- Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 20 September 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 15 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that the QR code for its COVID-19 vaccine certification system is wholly compatible with vaccine certification apps in (a) Germany and (b) all other countries.
Answer
The Scottish Government have been working with the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, and the Border Force to ensure to ensure that our QR codes are accepted and compatible at international borders where required. Currently only a small number of countries require a QR code to be displayed.
- Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 11 November 2021
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 18 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body when it last met trade unions representing Scottish Parliamentary Service and MSP staff.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 18 November 2021
- Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 October 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Graeme Dey on 10 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government, within Control Period 6 of the East Kilbride Corridor Enhancement project, whether it still plans to deliver (a) double-tracking of the single-line section between East Kilbride and Busby railway stations, (b) the relocation of Hairmyres railway station to a new location approximately 600m to the west, (c) enhanced passenger facilities at East Kilbride railway station, including a new station building and improved passenger circulation space and (d) a four trains per hour, eight-car, zero-emissions service during peak times between East Kilbride and Glasgow Central.
Answer
Within the current control period, 2019 – 2024, it is the intention to (a) deliver the full electrification of the existing single track route between East Kilbride and Glasgow central and b) to deliver the relocation of Hairmyres railway station approx. 600 m to the west transforming it into an active travel hub.
In addition the project will c) enhance passenger facilities and circulation at East Kilbride with a new station building and d) continue to operate a four trains per hour service at peak times using cleaner, greener trains offering a zero-emissions service between East Kilbride and Glasgow Central.
- Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 07 October 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 9 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government how much each group funded under the new Equalities and Human Rights Fund for 2021-24 received, and what work each group has been funded to undertake.
Answer
The organisations funded under the Equality and Human Rights Fund are taking forward work that meet the aims and objectives of the fund, which are:
To fund, support, develop and learn from civil society organisations and partnerships that:
1. Develop and deliver work that is grounded in the progression, protection and realisation of human rights.
2. Deliver support to address the needs of people facing structural inequality and develop and deliver work to increase participation and empowerment.
3. Support delivery of commitments within relevant Scottish Government equality and human right strategies, action plans and documents.
4. Generate data, learning and insight into the experience of people to support analysis and challenge on equality and human rights issues, across a wide range of policy areas.
A list of the successful applicants is available on the Scottish Government website Equality and Human Rights Fund: projects funded - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) .
- Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 25 October 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 8 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government whether it considered introducing regulations to prevent the price gouging of accommodation during the COP26 conference.
Answer
The Scottish Government is acutely aware of reports of excessively high pricing in the accommodation sector in Glasgow during the COP26 summit and there are existing policies in place designed to address this issue.
Responsibility for consumer protection policy is reserved to the UK Government. Consumer protection enforcement lies with Local Authority Trading Standards Services (LATS) unless it is a market-wide issue which would be considered by the Competition and Market Authority. If people see potential price gouging issues they should contact Advice Direct Scotland (ADS) a national service funded by Scottish Government which is available to all citizens of Scotland. They are available at https://www.consumeradvice.scot/ and also on 0808 164 6000 . ADS will in turn notify LATS and the national team, Trading Standards Scotland (TSS), for further examination.
Although we recognise that this is ultimately a situation of market supply and demand, it is important to note that actions like this are likely to influence consumer attitudes and behaviour in the future. Businesses offering good quality accommodation at a fair price will continue to uphold Scotland’s reputation as a welcoming country, encouraging visitors to return.
- Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 October 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 3 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the debate on motion S6M-01293 (A Net Zero Nation) on 21 September 2021, whether it will provide a substantive response to the comments raised regarding whether it will commit to having a fit-for-purpose industrial strategy for the development of a vertically-integrated renewable energy manufacturing supply chain.
Answer
The Scottish Government is committed to ending our contribution to climate change within a generation. Our Programme for Government sets out our aim to generate 50% of Scotland’s overall energy consumption from renewable sources, and to have decarbonised our energy system almost completely by 2050.
Our vision and roadmap for the energy sector includes a Just Transition Plan for Energy at the heart of our refreshed Energy Strategy, publishing as one coherent document in spring 2022.
On our ambitions for offshore wind, we were clear in our policy statement published in 2020, that we have an ambition of up to 11GW of offshore wind by 2030. ScotWind bids are currently being assessed by Crown Estate Scotland with results of successful bidders known in early 2022 but this will provide us with a strong pipeline of projects. From that we want to ensure that economic benefits and supply chain opportunities are seized upon in Scotland.
This is why in August, the Scottish Offshore Wind Energy Council (SOWEC) published its Strategic Infrastructure Assessment (SIA) for Offshore Wind. The report has five main recommendations which are directed at both the sector and government, and the primary recommendation focusses on bringing the manufacturing of floating offshore wind platforms to Scotland through creation of a Scottish Floating Offshore Wind Port Cluster, with ports acting in partnership to provide the required infrastructure area and capability needed to attract manufacturers to use Scottish ports and invest in Scotland.
I look forward to SOWEC taking forward next steps on the recommendations set out in the report.
- Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 October 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Graeme Dey on 2 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the debate on motion S6M-01293 (A Net Zero Nation) on 21 September 2021, whether it will provide a substantive response to the issues raised regarding alternative engineering solutions to the reconstruction of the Woodside viaducts on the M8 in Glasgow at the reported expense of introducing new active travel routes to the city, and what its position is on how this might be interpreted internationally ahead of COP26.
Answer
The M8 Woodside Viaducts are essential links in the M8 central Scotland urban motorway, vital for the economy and connectivity of Scotland. Therefore, the repair of the viaducts and removal of restrictions is high priority. A number of potential remedies were considered but the propping solution was assessed as the best option in terms of timescale and value for the public purse. The viaducts carry 150,000 vehicles per day in normal times, which would be difficult to accommodate by other routes or modes. Part of the Underline Project, an active travel corridor route from Cambridge Street to St George’s Road extending below the viaducts, has been deferred to allow the viaducts repair work to be completed. Several excavations are required in this area and it would be abortive to construct this part only for it to be disrupted by the repair works. This has been fully discussed and agreed with Glasgow City Council. On completion, the Underline project will deliver a key cross-Glasgow active travel corridor in line with the commitments given in the motion and contribute to the net zero aims of COP26.
- Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 October 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Graeme Dey on 2 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the debate on motion S6M-01293 (A Net Zero Nation) on 21 September 2021, whether it will provide a substantive response to the comments raised regarding for what reason no new railway lines have been constructed in Glasgow in the last 15 years.
Answer
Glasgow already benefits from an extensive rail network. With a total of 155 stations in the Glasgow City Region it is the busiest suburban rail network in Britain outside London. Therefore the focus of investment has very properly been on the development of that network, which has benefited from substantial improvements as part of the more than £9bn invested in rail infrastructure in Scotland since 2007.
These investments have included extensive electrification of routes into Glasgow and substantial new, emission free train fleets serving those routes. Glasgow Queen Street has been rebuilt and transformed, Glasgow Central capacity has benefited from an additional platform, and in 2019, a new station opened at Robroyston to provide local residents with a sustainable travel option.
Further rail enhancements, in Glasgow and more widely across the country, are planned as part of the Decarbonisation Action Plan ( Rail Services Decarbonisation Action Plan (transport.gov.scot) ) with our future transport investment decisions directed by the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2). That review will conclude this winter, with publication of recommendations for investment and will be followed by the appropriate statutory consultation period.
- Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 25 October 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Kevin Stewart on 2 November 2021
To ask the Scottish Government by what date it plans to increase its contribution to the Personal and Nursing Care allowance in order to reduce the amount that self-funders are expected to pay for residential accommodation in residential care settings.
Answer
The Scottish Government has committed to bringing Free Personal and Nursing Care rates for those self-funding residential care into line with the National Care Home Contract. We are currently consulting on this as part of the National Care Service consultation, which runs until 2 November 2021.
- Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 01 November 2021
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 4 November 2021
To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to Glasgow City Council cleansing workers taking strike action from 1 November and throughout COP26 due to low pay.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 4 November 2021
