improvement Plan contains a key commitment to further increase access to existing and emerging diabetes technologies. Between 2016 and 2022, we invested £29.6 million of additional funding specifically to support the incr…
19 Mar 2024 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many children aged 16 and under have been prescribed puberty suppressing hormones through NHS Scotland since 2014.
6 Mar 2024 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to its Rural Delivery Plan, what discussions the rural affairs secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding the impact of its housing strategies, including the Rural Housing Action Plan, on local rural economies.
21 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider introducing an exemption to paying the (a) Land and Buildings Transaction Tax and (b) Additional Dwelling Supplement for families that are purchasing a home for a disabled relative, in light of reported concerns that the current tax rates present a significant fi…
Answer · Tom Arthur: The Scottish Government carefully considered a wide range of issues and concerns as part of the recently concluded review into the arrangements for the Additional Dwelling Supplement (ADS). Decisions on this took account of an intention to provide for consist…
12 Feb 2024 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government, as part of its work to further the case for Scottish independence, and in light of the Supreme Court ruling that the Scottish Parliament cannot legislate for a referendum on Scottish independence, for what reason its position is that there should not be a referendum at this stage on the…
7 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) value is of, (b) timescale is for and (c) contract specification is for the small islands ferry contract, and how much has been allocated to the (i) Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Service and (ii) Northern Isles Ferry Service in each year from 2007-08 to 2023-24 to date, broken do…
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Small Vessel Replacement Programme (SVRP) will see Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd procure up to 10 small vessels across two phases which will serve the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Service network. This will provide modern, standardised vessels that are capab…
7 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will award a permanent public contract to CalMac for the purposes of procuring and renewing lifeline ferry services.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Scottish Government Ministers’ preferred way forward is to explore a direct award to CalMac to deliver ferry services under the CHFS3 contract as set out in my statement to Parliament on 16 th November 2023. Before any final decision is taken, a due diligence…
7 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a further explanation of the reasons why it is reportedly prevented from interfering in the operations of Glasgow Prestwick Airport due to a number of post-Brexit trade deals with the EU.
Answer · Mairi McAllan: To comply with the UK’s Trade and Cooperation Agreement with the EU, that states each party shall respect and make best use of relevant international standards including the OECD Guidelines on corporate Governance of State-Owned Enterprises, the business is r…
22 Jan 2024 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government, as part of its work to further the case for Scottish independence, what its position is on whether it could hold a referendum on the powers of the Scottish Parliament.
19 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will request from the UK Government the tax powers necessary to allow the Scottish Government to tax the revenue accrued by large retailers in Scotland through Minimum Unit Pricing.
Answer · Michael Matheson: We believe that the Scottish Parliament should have full tax powers so that fiscal decisions that affect the people of Scotland can be made by the people who live here.
19 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding making the revenue accrued by large retailers in Scotland through Minimum Unit Pricing taxable, and for those tax revenues to be hypothecated for alcohol health support measures.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government regularly makes evidence-based representations to the UK Government on reserved tax issues. Alcohol sales are already subject to VAT, whilst any profits made by retailers selling alcohol will be already be subject to Corporation Tax. T…
19 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will request that the UK Government considers making the revenue accrued by large retailers in Scotland through Minimum Unit Pricing taxable, and for those tax revenues to be hypothecated for alcohol health support measures.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government regularly makes evidence-based representations to the UK Government on reserved tax issues. Alcohol sales are already subject to VAT, whilst any profits made by retailers selling alcohol will be already be subject to Corporation Tax. T…
17 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what it anticipates the impact will be of the reported withdrawal of £75,000 of funding for the Mark Scott Leadership for Life Award, in light of the programme reportedly leveraging around a further £200,000 annually from other funding sources, supporting over 150 young people from aroun…
Answer · Siobhian Brown: Our block grant funding for this Budget is derived from the UK Government's spending decisions and has fallen by 1.2% in real terms since 2022-23 – a real terms drop of £0.5 billion. The reality is that the amount Scotland has available to spend is still larg…
17 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reported concerns regarding the indefinite detention of some prisoners in Scotland, whether it is reviewing the application of the Order for Lifelong Restriction introduced in 2008, particularly in relation to reported cases where prisoners sentenced for minor offences have …
Answer · Angela Constance: Orders for Lifelong Restriction (OLRs) are a long-standing valuable sentencing option for courts to use for the most dangerous offenders. The OLR is an exceptional risk based sentence which is only used by the most senior judges in Scotland in the High Court …
15 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on when it expects to publish findings from the review into the operation of minimum unit pricing.
Answer · Shona Robison: The report by Scottish Ministers on the operation and effect of minimum unit pricing of alcohol during its first five years was laid before the Scottish Parliament on 20 September 2023 and is available at Alcohol (Minimum Pricing) (Scotland) Act 2012 - opera…
15 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to re-introduce the public health supplement for large retailers that sell alcohol, for the purposes of funding drug and alcohol prevention measures.
Answer · Tom Arthur: The Scottish Government is determined to do all we can to reduce alcohol-related harm and is working closely with Alcohol and Drug Partnerships and the third sector to do so. In 2022-23, £106 million was made available to ADPs, increasing to £112 million in 2…
15 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much was raised by the public health supplement in each year that it was in operation.
Answer · Tom Arthur: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-11669 on 24 October 2017. 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…
15 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on what the projected income would have been if the public health supplement had continued in each of the years since it was discontinued in 2015.
Answer · Tom Arthur: The Scottish Government does not hold information on what projected income of the public health supplement would have been had it continued after 2015.
15 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has carried out regarding any impact that minimum unit pricing has had on the increase in revenue to large retailers who sell alcohol.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Public Health Scotland final MUP evaluation report (published 27 June 2023) concluded that the evidence on the impact of the post MUP changes in price and sales on revenues of retailers and producers is mixed. The section on “The alcoholic drinks indust…
15 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on Net Zero Nation's proposed project for a Net Zero Pilot Accelerator involving 20 SMEs “to help decarbonise the Grangemouth supply chain”, as referred to in the Grangemouth Future Industry Board minutes of 11 August 2022.
Answer · Neil Gray: Net Zero Nation launched their first Pilot Accelerator programme in Grangemouth in June 2023. This was funded by the Grangemouth Future Industry Board. The launch of this event was hosted by Forth Ports, who collaborated with Net Zero Nation to identify bus…
15 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with (a) Petroineos Grangemouth, (b) Unite the Union, (c) Falkirk Council and (d) other relevant stakeholders regarding the reported need to secure £60-80 million investment in the hydrocracker at Petroineos Grangemouth in order to extend the life of th…
Answer · Neil Gray: I refer the member to the answer to questions S6W-24538 and S6W-24539 on 26 January 2024. 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/cham…
15 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what recent (a) representations it has made to and (b) discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding (i) securing the reported £60-80 million investment in the hydrocracker and (ii) whether any action could be taken to enable Petroineos Grangemouth to refine a greater volume of…
Answer · Neil Gray: I refer the member to the answer to questions S6W-24538 and S6W-24539 on 26 January 2024. 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/cham…
15 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether it can take any action to enable Petroineos Grangemouth to refine a greater volume of crude oil from the North Sea, and if doing so could potentially extend the life of the oil refinery beyond 2025.
Answer · Neil Gray: As I outlined in my correspondence to you on 17 January, presently and historically, the vast majority of the crude oil transported into Grangemouth via the FPS is exported and not refined at Grangemouth.
15 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps the Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy can take to secure the reported £60-80 million investment in the hydrocracker at Petroineos Grangemouth, in order to extend the life of the oil refinery beyond 2025.
Answer · Neil Gray: The Scottish Government will continue to work closely with the business on its plans to bring forward new low carbon projects at Grangemouth. We are committed to exploring all opportunities that would preserve employment and maintain the cluster’s position as…
15 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy will instruct the Grangemouth Future Industry Board to have as its overriding strategic purpose the need for Scotland to have its own oil refinery, in light of reports that retaining this element of the Grangemouth…
Answer · Neil Gray: The Grangemouth Future Industry Board has been established in acknowledgement of both the significant economic role that the wider Grangemouth industrial cluster plays today, and its potential to support Scotland’s Just Transition to net zero. The overarching…
15 Jan 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy will assume the chair of the Grangemouth Future Industry Board.
Answer · Neil Gray: I have assumed the chair of the Grangemouth Future Industry Board’s Industrial Just Transition Forum following its meeting on 18 January.