Parliamentary questions
Ash Regan
428 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
28 May 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-27466 by Natalie Don on 21 May 2024, whether it will provide further information on the discussion that the Minister for Children, Young People and The Promise had at the recent meeting concerning volunteer retention; whether the concerns of the gro…
Answer · Natalie Don: As reflected in the answer to S6W-27466, a range of matters related to volunteer retention were discussed. Those included the development of the Tribunal Support Model (TSM) within Children’s Hearings Scotland (CHS), introduced to better support volunteers in…
27 May 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with Scotland-based manufacturers on (a) the manufacture and (b) marketing in (i) the UK and (ii) international markets of hydrogen buses manufactured in Scotland.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Through Scottish Enterprise, the Scottish Government has regular discussions with Scotland-based vehicle manufacturers, including bus manufacturers, about opportunities for hydrogen fuel cell and other types of zero emission vehicles in the UK and internation…
27 May 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the £4.65 million awarded through the Energy Transition Fund to Aberdeen City Council to expand its hydrogen bus fleet was used to purchase hydrogen buses that were manufactured in Scotland.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Hydrogen fuel cell buses in Aberdeen supported by grant funding from the Scottish Government were not manufactured in Scotland. State aid and subsequent subsidy control rules mean that grant conditions could not specify which vehicle supplier the bus operator…
27 May 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much support has been provided through the Energy Transition Fund in each of the years in which the fund has operated, and whether it will provide a breakdown of the (a) fund recipients and (b) amounts awarded in each case.
Answer · Mairi McAllan: The Energy Transition Fund was launched in 2020 and provides support for four major projects based in the Aberdeen City region. The following table sets out funding awarded to date, broken down by project and financial year. Funding awarded (£million) Pro…
27 May 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much support it has provided in (a) grant funding and (b) loan guarantees to Scotland-based manufacturers for the purposes of manufacturing hydrogen buses in Scotland.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Through Scottish Enterprise, the Scottish Government provides a range of different types of support to Alexander Dennis Ltd, including for the development of zero emission buses.
27 May 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions (a) it and (b) its agencies have had with (i) the UK Government, (ii) local authorities, (ii) devolved nations and (iv) other countries on the purchase of hydrogen buses manufactured in Scotland.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government participates in the UK Hydrogen Propulsion Manufacturing Taskforce. The taskforce works to develop recommendations on how government and industry can maximise investment opportunities for the UK manufacturing of hydrogen propulsion sys…
27 May 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to (a) encourage and (b) incentivise the production of hydrogen buses by Scotland-based manufacturers.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Through Scottish Enterprise, the Scottish Government provides a range of different types of support to Alexander Dennis Ltd, including for the development of zero emission buses. In addition, the Scottish Government has been working to transform the market f…
21 May 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what steps it has taken to implement the recommendations of the Independent Strategic Review of Funding and Commissioning of Violence Against Women and Girls Services, and whether it plans to update the Parliament on its progress.
Answer · Siobhian Brown: The Scottish Government is focussed on addressing violence against women and girls which is why we are implementing Equally Safe, our strategy to prevent and address all forms of violence against women and girls, specifically violence, abuse, and exploitation…
21 May 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding any potential impact on its funding of the service, whether (a) it, (b) local authorities and (c) service users will play a role in the recently announced review of the Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre, and, if so, whether it will provide details of what that role will be and what…
Answer · Siobhian Brown: As a funder of the organisation, the Scottish Government has been informed that Vicky Ling, an independent Chartered Quality Professional, who works in the justice sector, will carry out the independent review. As the governance, management and operation of…
21 May 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Independent Strategic Review of Funding and Commissioning of Violence Against Women and Girls Services, and, in particular, the views expressed in the review on single-sex spaces, what steps it has taken to ensure that single-sex services continue to be provided to biolo…
Answer · Siobhian Brown: Equally Safe, Scotland’s strategy for preventing and eradicating violence against women and girls acknowledges the important role specialist and single-sex services play in supporting victim-survivors of violence against women and girls. There are single sex…
20 May 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding any potential impact on its funding of the service, what its response is to the recent employment tribunal judgement in relation to a former employee of the Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre, who was held to have been discriminated against.
Answer · Siobhian Brown: The Scottish Government cannot comment on individual Employment Tribunal decisions. However, we are aware of and welcome, the decision to commission an independent review in light of the outcome of the Employment Tribunal.
20 May 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding any potential impact on its funding of the service, what its position is on whether a single-sex exemption under Schedule 9 (Part 1) of the Equality Act 2010, based on a candidate's biological and legal sex, should have prevented the board of the Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre a…
Answer · Kaukab Stewart: Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre (ERCC) is an independent charitable organisation and its governance and operational management are matters for the ERCC Board to consider and act upon. The Scottish Government expects all recipients of public funding to comply wit…
20 May 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what checks it carries out to ensure that (a) Rape Crisis Scotland and (b) other organisations that it provides funding to uphold the law.
Answer · Siobhian Brown: The Scottish Government expects all relevant organisations to comply with all laws. It is up to our independent judiciary to decide if laws have been broken.
20 May 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to review its funding model for Rape Crisis Scotland, in light of any avoidable costs that have been incurred as a result of the recent employment tribunal case involving the Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre and a former employee who was held to have been discriminated agai…
Answer · Siobhian Brown: No funds have been provided by the Scottish Government to cover the costs of the Employment Tribunal.
20 May 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding any potential impact on its funding of the service, what information has been provided to it regarding the recently announced review of the Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre, including (a) who is conducting the review, (b) the review’s remit, (c) what questions it seeks to answer, …
Answer · Siobhian Brown: As a funder of the organisation, the Scottish Government has been informed that Vicky Ling, an independent Chartered Quality Professional, who works in the justice sector, will carry out the independent review. As the governance, management and operation of…
20 May 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding any potential impact on its funding of the service, what its position is on whether the recently announced review of the Edinburgh Rape Crisis Centre will be sufficient to address reported concerns in relation to the recent employment tribunal judgement regarding discriminatio…
Answer · Siobhian Brown: The Scottish Government cannot comment on individual Employment Tribunal decisions. However, we are aware of and welcome, the decision to commission of an independent review in light of the outcome of the Employment Tribunal.
17 May 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the announcement that Right There has ended its contract with the City of Edinburgh Council, and what assessment it has made of the potential impact on homelessness services within Edinburgh as a result of this decision.
Answer · Paul McLennan: The City of Edinburgh Council is responsible for commissioning homelessness services in its area and assessing the impact of decisions on service provision. The Scottish Government cannot intervene in those decisions. The council has provided assurance that a…
17 May 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports of a backlog of over 1,600 short-term let applications to the City of Edinburgh Council, and whether it can provide further support to the Council to ensure that any backlog is cleared as soon as possible.
Answer · Paul McLennan: The legislation sets out maximum processing times and authorities are working within these to process applications as quickly as possible. Existing hosts can continue to operate while their applications are being processed and licensing authorities are priori…
14 May 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to ensure that planning services work as efficiently as possible to foster economic growth, in light of reported delays to planning processes across Scotland.
Answer · Ivan McKee: We have implemented extensive reforms to streamline and improve the planning system to support our economy and give greater certainty to developers and investors. Our reforms include removing certain applications from the system, increasing capacity to focus …
14 May 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to respond to the recommendations of the Scottish Local Authorities Remuneration Committee.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government is currently considering the recommendations in partnership with COSLA. It is important that appropriate consideration and deliberation is applied and a response will be published in due course.
14 May 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to publish the findings from the second phase of the local governance review.
Answer · Ivan McKee: The Scottish Government will publish the findings from the second phase of the Local Governance Review’s community engagement process, Democracy Matters, in Summer 2024. Alongside this we will provide an update on our wider work with COSLA to conclude the rev…
14 May 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its civil service transformation work.
Answer · Ivan McKee: There is a wide range of transformation work underway within the Scottish Government, much of which has built upon the foundations of the Corporate Transformation programme I established in my previous government role. Transformation activity is now being di…
14 May 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, as part of its work to further the case for Scottish independence, whether it has considered holding a citizens' assembly on Scotland's route to independence.
Answer · Angus Robertson: The Scottish Government believes that Citizens’ Assemblies are an important and effective method to involve the public in policy and decision making. The Scottish Government is currently engaged in developing the prospectus for independence through the Build…
14 May 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its approach to citizens' assemblies; when it next plans to hold one, and on which topic.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: Scottish Government recognises that Citizens’ Assemblies are an important and effective method to involve the public in policy and decision making. Our longer term commitment to using Citizen’s Assemblies remains unchanged, and any Citizens’ Assembly will b…
14 May 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the reported withdrawal of members of the Law Society of Scotland from the Legal Aid Remuneration Project and Research Analysis Group, and whether it has recently met with the Law Society of Scotland to discuss such concerns.
Answer · Siobhian Brown: To give effect to the principal recommendation of the Legal Aid Payment Advisory Panel, that independent research be commissioned to consider the financial landscape for legal aid providers, a working group was established in 2022. Membership of the group in…
14 May 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its long-term labour market strategy.
Answer · Tom Arthur: Helping people into fair, sustainable jobs is central to delivering on the ambitions set out in Scotland’s National Strategy for Economic Transformation. We are taking action to address labour and skills shortages, including better aligning the education and…
14 May 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it last reviewed the free school meal allowance for secondary school pupils, in light of the varying rates across local authority areas.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The responsibility for the delivery of free school meals is a matter for local authorities. This duty under Section 53 of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 sets out that local authorities must provide, or secure the provision of, a school lunch free of charge…
14 May 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the roll-out of free school meals to P6 and P7 pupils, including whether it is considering expanding this further to include secondary school pupils.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: We are committed to the expansion of universal free school meals in primary schools. The next step in this expansion is to P6 & P7 pupils in receipt of the Scottish Child Payment from February 2025, followed by universal provision in P6 & P7 during 2026. We …
14 May 2024 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the impact of the updated fiscal framework.
14 May 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to free up derelict land for housebuilding, and whether it has considered the establishment of a dedicated housing body, similar to Homes England, to allow it to do so more quickly.
Answer · Ivan McKee: The reuse of brownfield, vacant and derelict land is strongly supported through National Planning Framework 4, which was adopted in February 2023. Since then, it has been part of the statutory development plan, influencing planning authorities preparation of …