Parliamentary questions

Finlay Carson

905 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

14 Jan 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the statement by the Minister for Energy, Connectivity and the Islands on 9 January 2020 (Official Report, c. 39), what impact the voucher scheme will have on the completion date of the R100 programme.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: As I announced to Parliament on 9 January, it is expected that the majority of build for both the £83 million Central lot and £133 million South lot will be complete by the end of 2023, with timescales for the North lot (of £384 million in value) dependent o…

14 Jan 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the statement by the Minister for Energy, Connectivity and the Islands on 9 January 2020 (Official Report, c. 39), how the R100 voucher scheme will be delivered to households affected by the delay.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: As the UK Government operates already existing voucher schemes, we are working with UK Ministers and officials to join up our respective funding pots and processes to deliver the most streamlined and effective solution to benefit people, businesses and commun…

14 Jan 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the statement by the Minister for Energy, Connectivity and the Islands on 9 January 2020 (Official Report, c. 39), what the timeframe is for the R100 voucher scheme; what eligibility criteria will be applied, and how much individuals will be able to claim.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: As I outlined in my statement, the voucher scheme will launch later this year, providing grants to support businesses and homeowners to access superfast broadband. Anyone who cannot access superfast broadband by the end of 2021 will be eligible for a voucher,…

14 Jan 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how the delayed delivery of the R100 scheme is impacting on GDP revenue.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: We will meet our commitment to provide superfast broadband access to every home and business in Scotland, as planned, by the end of 2021. This will be delivered through a combination of the Reaching 100 percent programme (R100) contracts, a broadband voucher …

14 Jan 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what investment it has made in building a digital connectivity skills base.

Answer · Kate Forbes: The Scottish Government’s substantial investment in education has ensured that digital skills are widely embedded in all levels of education, from primary through to post graduate qualifications and apprenticeships. While it is difficult identify how much of …

14 Jan 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken since 2017 to boost infrastructure in preparation for the R100 scheme.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The Digital Scotland Superfast Broadband (DSSB) has now extended fibre broadband access to over 943,000 premises – around 103,000 more than originally anticipated. Thanks to our success in encouraging take-up of services on DSSB-funded infrastructure resultin…

19 Dec 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-26766 by Paul Wheelhouse on 19 December 2019, in light of the contracts for lots 2 and 3 of the R100 being signed, by what date it will publish detailed roll-out timetables for each.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: My statement to Parliament on Thursday 9 January set out the details which are currently available for the roll-out of the contracts for lots 2 and 3 of R100. In the case of the South lot, covering the entirety of Dumfries and Galloway, some 26,000 premises …

18 Dec 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether Shingrix would be used as a replacement for Zostavax as a treatment for shingles were it to introduce this vaccine.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: The Scottish Government is advised on these matters by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). The JCVI has already evaluated and recommended moving from Zostavax to Shingrix in the current Shingles Vaccination Programme, providing that it…

18 Dec 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has carried out any studies into introducing the vaccine, Shingrix, into the NHS, and what the outcome was.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-26787 on 9 January 2020. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness…

18 Dec 2019 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to increase its digital economy budget.

10 Dec 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-24325 by Roseanna Cunningham on 2 August 2019, whether it will provide an update on Scotland’s progress towards achieving the 2020 Aichi Targets, and how many of the 20 global targets it expects to have met by January 2020.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: We take our responsibilities on biodiversity very seriously and Scotland was the first country in the world to report against the full suite of Aichi targets. Our reports also contribute to those submitted to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) by th…

28 Nov 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to develop a new medical school at Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Programme for Government commitment (published in September 2019) said that we would develop proposals for a new medical school. The scoping work has now commenced.

27 Nov 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on introducing hard engineering traffic calming measures, such as traffic islands, on the A75 at Springholm village.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government, through Transport Scotland, has introduced a series of speed management measures in Springholm over recent years. These include the erection of vehicle activated speed limit reminder signs and speed indicator devices. It has also made…

27 Nov 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government by what date it will publish the results of the A9 HGV speed limit trial, and what plans it has to carry out a similar exercise on the A75.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government published the evaluation of the A9 HGV speed limit pilot, following three full years of operation, on the Transport Scotland website in July 2018. The percentage of accidents involving HGVs on the sections of the A9 which were subject …

27 Nov 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it takes to ensure that the website of its Energy Consents Unit records all information in a timeous manner, which is fit for purpose, transparent and audited, and how it monitors the effectiveness of this.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: Statutory requirements for public notification of applications, consultation, the publication of additional information and the making of representations to which the member refers are given by the Electricity (Applications For Consent) Regulations 1990 ("the…

27 Nov 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether all documentation received during an S36 planning application consultation is made public on its Energy Consents Unit website.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: I refer the member to my answer to the question S5W-26560 on 11 December 2019. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusi…

27 Nov 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that, during a consultation process, the website of its Energy Consents Unit provides (a) transparent information regarding timescales and (b) updates.

7 Nov 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the NHS currently spends per annum on reflux medications for babies under six months old.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: In 2018-2019 NHSScotland spent £499,404.61 on reflux medications for babies under six months old. This amount relates to community dispensing only. (Source: ISD Scotland)

7 Nov 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the NHS currently spends per annum on prescription formulas for babies under six months old.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: In 2018-2019 NHS Scotland spent £35,258.38 on prescription formula for babies under six months old. This amount relates to community dispensing only. (Source: ISD Scotland)

7 Nov 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government where the £2 million allocated for improvements in breastfeeding levels in the financial year 2018-19 has been spent, and on what.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: I refer the member to the answer to the question S5W-19158 on 6 November 2018. Health Boards and third sector partners received funding of around £1.4m in 2018-19 for breastfeeding projects and clinical quality improvement initiatives, aimed at improving the…

7 Nov 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made to improve breastfeeding rates.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: I refer the member to the answer to the question S5W-26007 on 6 November 2019. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybus…

7 Nov 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it can take to ban the use of sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) gas, and whether it plans to take any action on this issue.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Sulphur Hexafluoride (SF6) is recognised in the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 as one the basket of greenhouse gases. The Scottish Government is taking action to reduce emissions of SF6 through co-ordinated efforts with the EU. EU Regulations require the …

5 Nov 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) hen harrier nests, (b) hen harrier nests that failed to have any chicks fledge and (c) stoats there have been in Orkney in each of the last seven years, and what it estimates the figure will be for 2019.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The following data on breeding hen harriers in Orkney is from the Scottish Raptor Monitoring Scheme (SRMS). Year No of pairs monitored Successful Failed/Outcome unknown 2012 101 37 64 2013 101 20 81 2014 105 35 70 2015 105 22 83 2016* 12…

5 Nov 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many hen harrier nests there have been on (a) RSPB and (b) non-RSPB reserves in each of the last seven years, and what information it has on how many failed to have any chicks fledge, broken down by the reason for the failure.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: For data relating to a) the number of hen harrier nests on RSPB and non-RSPB nature reserves from 2011 – 2017, I refer the Member to the answer to questions S5W-20621 and S5W-13124 on 8 January 2019 and 18 December 2017, respectively. All answers to written p…

31 Oct 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it takes to ensure that GPs use the most up-to-date guidance to help spot blood cancer symptoms.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The revised Scottish Referral Guidelines for Suspected Cancer were published on 22 January 2019. Referral Guideline packs were issued to GP practices, Accident and Emergency (A&E) and Minor Injury Units (MIU) from February 2019, with supporting resources for …

30 Oct 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-25762 by Roseanna Cunningham on 29 October 2019, what its response is to evidence from Oakdene Hollins, A review of the proposed recycling DRS in Scotland, which suggests that the UK beer market is "‘highly vulnerable" to upsizing with "90% of the m…

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: As indicated in the response to S5W-25762, the analysis in the Business Regulatory Impact Assessment suggests that the deposit will not have a significant impact on consumer choice in terms of type or size of format. The decision to pursue a scheme design whi…

30 Oct 2019 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it tackles non-native invasive species.

30 Oct 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it is taking to provide the reported 1.03 million people without access to glass collection at kerbside with such facilities.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: There is a duty in the Waste (Scotland) Regulations 2012 for local authorities to provide a collection for glass and 30 out of 32 Councils have signed the Scottish Household Recycling Charter and the supporting Code of Practice. The Code of Practice is being …

30 Oct 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it will take to increase the percentage of clear glass being recycled.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The introduction of the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS) will significantly increase the quantity and quality of glass recyclate, a significant proportion of which is projected to be clear glass. Our expectation is that glass containers not captured through DRS wi…

30 Oct 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it is taking to improve recycling infrastructure such as closed loop glass reprocessing capabilities.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Zero Waste Scotland is working to encourage the development of domestic reprocessing infrastructure in Scotland, including the potential for expansion of existing capacity to attract inward investment and through initiatives such as the £18 million Circular E…