Jamie Greene

18 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many land management orders have been made by the Scottish Ministers in each year since 2019.

Answer · Lorna Slater: The Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 specifies that before NatureScot can apply to Scottish Ministers for a Land Management Order, they must first have sought to agree a Management Agreement with the respective land manager. It is for this reason that …

18 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands has to meet with shellfish businesses in Inverclyde, including Inverclyde Shellfish and its 13 staff, regarding its plans for Highly Protected Marine Areas.

Answer · Mairi McAllan: It has always been our intention to develop these ambitious proposals in close collaboration with those impacted by them – in particular, people living and working in our island and coastal communities. Prior to the consultation, we met with over 20 stakehol…

18 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will outline any wetlands that have been considered for designation as a Ramsar site but were not granted this classification in each year since 2007.  

Answer · Lorna Slater: All wetlands considered for Ramsar designation since 2007 have been granted this classification. A decision on an extension to the existing Caithness & Sutherland Peatlands Ramsar site to include areas of former plantation forestry that have been restored to …

18 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many restoration orders to restore damaged natural features in certain protected areas have been handed down by courts in each year for which data is available.

Answer · Angela Constance: Restoration orders can be issued as an additional disposal to people convicted of charges under the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 Sections 19(1), 19(3), 27(1) or 36(2). As of 31 December 2022, no restoration orders have been issued as a disposal in …

18 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports that at least 11 sites that have specially protected status, including Sites of Special Scientific Interest, Ramsar sites and Special Protection Areas, received an intake of sewage overflow in 2022-23, what discussions it has had with Scottish Water on this matter, a…

Answer · Mairi McAllan: I refer the member to the answer to S6O-02060 on 23 March 2023. The answer to the oral parliamentary question is available on the Parliaments website, the official report can be viewed at Meeting of the Parliament: 23/03/2023 | Scottish Parliament Website

18 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) site checks and (b) full site condition monitoring assessments have been carried out by NatureScot in each year since 2017.

Answer · Lorna Slater: The following number of Site Checks and Site Condition Monitoring assessments for protected areas were completed by NatureScot since 2017: Year Site Checks Site Condition Monitoring 2017 149 252 2018 99 93 2019 51 21 2020 30 20 2021 98 41 2…

18 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs), how many cases have occurred in which SSSIs have been compromised by management activities, and whether NatureScot has entered into any agreements to provide compensation for any such cases; how many (a) charges and (b) convictions…

Answer · Lorna Slater: There are records of 212 instances of damaging or unconsented activities on SSSIs that have not been attributed to third parties. No compensatory agreements have been entered into as a result of these cases. NatureScot is only obliged to offer compensation t…

17 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Scottish Centre for Administrative Data Research’s updated report, published in April 2023, Infants Born into Care in Scotland, including the reported finding that around one in every 100 children born in Scotland enters care before their first birthday.

Answer · Natalie Don: The Scottish Government is committed to Keeping the Promise and ensuring that families are supported to stay together when it is safe to do so. While we still have more work to do, it is positive progress that the recent Infant's Born into Care Report confirm…

17 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many suspected marine invasive non-native species have been reported to Marine Scotland in each year for which data is available.

Answer · Mairi McAllan: Marine invasive non-native species (INNS) are reported to the Scottish Government by statutory organisations such as NatureScot and SEPA and regional partnership groups, to inform international reporting obligations for INNS monitoring. Year Number of INNS …

17 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many suspected invasive non-native species have been reported via Scotland’s Environment website in each year for which data is available.

Answer · Lorna Slater: The following table provides annual figures for the total number of reports of suspected invasive non-native species (INNS) submitted via Scotland’s Environment website. The two reports in 2015 are test reports submitted by project partners; the system went l…

17 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the plans for Scottish Water to install monitors at 1,000 combined sewer overflows, and how many have been installed to date.

Answer · Mairi McAllan: As referred to in the answers to S6F-02135 on 18 May 2023 and S6W-15158 on 13 March 2023, Scottish Water has now identified the priority locations for 1,000 spill monitors. Installation is programmed between summer 2023 and the end of 2024. The answer to the…

17 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-16710 by Jamie Hepburn on 16 May 2023, whether all parties to the Bute House Agreement agree with this policy.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The Scottish Government supports the position set out in S6W-16710, which outlined the Scottish Government’s commitment to being guided by the democratically expressed wishes of the people of Scotland on these matters. All answers to written Parliamentary Qu…

16 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-13756 by Keith Brown on 20 January 2023, and in light of the Independent Review of the Victim Notification Scheme, for what reason it does not hold data on eligibility for the scheme; whether it has plans to obtain this data in the future, and what …

Answer · Siobhian Brown: The independent review of the VNS was commissioned by the then Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Veterans in March 2022, in line with a Victims Taskforce recommendation. The Scottish Government’s commissioning of the review reflects its commitment to ensuring…

16 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy will next visit Ferguson Marine to discuss the matters raised in his statement to the Scottish Parliament on 16 May 2023.

Answer · Neil Gray: I look forward to meeting with the CEO and speaking with the workforce of Ferguson Marine. My visit to the shipyard will take place during summer recess.

16 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-16710 by Jamie Hepburn on 16 May 2023, what mechanism or measure it would potentially plan to use to determine whether “the people of Scotland wish that to be the case”.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The Scottish Government will always be guided by the democratically expressed wishes of the people of Scotland on constitutional matters.

16 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to comments by the chief executive of the Association of Scotland's Self-Caterers, reported on 11 May 2023, that short-term lets licensing in Edinburgh constitutes a "de facto ban" on small holiday let operators, "in favour of big business".

Answer · Paul McLennan: Scotland is not alone in regulating short-term lets globally. We are doing this in two ways. The first, licensing, has been introduced to ensure short-term lets are safe and the people providing them are suitable. Guests can have confidence that licensed host…

15 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has plans to increase competition in the tenancy deposit scheme market, in light of there being currently only three companies, with one of them reportedly having almost 70% of the market share.

Answer · Paul McLennan: A review of the tenancy deposit schemes was undertaken at the end of 2018. It was clear from the findings that the current regulations continued to provide a robust regulatory and operational framework. Following the review a number of revisions to the opera…

15 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what advice it gives to customers of the tenancy deposits schemes if they have an issue, dispute or complaint with one of the tenancy schemes that do not offer an independent dispute resolution procedure.

Answer · Paul McLennan: Tenancy Deposit Schemes were introduced to deal with the problem of landlords and letting agents who unfairly withheld deposits from tenants. In Scotland a custodial scheme is operated by 3 schemes approved by Scottish Ministers. Tenants benefit from having …

15 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the recommendation from the Independent Review of the Victim Notification Scheme to automatically refer all eligible victims to the scheme.  

Answer · Siobhian Brown: The Scottish Government has noted the report of the independent review of the Victim Notification Scheme (VNS) as published on 12 May, including the recommendation that victims be automatically referred to a new Victim Contact Team (itself subject to a separa…

15 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the recommendation from the Independent Review of the Victim Notification Scheme that in any instance of temporary release where an offender might come into close proximity with a victim, the victim is notified of this release every time.

Answer · Siobhian Brown: The Scottish Government has noted the report of the independent review of the Victim Notification Scheme (VNS) as published on 12 May. As the report makes clear, a number of organisations have a role to play in delivering the current scheme (including the Cro…

15 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many victims’ requests to silently observe a parole hearing had been refused at the time that the author of the publication, Independent Review of the Victim Notification Scheme, wrote that seven victims had been allowed to observe these hearings.

Answer · Angela Constance: We cannot specify the precise number of victim observations which took place at any one given time during the development of the independent review of the Victim Notification Scheme because the number of requests will have varied throughout the drafting proce…

15 May 2023 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to reduce violence in schools, in light of reports that three teachers and a 14-year-old pupil have been injured in a disturbance at a Renfrewshire school.

11 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many tenants did not receive their deposit back on time from each of the three tenancy deposit schemes in each year for which data is available.

Answer · Paul McLennan: The role of the Scottish Government, since the three approved schemes began operating in July 2012, is to monitor each scheme for compliance with the Tenancy Deposit Schemes (Scotland) Regulations 2011 . This includes being satisfied that SDS and the other …

11 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when (a) its representatives and (b) the Minister for Zero Carbon Buildings, Active Travel and Tenants' Rights next plan(s) to meet SafeDeposits Scotland, either virtually or in person.

Answer · Patrick Harvie: Scottish Government officials will next meet with SafeDeposits Scotland on Thursday 14 September for their 6 monthly review meeting. There are currently no plans for myself to meet with SafeDeposits Scotland.  

10 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many ATM sites have benefitted from 100% rates relief through the Small Business Bonus Scheme.

Answer · Tom Arthur: Table 1 shows the number of ATM sites in receipt of 100% rates relief through the Small Business Bonus Scheme since 2018. Table 1: ATM sites in receipt of 100% Small Business Bonus Scheme relief Year Number of ATM sites 2018 45 2019 61 2020 65 2021 …

10 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-16961 by Paul McLennan on 2 May 2023, what discussions it has had with SafeDeposits Scotland regarding deposits being returned to tenants or landlords when SafeDeposits Scotland was experiencing “teething issues” with its new system, including repor…

Answer · Paul McLennan: As highlighted in answer to question S6W-15794 on 22 March 2023 Scottish Government officials have had regular engagement on progress throughout the implementation of the Safe Deposits Scotland (SDS) system upgrade and will continue to do so. Officials have d…

10 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much money has been spent on relocation payments to Police Scotland employees in each year since 2017.

Answer · Angela Constance: Recruitment and deployment of officers and staff is a matter for the Chief Constable and therefore the Scottish Government does not hold this information centrally. It is important that the Chief Constable has the flexibility to develop his workforce in a way…

10 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Royal Bank of Scotland’s latest Report on Jobs, which was published on 10 May 2023.

Answer · Neil Gray: The Royal Bank of Scotland’s Report on Jobs is one of several sources of evidence that the Scottish Government monitors, in the context of wider developments in the labour market. The Report draws on a monthly survey of recruitment agencies, and offers insigh…

10 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it has reportedly delayed its dental reform plans, which were initially due to be announced in April 2023, and what assessment it has made of the potential impacts of this decision on the dental sector, including the number of dentists conducting NHS work.

Answer · Jenni Minto: Scottish Government is committed to implement payment reform from 1 November 2023. It was confirmed to the sector on 20 March 2023 that the timeline for the payment reform showcase was necessarily delayed by the process to replace the First Minister. The sect…

9 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many of its agencies or directorates have been relocated or opened outside of the Lothian region since 2007, and how many are in the West Scotland region.

Answer · Tom Arthur: Three agencies have been opened outside of the Lothian region since 2007 with no relocations during this time. There is one Agency located in the West Scotland region. There have been multiple changes to Scottish Government Directorates over the last 15 year…