- Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 18 October 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 13 November 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the the undertaking given by the Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) and accepted by Ofqual on 16 August 2024, whether it is aware of what "significant issues" were identified by Ofqual regarding the 2024 SQA Level 1 Health and Safety in Construction qualification, and if so what those issues were.
Answer
Ofqual regulates qualifications, examinations and assessments in England. It’s findings relate to the SQA Level 1 Health and Safety in a Construction Environment qualification delivered in England which was withdrawn by SQA in April 2019.
SQA have regularly updated the Scottish Government on the Ofqual review from its inception.
Ofqual has published its findings: Undertaking given by Scottish Qualifications Authority to Ofqual in accordance with B8 of the Conditions of Recognition - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
- Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 27 September 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Paul McLennan on 8 October 2024
To ask the Scottish Government how much of the £97.1 million in Barnett consequential funding, which it received as a result of the UK Government’s announcement in March 2020 to remediate additional residential cladding, was allocated to the Single Building Assessment delivery team, and to which other areas of spending the money was allocated.
Answer
Under devolution, consequentials of this kind become part of the Scottish Government’s overall budget for that year. As part of the Scottish Budget process, it is for Scottish Ministers to propose funding levels for specific programmes in Scotland, and when the budget is required.
In the case of cladding remediation, we have said that we will spend whatever is necessary to address the problems created by unsafe cladding, that we will make provision for that at the appropriate time, and that we expect the cost of that in Scotland to be at least the quoted amount of consequentials – that is, £97.1 m.
The Cladding Remediation Programme has spent £9 m as of 30 June 2024. We publish updated information on programme spend on a quarterly basis at https://www.gov.scot/publications/single-building-assessment-spending-information/.
- Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 27 September 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Paul McLennan on 8 October 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what Barnett consequential funding it (a) has received and (b) anticipates it will receive as a result of the UK Government's announcement in July 2023 of £5.1 billion of funding for the Cladding Safety Scheme.
Answer
(a) £97.1 million in cladding specific consequentials were received in 2021-22.
(b) In the Spending Review 2021, the UK Government confirmed £5 billion funding (£3 billion over the Spending Review period to 2024-25) for remediation of the highest risk buildings with unsafe cladding. This was the funding referred to in the July 2023 statement.
Cladding funding is factored into the Barnett Settlement for the Spending Review. However, as the Scottish Government does not, except in certain circumstances, receive a full breakdown of consequentials at programme level from the UK Government, it is not possible in this case to determine how much was received from individual programmes such as cladding.
- Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 September 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 26 September 2024
To ask the Scottish Government (a) how many and (b) what percentage of
post-induction scheme teachers from the previous year were in permanent or
temporary employment in 2023-24, broken down by those in (i) full-time
permanent, (ii) full-time temporary, (iii) part-time permanent and (iv)
part-time temporary employment.
Answer
Statistics on the employment status of post-induction scheme teachers, including counts and percentages of those in full-time and part-time permanent and temporary employment are published in Table 1.6 of the teacher census supplementary statistics, available here:
https://www.gov.scot/publications/teacher-census-supplementary-statistics/
- Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 09 September 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 17 September 2024
To ask the Scottish Government how many applications were received in the process of appointing a new chair of the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission, and where, in addition to the Scottish Government website, the position was advertised.
Answer
A total of 13 applications were received for the post of Chair to the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission. The appointment process for that post remains on-going. At the same time, the SCCRC advertised a vacancy for a Legal Member, which also attracted 13 applications.
The Scottish Government posted the adverts on the Scottish Government hosted public appointments webpages.
The adverts were circulated to over 1500 individuals and groups who have registered on the public appointments notes of interest contact list. This information is circulated to bodies such as Citizens Advice Scotland, the Equality Network, Women on Boards, and Changing the Chemistry.
Scottish Government officials also reached out to a number of other relevant organisations to draw their attention to the vacancies. These were:
- The Faculty of Advocates;
- Scottish Legal Aid Board;
- The Society of Solicitor Advocates;
- Scottish Legal Complaints;
- The Equalities and Human Rights Commission;
- The Scottish Human Rights Commission;
- The Legal Services Agency;
- Law Centres Network;
- Fair Justice System for Scotland Group;
- Govan Law Centre; and
- The Scottish Ethnic Minorities Lawyers Association.
The vacancies were also posted on the Scottish Legal News website, the Scottish Legal News X page, and advertised via Scottish Legal News’ daily newsletter.
- Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 August 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 13 September 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what the maximum capacity is per year of wind turbines that can currently be manufactured in Scotland.
Answer
The large pipeline of offshore wind projects under development in Scotland offers a significant manufacturing opportunity. We are already seeing significant progress in this regard. Sumitomo’s £350 million high voltage direct current (HVDC) cable manufacturing plant in the Highlands is a significant step which will address a major supply chain constraint for offshore wind projects. The factory will bring manufacturing capability to Scotland to support the offshore wind sector and will create hundreds of good, green jobs.
Whilst Scotland currently has no wind turbine manufacturing facilities, Scotland’s strong specialised SME base, offshore installation services, advanced port infrastructure, operations and maintenance expertise, word-class engineering capabilities and highly-skilled offshore energy workforce make Scotland a prime location for offshore wind manufacturing facilities.
The Onshore Wind Sector Deal, which was signed with the onshore wind sector in September 2023, contains a series of commitments that promote supply chain opportunities, including the circularity of wind turbine blades. The onshore wind sector has committed to the delivery of at least one blade treatment facility in Scotland by 2030.
- Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 August 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 13 September 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Scottish Renewables regarding reports that "significant investment" is required to make the most of "an unprecedented opportunity to grow the renewable energy supply chain in Scotland and to establish the facilities we will need to manufacture and supply the components for wind turbines", and whether Scottish Renewables has provided it with a figure for such investment.
Answer
The Scottish Government holds regular discussions with key stakeholders in the renewable energy industry, including Scottish Renewables.
We remain committed to ensuring projects are supported to deliver maximum economic benefits. This includes investing up to £500m over the next five years to anchor our offshore wind supply chain in Scotland. Our commercial first approach will stimulate private investment in the infrastructure and manufacturing facilities critical to the growth of our world-leading offshore wind sector. Sumitomo’s £350 million high voltage direct current (HVDC) cable manufacturing plant in the highlands is a significant step which will address a major supply chain constraint for offshore wind projects.? Investment into the sector will support market certainty, create a highly productive, competitive economy, provide thousands of new jobs, embed innovation and boost skills.
In addition, the Onshore Wind Sector Deal, which was signed with the onshore wind sector in September 2023, contains a series of commitments that promote supply chain opportunities, including the circularity of wind turbine blades. The onshore wind sector has committed to the delivery of at least one blade treatment facility in Scotland by 2030.
- Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 August 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 13 September 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has had any discussions with Shell and Scottish Power, which are jointly developing the CampionWind and MarramWind projects, regarding reported comments that "it is evident that significant investment will be required into Scottish facilities to prepare the Scottish market for the pipeline of projects which will be developed through ScotWind leasing".
Answer
The Scottish Government regularly engages with key stakeholders involved in ScotWind projects, including a recent developer roundtable which I chaired on 13 August 2024, at which CampionWind and MarramWind were both represented. The roundtable included discussions on the need for targeted investment to ensure that the Scottish market is prepared for the pipeline of projects which will be developed through the ScotWind leasing round.
The Scottish Government remains committed to supporting the offshore wind industry and maximising the significant opportunities to attract inward investment, generate green jobs and grow our regional and national economies. To that end, we are continuing to engage in crucial public sector and industry partnerships such as the Scottish Offshore Wind Energy Council (SOWEC), and we support the industry-led Strategic Investment Model.
- Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 September 2024
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 19 September 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to develop local flood plans, including natural flood prevention measures.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 19 September 2024
- Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 15 August 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom Arthur on 11 September 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-28067 by Tom Arthur on 19 June 2024, whether it will provide details of how exactly it enabled "all parties to achieve what they required from the sale and purchase of the business", and whether or not the transaction would have proceeded without Scottish Government ownership.
Answer
The Scottish Government’s involvement in the transaction helped secure the earliest realisation of the commercial and wider economic benefits of the deal, and the selected structure was agreed by all parties.
The statement given by the then Minister for Business, Trade, Tourism and Enterprise to the Scottish Parliament on 15 December 2021 highlighted that one clause in the 2016 transaction, an indemnity from Scottish Ministers to Longs Steel (Tata Steel took over the business), is no longer valid.
