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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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

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Question reference: S6W-27857

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 10 July 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to review the affordability threshold for connections delivered through the R100 Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme, which currently stands at £56 per month.

The affordability threshold for the R100 Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme (R100 SBVS) aligns with that of the broadband Universal Service Obligation (USO) set by Ofcom, which is currently £56.20 per month. This threshold is increased by CPI (Consumer Price Index – a measure of inflation) each year.

We considered it appropriate to adopt this criteria, given the robust analysis and monitoring that Ofcom undertakes to support their decisions. Ofcom continues to monitor pricing regularly, and we will continue to mirror any changes in our own terms and conditions.

Question reference: S6O-03607

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S6W-27972

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 03 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 11 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider strengthening provisions within the Housing (Scotland) Bill to support prospective tenants in addition to those with existing tenancies.

The Bill provides a number of rights for existing tenants and only some would relate to availability of housing which will be the main concern of prospective tenants.

The rights created in the Bill mainly apply to those who have a tenancy and there is a clear difficulty in extending those rights to prospective tenants as those rights could then apply to anyone with an interest in renting a property even if they may never take up a tenancy of the property.

Question reference: S6W-27854

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 7 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the roll-out of the R100 programme in Dumfries and Galloway.

As at 30 April 2024, over 4,900 premises had been connected through the Reaching 100% (R100) South contract in the Dumfries and Galloway local authority area with over 1,400 additional premises connected beyond the contract scope. The R100 South contract remains on track to complete build in 2025.

Through the R100 Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme (SBVS) 198 connections have been delivered so far across Dumfries and Galloway.

Question reference: S6W-27859

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 7 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many approved providers are available to provide superfast service via the R100 Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme in the Mid Galloway and Wigtown West council ward in Dumfries and Galloway.

There are currently 10 suppliers who are registered to deliver services through the R100 Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme that may be able to provide a service within the Dumfries and Galloway local authority area, which includes the Mid Galloway and Wigtown West council ward. These are suppliers who have existing commercial customers within Dumfries and Galloway.

Anyone can search for a supplier by local authority or the technology that they offer using the filters available here:

Find a supplier | Digital Scotland Superfast Broadband

Question reference: S6W-27855

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 7 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many properties are still to be connected in Dumfries and Galloway under the R100 programme.

The Scottish Government’s Reaching 100% (R100) programme is being delivered through three key strands of activity – the over £600 million R100 contracts (North, Central and South), the R100 Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme (R100 SBVS) and continued commercial coverage which includes newly emerging technologies such as Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite connections.

As a result, all homes and businesses in Scotland should now be able to access a minimum of a superfast broadband connection today.

As at 30 April 2024, around 3,890 premises were still expected to be connected through the R100 South contract in the Dumfries and Galloway local authority area. The R100 South contract remains on track to complete build in 2025.

As the R100 SBVS is a demand-led scheme, it is up to eligible property owners or residents to decide whether or not to secure a connection in this way. As a result, it is not possible to say how many properties will ultimately be connected through the R100 SBVS in Dumfries and Galloway.

Question reference: S6W-27856

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 7 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many applications for the R100 Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme have been (a) successful and (b) unsuccessful across Dumfries and Galloway.

Question reference: S6W-27202

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 13 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 28 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, following the Parliament's agreement of the Scottish Budget in each of the last five years, on what date NHS boards (a) were advised of their individual budget allocations and (b) received their settlement for the next year.

a) NHS Boards are informed of their individual baseline funding on the day of the Scottish Budget announcement. In the last five years, this has been:

2020-21 – 6 February 2020

2021-22 – 28 January 2021

2022-23 – 9 December 2021

2023-24 – 15 December 2022

2024-25 – 19 December 2023

b) Baseline funding is further supplemented by Scottish Government directorate funding allocations throughout each financial year, to arrive at the NHS Board revenue resource limits (RRL). NHS Boards draw cash from the Scottish Government throughout the year as required, based on the value of their RRL.

In year changes can happen depending on in year consequentials received from UK decision making. This uncertainty on funding makes it difficult to have long term financial planning for the Scottish Government, boards and our other partners including community and voluntary sector organisations.

Question reference: S6W-27201

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 13 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 28 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether the increase in the National Living Wage from 1 April 2024 will result in an uplift for the Community Pharmacy Scotland financial settlement from the same date.

Question reference: S6W-27589

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 23 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what plans it has to clarify additional measurements for monitoring improvements in (a) blood and (b) neurological cancer pathways.

An annual report will be published by Scottish Government in Summer 2024 detailing progress made in the first year of the Cancer Action Plan for Scotland 2023-2026 . Officials have been working with third sector organisations to determine what additional measurements for monitoring improvements in blood and neurological cancer pathways would be useful. Officials also continue to work with Public Health Scotland (PHS) to progress developments in data availability, including emergency presentation data.