Rachael Hamilton

21 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the reopening of Reston and East Linton station is a rail infrastructure priority.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Reston and East Linton stations are a key element of the comprehensive programme for the East Coast Main Line rail corridor which Network Rail is currently developing proposals for. It is expected that Reston and East Linton will be delivered within the next …

21 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the timescale is for the programme of works to enhance the future capacity on the East Coast Main Line.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Network Rail is developing proposals for a range of interventions as part of a comprehensive programme for the East Coast Main Line rail corridor that will enhance capacity and meet forecast demand. Work has already started on the construction of an additiona…

13 Nov 2017 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what action the Scottish Government will take in light of reports that one in 10 shops are lying empty and fewer people are visiting high streets.

8 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that all primary schools have access to cultural experiences.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Scottish Government officials have engaged with a range of key stakeholders who are delivering cultural opportunities to primary school-aged children to identify and fully understand the range of ways schools engage with culture with a view to identifying how…

8 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the Cultural Youth Experience Fund will be launched.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government is continuing to work with partners and the Youth Experience Fund will be launched in due course.

1 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of the entry routes that are in place to encourage new entrants into the food and drink sector.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: Skills development is a key strand of the new Ambition 2030 food and drink industry strategy with the sector forecast to create 27,000 new opportunities over the next 10 years. A key theme within the industry's new Skills Investment Plan, which is led by Sk…

1 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that the salmon sector does not exceed the good practice threshold of one sea lice per farmed fish.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: Adherence to the standards outlined within the industry Code of Good Practice for Scottish Finfish Aquaculture is independently audited. The levels of 0.5 average adult female lice per fish from 1 February – 30 and 1.0 from 1 July – 31 January are suggested c…

26 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve visitor attraction signage in the Scottish Borders.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The purpose of tourist signs, also known as visitor attraction signage, is to provide clear and consistent directions to enable visitors to reach tourist destinations safely by car and minimise the risk of dangerous manoeuvres. The signs are directional aids,…

26 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it encourages cycling in the Scottish Borders.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: The Scottish Government and our partners strongly supports the development of cycling across the whole of Scotland and of course in the Scottish Borders. As the Scottish governing body (SGB) for the sport, Scottish Cycling is responsible for developing oppor…

26 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it encourages people in the Scottish Borders to eat locally-sourced produce.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: We are committed to supporting the growth of local food throughout Scotland. Our Food and Drink Marketing Advisory Service – Connect Local - recently hosted the successful Discover the Taste of the Borders, Midlothian and Edinburgh event to encourage the deve…

26 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what tourism infrastructure projects (a) have been completed and (b) are planned, broken down by Parliamentary region.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government's Infrastructure Investment Plan published 2015 sets out priorities for investment and a long term strategy for the development of public infrastructure in Scotland. This includes capital investment that will benefit tourism, for examp…

26 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it promotes (a) sporting and (b) major events to overseas visitors.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Sporting and other major events play an important role in attracting overseas visitors to Scotland. The Scottish Government and VisitScotland develop bespoke marketing campaigns to actively promote the wealth of world-class major events hosted year-round by S…

18 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it takes to encourage local authorities to work with the third sector to offer joint delivery of services for children and young people.

Answer · Mark McDonald: The Scottish Government believes that the best outcomes for children and young people can only be delivered when the planning of children’s services is fully inclusive, and reflects the views of a range of partners, including local authorities, health boards …

18 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it takes to promote voluntary youth work to help close the attainment gap.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government recognises that youth work can make an important contribution to closing the poverty related attainment gap. The National Improvement Framework and the Pupil Equity Funding National Operational Guidance both highlight Community Learnin…

16 Oct 2017 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that rural and urban communities receive equal support.

13 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will increase funding to Creative Scotland in response to the reduced funding that it is reported it will receive from the National Lottery.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government is discussing with Creative Scotland the impact of the forecast reductions in lottery income, which also affect lottery funding for the arts, film, heritage, sport, communities and charities across the UK. There are pressures on all ar…

13 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to ensure that rural tourist areas will not be adversely impacted by the closure of VisitScotland hubs.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The deployment of VisitScotland resources is an operational matter for VisitScotland. The Scottish Government understands that VisitScotland are actively working with the industry and others to ensure that information provision is very much available, and in…

9 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which local authorities are meeting their recycling targets.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Local authorities in Scotland do not have individual recycling targets. The 2016 Scottish Household Waste Data were published by SEPA on 26 September 2017, and can be accessed at: https://www.sepa.org.uk/environment/waste/waste-data/waste-data-reporting/house…

5 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much has been spent on the establishment of its (a) London, (b) Dublin, (c) Brussels and (d) Berlin trade hubs.

Answer · Keith Brown: The cost to establish the London Innovation and Investment Hub, Scotland House was £1.65 million. This includes legal, design and building management fees, rent and service costs, purchasing and fit out of furniture and fittings and the purchase and installat…

5 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much (a) trade and (b) internal investment has been generated by its (i) London and (ii) Dublin trade hubs.

Answer · Keith Brown: Our Innovation and Investment Hubs provide a platform that brings together Scottish Government and its agencies, with partners and businesses to promote Scotland's interests, increase exports and attract investment to Scotland. We are developing a framework t…

5 Oct 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many staff Scottish Development International has employed in each of the last three years, broken down by location, and how many were new starts.

Answer · Keith Brown: Scottish Development International’s global workforce in each of the last three years is provided in the following table. The numbers provided include staff employed by Scottish Enterprise, Highlands & Islands Enterprise and the Scottish Government who are as…

26 Sep 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to help the Scottish Borders transition to a more knowledge-based economy, as recommended in Regional Skills Assessment 2016, South Scotland.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: The Scottish Government is working with Borders College through the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) to ensure that learners in the Scottish Borders are gaining the skills to work within a knowledge-based economy. Borders College has an acute focus on developin…

26 Sep 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to close the reported skills gap in the Scottish Borders.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: Closing skills gaps is recognised by the Scottish Government as an important driver of economic growth, business growth, and ensuring that those in and entering the labour market fulfil their maximum potential. This is a priority for us and is fully reflected…

18 Sep 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on introducing initiatives that are similar to the North Coast 500 to other parts of the country.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government welcomes creative and innovative tourism solutions and our Programme for Government sets out our plan to work towards delivering a long distance walking and cycling route, offering an experience equivalent to the successful North Coast…

18 Sep 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which areas in the Scottish Borders will next receive broadband improvements.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: Over the next 6 months work will be on-going in 43 exchange areas across Scottish Borders, to connect more than 3700 additional premises to fibre enabling infrastructure. We also have an online interactive map (www.scotlandsuperfast.com/where-when/) so that …

18 Sep 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to increase the number of apprenticeships in the Scottish Borders.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: Modern Apprenticeship Statistics published on 6 June 2017 showed a 22% rise in uptake of Modern Apprenticeship’s in the Scottish Borders with 472 starts in 2016-17 compared to 387 starts in 2016-17. The Borders Developing the Young Workforce Regional Group h…

8 Sep 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-10337 by Michael Matheson on 10 August 2017, what plans it has to record centrally the number of violent attacks in which acid or other corrosive substances are used, and what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the action plan t…

Answer · Annabelle Ewing: The recording of data relating to criminal offences is governed by the Scottish Crime Reporting Board. Members of this Board, which includes Police Scotland, Scottish Police Authority, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary, the Crown Office, British Tran…

6 Sep 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to the cross-border implications for livestock farmers in the Scottish Borders arising from the proposal to reintroduce lynx to the Kielder Forest in Northumberland.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Natural England is currently considering an application for a licence to release lynx at Kielder Forest on the English side of the border. The Scottish Government has agreed with Natural England that Scottish Government views on the application will be taken …

18 Aug 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to improve road safety on the A7 in light of recent fatalities.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The trunk road section of A7 in Scotland runs from the Scottish Border to Galashiels. The A7 to the north of Galashiels is not trunk road and is the responsibility of local authorities. Following the fatal accident on the trunk road section of the A7 on 7 Aug…

15 Aug 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to improve infrastructure in tourist destinations.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Tourism Development Framework for Scotland will build on existing investment by setting out the action needed to assist and promote future growth in Scotland’s visitor economy. Through our high-level Tourism Working Group, we will continue to work with al…