- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 March 2025
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 3 April 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to provide continuity of funding through the Rural and Islands Housing Fund.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 3 April 2025
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 March 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 17 March 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the impact of proposed employer national insurance charge increases on GP practices in Scotland, including whether there is an option for applying exemption thresholds.
Answer
Scottish Government continues to call on the UK Government for analysis and mitigation of the impact of National Insurance changes on all commissioned services in the public sector, including GP practices.
Since the Autumn Statement published on 30 October 2024, Scottish Government has made continued representation to the UK Government on the significant impact that the changes will have on the health and social care landscape. In particular we note the continued inequity which leaves many commissioned services unable to claim the Employment Allowance, despite its extension to more businesses from 6 April due to the relaxations announced in the Budget.
The Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government wrote to the Chief Secretary to the Treasury last month again highlighting the risks to GPs and other contractors and asking for specific consideration and review of the Employment Allowance to allow them to claim this relief. She further pressed the Chief Secretary on the impact of the National Insurance changes in a meeting on 27 February.
It remains the view of Scottish Government that mitigations are essential to safeguard existing service provision, and that greater recognition is needed of the impact to these vital public services – and the people who rely on them – if appropriate compensatory funding or extension of existing tax reliefs is not afforded.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 March 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 17 March 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on how the £4 million of investment for the hospice sector, outlined in its Budget for 2025-26, will be used to bring hospice staff under the Agenda for Change terms and conditions, and what the proposed timeline is for fulfilling this commitment.
Answer
The Scottish Budget 2025-26 identified funding of £5 million to help support independent hospices deliver pay parity with Agenda for Change (AfC) levels for 2025-26. Officials are undertaking work to explore the mechanisms for providing this funding, while respecting local commissioning arrangements. Funding will be provided in financial year 2025-26. Officials continue to take forward positive discussions with the Chair of the Scottish Hospice Leadership Group.
This funding does not bring hospice staff under AfC terms and conditions and is only intended to provide pay parity with NHS levels. Independent hospices will have their own terms and conditions for the staff they employ.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 March 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 17 March 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-35124 by Angela Constance on 4 March 2025, whether any of the liquidated damages provisions contained in the contract for HMP Barlinnie have been triggered, and if so, how much was paid.
Answer
I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:
I can confirm that to date, the liquidated damages provisions have not been triggered.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 March 2025
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 20 March 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that there is adequate access to support in schools for children with additional support needs in island areas, including the Orkney constituency.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 20 March 2025
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 March 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 12 March 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to renegotiate the current GP contract.
Answer
The Scottish Government remains committed to the current GP contract that was agreed with the Scottish GP Committee (SGPC) of the British Medical Association in 2018, and to ensuring the stability and sustainability of general practice. We continue to regularly discuss the contract with SGPC and other stakeholders.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 February 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 11 March 2025
To ask the Scottish Government on what dates since 2011 was the timescale for the completion of HMP Highland communicated to it, and what the estimated timescale was at each update.
Answer
There has been regular communication between the Scottish Government and the Scottish Prison Service on HMP Highland, including time-scales for completion, since 2011, in line with updates to the Infrastructure Investment Plan.
- In December 2011 the Scottish Government was updated that completion dates for HMP Highland were uncertain.
- In October 2015 the Scottish Government was updated that estimated operational date was 2019.
- In September 2016 the Scottish Government was updated that estimated operational date was 2020.
- In July 2018 the Scottish Government was updated that estimated operational date was 2021.
- In April 2019 the Scottish Government was updated that estimated operational date was 2023.
- In September 2020 the Scottish Government was updated that estimated operational date was 2024.
- In September 2022 the Scottish Government was updated that estimated operational date was 2025.
- In February 2024 the Scottish Government was updated that the most likely time-scale for construction completion was 2026.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 February 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 11 March 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what additional resources it will provide to prison officers working in overcrowded conditions at HMP Inverness until the new replacement prison is completed.
Answer
I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:
I refer the member to the answer to the question S6W-35129 on 4 March 2025. 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: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 February 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 11 March 2025
To ask the Scottish Government on what dates since 2011 were any costs of HMP Highland communicated to the Scottish Government, and what the estimated costs were on each date.
Answer
There has been regular communication between the Scottish Government and the Scottish Prison Service on HMP Highland, including costs, since 2011, in line with updates to the Infrastructure Investment Plan.
- In September 2011 the Scottish Government was updated that the total capital investment for HMP Highland was estimated at £52m.
- In August 2014 the Scottish Government was updated that the total capital investment for HMP Highland was estimated at £62.8m.
- In December 2015 the Scottish Government was updated that the total capital investment for HMP Highland was estimated at £66m.
- In July 2018 the Scottish Government was updated that the total capital investment for HMP Highland was estimated at £73.9m.
- In November 2018 the Scottish Government was updated that the total capital investment for HMP Highland was estimated at £80.5m.
- In March 2020 the Scottish Government was updated that the total capital investment for HMP Highland was estimated at £92m.
- In February 2021 the Scottish Government was updated that the total capital investment for HMP Highland was estimated at £98m - £110m.
- In July 2022 the Scottish Government was updated that the total capital investment for HMP Highland was estimated at £139.5m.
- In February 2024 the Scottish Government was updated that the total capital investment for HMP Highland would be £209m.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 February 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 11 March 2025
To ask the Scottish Government which contractors bid to build HMP Highland.
Answer
I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:
This was a 2-stage procurement process, and 4 contractors bid at the 1st stage Pre-construction phase of the process. These bidders were Balfour Beatty Group, Kier Construction, Robertson Group Ltd and Galliford Try Construction t/a Morrison Construction.
