Parliamentary questions
Alexander Burnett
1,406 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
29 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether its plans for Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMA) take into account the protection of migratory fish stocks, such as by allowing for HPMA sites to move geographically or be time-limited.
Answer · Mairi McAllan: The HPMA site selection guidelines, which formed part of the consultation that closed on 17 April 2023, states that the site selection process will be “based in all cases around the conservation of marine ecosystems as the priority, and driven by the presence…
29 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what criteria it will use to determine where Highly Protected Marine Areas will be situated.
Answer · Mairi McAllan: Our seas must remain a source of economic prosperity for the nation, especially in our remote, coastal and island communities. We are determined that those who may be affected by these proposals are involved from the outset. The proposed criteria by which Hi…
29 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the uptake of the National Test Programme has been in 2023 to date.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Scottish Government's Preparing For Sustainable Farming (PSF) initiative is helping farmers and crofters across Scotland transition to more sustainable and regenerative farming, including carbon auditing and soil testing. Between 1 January and 17 April 20…
27 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the level of information required from third sector organisations for grant applications has increased compared with previous years, and, if so, what the reasons are for this, and what consideration it has given to the ability of these organisations to access funding.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: Scottish Government grant making is allocated across portfolios to various parts of the third sector to improve a wide range of outcomes. Some Scottish Government funding will be issued through third sector intermediary organisations. Each grant funding progr…
24 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to implement a similar model to the Norwegian mobile seal capture unit in order to manage seal populations in Scotland.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Translocation of seals is not a regularly used tool for seal population management within Scottish waters. Where sick or injured seals are taken to rehabilitation centres, they will be returned to the wild within the same seal management area that they were f…
24 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what review it has undertaken of Mowi Scotland's continuation of its current open-net farming operations in Scotland, in light of Mowi’s decision to end open-net farming in Canada and Norway due to the impact on wild fish.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Scottish Government is not aware of a decision by Mowi to end open-net farming in Canada and Norway due to impacts on wild fish. The Scottish Government is committed to a programme of work to protect and restore wild Atlantic salmon populations. The Wild…
24 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government by (a) what area covered and (b) how many cameras the CCTV coverage at the State Hospital, Carstairs, has increased since 2018.
Answer · Maree Todd: This is a matter for The State Hospital. The information requested is not held centrally.
24 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of pupils in rural schools undertake a college course at school compared with those in urban schools.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: Data on the proportion of school link enrolments at colleges by pupils in rural schools compared with those in urban schools is held by the Scottish Funding Council (SFC). Information provided by the SFC shows that for 2021-22 around 20% of enrolments of sch…
24 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many schools are currently mothballed, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Scottish Government does not routinely collect data on mothballed schools in Scotland. The Scottish Government does collect data from local authorities in order to collate a list of schools regarded as rural for the purposes of the Schools (Consultation)(…
24 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what guidance exists regarding mothballed schools.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-16260 on 17 April 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-committee…
24 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what impact assessments are required to be undertaken in relation to pupils affected by mothballed schools.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-16260 on 17 April 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-committee…
23 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports that only 15% of S4-S6 pupils answered questions on relationships and sexual health in the Health and Wellbeing Census, what its position is on what role the Census can play in addressing such issues.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Health and Wellbeing census provides a dataset of just over 25,000 records from S4 to S6 pupils on relationships and sexual health. For the 16 local authorities who collected data, 39.1% of S4 to S6 pupils responded. Before the introduction of the Health…
23 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what date it anticipates that the public consultation on the revised Relationships, Sexual Health and Parenthood (RSHP) teaching guidance will be launched.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The public consultation on the revised relationships, sexual health and parenthood (RSHP) teaching guidance will be published shortly.
23 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on when the revised guidance for the Relationships, Sexual Health and Parenthood (RSHP) curriculum for 2023-24 will be published.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Scottish Government does not provide annual guidance on relationships, sexual health and parenthood (RSHP) education. The experiences and outcomes for relationships, sexual health and parenthood are set within the health and wellbeing organiser of curricu…
23 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it provides to (a) local authorities and (b) schools on determining the materials used in the Relationships, Sexual Health and Parenthood (RSHP) curriculum for different school year groups.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: Guidance for local authorities and schools on teaching relationships, sexual health and parenthood (RSHP) education is available on the Scottish Government website at https://www.gov.scot/publications/conduct-relationships-sexual-health-parenthood-education-…
23 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what conclusions it has drawn from the recent Health and Wellbeing Census.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: Conclusions drawn from the Health and Wellbeing Census are available on the Scottish Government's website at https://www.gov.scot/publications/health-and-wellbeing-census-scotland-2021-22/ . It is essential that public services have a robust understanding …
23 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential of introducing advanced treatments, such as catalytic treatment and photo- or UV-based oxidation, to degrade pharmaceuticals that are reportedly contaminating water.
Answer · Mairi McAllan: The methods used to treat sewage is a matter for Scottish Water to consider to ensure regulatory standards are met in an efficient manner. I refer the member to the answer for S6W-16184 on 11 April 2023 for further information on the discussions regarding the…
23 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Scottish Water regarding any potential (a) presence and (b) impact of pharmaceuticals in water.
Answer · Mairi McAllan: The Scottish Government is in regular contact with Scottish Water on these matters. In partnership with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), Scottish Water is carrying out the Chemical Investigation Programme (CIP) Scotland which involves sampli…
23 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-15482 by Humza Yousaf on 16 March 2023, what correspondence it has had with Scottish Water regarding The Baird Family Hospital and The ANCHOR Centre; what observations were made, and how these were addressed.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government has not had correspondence with Scottish Water regarding The Baird Family Hospital and The ANCHOR Centre. Scottish Water's engagement on this project is directly with NHS Grampian, who are responsible for delivering the project.
23 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-15479 by Humza Yousaf on 16 March 2023, what updated assurance processes are now required for The Baird Family Hospital and The ANCHOR Centre, and for what reason this is being introduced at this stage in the build process and was not introduced at …
Answer · Michael Matheson: As set out in the response to S6W-15482 on 16 March 2023, all projects are subject to review by NHS Scotland Assure prior to opening. The Key Stage Assurance Review (KSAR) process examines projects at key points in their lifecycle. It does not remove any leg…
23 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-15479 by Humza Yousaf on 16 March 2023, for what reason client changes are being introduced for The Baird Family Hospital and The ANCHOR Centre at this stage in the build process and were not introduced at an earlier stage.
Answer · Michael Matheson: All projects are subject to ongoing review and consideration. It is for NHS Grampian’s project team, in discussion with the contractor, to determine whether any client changes are actioned.
23 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many trees it and its agencies have planted along the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: There are approximately 1.5 million new trees planted alongside the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route. No further tree planting is planned other than replacement planting which may be required in future where insufficient numbers of trees have become establis…
23 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what measures Transport Scotland has in place to monitor the success rates of the tree planting that it carried out along the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Aberdeen Western Peripheral Road/Balmedie-Tipperty (AWPR/B-T) section of the A90 is managed on behalf of Scottish Ministers/Transport Scotland by the Design Build Finance and Operate (DBFO) company Aberdeen Roads Limited (ARL). The associated landscaping …
23 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what measures Transport Scotland has in place to monitor the success rates of any tree planting that it undertakes.
Answer · Kevin Stewart: All new planting schemes on the trunk road network include a 5-year establishment period throughout which regular inspections are undertaken by professional landscape architects and by the landscape contractor. These inspections assess the establishment of th…
21 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-15610 by Michael Matheson on 14 March 2023, when it expects that new guidance on noise limits and amplitude modulation will be produced, following the review of ETSU-R-97, and whether it will impose a moratorium on the approval of all onshore windfa…
Answer · Neil Gray: The Scottish Government will continue to work with the UK Government to carefully consider the recommendations made in the report and determine the appropriate next steps. Until such time as new guidance is produced, ETSU-R-97 should continue to be followed …
9 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the disabled driving assessment centre at Astley Ainslie Hospital in Edinburgh is the only centre in Scotland where disabled driving assessments can take place, and, if this is not the case, where the other assessment centres are located.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Driving Assessment Service is the NHS service which covers Scotland, and all driving assessments are carried out at the SMART Centre at the Astley Ainslie Hospital in Edinburgh, which is where the service’s static assessment rigs and fleet of ada…
6 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much it will cost NHS Scotland Assure to fund the Deposit Return Scheme trial that NHS Grampian is currently taking part in.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-15683 on 21 March 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-committee…
6 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much it estimates NHS Scotland Assure will spend in total on Deposit Return Scheme trials.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: NHS Grampian is the only Health Board to trial technology ahead of the Deposit Return Scheme launch. In total NHS Scotland Assure has provided £1,000 to off-set the costs incurred by the Health Board for the trial.
6 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whose role it is to enforce Education Scotland inspection guidelines.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: Scottish Ministers’ powers relating to inspection of educational establishments and services are set out in the Education (Scotland) Act 1980. Inspections of educational establishments are carried out by HM Inspectors. HM Inspectors develop and maintain a se…
2 Mar 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is, as it applies to Scotland, to the WSP publication, A Review of Noise Guidance for Onshore Wind Turbines: Project Report, published in October 2022 on behalf of the UK Government Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.
Answer · Michael Matheson: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-15610 on 14 March 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-committee…