Alexander Stewart

6 Apr 2023 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many affordable homes it has delivered in the past year.

28 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to hold discussions with the UK Government regarding the location of the proposed new Investment Zone in Scotland, as announced in the UK Government's Spring Budget.

Answer · Neil Gray: Scottish Government officials are in exploratory discussion with the UK Government on their evolving proposals for Investment Zones and how they could work in Scotland. They have emphasised that any zones in Scotland must be developed in partnership between t…

28 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met with the director of the Scottish Retail Consortium.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: Scottish Government Ministers and officials meet regularly with David Lonsdale, the Director of the Scottish Retail Consortium (SRC), through engagement with the SRC but also through other means such as the Scottish Government Retail Industry Leadership Group…

28 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met with the chief executive of the Scottish Chambers of Commerce.

Answer · Neil Gray: The Minister for Small Business, Innovation and Trade met the Chief Executive of the Scottish Chambers of Commerce on 18 April. The First Minister and the I had a call with the main business organisations on 20 April and the Chief Executive took part in that …

28 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met with the directors of finance of each local authority.

Answer · Tom Arthur: Scottish Government officials meet with local authority Directors of Finance representatives on a monthly basis and last met on 10 March 2023. The Scottish Government will continue to meet with COSLA and individual local authorities on a regular basis to cove…

28 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the Cabinet Secretary for Finance next plans to meet with the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Answer · Shona Robison: I have written an introductory letter to the Chief Secretary to the Treasury which was copied to the Chancellor of the Exchequer. I will meet with the Chief Secretary on 2 May to discuss matters such as the cost of living crisis, NHS funding and the Scottish …

28 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Scottish Fiscal Commission’s Fiscal Sustainability Report, published in March 2023, in which it projects that Scotland's GDP will grow "by an average of 1.2 per cent each year between 2027-28 and 2072-73, 0.4 percentage points lower on average than the OBR's M…

Answer · Neil Gray: The Scottish Fiscal Commission’s Fiscal Sustainability Report sets out that the projection of lower GDP growth in Scotland than the UK is primarily due to demographic change, with Scotland’s population aged 16-64 projected to fall by 16 per cent over the next…

28 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Scottish Fiscal Commission’s Fiscal Sustainability Report, published in March 2023, which stated that it will face “significant challenges in funding the future provision of devolved public services in Scotland”.

Answer · Shona Robison: The SFC’s Fiscal Sustainability Report is an important contribution to the debate on fiscal sustainability and highlights potential impacts of demographic change on the Scottish public finances over the next fifty years. These challenges are not unique to Sco…

28 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the cost of the R100 programme has been to date, and what the projected cost will be to completion.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The three R100 contracts have a total value of £648.7 million. By the end of March 2023, £116.4 million had been spent, which is line with our expectations at this stage of contract delivery. The remainder of the funding will be utilised in the period to Marc…

28 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it expects the R100 programme to be completed.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The R100 contracts, which are delivering full fibre, gigabit capable connections across the length and breadth of Scotland, are currently expected to conclude during 2027-28. For those properties beyond the reach of the R100 contract build or commercial cove…

28 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much additional investment it expects will be generated by the increase to the International Trade and Investment budget line in the Scottish Budget 2023-24.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The International Trade and Investment budget funds the delivery of three key plans. These are: A Trading Nation - Scotland's Export Growth Plan; Scotland's Inward Investment Plan and Scotland's Global Capital Investment Plan. Together these work to deliver e…

22 Mar 2023 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has for the Covid Recovery and Parliamentary Business portfolio.

9 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that there is adequate (a) weekend and (b) evening ambulance cover in rural Stirlingshire, in light of recent reports that there has been no cover at two ambulance stations.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Ensuring the adequate availability of ambulance resources throughout Scotland is an operational matter for the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS). The Service advise that there is no truth to any report of there being no cover at ambulance stations in Stirling…

16 Feb 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the Water and Sewerage Charges Exemption Scheme, whether it will consider retroactively applying an exemption to any registered charity or SCIO for the 2022-23 financial year, and for subsequent years, until the current cost of living crisis is under control.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Whilst organisations are encouraged to apply in advance, registered charities and community amateur sports clubs (CASCs) have until 31 March 2023 to apply for the water and sewerage charges exemption scheme for the 2022-23 financial year. If exemption is gran…

2 Feb 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to rectify any potentially dangerous new street layouts, aimed at encouraging walking and cycling, which are reportedly impacting the daily lives of visually impaired people.

Answer · Patrick Harvie: Responsibility for the management of local roads, including decision making on street layouts, remains with local authorities as set out in the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984. The Scottish Government supports local authorities to deliver safe and accessible activ…

30 Jan 2023 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to a recent study conducted by the Scottish Retail Consortium, which found that one in six shops are lying empty in Scotland.

24 Jan 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it last (a) reviewed the legislation and (b) held a public consultation on wildfowling.

Answer · Mairi McAllan: NatureScot are currently undertaking a review on Schedule 2 (the quarry list) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, which determines the species that can currently be taken by wildfowlers. NatureScot will provide a report to the Scottish Government once t…

24 Jan 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it enforces the requirement that shooting takes place from below the high water mark at estuarine and coastal locations.

Answer · Mairi McAllan: Any shooting from above the high water mark of ordinary spring tides, without the landowner's permission, is an offence under the Firearms Act 1968 and the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981. As with all wildlife crime, enforcement is a matter for Police Scotlan…

24 Jan 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason shooting is permitted at, or adjacent to, sites that have statutory protection, such as National Nature Reserves, Sites of Special Scientific Interest and Local Nature Reserves.

Answer · Mairi McAllan: The legislation underpinning Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) requires that NatureScot identifies any activities that are likely to damage the natural features for which the site is designated. These activities are listed for each site as ‘Operatio…

24 Jan 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it permits the shooting of wildfowl within 10 yards of locations where birds fly in to roost.

Answer · Mairi McAllan: There is no specific legislation that prohibits the shooting of wildfowl within 10 yards of locations where birds fly in to roost. The rules applying to the hunting of wildfowl are set out in the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981. These rules do not prohibit t…

24 Jan 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it permits the shooting of wildfowl from locations immediately next to public footpaths.

Answer · Mairi McAllan: Firearms holders must be licensed by Police Scotland and may only shoot over land where they have permission, and where it is safe to do so without risk to public safety or the peace. Most firearms licensing law is reserved and Police Scotland are responsible…

17 Jan 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what research it has collected on the potential impact of long-term use of e-cigarettes on the lungs of people with lung conditions.

Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government are conducting a review of evidence for the refreshed Tobacco Action Plan due to be published in Autumn 2023. Currently this review includes two studies which look at the long-term use of e-cigarettes on health outcomes in England and …

17 Jan 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made in updating the Tobacco Action Plan, and on what dates the (a) external and (b) internal working groups met to discuss the new Tobacco Action Plan.

Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government continues to make progress on drafting the refreshed Tobacco Action Plan and this is due to published in Autumn 2023. The following table details the number of meetings of the Tobacco Action Plan - Short Life Working Groups since thei…

17 Jan 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with (a) the UK Government and (a) other devolved governments regarding the (i) marketing, (ii) availability (including flavouring) and (iii) packaging of vaping and e-cigarette products.

Answer · Maree Todd: The Scottish Government meets with the UK Government and devolved governments regularly on a 4-nations basis to discuss tobacco control, including vaping policy. Discussions have included the marketing, availability (including flavourings) and packaging of va…

17 Jan 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of progress made regarding each of the commitments of the Respiratory Care Action Plan according to those (a) achieved, (b) in progress and (c) not yet started.

Answer · Maree Todd: We are currently drafting a summary of progress on the implementation of the Respiratory Care Action Plan that will include proposals for next steps. The summary will then be taken to the Scottish Respiratory Advisory Committee (SRAC) in the Spring for consid…

17 Jan 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the (a) Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care and (b) Minister for Public Health, Women’s Health and Sport last met with (i) the chair of the Scottish Respiratory Advisory Committee and (ii) lead clinicians involved in the implementation of the Respiratory Care Action Plan.

Answer · Maree Todd: The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care has not met with the Chair or Lead Clinician of the Scottish Respiratory Advisory Committee (SRAC). I have not met with the Chair or Lead Clinician of the Scottish Respiratory Advisory Committee.

17 Jan 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made on implementing the commitments of the Respiratory Care Action Plan.

Answer · Maree Todd: Since publication of the Respiratory Care Action Plan in 2021, we have established the Scottish Respiratory Advisory Committee (SRAC) to provide governance and oversight of its implementation.Three priority areas for Year 1 were identified by the SRAC and pro…

10 Jan 2023 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has carried out an assessment of the potential impact of its decision to end the Network Support Grant Plus for bus operators.

19 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many firms will be eligible for 100% rates relief under the Small Business Bonus Scheme in (a) 2022-23 and (b) 2023-24.

Answer · Tom Arthur: As at 1 July 2022, there were 114,880 properties in receipt of 100% Small Business Bonus Scheme (SBBS) relief and a further 1,140 properties that were in receipt of 100% rates relief as a result of a combined partial award of SBBS relief and another NDR relie…

16 Dec 2022 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many full-time equivalent staff, broken down by grade, have been employed by Public Health Scotland and its predecessors, Health Protection Scotland and NHS Scotland’s Information Services Division, to work on tobacco policy in each year since 2017-18.

Answer · Maree Todd: This is a matter for Public Health Scotland. The information requested is not held centrally.