- Asked by: Willie Coffey, MSP for Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 02 July 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Kate Forbes on 19 July 2021
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the establishment of a digital fund for small businesses within the Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley area and how that fund will be administered.
Answer
We are delighted with the progress on the reopening of the DigitalBoost Fund and will meet the 100 days deadline that we have set. This will be a national fund supporting businesses to increase their digital capacity and capabilities and we would encourage businesses in the Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley area to apply once it reopens. We will work with our enterprise support partner, Business Gateway, and delivery partners, LESL (Lancashire Enterprise Services Limited), to successfully administer and deliver this fund.
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 July 2021
Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 19 July 2021
To ask the Scottish Government how its affordable housing subsidy will respond to the shortages of materials and price increases that were recently reported by the Federation of Master Builders.
Answer
The Affordable Housing Supply Programme housing subsidy is flexible and is able to respond to the challenges reported recently by the Federation of Master Builders. In this respect, the amount of grant funding that individual projects require continues to be a decision for Registered Social Landlords and local authorities which – as part of the application process – are required to self-certify that the grant that they are requesting is the minimum necessary to allow a project to proceed once homes are designed and tender prices have been received. The amount of grant requested is then compared with the applicable Affordable Housing Investment Benchmark to determine how the funding application will be assessed. Projects that can be delivered with grant funding at or below the relevant benchmark follow a streamlined application and approval process, with projects which are seeking grant funding in excess of the relevant benchmark following a more detailed value for money assessment.
- Asked by: Rona Mackay, MSP for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 15 July 2021
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Current Status:
Initiated by the Scottish Government.
Answered by Kevin Stewart on 16 July 2021
To ask the Scottish Government who has been selected to be the Co-Chair and Clinical Lead for the Implementation Group, which is taking forward the recommendations from the National Review of Eating Disorder Services, and whether it will provide an update on what services the charity, Beat, will be providing.
Answer
As I announced in June, the recommendations from the Review will be taken forward by an Eating Disorder Implementation Group. I am pleased to confirm that Dr Charlotte Oakley, who was previously the Clinical Lead of Connect-Eating Disorders in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and who co-led the National Review, has been appointed Clinical Lead and will Co-Chair the Implementation Group with Dennis Robertson.
In addition, I am also pleased to confirm that we will be providing over £400,000 to Beat to provide the following services for children, young people, adults and their families:
- Helpline - A dedicated phone line for Scotland.
- Nexus – A Carer telephone support programme which provides a weekly scheduled coaching call to support recovery.
- Synergy - A new service that provides direct support to under 18s and their families through weekly sessions over Zoom.
- Solace - Structured weekly peer-to-peer support groups for carers via Zoom.
- Motivate - Weekly support for those aged 18+ to ensure service users remain motivated while waiting for treatment for anorexia or bulimia to begin.
- Bolster - Weekly support through telephone sessions for Adults (aged +18) who are unable to access treatment.Developing Dolphins - Training to empower carers to provide the best possible guidance as they help a loved one towards recovery
- Coping with Celebrations - Two workshops delivered over Zoom by experienced eating disorder clinicians and lived experience tutors in which, parents, carers, siblings are given tools and confidence to manage what can be very stressful times. This can include, Christmas, birthdays or meals out.
- Asked by: Willie Rennie, MSP for North East Fife, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 01 July 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Dorothy Bain on 16 July 2021
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the decision of the Court of Appeal of England and Wales on 23 April 2021 to overturn the convictions of sub-postmasters and postmistresses convicted of theft, fraud and false accounting on the basis of flawed evidence from the Post Office’s Horizon system, what steps are being taken by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service to (a) identify Scottish sub-postmasters and postmistresses and their staff who were potentially wrongly prosecuted for fraud or embezzlement in Scotland on the basis of similarly flawed information supplied by the Post Office and (b) determine whether, in respect of prosecutions in Scotland, the Post Office was misleading during the court processes about the flaws of the Horizon system described by the Court of Appeal, or failed to disclose those flaws.
Answer
On 23 April 2021 the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division) for England and Wales issued a judgement in Josephine Hamilton & Others v Post Office Limited [2021] EWCA Crim 577 relating to cases referred to it by the Criminal Cases Review Commission for England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The case involved a total of 42 applicants who were formerly sub-postmasters or sub-postmistresses for the Post Office Limited who had been convicted of offences including theft, fraud and false accounting.
The Court of Appeal quashed the convictions of 39 of the applicants on the basis that evidence from the Horizon computer system, operated by the Post Office Limited, could not be relied upon.
Post Office Limited have identified persons known to have been convicted in Scotland on the basis of evidence that may relate to the Horizon computer system. This information has been provided to the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission (SCCRC). A number of cases are under review by the SCCRC. The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service is assisting the SCCRC with its review. Any decision to refer the cases to the High Court is a matter for the SCCRC.
- Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 01 July 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Graeme Dey on 16 July 2021
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the Scottish National Party's manifesto commitment to deliver an Islands Connectivity Plan, what discussions it has had with the union, Prospect, regarding this; what the outcome of these discussions were, and, if discussions have not taken place, what the reasons are for this.
Answer
The Island Connectivity Plan was last discussed with the Trades Unions, including Prospect, during the Scottish Trade Union Congress meeting with the former Ferries Minister, Mr Wheelhouse, on 18 August 2020.
We have a commitment to engage with all stakeholders as we develop the plan and the Unions will form part of these discussions going forward.
- Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 01 July 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Graeme Dey on 16 July 2021
To ask the Scottish Government, further to discussions with the (a) Maritime and Coastguard Agency and (b) vessel’s owner, whether it will provide an update on the safety of the MV Pentalina for operation on Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Service routes.
Answer
A business decision has been taken by the owners of the MV Pentalina to withdraw the availability of the vessel for charter. Neither CalMac Ferries Ltd or the Scottish Government would charter a vessel that was not certified to operate in Scottish waters. Achieving the required safety certification to operate a vessel is a matter for the vessels owners and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.
- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 05 July 2021
Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 16 July 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support procurement in the construction industry, in light of reports that there are shortages of bagged cement, given that some businesses are sourcing the product from England.
Answer
We have been working to address supply chain issues in the construction industry since the launch of our Construction Recovery Plan in October last year, working with industry and the UK Government to fully understand the current supply chain issues, which we recognise are due to a number of factors including the coronavirus pandemic and the impact of EU Exit.
I have also established a working group to consider immediate supply issues in more detail and I meet with the group on a weekly basis in order to work with Scottish manufacturers to increase output to meet the shortage challenges. I am meeting suppliers to discuss the opportunities available for increasing production, and sourcing more supplies from Scottish manufacturers.
The Scottish Government will continue to work hard to address the problems and blockages faced by companies, where it is in our power to do so.
- Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 02 July 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 16 July 2021
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-00865, what the estimated additional workload in hours was for teachers who supported the delivery of the Alternative Certification Model (ACM).
Answer
The Alternative Certification Model (ACM) for national qualifications in 2020-21 has been designed to give schools the flexibility to assess learners at times and in ways that are appropriate to their specific needs. This has been enhanced by a programme of support provided by the wider education sector.
As a result, the additional workload will vary and be subject to decisions at a local school level, in terms of their approach to delivering the Alternative Certification Model.
The Alternative Certification Model required teachers to ensure learners receive their national qualifications, based on their professional judgement of demonstrated attainment. We have recognised this unprecedented responsibility through the payment of up to £400 for each teacher involved in supporting the delivery of the ACM, and providing two days set aside during the school year for teachers to work on the assessments.
- Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 02 July 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Graeme Dey on 16 July 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what provisions it has made in the 2016-24 contract for Clyde and Hebrides services for transporting emergency service (a) vehicles and (b) personnel on lifeline routes, in the event of a reduction in fleet (i) capacity or (ii) resilience.
Answer
The terms of the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services (CHFS) contract, requires the operator to ensure lifeline support to the emergency services is available when required. This includes during periods of disruption, or if capacity is restrained such as during the Covid-19 pandemic as a consequence of physical distancing.
In addition, and in agreement with Transport Scotland, CalMac also has a protocol in place that ensures an island resident can attend a medical appointment on the mainland at short notice.
- Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 02 July 2021
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Current Status:
Answered by Graeme Dey on 16 July 2021
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the owner of Pentland Ferries, regarding the Fair Work Framework.
Answer
Employee pay and conditions are the responsibility of Pentland Ferries in relation to its ferry operation. We have not held any discussions with them on this matter.