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Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S6W-11976

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maggie Chapman (on behalf of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body on 18 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body how many staff members have been employed in the Scottish Information Commissioner's office (a) in total and (b) for the purpose of handling FOI request appeals, in each of the last five years.

The average number of FTE staff employed by the Scottish Information Commissioner in the last five years broken down into the total number of staff employed and those employed for the purpose of handling FOI request appeals is set out in the table below.

Year	No of staff [FTE]	Staff handling FOI request appeals [FTE](1)
2022-2023	18.4	11.6(2)
2021-2022	25.01	13.4
2020-2021	23.6	14.2
2019-2020	22.8	14.7
2018-2019	21.4	13.5
2017-2018	20	14

(1) The figures include all members of the Commissioner’s Enforcement Team which handle FOI request appeals made to the Commissioner. The Enforcement Team consists of the Head of Enforcement, Deputy Heads of Enforcement, Freedom of Information Officers (Investigators), Validation Officers, and the Enforcement Team Support Assistant.

(2) actual FTE numbers of staff employed as at 15/11/22. The Commissioner is in the process of recruiting 3 Enforcement Team investigators.

Question reference: S6W-11977

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maggie Chapman (on behalf of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body on 18 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what budget was allocated to the Scottish Information Commissioner's office in each of the last five years.

Question reference: S6O-01581

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 November 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Orkney Islands Council regarding the Scottish Budget 2022-23.

Question reference: S6W-12000

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 16 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6F-01419 by Nicola Sturgeon on 6 October 2022, what consideration it has given in its discussions with the UK Government to facilitating new investment in Scotland’s islands.

Discussions with the UK Government on possible Investment Zones remain at an exploratory stage: but we have been clear that any Investment Zones in Scotland would have to be the right fit for Scotland’s economy, reflect our policy and governance landscape, and respect the devolution settlement, in particular in relation to planning and environmental protection. The UK Government is currently reviewing its policy, and we await further information.

Question reference: S6W-12001

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 16 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6F-01419 by Nicola Sturgeon on 6 October 2022, whether it has had any further discussions with the UK Government on this matter, and, if so, what the outcomes of these have been.

Question reference: S6W-11970

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 16 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when it will provide further information on the £1.4 million Island Cost Crisis Emergency fund, which was announced by the Deputy First Minister as part of the Emergency Budget Review on 2 November 2022.

The £1.4 million Islands Cost Crisis Emergency Fund was developed acknowledging islands are uniquely exposed to the current cost crisis.

In line with due process, the joint Scottish Government/COSLA Settlement Distribution Group will make recommendations on the allocation mechanism for the funding at their next meeting on 15 November. COSLA Leaders will be asked to give their final sign-off on 25 November.

As soon as possible after that date we will be in a position to share further information about allocation of the Fund. However, we can share that we will allow as much flexibility to Local Authorities as possible and support them to complement existing or new measures where appropriate. Any criteria and reporting processes required will be very light touch to minimise the impact on the workloads of Local Authorities colleagues.

Question reference: S6O-01544

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 November 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what priority it attaches to developing relationships with other European countries.

Question reference: S6W-11825

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 28 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 9 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-11322 by Michael Matheson on 26 October 2022, whether it will provide a breakdown of the £336 million allocated in 2022-23 by (a) local authority area and (b) type of measure.

The Scottish Government has allocated £64 million by council area as part of our Area Based Schemes for 2022-23. Details of the grant allocations and outturns for each council as part of our Area Based Schemes programme since 2013 are published on the Scottish Government website.

Area Based Schemes: allocation per local authority - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

The majority of local schemes aim to deliver external wall insulation but numbers of measures delivered reflects individual retrofit assessments of properties. These are reported by councils and published on the Scottish Government website.

Area Based Schemes: annual final measures reports - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Funding for national schemes, such as the Warmer Homes Scotland service, is not allocated by council area but reflects numbers of successful applications by householders or organisations. The Scottish Government will publish further details about the number of measures delivered by each scheme as part of wider annual reporting at national level.

Question reference: S6W-11826

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 28 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 9 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-11322 by Michael Matheson on 26 October 2022, whether it will provide a breakdown of the £119 million targeted at fuel poor households in 2022-23 by (a) local authority area and (b) type of measure.

Question reference: S6W-11824

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 28 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 9 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-11322 by Michael Matheson on 26 October 2022, how much of the £119 million targeted at fuel poor households in 2022-23 has been allocated to (a) Orkney and (b) Shetland.

Year	Approved Budget
2022/23	£2,120k
2021/22	£2,030k
2020/21	£1,903k
2019/20	£1,673k
2018/19	£1,565k
2017/18	£1,573k