- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 April 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Christina McKelvie on 4 May 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that (a) libraries remain open and (b) no librarian jobs are lost.
Answer
Scottish Government officials work closely with the Scottish Library and Information Council (SLIC), which provides leadership and advice to Scottish Ministers, local authorities, and the wider libraries sector.
In 2020-21, 2021-22 and 2022-23, we provided funding of £665,000 to SLIC as recognition of the importance of our public libraries, and as an expression of our support for the excellent services they provide. This is on top of the Scottish Government’s general revenue funding to local authorities and includes the Public Library Improvement Fund that supports creative, sustainable and innovative public library projects throughout Scotland.
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 13 April 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Kevin Stewart on 2 May 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on (a) how many children and (b) what percentage of school-age pupils have taken part in cycling proficiency training courses in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.
Answer
The following table shows the percentage of primary schools delivering Level 2 Bikeability training for each year broken down by local authority. The entries showing "no return" reflect that Argyll & Bute, East Ayrshire and North Ayrshire delivered alternative training. Argyll and Bute and East Ayrshire started delivering Bikeability training in 2020-21.
During 2021-2022 there was a 20% increase in the number of pupils participating in Bikeability Scotland. A record 52,604 pupils received training.
59% of primary schools are timetabling cycle training and delivering at least one level of Bikeability Scotland. 50% of schools delivered the national standard, level 2 on-road programme shown to have the greatest impact.
LOCAL AUTHORITY | 2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 | 2013-14 | 2014-15 | 2015-16 | 2016-17 | 2017-18 | 2018-19 | 2019-20 | 2020-21 | 2021-22 |
Aberdeen City | 21% | 25% | 31% | 57% | 68% | 62% | 68% | 42% | 47% | 9% | 27% | 67% |
Aberdeenshire | 93% | 93% | 76% | 91% | 91% | 63% | 80% | 79% | 85% | 27% | 51% | 65% |
Angus | 74% | 72% | 74% | 57% | 43% | 45% | 50% | 67% | 78% | 41% | 71% | 88% |
Argyll & Bute | 45% | No return | No return | No return | No return | No return | No return | No return | No return | No return | pilot ongoing |
Clackmannanshire | 11% | 11% | 37% | 37% | 39% | 44% | 17% | 33% | 100% | 33% | 100% | 100% |
Dumfries & Galloway | 70% | 73% | 47% | 30% | 29% | 41% | 43% | 38% | 36% | 4% | 5% | 29% |
Dundee | 0% | 0% | 3% | 23% | 29% | 17% | 11% | 53% | 91% | 67% | 82% | 97% |
East Ayrshire | 7% | 9% | No return | No return | No return | No return | No return | No return | No return | No return | pilot ongoing |
East Dunbartonshire | 5% | 3% | 5% | 24% | 14% | 8% | 22% | 15% | 67% | 76% | 94% | 100% |
East Lothian | 0% | 0% | 11% | 26% | 29% | 23% | 29% | 41% | 49% | 24% | 47% | 94% |
East Renfrewshire | 33% | 40% | 70% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 0% | 100% | 67% |
Edinburgh | 29% | 40% | 52% | 72% | 70% | 48% | 68% | 60% | 53% | 7% | 26% | 40% |
Falkirk | 4% | 6% | 10% | 8% | 22% | 12% | 4% | 6% | 8% | 19% | 6% | 2% |
Fife | 31% | 21% | 16% | 16% | 18% | 21% | 36% | 22% | 29% | 23% | 24% | 33% |
Glasgow | 4% | 4% | 15% | 28% | 25% | 34% | 29% | 35% | 34% | 22% | 33% | 31% |
Highland | 34% | 28% | 16% | 29% | 28% | 29% | 36% | 21% | 30% | 12% | 15% | 22% |
Inverclyde | 4% | 21% | 35% | 10% | 30% | 30% | 20% | 15% | 26% | 0% | 5% | 5% |
Midlothian | 10% | 40% | 63% | 87% | 63% | 63% | 81% | 75% | 69% | 22% | 41% | 65% |
Moray | 96% | 65% | 58% | 47% | 62% | 49% | 37% | 40% | 56% | 27% | 62% | 76% |
Na h-Eileanan Siar | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 5% | 96% | 100% | 0% | 100% | 100% |
North Ayrshire | 0% | No return | No return | No return | No return | No return | No return | No return | No return | No return | No return | No return |
North Lanarkshire | 0% | 7% | 5% | 0% | 4% | No return | 9% | 10% | 11% | 15% | 29% | 50% |
Orkney | 40% | 40% | 65% | 95% | 90% | 65% | 68% | 63% | 58% | 37% | 90% | 65% |
Perth & Kinross | 91% | 61% | 40% | 37% | 34% | 62% | 52% | 51% | 61% | 26% | 67% | 87% |
Renfrewshire | 6% | 8% | 22% | 29% | 20% | 22% | 20% | 22% | 29% | 10% | 59% | 72% |
Scottish Borders | 54% | 54% | 43% | 8% | 27% | 29% | 31% | 31% | 8% | 2% | 25% | 41% |
Shetland | 100% | 53% | 45% | 90% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 25% | 100% | 100% |
South Ayrshire | 79% | 55% | 73% | 76% | 83% | 76% | 81% | 83% | 88% | 44% | 34% | 41% |
South Lanarkshire | 0% | 10% | 17% | 28% | 39% | 34% | 39% | 39% | 43% | 15% | 10% | 40% |
Stirling | 17% | 18% | 5% | 43% | 65% | 68% | 50% | 72% | 66% | 26% | 58% | 74% |
West Dunbartonshire | 9% | 12% | 9% | 21% | 44% | 41% | 49% | 56% | 59% | 13% | 38% | 28% |
West Lothian | 21% | 0% | 15% | 15% | 15% | 15% | 17% | 11% | 26% | 9% | 9% | 22% |
TOTALS | 32% | 32% | 35% | 37% | 40% | 38% | 42% | 42% | 47% | 20% | 37% | 50% |
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 13 April 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 2 May 2023
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the Vacant and Derelict Land Investment
Programme, what plans it has to review the definition of "long-term vacant",
which is currently 15 years for derelict properties and land.
Answer
There are no plans to review the definition of long-term vacant with regard to the Vacant and Derelict Land Investment Programme (VDLIP).
Each application received will be assessed by the Independent Investment Panel. Projects concerning sites that have been vacant and derelict for fewer than 15 years are not ineligible.
15 years registered does provide a marker for a significant length of time that indicates market forces alone will not be likely to bring the site back into use. However where a site has potential to become long term vacant and derelict, a project proposal may be able to justify bringing forward investment to unblock its reuse.
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 13 April 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 2 May 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what financial support has been provided to third sector and charitable organisations that provide support to patients in each year since 1999.
Answer
This information is not available centrally as expenditure is not classified by the Scottish Government in the manner requested and financial support for third sector and charitable organisations is provided by various sources.
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 13 April 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 2 May 2023
To ask the Scottish Government how much has been spent on maintenance services for socially rented properties in each year since 1999.
Answer
The Scottish Government does not hold the information requested. Individual social landlords are responsible for their own maintenance costs.
Social landlords are required, under the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001, to keep houses they let fit for human habitation and ensure that any repairs are carried out when they are needed.
We work closely with social landlords in our shared ambition to provide quality, affordable social homes and continue to have constructive engagement with them on a range of matters.
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 April 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 2 May 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what its most recent assessment is of literacy rates.
Answer
Attainment in literacy in Scotland’s schools remains strong. The 2021/22 Achievement of Curriculum for Excellence levels (ACEL) data demonstrates that approaches to COVID recovery in education are working.
Data on ACEL showed a record increase for 2021-22 in the proportion of primary school pupils achieving the expected levels of literacy. Comparing 2021/22 levels with 2020/21, primary literacy attainment was up 4 percentage points to 71%. In terms of the poverty related attainment gap, 2021-22 ACEL data also showed a record decrease in the gap between primary literacy levels, which are now more similar to pre-pandemic levels. 2022 exam results show a Higher English pass rate of 81.3% which represents an increase of 7.9 percentage points compared to 2019 when exams were last held. English is the most common subject at National 5 and Higher. In addition, the Policy Prospectus launched in April by the First Minister, includes a commitment to re-joining the Trends in International Mathematics and Science and Progress in International Reading Literacy studies. Participation in international surveys enables countries to share important information about their educational policies and practices and how these foster educational progress.
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 13 April 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Paul McLennan on 28 April 2023
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the Cladding Stakeholder Group, on what dates the group has met, and on how many occasions its ministers have attended the group's meeting.
Answer
The Cladding Stakeholder Group is an official level meeting. Issues raised by stakeholders are fed back to Ministers and considered as part of the Cladding Remediation Programme. The group has met on the following occasions:
2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
30-06-2021 | 19-01-2022 | 08-02-2023 |
21-07-2021 | 16-02-2022 | 29-03-2023 |
19-08-2021 | 16-03-2022 | |
15-09-2021 | 20-04-2022 | |
20-10-2021 | 20-07-2022 | |
17-11-2021 | 17-08-2022 | |
15-12-2021 | 21-09-2022 | |
| | 19-10-2022 | |
| | 23-11-2022 | |
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 April 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 28 April 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what support it has provided to help deliver hospice at home services, in each year since 1999.
Answer
Through the introduction of the Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Scotland) Act 2014, it has been the responsibility of Integration Joint Boards (IJBs) to plan and resource adult palliative care services for their area, including hospice and hospice at home services, using the integrated budget under their control.
The Scottish Government does not hold information centrally on funding support to help deliver hospice at home since 1999.
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 13 April 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 27 April 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to develop a strategy for patients living with endometriosis.
Answer
The Women's Health Plan : A Plan for 2021-2024, published in August 2021, outlines our ambition to improve access for women to appropriate support, speedy diagnosis and best treatment for endometriosis.
The Plan sets out actions which aim to ensure that the average diagnosis time for endometriosis is reduced, that women are able to access the right support and effective treatment for endometriosis, and that women can access a specialist endometriosis centre if required.
There has been substantial progress since the publication of the Women’s Health Plan. The Women's Health Plan Report on Progress , published in January 2023, sets this out in more detail.
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 April 2023
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 3 May 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what impact assessment it has undertaken regarding any reductions to core funding allocations in its Budget for third sector organisations.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 3 May 2023
