Parliamentary questions

Donald Cameron

1,854 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

15 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether NHS Scotland has offered GP practices financial incentives to hold patient appointments remotely and, if so, (a) how much was offered and (b) to how many practices.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: NHS Scotland did not offer GP practices financial incentives to hold patient appointments remotely. General practices are following Public Health Scotland’s advice on management of face to face appointments in primary care settings. While the number of virt…

15 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to encourage more people who live in Scotland to apply for Additional Support Needs (ASN) vacancies in schools.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that all children and young people with additional support needs are supported. Under the Additional Support for Learning Act education authorities are responsible for identifying and meeting the additional sup…

15 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it can confirm which Scottish islands it plans to connect to a subsea fibre cable, as part of the R100 programme, and whether it anticipates this being completed on schedule.

Answer · Kate Forbes: As part of the Reaching 100% (R100) North lot contract, 16 subsea cables will be delivered to 15 Scottish islands - Colonsay, Iona and Lismore in the Argyll & Bute local authority area; Eigg in the Highland local authority area; Eday, Flotta, Hoy, Rousay, San…

15 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to update the law on antique air weapons, in line with the announcement from the UK Government that it will be closing loopholes in existing legislation on the use of antique firearms.

Answer · Keith Brown: The Scottish Government has no plans to amend legislation relating to antique air weapons. Following consultation with the Scottish Government, the UK Government has introduced the Antique Firearms Regulations 2021. These regulations apply to Scotland as they…

15 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many doctors have taken early retirement in NHS (a) Highland, (b) Western Isles, (c) Orkney, (d) Shetland and (e) Grampian in each year since 2007.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The requested information is not centrally held. NHS Education for Scotland publish annual data on joiners/leavers, but this information is not available by reason or destination. Information on joiners/leavers by staff group for each financial year can be f…

14 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether Ferguson Marine (Port Glasgow) Ltd (a) expressed an interest and (b) provided a response for the procurement process for two new ferries for Islay.

Answer · Graeme Dey: Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd, as the procuring authority, have confirmed that Ferguson Marine (Port Glasgow) Ltd expressed an interest and submitted a bid for the contract to build the two new ferries.

13 Sep 2021 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it did not commit to introducing a Crofting Bill in its Programme for Government.

7 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has budgeted for restarting any work related to a new independence referendum.

Answer · Angus Robertson: The Scottish Government is now determining how this work will proceed and the resourcing it requires, as we do for delivering our commitments across the whole range of our responsibilities in the interests of the people of Scotland.

7 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government on what date ministers decided to restart work on holding a new independence referendum.

Answer · Angus Robertson: The Programme for Government , published and debated in the Scottish Parliament on 7 September, set out that “The Scottish Government will work to ensure that a legitimate and constitutional referendum can be held within this Parliament, and if the Covid cr…

7 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government (a) how many and (b) what percentage of its officials it anticipates will be undertaking any work related to a new independence referendum.

Answer · Angus Robertson: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-02844 on 23 September 2021. 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…

7 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government on what date its officials restarted any work related to holding a new independence referendum.

Answer · Angus Robertson: The First Minister announced as part of the Programme for Government on 7 September that the Scottish Government would restart work on the prospectus for independence. The Scottish Government is now determining how this work will proceed, as we do for deliver…

7 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which member of the civil service will have overall responsibility for work related to holding a new independence referendum, and what that person's salary is.

Answer · Angus Robertson: A range of civil servants will be responsible for overseeing different aspects of work relating to an independence referendum. Overall leadership of the civil service supporting the Scottish Government lies with the Permanent Secretary and Executive Team.

7 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it estimates the cumulative total will be of the salaries of its officials who will be undertaking any work related to holding a new independence referendum, broken down by salary banding.

7 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which islands (a) within and (b) outside the UK it plans to consider good practices from as part of its Carbon Neutral Islands project.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Scottish Government is carrying out an extensive mapping of good practices relating to climate change and islands both from within the UK and overseas.

7 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which stakeholders it plans to consult in relation to its Carbon Neutral Islands project.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Scottish Government will consult with relevant Local Authorities, island stakeholders and importantly, island communities themselves.

7 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many jobs it estimates will be created by its Carbon Neutral Islands project, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: A key objective of the Carbon Neutral Islands project will be to create sustainable economic opportunities including new jobs and businesses, as part of our ambition to create a low carbon economy for Scotland. How we will do this and what jobs and skills isl…

7 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to conduct an Island Communities Impact Assessment for its Carbon Neutral Islands project.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Yes.

7 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what level of funding it estimates it will commit to its Carbon Neutral Islands project.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: We are still in the early stages of development in relation to the Carbon Neutral Islands project, and are engaging relevant stakeholders to ensure that the voices of islanders are fully heard. It is therefore too soon to determine how much funding will be ne…

7 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to use its Carbon Neutral Islands project to reduce instances of depopulation.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: By developing Carbon Neutral Islands that attract jobs and investment, the project aims to retain and bring more people to Scottish islands. It will be informed by the development of the Islands Bond policy and align with Strategic Objective One of the Nation…

7 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it plans to provide to each local authority in relation to its Carbon Neutral Islands project.

7 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to make island tourism more sustainable.

Answer · Ivan McKee: Sustainability, across all three pillars; social, environmental and economic, is central to Scotland’s Economic and Tourism Strategies. Measures we are taking to ensure sustainable islands tourism include: £30 million of investment over the next five years t…

6 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress the National Partnership for Culture has made in establishing a measuring change group "to inform progress towards realising the national outcome for culture and the delivery of the culture strategy", as set out in the 2020 Culture Strategy for Scotland.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The National Partnership for Culture established a Measuring Change Group in August 2020. The Group has met on several occasions since then, most recently in August 2021.

6 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made on increasing diversity on the board of (a) the National Theatre of Scotland, (b) the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, (c) Scottish Ballet, (d) the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and (e) Scottish Opera since it published its 2020 Culture Strategy for Scotland.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The five National Performing Companies are the National Theatre of Scotland, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Scottish Ballet, the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and Scottish Opera. They each receive direct funding from the Scottish Government and are comm…

6 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of employees of (a) the National Theatre of Scotland, (b) the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, (c) Scottish Ballet, (d) the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, (e) Scottish Opera and (f) Creative Scotland are paid the National Living Wage.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: All employees of Scotland’s National Performing Companies, which the Scottish Government funds directly and includes (a) the National Theatre of Scotland, (b) the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, (c) Scottish Ballet, (d) the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, (e) …

6 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress (a) Education Scotland and (b) Creative Scotland has made in "improving cultural experiences for all ages", as set out in its 2020 Culture Strategy for Scotland.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: Both organisations already deliver a range of activity, such as Creative Scotland’s delivery of the Youth Music Initiative. The action in the Culture Strategy “Work with Creative Scotland and Education Scotland to help improve cultural experiences for learner…

6 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many people in each local authority area have received support from the Arts Alive programme.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Arts Alive programme delivered a digital programme from the period of April-June 2021 which consisted of 3 residencies. The remaining residencies and school sessions, delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, will be delivered in September-December 2021, as r…

6 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many applications for support from the Investing in Communities Fund it has (a) approved and (b) rejected, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Tom Arthur: A total of 761 applications were received for ICF Round 1 in June 2019. Of those, 276 were approved and 485 were unsuccessful The following table shows the number of ICF applications approved and rejected broken down by local authority area Local Authority …

6 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has provided each year to Arts Culture Health and Wellbeing Scotland.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: Voluntary Health Scotland was provided a one-off grant of £10,000 for the financial year 2019-2020, for the development of the Arts, Culture, Health and Wellbeing Scotland network.

6 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has allocated to the 2021-22 Arts Alive programme.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Scottish Government have allocated £150,000 for the Arts Alive programme for 2021-2022.

6 Sep 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has allocated each year to the Doric Board.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The Scottish Government recognises the importance of the Doric Board and has provided funding to the organisation since its inception. The following table outlines these allocations; Financial Year Allocation 2019-20 £15,000 2020-21 £14,700 2021-22 £1…