- Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 September 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi McAllan on 15 October 2021
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a timetable of operations regarding the fulfilment of SEPA's environmental obligations relating to Tarbolton Moss Landfill Site.
Answer
It would not be appropriate for Scottish Ministers to comment on the day to day operational matters of SEPA as independent environmental regulator. However, I understand that SEPA intend to provide you with a written update regarding the Tarbolton Moss Landfill Site.
- Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 September 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi McAllan on 28 September 2021
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the situation at Tarbolton Moss Landfill Site, and what plans it has to clean up the site.
Answer
Although not responsible for the site, the Scottish Government has agreed to fund the first phase of work at the Tarbolton landfill site, which will begin to reduce the environmental and amenity impact of the site. As part of this first phase, work to remove giant hogweed from the site was successfully completed in July.
SEPA is currently procuring the bulk of the first phase of work and I am grateful to SEPA for offering to undertake this procurement.
While the Scottish Government is not responsible for the site, we continue to work with our public partners to consider further actions for its longer-term restoration.
- Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 27 August 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 24 September 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what number of empty homes were acquired using compulsory purchase orders in (a) 2018-19, (b) 2019-20, (c) 2020-21 and (d) 2021-22, to date.
Answer
Year | Number |
1 April 2018 – 31 March 2019 | 3 |
1 April 2019 – 31 March 2020 | 5 |
1 April 2020 – 31 March 2021 | 5 |
1 April 2021 – present | 3 |
- Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 20 September 2021
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 23 September 2021
To ask the First Minister whether she will provide an update on the Scottish Government's work with the UK Government to create freeports in Scotland.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 23 September 2021
- Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 16 August 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 13 September 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the future use of rubber granulate as infill in artificial sports pitches.
Answer
The Scottish Government is aware of the paper published by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) on the use of rubber granulates in artificial sports pitches. Also that ECHA, through its EU REACH process, has placed some restrictions on the use of rubber granules in the EU.
We recognise the impact the deliberate introduction of these granules has on the natural environment and that the EU restrictions might have an impact on the supply of rubber granules.
Our National Agency for Sport, sport scotland, will be participating in a UK Sports Agency meeting in September where the use of the infill will be discussed.
- Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 16 August 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Graeme Dey on 13 September 2021
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the construction of the Maybole bypass, and what the estimated opening date is for it.
Answer
The construction of the A77 Maybole Bypass project is progressing well and recently achieved a significant milestone on 23 July 2021, as Contractor Wills Bros Civil Engineering completed the beam installation of the third, and final, bridge on the project. A link to the news article on the Transport Scotland website is as follows:
Bridging the gap for the Maybole Bypass (transport.gov.scot)
The project is anticipated to be complete in winter 2021 as confirmed in the Infrastructure Investment Plan update published in February 2021. This date is subject to any unforeseen circumstances such as the effects of exceptional weather.
- Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 August 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 7 September 2021
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the progress of the planned review of the home report, due in 2021, whether the review will include a consultation and, if so, by what date that consultation will open.
Answer
The work on the Home Report Review had been delayed to allow for available resources to support the Scottish Government’s continuing response to the pandemic, though preparatory work for the review has been progressed.
The timetable for initiating this review, which will include substantial engagement with key stakeholders, will be subject to resources and kept under review.
- Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 27 August 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom Arthur on 2 September 2021
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its plans to introduce proposals for Compulsory Sales Orders.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-02179 on
1 September 2021. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers .
- Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 August 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Kate Forbes on 31 August 2021
To ask the Scottish Government in light of the Audit Scotland's report, The 2019/20 audit of the Scottish Government Consolidated Accounts, what steps it is taking to ensure that there is greater transparency regarding financial support and public funds provided to private firms such as Glasgow Prestwick Airport.
Answer
We remain committed to financial transparency. Transactions are reported to Audit Scotland and disclosed in the Scottish Government’s annual accounts. Ministers also keep Parliament and Committees informed at appropriate junctures. This transparency is balanced against the need for commercial confidentiality where required to protect commercial interests.
To improve our approach when providing support we have strengthened our internal commercial capacity and are making updates to the Scottish Public Finance Manual.
The Permanent Secretary wrote to the Public Audit and Post-Legislative Scrutiny Committee on 19 February 2021 on how the Scottish Government is strengthening its approach to providing support and managing its on-going interests in businesses. Please find a link to the letter here .
- Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 August 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Kate Forbes on 26 August 2021
To ask the Scottish Government how it will recover the £33.4 million removed from the value of the £43.4 million loan provided to Glasgow Prestwick Airport, as recorded in 2019-20 Transport Scotland annual accounts.
Answer
The loan was impaired on the basis of the risk of an Expected Credit Loss as we are required to do in accordance with IFRS 9. The loan has been impaired in the accounts but it has not been written off and legally the full value and its accrued interest remains repayable.