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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: S5W-32331

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 October 2020
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 2 November 2020

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the changes to the COVID-19 restrictions, whether it will provide an update on what funding streams are available to assist squash clubs.

The Scottish Government recognises the financial pressures felt by the sport sector.

Since the start of the Covid-19 outbreak the Scottish Government has worked closely with the UK Government and private and public sector partners to develop a range of support mechanisms for businesses. Information on all available support for businesses can be found on Find BusinessSupport . The website is regularly updated with information on any new support packages or changes to existing ones.

The Third Sector Resilience Fund (TSRF) is a £20m emergency fund for charities, community groups, social enterprises and voluntary organisations working in Scotland. The fund supports organisations that already deliver services and products but find themselves in financial difficulties directly as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. The primary intention of the fund is to help third sector organisations to stabilise and manage cash flows over this difficult period. For more information, please visit: https://scvo.org.uk/support/coronavirus/funding/scottish-government/third-sector-resilience-fund sport scotland have communicated to all Scottish governing bodies of sport and local partners that they will receive six months of their annual investment in April/May, totalling £16.4m. At the same time sport scotland is creating a £1.5 million fund to provide additional support to governing bodies.

I would suggest clubs explore all finance avenues which are open to them and contact Scottish Squash to raise any concerns they still have.

Question reference: S5W-32228

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 October 2020
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 27 October 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it plans to introduce to assist local and community sports clubs in allowing spectators back in, and what financial measures will be implemented to help mitigate the impact of lost revenue due to spectators not being permitted to attend games.

I know that this continues to be an enormously challenging time for the sporting sector and the pandemic has put a real financial strain on many sporting organisations.

sportscotland has supported the sector during the pandemic by providing upfront annual investment to Scottish governing bodies of sport and local partners and has also created an additional £1.5 million fund. However, I know that there are further financial issues for those sporting organisations who rely on income from spectators.

I met with the UK Minister for Sport, Heritage and Tourism on 1 October 2020 to discuss the financial package being developed by the UK Government to support those sporting organisations which are most affected by a delay of the return of spectators to stadia. We are still awaiting clarity on Barnett consequential funding to Scotland as a result of the UK Government scheme. However, in order that we will be in a position to move quickly once we receive further information from the UK Government, I have asked sportscotland to collect any additional financial information to ensure any support we put in place is properly targeted.

Sport brings enjoyment to the many people who watch and play, and we don’t want supporters to be delayed in returning for any longer than is absolutely necessary.

Question reference: S5O-04691

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 October 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 October 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the Scottish Growth Scheme.

Question reference: S5W-32007

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 September 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 2 October 2020

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the further restrictions imposed on 23 September 2020, what plans it has to introduce testing for staff working in supported living accommodation that is regulated by the Care Inspectorate.

On 17 August the Scottish Government published Scotland’s COVID-19 Testing Strategy which identifies our priorities for the next phase of testing, further details can be found here:

https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-scotlands-testing-strategy-adapting-pandemic/

The Scottish Government is committed to using testing where it has a clear purpose and can contribute to reducing the risk of transmission. Decisions to make testing available to new groups are based on careful consideration of the contribution it can make in particular circumstances. We will continue to adopt a flexible approach to testing which is based on the best available evidence to address the challenges where it can have the greatest impact and is guided by scientific, clinical and public health advice from our expert advisory structures.

Testing provides a point in time assessment of whether a person has the infection and should not be seen as a substitute fora strong emphasis on symptomatic social care staff immediately self-isolating and arranging testing, use of appropriate PPE, physical distancing, environmental optimisation and decontamination and good social hygiene.

Public Health Scotland have produced guidance to support staff and users of supported living accommodation which can be found here: https://www.hps.scot.nhs.uk/web-resources-container/covid-19-information-and-guidance-for-social-community-and-residential-care-settings/

Question reference: S5W-31490

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 31 August 2020
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 10 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether Forestry and Land Scotland is planning to introduce an annual scheme to allow motorhomes and campervans to park overnight in forest car parks.

Question reference: S5W-31445

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 August 2020
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 8 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of the carbon savings achieved by each wind farm in each of the last five years.

The requested statistical information, detailing the carbon savings achieved by each wind farm in each of the last 5 years is not collated. Anticipated annual carbon savings equate to 779 tonnes of CO2 per megawatt of onshore wind capacity installed, displacing emissions from an estimated grid mix of electricity generation technologies. This tool https://www.gov.scot/publications/renewable-and-conversion-calculators/ (published on Scottish Government’s website) allows users to calculate:

an estimate of the expected electricity generation from a particular capacity of site in Scotland
the equivalent number of households powered by that particular capacity of site
an estimate of the CO2 emissions that could be displaced each year by that particular site

The calculator allows estimates specific to Scotland to be produced and for different renewable technologies.

Question reference: S5W-31344

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 21 August 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 2 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what plans there are to introduce battery-powered trains on the Stranraer rail link, and what the timescale is.

Question reference: S5W-31343

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 21 August 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 2 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what scoping work is being carried out regarding the introduction of bi-mode trains on the Stranraer rail link.

Question reference: S5W-31345

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 21 August 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 2 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what exploratory work is being carried out to decarbonise the Stranraer rail link.

As outlined in the recently published Rail Services Decarbonisation Action Plan, it is our expectation that alternative traction trains will be deployed on the Stranraer rail route.

Transport Scotland is currently working closely with Scottish Enterprise and rail industry partners to explore how battery and fuel cell trains may most practically be introduced to rail services in Scotland. This is consistent with our aim to decarbonise rail traction energy through the removal of diesel passenger trains from the Scottish network by 2035.

Question reference: S5W-31194

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 August 2020
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 25 August 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how it envisages the sustained ongoing funding of regional land use partnerships.

The Scottish Government is committed to the establishment of Regional Land Use Partnerships (RLUPs).

In 2019, Scottish Ministers asked the Scottish Land Commission to take forward work to prepare advice on the establishment of RLUPs. The Commission has written an interim report, and are currently conducting further stakeholder engagement and analysis.

The final report is due to be submitted in September and we do not think it prudent to pre-empt this. The Scottish Government will respond to the advice following careful consideration of the recommendations and the matters raised by the Member.