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The reserved nature of telecoms means that the Scottish Government cannot directly intervene in regulatory issues, such as overseeing and implementing the quality of service delivered by broadband providers. However, the Scottish Government is working hard to ensure that Ofcom, the UK telecoms regulator, takes into account the particular challenges facing Scotland and is also encouraging it to develop a more regional approach that will address more localised market failures.

Even with telecoms being reserved, the Scottish Government has continued to engage with Openreach on performance related issues, to encourage improvement. In this context, a reduction in the number of incidents in the past year has been noted.

Dumfries and Galloway Council has been notified that Scottish Ministers have decided to call in the Whitesands Flood Protection Scheme for their consideration. There has been no other recent engagement on flooding from the River Nith.

The Scottish Government published research it commissioned on Scottish pubs last year. A recommendation of that study suggested that "the evidence collected did not suggest that any part of the pub sector in Scotland was unfairly disadvantaged in relation to another." It suggested that "further dialogue between relevant trade bodies, government and other interested parties should continue before making any changes to legislation." During 2017 I have met with individual stakeholder interests. Having had these individual discussions, I now intend to convene a wider stakeholder meeting to see how we might create a more prosperous pub sector in Scotland. This will include tourism and supply chain interests.

I have asked Colin McConnell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

The general day-to-day maintenance activities – planned, preventative and reactive repairs – are included in running cost for the Estates team based at HMP Dumfries. The level of general maintenance activity carried out is consistent with the remainder of the prison estate.

In addition to general maintenance, there is also a 5 year programme of future maintenance and replacement works. The plan for HMP Dumfries, as prepared in November 2017 includes the following budget costs:

2017-18 - £327,218

2018-19 - £472,000

2019-20 - £601,875

2020-21 - £545,000

2021-22 - £715,000

This 5 year plan is a ‘rolling programme’ of proposed works and is subject to review annually with regard to the overall current maintenance budget and intended future funding of the maintenance budget for the Estate. The figures beyond 2017-18 may be liable to change depending on the risks identified at the time of the annual review and priorities. There is also a concurrent programme for the upgrading of specialist security systems which includes spend of £50,000 in 2017-18 and further work valued at £96,000 for 2018-19.

SPS has invested in a programme of works to reduce carbon emissions and HMP Dumfries is included within this programme. In 2017-18, a total of £115,400 is being invested in building energy controls and LED lighting replacement projects and in 2018-19 an installation of photovoltaics is anticipated with a budget of £37,500. Future investment at HMP Dumfries for projects to reduce energy and carbon emissions are likely beyond next year.

Data about the number of pupils excluded by Local Authority in 2014-15 is published in table 21 of the exclusions supplementary datasets, available on the Scottish Government website here:

http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/Browse/School-Education/exclusiondatasets/exclusionsdataset2015

Table 21 shows the number of pupils subject to temporary exclusion and pupils removed from the register.

Exclusion data is collected by the Scottish Government on a biennial basis so no data is held for 2015-16. Data for 2016-17 is due to be published on the
12 December 2017.

I have asked Colin McConnell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

I refer the member to the answer given in PQ S5W-12680 on 24 November 2017. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

I have asked Colin McConnell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

HMP Dumfries is an integral part of the prison estate for those in our care and will remain so for the foreseeable future. There are no current plans to review the operation of HMP Dumfries.

I have asked Colin McConnell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

I refer the member to the answer given in PQ S5W-12680 on 24 November 2017 All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

I have asked Colin McConnell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service, to respond. His response is as follows:

I refer the member to the answer given in PQ S5W-12680 on 24 November 2017. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

In each of the last five years Transport Scotland has had the following volume of complaints.