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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-25313

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 September 2019
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 3 October 2019

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has invested in superfast broadband in the South Scotland region in the last five years, including gainshare.

The Digital Scotland Superfast Broadband (DSSB) programme has provided access to fibre broadband to over 170,000 premises in the South of Scotland region with over 150,000 capable of accessing superfast speeds.

Alongside our partners, we have invested more than £400 million in the DSSB programme, with the Scottish Public Sector contributing £164.9 million of the total expenditure. As this is a national programme, it is unfortunately not possible to provide a financial breakdown by region.

In the constituency of Galloway and West Dumfries, the latest assured data show that more than 27,200 premises in the area now have access to fibre broadband, thanks to the DSSB roll-out, with more than 23,600 of those able to access speeds of Megabits per second or above, as a result of the DSSB programme.

Question reference: S5W-25295

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 September 2019
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 27 September 2019

To ask the Scottish Government when the National Forum on Climate Change will be established, and how its membership will be configured.

We will establish a National Forum on Climate Change to bring together Scotland’s businesses, public sector, communities and individuals so that everyone can be involved in the continued conversation on climate change and the decisions we will all have to take. We will update the Climate Change Plan within six months of the Climate Bill Royal Assent and the National Forum will be established in 2020 after the update to the Plan is published.

Question reference: S5W-25294

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 September 2019
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 27 September 2019

To ask the Scottish Government to what extent the review of the Climate Change Plan will outline actions for ensuring that the energy sector contributes to realising a net-zero target.

In its report on Net-Zero, published 2 May 2019, the UK Committee on Climate Change was very clear that in order to achieve net-zero emissions, more effort is needed from all sectors. The Scottish Government accepts that analysis, and in updating the Climate Change Plan will show how all sectors, including energy, will contribute to meeting the more ambitious targets being brought forward in the Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Bill.

Question reference: S5O-03602

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 September 2019
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 October 2019

To ask the Scottish Government how many farm holdings will have support payments withheld as a result of unresolved disputes regarding the Land Parcel Identification System mapping process.

Question reference: S5W-25379

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 16 September 2019
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 25 September 2019

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will set out its planned investment for routes serving the ferry hub at Cairnryan, as referred to in the SNP's 2016 election manifesto.

We are delivering on the pledges made in the 2016 Manifesto. Improvements on the A77 are currently underway with the construction of the Maybole bypass, which is expected to open in summer 2021 subject to any unforeseen circumstances such as adverse weather.

We have also progressed early work on the second Strategic Transport Projects Review, in the South West of Scotland. This has led to publication of the South West Scotland Transport Study draft study report on the 27 June, which identified 23 potential transport interventions for the region.

Comments received on the report will now be considered prior to the publication of the final report later this year. The final outcomes will then inform the second Strategic Transport Projects Review, which will set out a clear programme of potential transport investment opportunities for Scottish Ministers over the next 20 years.

Question reference: S5W-25216

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 09 September 2019
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 24 September 2019

To ask the Scottish Government whether there is an agreement in place between it and the UK Government regarding public access to MoD sites in Scotland and, if so, whether it will publish this.

Public access to Ministry of Defence (MoD) sites in Scotland is a reserved matter and there is no agreement in place between the Scottish Government and the UK Government regarding public access to MOD sites in Scotland. However, the Scottish Outdoor Access Code (SOAC) summarises the MOD’s position on public access to military land in Scotland such that there is a presumption in favour of safe public enjoyment of the estate wherever this is compatible with operational and military training needs, public safety and security.

Question reference: S5W-24875

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 August 2019
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 20 September 2019

To ask the Scottish Government how much has been paid out by the Training Transition Fund since September 2017.

Since September 2017 until end-August 2019 the Transition Training Fund spent £5,093,775. Between February 2016 and September 2017 the Fund spent £5,559,465,

Therefore, since its launch in February 2016, the Transition Training Fund has cumulatively spent £10,653,240. Although the fund has now closed for new applications, the cumulative expenditure will continue to increase as existing applicants finalise their training courses.

Overall, the Fund has supported more than 4,000 people, this surpassed initial aim of supporting 1,000 participants in each of the three years the Fund was in operation .

Question reference: S5W-24863

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 August 2019
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 20 September 2019

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has made available through the Transition Training Fund (TTF) since September 2016.

Question reference: S5W-24876

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 August 2019
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 20 September 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what work it has done to develop partnerships involving communities, public and private sector investors to plant more trees and create more woodlands since September 2017.

The Scottish Government, through Scottish Forestry, is working with four planning authorities in the South of Scotland (Dumfries & Galloway, East Ayrshire, Scottish Borders, and South Lanarkshire) to develop a new approach to how we help land managers and wider interest groups better consider and identify opportunities for new, particularly larger scale, woodlands.

Forestry and Land Scotland’s (FLS) Community Asset Transfer Scheme provides a process for communities to buy, lease or use national forest land to benefit the community, which could include new woodlands. Since January 2017, 7 transfers have been completed totalling 305 hectares. Under the previous National Forest Land Scheme, 31 sales to community bodies were completed. Many such projects have focussed on making more use of existing local woodlands for local timber production and native woodland restoration.

Across Scotland, FLS has agreements or leases for around 90 community projects and partnerships on national forest land. FLS is also working with the Scottish Mines Restoration Trust, Hargreaves, and local authorities to explore the potential for 2,500 hectares of new planting as part of efforts to benefit communities and contribute towards national climate change ambitions.

In addition, further local partnership projects have been developed by Scottish Forestry to encourage more smaller-scale planting, for example through advisory work with farmers and through the Croft Woodlands project.

Question reference: S5W-24878

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 August 2019
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 19 September 2019

To ask the Scottish Government how many hectares of ancient woodland have been restored since September 2017.