Parliamentary questions

Dean Lockhart

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

4 Mar 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the (a) European Social Fund and (b) European Regional Development Fund scheme was suspended.

Answer · Ivan McKee: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-35761 on 12 March 2021. 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/…

4 Mar 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has been informed of any penalties that are payable as a result of the suspension of the (a) European Social Fund and (b) European Regional Development Fund scheme.

4 Mar 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the maximum potential penalty is that the EU Commission can impose on it as a result of the suspension of the (a) European Social Fund and (b) European Regional Development Fund scheme.

3 Mar 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many public libraries were open in 2007, and how many are open in 2021.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Public library services in Scotland are devolved to local authorities which have a statutory duty to secure the provision of adequate library facilities for all persons resident in their area. The last figures which have been published by CIPFA are for 2019-…

3 Mar 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its commitment to raise tree-planting rates from 10,000 hectares to 15,000 hectares per year by 2025, how many hectares of trees were planted in (a) 2019 and (b) 2020.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: Forest Research publishes National Statistics on the area of new woodland creation, which can be found at the following website: Forestry Statistics and Forestry Facts & Figures - Forest Research In Scotland in (a) 2018-19, 11,210 hectares and (b) 2019-20, …

3 Mar 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much of the £50 million town centre regeneration fund, which was announced in 2019 has been spent, broken down by local authority area, and how much of the funding has come from (a) its budget (b) the budgets of local authorities.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: Local authorities have received all of the £50 million Scottish Government funding for the 2019-20 capital Town Centre Fund from its budget. Allocations are set out below. In February 2020, Ministers agreed to extend the expenditure and project completion de…

3 Mar 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much electricity it estimates will be exported from Scotland to England and Wales in 2020-21, and how this compares with 2006-07.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: Scotland’s own electricity supply is secure, with our abundant generation of electricity via wind meaning that Scotland has long been a net exporter of electricity. In 2019, Scotland exported almost 17.1 TWh, equivalent to powering every household in Scotland…

3 Mar 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many people have received support each year from the Digital Start Fund, and what the (a) average and (b) total payment has been.

Answer · Kate Forbes: Number of individuals commencing training Value of contracts awarded to providers 2019-20 Totals 173 £704,375 2020-21 Totals 235 £1,109,161* * Actual spend may be lower since SDS are in the process of receiving evidence of completion from prov…

2 Mar 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the total cost to date is, including consultancy fees, of establishing the proposed publicly-owned energy company.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: To date in developing the public energy company ambition, independent consultants have produced a Strategic Outline Case, Outline Business Case and a research report into the concept of Heat as a Service, totalling £517,876.10 inc VAT.

2 Mar 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answers to questions S5W-34432 and S5W-34434 by Fiona Hyslop on 20 January 2021, whether it will provide an update on the estimated (a) completion cost and (b) delivery date for each of the hybrid ferries that are under construction at Ferguson Marine.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Tim Hair, Turnaround Director of Ferguson Marine, is preparing an update for the Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee on the delivery timetable and budget for vessels 801 and 802. This will be submitted prior to parliamentary recess on 25 March and will b…

2 Mar 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the economic impact of the recent closures of the Queensferry Crossing.

Answer · Michael Matheson: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-27514 on 28 February 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/parliamentarybusine…

2 Mar 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure there is adequate access to banking services in response to the closure of a number of bank branches.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Bank branch closures are a matter of great concern, affecting communities across Scotland. I engage regularly with the banks through the Banking and Economy Forum and work in partnership through the Financial Services Advisory Board (FiSAB) to maintain and gr…

1 Mar 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it gives to local authorities regarding how they can protect private water supplies of existing householders in relation to planning applications that require an additional private supply or water being taken from an existing supply.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government has not given guidance to local authorities as The Water Intended for Human Consumption (Private Supplies)(Scotland) Regulations 2017 makes clear the Duty of Care that must be exercised in respect of preserving the quality of an existi…

1 Mar 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it gives to local authorities to ensure that an existing householder's supply of water, whether private or otherwise, is protected, particularly in relation to planning applications.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-35649 on 16 March 2021. 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/…