Parliamentary questions
Donald Cameron
1,854 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
17 Aug 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the current progress of the two Islay vessels being constructed by Cemre Marin Endustri.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The contract to build two new vessels for the Islay routes was awarded to the Cemre shipyard by Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited on 28 March 2022. Key activities at this stage relate to design work and procurement of major equipment, material, and service s…
17 Aug 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has sought assistance from the British Army in order to assist Ukrainian refugees who have arrived in Scotland.
Answer · Neil Gray: The welfare of all displaced Ukrainians staying across the country remains the Scottish Government’s priority. The Scottish Government has not sought assistance from the British Army in order to assist Ukrainian refugees who have arrived in Scotland.
17 Aug 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much funding has been (a) provided and (b) committed to Glasgow City Council to assist it with its bid to host the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest, in light of the announcement from the BBC and European Broadcasting Union that Glasgow made the shortlist.
Answer · Neil Gray: We understand that Glasgow City Council, together with Glasgow Life and the SEC, are working closely to develop a bid to host the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest. While no funding has been provided or committed by Scottish Ministers, we will consider the busines…
17 Aug 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how long it estimates Ukrainian refugees will be temporarily housed on board the (a) MS Victoria I and (b) MS Ambition before permanent housing is secured.
Answer · Neil Gray: The Scottish Government is clear that we do not want to see people spending more time in temporary accommodation than is absolutely necessary, including on our two passenger ships. Our priority is to ensure that people who have already arrived, and will arri…
17 Aug 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on whether the first of the two new Islay ferries being constructed by Cemre Marin Endustri will be delivered by October 2024.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-10483 on 21 September 2022. 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-commi…
10 Aug 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, following publication of its consultation analysis of legal services regulation reform, whether it plans to introduce legislation on legal services regulation reform to the Scottish Parliament, and, if so, when it will do so.
Answer · Ash Regan: Delivering on our 2021 Programme for Government commitment, the Scottish Government consulted on proposals for legal services regulation reform. An independent consultation analysis report was published in July 2022. The report highlighted that all responden…
5 Aug 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the announcement by the UK Government on 19 July 2022 that it will issue around 50% of overall Basic Payment Scheme payments to farmers from July 2022, with the remaining 50% expected in December 2022, whether it will bring forward the initial payment date to August 2022, an…
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Scottish Government has already been taking action to improve business cash flow and annual farm payment dates are to be brought forward to September. Subject to the approval of the Scottish Parliament, farmers and crofters will receive their advance paym…
2 Aug 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether Transport Scotland has provided CalMac Ferries Ltd with additional funding to meet any financial penalties that may have been issued, and, if this is the case, what the total cost has been of any such additional funding, broken down by each year since 2007.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: No additional funding is provided to CalMac Ferries Limited to offset performance deductions. Any performance deductions incurred are applied as a reduction in the grant subsidy paid by Transport Scotland for operating the ferry services.
2 Aug 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on what the total amount has been of any performance payments given to executive level staff at CalMac Ferries Ltd, broken down by each year since 2007.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-10177 on 7 September 2022. 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-commit…
2 Aug 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on whether CalMac Ferries Ltd awarded any performance payments to staff at executive level in any years in which it also received any financial penalties by Transport Scotland, broken down by year.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: Pay and performance is a matter for CalMac Ferries Limited (CFL). Scottish Ministers have no role to play in any pay negotiations. The information on performance payments to senior staff is reported and available in the David MacBrayne Limited accounts. Year…
2 Aug 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the total cost has been of any financial penalties issued by Transport Scotland to CalMac Ferries Ltd, in each year since 2007.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: Under the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Service contract, performance deductions can be applied by in certain circumstances. The level of performance deductions by Contract Year incurred by CalMac Ferries Ltd is detailed below: CHFS1 CY01 Oct 2007 - Sept 200…
1 Aug 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what support it can provide to the Clyde 2020 Research Advisory Group to facilitate the publication of an Ecosystem Enhancement Plan (EEP), to determine how any pressures on the Firth of Clyde may be managed to allow the natural recovery of fish stocks.
Answer · Mairi McAllan: Scottish Government has continued to support the Clyde 2020 with funding to the Clyde Marine Planning Partnership (CMPP) to develop and deliver a regional marine plan which will support achieving good environmental status for the Clyde. In addition, Marine Sc…
19 Jul 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many times the First Minister’s Environmental Council has met since it was established.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The First Minister's Environmental Council has met twice since it was established, on 5 November and 13 June.
19 Jul 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much funding from the Long COVID Support Fund has been allocated to each NHS board.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: All territorial NHS Boards were invited to submit proposals to the Strategic Network on managing the long term effects of COVID-19 for how they intended to utilise long COVID Support Funding across 2022-23. Returns were received from 13 Health Boards. Follow…
19 Jul 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many projects have (a) applied for and (b) received funding from the Vacant and Derelict Land Investment Programme since it was created, broken down by (i) local authority area and (ii) the value of each project award.
Answer · Tom Arthur: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-09275 on 12 July 2022. 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-committees…
19 Jul 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is, regarding any potential impact on veterans in Scotland, on the UK Government’s £5 million Veterans’ Health Innovation Fund, and whether it plans to introduce a similar scheme in Scotland.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government welcomes any activity that can lead to a positive impact on the health of our veteran community. As the armed forces are subject to the reserved responsibility of the UK Government, the Veterans’ Health Innovation Fund is open to appl…
19 Jul 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it will reopen the Rural Communities Ideas into Action Fund for 2022-23.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Rural Communities Ideas into Action (RCIA) fund was part of a Community Led Local Development (CLLD) test of change pilot developed and delivered in 2021-22 by Scottish Government. The fund made available a total of £3.3 million of CLLD funding to rural a…
19 Jul 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when the next meeting of the First Minister’s Environmental Council is due to take place.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The next meeting of the First Minister's Environmental Council is due to take place on the 12 and 13 September.
19 Jul 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many patients have been supported through Hospital at Home services in each year since they were introduced.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: Hospital at Home services have been developing in Scotland for a number of years, with the first service established in Lanarkshire in 2011, followed by Fife in 2012 and the Lothian Partnerships between 2013 and 2016, and Dundee in 2018. To further support d…
19 Jul 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will commit to retaining the Rural Communities Ideas into Action Fund for each year of the current parliamentary session.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: We continue to fund community led local activity through the domestic budget whilst we await clarity from the UK government on replacement LEADER funding. The £11.6 million of funding confirmed in the Scottish budget for 2022-23 is not a like for like replace…
19 Jul 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many libraries have (a) applied for and (b) received funding from the Public Libraries COVID Recovery Fund since it was created, broken down by (i) local authority area and (ii) the value of each project award.
Answer · Neil Gray: The Public Library COVID Relief Fund was announced as part of the 2021 Programme for Government. The Fund was delivered by the Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC). 31 local authority library services in total submitted applications to the Fund, ac…
19 Jul 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many Arabic speakers in (a) Dundee, (b) Fife and (c) Clackmannanshire it has helped access certification to work in the Scottish construction industry through its New Scots Refugee Integration Delivery Project since August 2021.
Answer · Shona Robison: Many refugees resettled in Scotland have skills and experience developed through their trade or occupation in their home country, including in the construction industry, and may want to resume their profession here. In Scotland, everyone working on a buildin…
19 Jul 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government in what ways it is supporting communities impacted by water scarcity.
Answer · Mairi McAllan: The Scottish Government is supporting communities who are impacted by water scarcity with an emergency scheme which is providing free bottled water. It is also funding a non means tested grant of up to £800 per household to fund improvements. Households whose…
19 Jul 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many new jobs have been (a) created and (b) filled at Social Security Scotland since September 2021.
Answer · Ben Macpherson: In line with our published workforce statistics up to March 2022, which includes our directly employed staff and contingent workers staff, our staffing headcount has increased from 1777 in September 2021 to 2611 up to and including March 2022. This is an in…
19 Jul 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether, in light of any budgetary pressures, it plans to maintain its proposed Islands Bond at the same financial level and ensure that the number of bonds available remains the same.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Capital Spending Review sets the broad parameters for Scottish Budgets to 2025-26 as best can be done at this time and outlines high-level spending plans to deliver Programme for Government and Bute House commitments. This is against a backdrop of real-te…
19 Jul 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-07089 by Mairi Gougeon on 15 March 2022, whether it can provide an update on how much funding (a) it allocated to and (b) was distributed to successful grant applicants from the Croft House Grant scheme in (a) 2021-22 and (b) 2022-23.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Financial Year Budget Allocation Actual Grant Paid (£) 2021-22 £1.9m 924,060.30 2022-23 * £1.9m 160,505.95 * As at 1 August 2022Funding under the Croft House Grant is provided retrospectively in up to three stages. For this reason, funding committe…
19 Jul 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many organisations have (a) applied for and (b) successfully received funding from its Scotland on Tour fund, and what the total amount of funding allocated was.
Answer · Neil Gray: The Scottish Government committed £750,000 to developing the Scotland on Tour Fund in response to the impacts felt by the sector due to the Covid-19 pandemic. In total, the fund received 270 applications from individual artists, musicians, bands, organisatio…
19 Jul 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to reopen the Scotland on Tour fund for 2022-23.
Answer · Neil Gray: The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that there is a thriving music industry in Scotland and so provided £750,000 across 2021-22 and 2022-23 to enable Scotland on Tour to take place. Scotland on Tour has facilitated new concerts in venues across …
19 Jul 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many organisations (a) applied for and (b) received funding from its Black History Month fund, and what was the total amount of funding allocated.
Answer · Shona Robison: In October 2021 the Scottish Government piloted a fund of up to £10,000 for organisations across Scotland to support additional activity to tackle inequalities and prejudice in line with the goals and outcomes of Black History Month. Organisations could apply…
19 Jul 2022 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of students who received funding from the Saltire Scholarship programme were from (a) EU and (b) non-EU countries, for each year since 2020-21.
Answer · Jamie Hepburn: Since 2020-21, the Scottish Government has provided funding for all Saltire Scholarship programme students; this consisted of 100% non-EU students in 2020-21 and for 2021-22 the breakdown was 88% EU students and 12% non-EU students.