Colin Smyth

31 Jul 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what policies it has in place to protect communities against any cumulative impact of the development of battery energy storage systems.

Answer · Ivan McKee: Where new development proposals come forward, National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4), ensures that the impacts of proposals on communities and nature, including cumulative impacts, are important considerations in the decision making process. All applications ar…

31 Jul 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what policies it has in place to ensure that the development of battery energy storage systems does not have a negative impact on the availability of prime agricultural land.

Answer · Ivan McKee: National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4), published and adopted in February 2023, sets out at Policy 5 (Soils) that development proposals on prime agricultural land, or land of lesser quality that is culturally or locally important for primary use, as identified …

31 Jul 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the required energy storage capacity to meet targets and the level of capacity being proposed through applications for battery energy storage systems.

Answer · Gillian Martin: The Scottish Government uses modelling evidence such as the Electricity System Operators Future Energy Scenarios (FES) to explore the future storage capacity that could be required in Scotland and GB under different decarbonisation pathways. The level of ca…

31 Jul 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any cumulative impact on communities of the development of battery energy storage systems.

Answer · Gillian Martin: Where new development proposals come forward, fourth National Planning Framework (NPF4), ensures that the impacts of proposals on communities and nature, including cumulative impacts, are important considerations in the decision-making process. All applicatio…

31 Jul 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what policies it has in place to ensure that developers adhere to decommissioning plans when battery energy storage systems reach the end of their lifespan.

Answer · Ivan McKee: National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) at Policy 11 (Energy) ensures that consideration is given to the decommissioning of developments and site restoration, as well as to the quality of site restoration plans. This includes the measures in place to safeguard o…

10 Jun 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will allocate funding to organisations from the Strengthening Communities Programme for 2024-25.

Answer · Tom Arthur: Every action is being taken to facilitate a decision on funding for the Strengthening Communities Programme (SCP), subject to UK Government election period guidance, following which officials will be in contact with stakeholders. Given the ongoing nature of …

10 Jun 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the reasons are for the reported delays in awarding funding to organisations from the Strengthening Communities Programme for 2024-25.

Answer · Tom Arthur: The Scottish Budget confirmed that the financial outlook for 2024-25 across Government is particularly challenging with future prospects continuing to be volatile. Within the context of this challenging position, achieving a balanced budget requires difficult…

23 May 2024 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the reported calls for a moratorium on the closure of publicly owned care homes.

7 May 2024 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that police officer numbers have fallen to their lowest level since the establishment of Police Scotland.

7 May 2024 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that a large volume of data has been published onto the dark web, following the recent cyber attack on NHS Dumfries and Galloway.

24 Apr 2024 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to prevent the closure of care homes in South Lanarkshire.

17 Apr 2024 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support festivals in Dumfries and Galloway.

10 Apr 2024 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what work it is undertaking to give greater representation to older people.

28 Mar 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government in what month it will publish (a) its annual report in relation to the incentivisation of selective fishing gear and low impact techniques and (b) its response to the consultation on additional quota that closed on 11 January 2024.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Relating to the report on the allocation of fishing quota to vessels by means associated with a lower environmental impact, we plan to publish this report in summer 2024. Regarding the consultation on allocation of additional quota, we expect to publish the …

20 Mar 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding Port of Cairnryan Ltd’s submission of company accounts for the year to 31 December 2022.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government has had no recent discussions with the UK Government regarding Port of Cairnryan Ltd’s submission of company accounts for the year to 31 December 2022.

20 Mar 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with (a) Port of Cairnryan, (b) P&O Ferries and (c) Clyde Marine Recruitment regarding the application of the Fair Work Convention to ferry services between Cairnryan and Larne.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government has not held recent discussions with the Port of Cairnryan, P&O Ferries or Clyde Marine Recruitment regarding the Fair Work Convention and ferry services between Cairnryan and Larne. While employment law remains reserved to the UK Gov…

20 Mar 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the South West Scotland Regional Transport Partnership regarding P&O Ferries’ (a) passenger and (b) freight operations from Cairnryan Port since March 2022.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: I have met the Chair of the South West Scotland Regional Transport Partnership and discussed a wide range of transport issues over recent months. However, the Scottish Government has not held discussions with them specifically regarding P&O Ferries’ passenge…

20 Mar 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will list any payments that it has made to P&O Ferries since 17 March 2022 to date.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government has made no payments to P&O Ferries since 17 March 2022.  

20 Mar 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it can list the (a) full and (b) associate members of the Scottish Maritime Cluster Limited.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government does not hold details of the Scottish Maritime Cluster Limited's current membership. The Cluster's contact details, and information about their membership, can be found on their webpage: www.scottishmaritimecluster.com

20 Mar 2024 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it can take to support the reversal of the reported reduction of bus services in Dumfries and Galloway.

15 Mar 2024 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the reported cyber attack on NHS Dumfries and Galloway.

6 Mar 2024 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve the accessibility for disabled people of train stations in Dumfries and Galloway.

4 Mar 2024 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government is taking to reduce waiting times for children referred for a neurodevelopmental assessment. 

28 Feb 2024 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it last discussed NHS Dumfries and Galloway’s funding deficit with the NHS board.

22 Feb 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of Standard 1 within the National Neurodevelopmental Specification for Children and Young People: Principles and Standards of Care, which was published in September 2021, that a first appointment for all children and young people who have been identified as needing a neurodevel…

Answer · Maree Todd: We do not routinely publish waiting times for neurodevelopmental assessments. As many children and young people do not meet diagnostic criteria for a neurodevelopmental disorder and their needs will change over time, the Scottish Government believe that the …

22 Feb 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to brachycephalic dog breeds, what steps it has taken to enforce the condition in Annex B of its publication, Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (Scotland) Regulations 2021: guidance for dog breeders, which states that "No dog may be kept for breeding…

Answer · Jim Fairlie: Enforcement of The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (Scotland) Regulations 2021 is the responsibility of local authorities in Scotland. The Scottish Government has provided detailed guidance to local authorities to assist them to del…

22 Feb 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the condition in Annex B of its publication, Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (Scotland) Regulations 2021: guidance for dog breeders, which states that "No dog may be kept for breeding if it can reasonably be expected, on the basi…

Answer · Jim Fairlie: The Scottish Government has not undertaken any targeted work to assess if the welfare of brachycephalic breeds has improved following the introduction of The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (Scotland) Regulations 2021 (the 2021 regu…

14 Feb 2024 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its inquiries with Glasgow City Council regarding the circumstances in which children came to be placed at Fornethy House.

Answer · Shona Robison: I instructed the appointment of an independent researcher to make enquiries in respect of Fornethy House in August last year. Those enquiries have now concluded and the findings of the research report were shared with Parliament yesterday. I have also shared…

9 Feb 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the concerns of BMA Scotland regarding the proposal that the General Medical Council rather than the Health and Care Professions Council should regulate anaesthesia associates and physician associates.

Answer · Neil Gray: The Scottish Government is aware of the BMA Scotland’s views that anaesthesia associates (AA) and physician associates (PA) should be regulated by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) rather than the General Medical Council (GMC). The Scottish Gove…

9 Feb 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish the minutes of meetings of the medical associate professions implementation programme board.

Answer · Neil Gray: The Medical Associate Professions (MAPs) Programme Board will meet for the first time in April 2024. Minutes of meetings will be published online on the NES Medical Associate Professions (MAPs) | Turas | Learn (nhs.scot)