- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 10 April 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 24 April 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of the 2025-26 social care budget will be used to support essential frontline services, as opposed to administrative overheads or bureaucracy.
Answer
The 2025-26 Scottish Budget includes almost £2.2 billion for social care and integration – exceeding our commitment to increase funding by 25% by almost £350 million.
However, While the Scottish Government has overall responsibility for health and social care policy in Scotland, it is for local authorities and health boards to work with the Health and Social Care Partnerships (HSCPs) to ensure that social care support services are in place to provide people with the appropriate support.
Decisions on how best to deliver services to local communities are ultimately for integration authorities and locally elected representatives to make.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 April 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 24 April 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential economic impact of the recently announced USA import tariffs on Scotland-based businesses, and what representations it has made to the UK Government in response.
Answer
We are acutely aware of the risk tariffs on the UK and globally pose on Scottish businesses.
We have carried out initial analysis of trade statistics to understand Scottish exposure to US trade across key products and where that may differ from the UK economy.
The First Minister discussed the matter with the Prime Minister on 11 April and made clear urgent action should be taken to protect Scotland’s economic interests.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 April 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 24 April 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what contingency planning it has undertaken to mitigate the economic consequences of any tariffs being placed on Scotch whisky in foreign markets.
Answer
The Scottish Government continues to provide support to the entire food and drink sector to help businesses with their economic growth ambitions. This includes £10 million funding for the period 2023-2025 to support the implementation of Scotland's food and drink strategy “Sustaining Scotland, Supplying the World” which outlines how we are driving growth for businesses across various sectors, including the drinks industry. In addition, we have invested over £7 million in the Scotland Food and Drink Export Plan since 2014, helping Scottish businesses to capitalise on key global market opportunities. Specifically in relation to whisky the Scottish Government continues to actively engage with the UK Government to strike a good deal for whisky in the proposed India Free Trade Agreement, which is the largest market for whisky in the world.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 April 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 24 April 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the reported calls for it to have urgent engagement with the UK Government and international partners regarding securing tariff exemptions for Scotch whisky.
Answer
The Scottish Government continues to engage with all our partners to call for a long-term return to tariff free trading that has been mutually beneficial for the Scottish and US spirits sectors, as part of a wider UK-US negotiated solution. I met with the UK Minister for Trade Policy and Economic Security on 2 April to discuss this. The Deputy First Minister met with the US Chamber of Commerce on 3 April and the First Minister met with senior figures in the whisky sector in New York on 7 April to hear directly from the business leaders involved and hosted a business round table which included the Scotch Whisky Association and the Food and Drink Federation on 16 April. The First Minister also met with the Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, on the 11 April to discuss tariffs amongst other topics.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 April 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Alasdair Allan on 24 April 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the provision of additional financial support for housing decarbonisation.
Answer
The Scottish Government has regular discussions with the UK Government about heat decarbonisation. For example, we continue to press the UK Government to align delivery of the Energy Company Obligation and Great British Insulation Schemes with Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategies.
While heat and energy efficiency are devolved, however, we need to see further and urgent action by the UK Government in reserved areas. These actions, which include market reforms designed to make electricity cheaper to use than gas, will be vital to ensure that the transition is fair and affordable.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 03 April 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 24 April 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with international firms operating in Scotland regarding expanding domestic supply chains.
Answer
The Scottish Government along with Scottish Development International and Enterprise Agencies are actively engaged with business and international firms operating in Scotland to expand the domestic supply chains. For instance, Scottish Enterprise works with more than 350 foreign owned businesses to support their growth which includes encouraging the benefits of engaging with local supply chain companies.
This is achieved by building on the strength of Scotland’s innovation ecosystem, which supports technology development and skills across a wide range of manufacturing sectors, leveraging the knowledge and expertise of industry bodies, partners and Scotland’s academic institutions. This approach will enable our manufacturing sector to take advantage of emerging market opportunities, such as offshore wind, hydrogen and future industries in which Scotland has the potential to excel.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 April 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Alasdair Allan on 24 April 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how it will support social housing providers in complying with greener heat regulations that they find unaffordable.
Answer
The social housing sector has been outperforming the housing stock overall in terms of EPC ratings in recent years. The Scottish House Condition Survey found 65% of Scotland’s social housing stock rated EPC band C or better. Scottish Government provides grant funding support to social landlords to implement clean heating systems and energy efficiency measures in their existing stock through the Social Housing Net Zero Heat Fund.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 03 April 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Fairlie on 24 April 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish a summary of contingency plans for power loss at government-owned or supported airports, including any recent risk assessments or drills conducted.
Answer
In general, the Scottish Government has no role in day to day operations at airports in Scotland as these are regulated by the UK Government and its associated agencies. For power loss specifically, this would be a matter for the electricity distribution networks, who in turn are governed and regulated by the UK Government and OFGEM respectively.
However, the Scottish Government works closely with Highland and Islands Airport Limited (HIAL) and we remain assured that robust measures are in place to ensure all 11 airports operated by HIAL have sufficient power. Contingency plans are also in place for these airports should the primary powers sources be affected.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 April 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 24 April 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with NHS (a) boards, (b) frontline staff and (c) patients regarding the latest satisfaction survey.
Answer
Through our work on NHS renewal we are continuing to collect views through a series of engagements with a wide range of stakeholders. This builds on the feedback and understanding gained through the Health and Care Experience Survey and other channels. We are translating this into action and transformation through our ongoing work with NHS Boards, supporting staff to help deliver against the recently published Operational Improvement Plan, and building through the forthcoming population health framework and health and social care renewal framework
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 April 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Alasdair Allan on 24 April 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers the level of funding for the Social Housing Net Zero Heat Fund to be adequate to meet its stated targets.
Answer
The Social Housing Net Zero Heat Fund has supported over 13,000 social homes since its launch, investing approximately £70 million in energy efficiency and clean heat projects.
While public funding and support will continue to play a big part in the clean heat transition for social housing, decarbonising Scotland’s buildings will require a mix of both public and private finance with the recent Green Heat Finance Taskforce Part 2 report exploring how to attract greater private investment. The Scottish Government will respond to the Taskforce report in the coming months.