- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 October 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 31 October 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has made an assessment of the impact of any so-called banking deserts on local communities within the Highlands and Islands region.
Answer
The Scottish Government is aware of the impact that branch closures are having on people in Scotland, particularly in rural areas and our island communities.
The regulation of financial services is reserved to the UK Government. In September the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) assumed new powers to regulate access to cash. The FCA’s access to cash regime is data-led and outcomes focused, with flexibilities to accommodate different cash needs across local areas and changing cash usage trends. The new rules seek to reasonably address the local requirements of consumers and businesses and the FCA’s expectation is that assessment processes will adapt over time based on lessons learned, data analysis, and evolving need. The FCA has indicated that it will also seek to prevent unreasonable delays in the delivery of appropriate cash access solutions as well as costs to accessing services while maintaining assisted services where needed.
LINK, a not-for-profit organisation, has been named as the coordination body under the rules and automatically carries out an assessment when there is any change to cash services within a given community. LINK also have a community request scheme that allows local people and their elected representatives to request an access to cash review if they feel the current level of cash services in their area is insufficient. LINK have stated that they welcome input from elected representatives so that they can assure themselves that they have arrived at the correct decision for areas they have assessed.
In October 2024, In my role as Minister for Business, I convened a cross-party roundtable with representatives from across the financial services sector, including the FCA, to discuss the new rules and the impact on communities, businesses, and individuals. The FCA have set out their belief that the data they will collect under the new regime will provide a more informed view of access to cash provision across the UK. Scottish Government will continue to work closely with the regulator and relevant stakeholders to understand the impact of changes to banking provision across Scotland and to collaborate on ways to support communities who need it most.
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 07 October 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 31 October 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had regarding ordering a new vessel to serve the Sound of Harris ferry route, particularly during peak periods, in light of the reported demands on the current service, which is restricted by tides and daylight hours.
Answer
The updated Vessels and Ports Plan was published on 1 February 2024 as part of the Islands Connectivity Plan. This includes a plan to replace the current Sound of Harris vessel.
CMAL has commenced work on phase two of the Small Vessel Replacement Programme which includes a replacement vessel to serve the Sound of Harris route. Design work from phase one will be expanded upon with lessons learned applied to phase two. CMAL will shortly launch a procurement process to appoint a naval architect consultant to develop the concept design.
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 October 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Graeme Dey on 31 October 2024
To ask the Scottish Government how much it estimates that it will receive in receipts from the UK Apprenticeship Levy in (a) 2024-25 and (b) 2025-26.
Answer
Since 2020-21 the Scottish Government has not received a specific allocation of the Apprenticeship Levy revenue. Scotland receives a Barnett Formula share of funding via the block grant in the usual way.
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 07 October 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 29 October 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with CalMac regarding whether it would benefit from having at least one spare ferry available in the event of a breakdown of an operating ferry.
Answer
Our updated Vessels and Ports Plan, published 1 February 2024, confirms that a “resilience vessel” will be retained in the CalMac major vessel fleet to cover planned and unplanned outages.
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 October 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 29 October 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-30086 by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 1 October 2024, whether it will provide details of the reasons why Funeral Support Payment applications were rejected in each year since 2021.
Answer
Social Security Scotland communicate the reasons why Funeral Support Payment applications are denied to applicants on an individual basis by letter. Applications can be denied if the client is not eligible or provides insufficient evidence to support their Funeral Support Payment application.
Social Security Scotland routinely publishes information on Funeral Support Payment including applications received, application outcomes and payments.
The latest statistics publication for this benefit can be found at: Social Security Scotland - Funeral Support Payment Statistics.
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 07 October 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Fairlie on 29 October 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the existing capacity of the CalMac ferry fleet for island communities in relation to the (a) current and (b) future needs of island communities.
Answer
Our Islands Connectivity Plan draft Strategic Approach paper, published 1 February 2024, noted feedback that the space for vehicles on busy ferry routes fills up quickly at popular times, especially in summer. At other times, and on other routes, there is space available for more vehicles to be carried and there is almost always space for people on any sailing at any time.
With the introduction of larger vessels and increased services, vehicle deck capacity has already increased and planned vessel deployments and service enhancements will bring further increases during the current decade.
The draft Strategic Approach set out our proposal to publish key baseline data, including on capacity, and that work is coming to its conclusion. Transport Scotland will use this information as the starting point for refreshed community needs assessments. This will support our proposed identification of key “pinch points” on the Clyde & Hebrides and Northern Isles networks and consider options for additional vehicle capacity where this is practical, beneficial and affordable.
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 07 October 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 29 October 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has had any discussions with CalMac regarding creating additional ferry fleet capacity during the 2024-25 winter timetable period, and, if so, whether it will provide details of this.
Answer
Deployment of vessels is an operational matter for CalMac, who are looking again at options for the Winter timetabling light of current challenges with the ferry fleet.
Whilst we expect the operator to make full use of the available fleet, Scottish Ministers appreciate there have been ongoing technical issues with vessels in the fleet which have complicated these considerations.
As part of this it was agreed to extend the current charter of MV Alfred for a further 6 months, which has added much needed resilience.
As well as investing in new vessels our operators and CMAL also continue to scour the market for suitable additional tonnage.
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 October 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 29 October 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what action it can take to speed up the approval process for the proposed Gasay ferry terminal development for Lochboisdale, in light of reports that the initial Lochboisdale Harbour Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance (STAG) report was published in 2017 and the local community has been waiting since then for a replacement to this lifeline service.
Answer
Work is currently progressing with additional technical and economic studies, including ground investigation scoping, now underway by CMAL. It is vital that a robust business case is completed to refine the options, costs and risks, as well as outlining affordability and value for money, taking cognisance of the current fiscal challenges across the Scottish Government.
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 07 October 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom Arthur on 29 October 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has considered allowing an exemption under section 10 of the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Act 2024 for contract workers who require overnight accommodation.
Answer
Local authorities have the freedom to create exemptions and rebates at a local level to suit the needs and demands. When local government and the tourism sector have a strong consensus that there is a need for a specific exemption from the scope of a visitor levy, the Scottish Government will explore delivery in partnership with local government.
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 October 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 28 October 2024
To ask the Scottish Government when it anticipates that it will receive the revised outline business case from CMAL for the proposed Gasay ferry terminal development for Lochboisdale.
Answer
Additional technical and economic studies, including ground investigation scoping, are now underway by CMAL and these will lead to an update of the draft Outline Business Case report.
The Outline Business Case is expected to be completed by CMAL by early 2025. It would then be subject to consideration by Transport Scotland and Scottish Ministers. Work continues on the project to develop the business case and once this work is complete, availability of funding and value for money will need to be considered
