Parliamentary questions
Donald Cameron
1,854 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
26 Jan 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to any artwork that it owns, how many pieces are (a) on public display, (b) on private display and (c) in storage.
Answer · Angus Robertson: Most SG owned artwork is on display in Government buildings, with access limited to SG staff and contractors and accompanied visitors. I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-14450 on 9 February 2023. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions ar…
26 Jan 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it has not produced another Two Year Annual Report on Activities of the National Performing Companies since October 2018, and whether it plans to recommence publication of these reports.
Answer · Neil Gray: Work on the subsequent two year report was suspended due to the Covid19 pandemic and the need to prioritise assessing and arranging emergency funding for the culture sector. The National Performing Companies all publish information on their websites about th…
26 Jan 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of the percentage of Scottish-domiciled students who entered into (a) undergraduate and (b) postgraduate degree courses from the (i) 5%, (ii) 10%, (iii) 15% and (iv) 20% most deprived data zones in Scotland, since the academic year 2016-17.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: Information on entrants to Scottish universities and colleges from deprived areas is published by the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) in the annual ‘Report on Widening Access’ statistics publication. It provides the proportion of undergraduate entrants to Hig…
26 Jan 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it remains its plan to hold a citizens’ assembly on local government funding in the current parliamentary session.
Answer · Tom Arthur: The Programme for Government 2021 committed to establishing a working group with representation from the Scottish Green Party, and engagement with COSLA, to oversee the development of effective deliberative engagement on sources of local government funding, i…
26 Jan 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-13600 by Maree Todd on 19 January 2023, for what reason it does not hold the information requested, in light of the answer to question S6W-12372, which includes the relevant data for primary schools.
Answer · Maree Todd: The main focus of the Daily Mile programme has been to embed the Daily Mile in Primary school settings and data collection has focussed on these settings. A new Daily Mile Strategy is being developed which will outline priorities over the next 3 years for exp…
26 Jan 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to deliver the aims of its Culture Strategy for Scotland, in light of its £1.3 million proposed spending reduction to the Culture and Major Events budget in 2023-24.
Answer · Neil Gray: Against the backdrop of continued impacts from Covid-19, public spending constraints and the cost of living crisis, we are doing all we can to protect Scotland’s culture and historic environment, to ensure our diverse and world-class cultural scene and rich h…
26 Jan 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what progress is being made to meet the 2030 target to widen fair access to Scotland’s universities.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: This Government firmly believes that every child growing up in Scotland, regardless of their background, should have an equal chance of attending university and participating in higher education. To date we have made progress on work to support fair access …
26 Jan 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to tackle the reported rise of infant mortality in the most deprived fifth of society.
Answer · Maree Todd: Person-centred, safe and high-quality care for mothers and babies throughout pregnancy, birth and following birth can have a marked effect on the health and life chances of women and babies, and on the healthy development of children throughout their lives. T…
26 Jan 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-13825 by Angus Robertson on 18 January 2023, whether any international office has failed to deliver any of its five shared strategic objectives since 2016-17.
Answer · Angus Robertson: No office has failed to deliver towards any of the strategic objectives. The progress made towards, or challenges against, achieving strategic objectives are best understood as cumulative. Scotland’s international network comprises a broader range of partner…
26 Jan 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much it has spent on the purchase of any pieces of artwork, in each year since 2007.
Answer · Angus Robertson: Scottish Government does not have an art collection and SG records show there have been no purchase of original artwork by SG since 2007.
24 Jan 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it will make of any potential impact on salmon farming in Scotland of the decision by Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park Authority to refuse planning permission for Scotland’s first semi-closed containment aquaculture project, at Beinn Reithe.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Planning authorities are required to determine planning applications in accordance with the development plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise, including, for example, taking account of the socio and economic impacts of a proposed development.…
24 Jan 2023 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve access to additional support for learning.
16 Jan 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of all planned foreign ministerial visits for 2023.
Answer · Angus Robertson: All Ministerial engagements and travel information (including costs) are proactively released 3 months in arrears and available here Ministerial engagements, travel and gifts - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) Scottish Government officials make provisional overseas…
16 Jan 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to encourage more women into crofting.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Scottish Government wants to encourage more women into crofting, ensuring they are empowered to develop skills and access opportunities, creating equality of opportunity and prosperity, as well as supporting business innovation. That is why we are increas…
16 Jan 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to winter-proof (a) roads and (b) rail lines in the Highlands and Islands region.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The latest trunk road Network Management Contracts (NMCs) in the two northern units commenced on 16 th August 2022. Both contracts are contracted to run for a minimum eight years and include the trunk roads in the Highlands and Islands. The focus on the new c…
16 Jan 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has provided to meet emergency repair work at fishing harbours since July 2019.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: £1.4m has been provided since July 2019 to meet emergency repair work at fishing harbours in Scotland.
16 Jan 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many Regional Selective Assistance grants have been paid to projects in the (a) Argyll and Bute, (b) Highland, (c) Western Isles, (d) Moray, (e) Shetland Islands and (f) Orkney Islands local authority area in each year since the grants were established, also broken down by (i) the to…
Answer · Ivan McKee: The RSA programme started in 1972 and not all records dating back to this time are available to Scottish Government or Scottish Enterprise. In answering this question we have therefore provided all information available to both Scottish Government and Scottis…
16 Jan 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to (a) build and (b) open any new police stations in 2023, and, if so, where they will be located.
Answer · Keith Brown: Responsibility for the management of the police estate sits with the Scottish Police Authority and the Chief Constable. Police Scotland has advised that while they have no plans to build any new police stations in 2023, a new police station will be opened in…
16 Jan 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what funding it will commit to support the future of crofting.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: On 15 December 2022 the Scottish Government published its budget for 2023-24, which is available at: https://www.gov.scot/publications/scottish-budget-2023-24/documents/ . The Scottish Government approves and provides croft businesses with over £40 million…
16 Jan 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much inward investment can be attributed to the work of the GlobalScot network, broken down for each year since it was established.
Answer · Ivan McKee: Established in 2001; led and managed by Scottish Enterprise, GlobalScot is a worldwide network of business professionals, entrepreneurs, business leaders and community figureheads, who have a connection to Scotland and work voluntarily to help the wider Scott…
16 Jan 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many registered GlobalScots there were at each year end since the GlobalScot network was established.
Answer · Ivan McKee: Year GlobalScot members 07-08 900 08-09 811 09-10 718 10-11 709 11-12 638 12-13 670 13-14 672 14-15 617 15-16 618 16-17 628 17-18 646 18-19 662 19-20 764 20-21 942 21-22 1110 2023 (as at Jan 2023) 1189 Please note that mem…
16 Jan 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the total amount of remuneration allocated to its trade envoys has been for each year since the trade and investment envoy network was established.
Answer · Ivan McKee: The Scottish Government Trade & Investment (T&I) Envoy programme is voluntary in nature and is not remunerated or pensioned. Trade & Investment Envoys are entitled to reclaim all reasonable expenses incurred while performing their T&I Envoy duties as request…
16 Jan 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of the total budget allocated to its GlobalScot network for each year since it was established.
Answer · Ivan McKee: This is an operational matter for the Scottish Enterprise, who administer the GlobalScot network. I have asked their Chief Executive to respond.
16 Jan 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much inward investment can be attributed to the work of its trade envoys, broken down for each year since each envoy was appointed.
Answer · Ivan McKee: The Trade and Investment Envoy network was established in 2017 and is made up of appointees who work on a volunteer basis to provide Ministers with strategic business insights and connections. We do not directly measure their contributions, however their prog…
16 Jan 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to the membership of the GlobalScot network, whether it will provide a breakdown showing the (a) country in which each registered member is based and (b) sector(s) that each member specialises in.
Answer · Ivan McKee: GlobalScots by location Current Location for Work Number of GlobalScots Andorra 1 Australia 61 Austria 1 Bahrain 2 Barbados 1 Belgium 5 Bermuda 1 Bolivia (Plurinational State of) 1 Brazil 5 Bulgaria 1 Canada 28 China 18 Cyprus 1 D…
16 Jan 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to open any new (a) static and (b) mobile breast cancer screening units in 2023, in light of the UK Government announcement that it will be providing funding for 13 and 16 such units, respectively.
Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Breast Screening Programme (SBSP) currently operates six breast screening centres, complimented by twenty mobile breast screening units. These service each area of Scotland on a three yearly rotational basis and are intended to address the geogra…
16 Jan 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Creative Scotland about any reduction in the amount of grant funds that can be offered to the cultural sector, in light of the £5.1 million reduction to the Creative Scotland & Other Arts budget, as set out in the draft Scottish Budget 2023-24.
Answer · Neil Gray: The Scottish Government has been in regular dialogue with Creative Scotland regarding the draft Scottish Budget for 2023-2024. Officials meet regularly with Creative Scotland. The Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture had a regular …
16 Jan 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) alumni and (b) diaspora groups are linked to the work of its Directorate for International Trade and Investment.
Answer · Ivan McKee: The Scottish Government’s Directorate for International Trade and Investment directly manages the Trade and Investment Envoy Network. We also work closely with the GlobalScot Network managed by the Scottish Enterprise to advance our trade and investment amb…
16 Jan 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether its call for the UK Government to extend Theatre and Orchestra Tax Relief to March 2024 is to compensate for its £5.1 million reduction to the Creative Scotland & Other Arts budget, as set out in the Scottish Budget 2023-24.
Answer · Neil Gray: No. We have convened a series of roundtables with the culture sector to explore how organisations can best work together to develop shared solutions in light of the cost crisis. The impact of the UK Government’s decision to reduce the theatre and orchestra ta…
16 Jan 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of how much funding it has provided to Zoho Corporation Private Limited to manage the GlobalScot network website for each year since it entered into partnership with the company.
Answer · Ivan McKee: This is an operational matter for the Scottish Enterprise, who administer the GlobalScot network. I have asked their Chief Executive to respond.