- Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 September 2022
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 22 September 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what action it is taking to improve the reliability and resilience of Scotland’s ferry network.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 22 September 2022
- Asked by: Paul McLennan, MSP for East Lothian, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 August 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 7 September 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what the terms of reference are for its Women in Enterprise Review, and when the review is scheduled to be published.
Answer
Responding to a recognised gender gap in business participation, Kate Forbes, Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Economy commissioned Ana Stewart, entrepreneur and investor, to deliver an independent Review on widening access to entrepreneurship for women.
The Stewart Review, due to publish later in the year, will identify the root causes of the continuing under-representation of women in enterprise and propose specific actions required to address the needs of female-led businesses in Scotland.
The expected themes of the review are to include, but not be limited to:
- Access to Finance
- Networks, mentoring and role models
- Advice and Support
- Education
The response of the Scottish Government to the Review will be mindful of existing activity and align with NSET recommendations on transforming the Scottish economy through widening business participation under the Entrepreneurial People and Culture programme.
- Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 August 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Lorna Slater on 7 September 2022
To ask the Scottish Government how many fixed penalties for the offence of littering have been issued in each year since 2007, and how many of these have been paid.
Answer
The Scottish Government does not hold data on the number of fixed penalties issued for the offence of littering, nor information on how many of these have been paid.
This detailed information can be obtained by contacting individual issuing authorities. Authorised officers from Local Authorities, Police Scotland and Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park can issue Fixed Penalty Notices for the offence of littering.
- Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 August 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 7 September 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it is the case that Confucius Classroom Hubs in Scottish schools received funding from (a) the Scottish Government and (b) the Chinese Government in 2021-22, and, if this is the case, how much was received from each body.
Answer
Confucius Classroom Hubs do not receive funding directly from the Scottish Government or the Chinese Government. Hubs in local authority schools are funded by the Confucius Institute for Scotland’s Schools (CISS) via local authorities. Specialist classrooms (such as at Edinburgh Zoo), and Jordanhill School receive their funding directly from CISS.
In 2021-22, the Scottish Government provided CISS with a grant of £490,573. CISS publishes a joint annual report with Scotland’s Centre for Languages (SCILT) which includes information about funding and spending (available at: About Us (scilt.org.uk) ) . According to the 2021-22 annual report, approximately £400,000 was allocated from China in that year.
It is the responsibility of local authorities and schools to choose which languages to teach, and to determine what resources to draw on and partners to work with in order to support learning. Schools and teachers also remain responsible for curriculum making and the teaching in the classroom.
- Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 August 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Lorna Slater on 7 September 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to increase the £200 fixed penalty fine for the offence of fly-tipping.
Answer
The Scottish Government recently consulted on proposals for our new National Litter and Flytipping Strategy, including measures to strengthen enforcement measures.
The Scottish Government aims to deliver a strong and consistent enforcement model across Scotland that is fit for purpose, promotes positive behaviours and acts as a proportionate deterrent and effectively stops people from littering and flytipping
We will publish the final Strategy later this year, taking account of consultation responses.
- Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 August 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Lorna Slater on 7 September 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to increase the £80 fixed penalty fine for the offence of littering.
Answer
The Scottish Government recently consulted on proposals for our new National Litter and Flytipping Strategy, including measures to strengthen enforcement measures.
The Scottish Government aims to deliver a strong and consistent enforcement model across Scotland that is fit for purpose, promotes positive behaviours and acts as a proportionate deterrent and effectively stops people from littering and flytipping.
We will publish the final Strategy later this year, taking account of consultation responses.
- Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 August 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 7 September 2022
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding Ukrainian refugees, whether it plans to (a) create a transportation support fund to help them attend school and seek employment, (b) expand the Job Start Payment to help with the transition to employment and (c) include them in the free bus pass scheme.
Answer
The Scottish Government has ensured that all refugees and displaced people from Ukraine have access to the same transport entitlements as other people resident in Scotland. Those who are aged over 60, under 22 or meet certain disability criteria, are able to access the national concessionary bus travel schemes which provide free bus travel across Scotland. The Improvement Service issued guidance to local authorities on processing concessionary applications of displaced people from Ukraine so that applications are fully supported and fast tracked. Local authorities can also use their own powers to provide additional travel support and a number of councils have already done so. I encourage other authorities to do the same where appropriate and Transport Scotland is actively reviewing whether further support for transport is required.
The Scottish Government has worked with the UK Government to allow immediate access to support, including the Job Start Payment, when displaced people from Ukraine meet the eligibility criteria. We will work with third sector partners and local authorities to consider how best to provide free bus travel to asylum seekers and refugees including displaced people from Ukraine.
- Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 August 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 7 September 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what (a) plans it has and (b) additional funding it has allocated to ensure that Ukrainian refugees living in rural areas are able to access affordable travel in order to attend, for example, medical appointments, religious services and job interviews.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-10148 on 7 September 2022 as to the travel support available to displaced people from Ukraine.
I am aware of the importance of bus services to everyone living in rural areas and am committed, in conjunction with operators and local authorities, to looking at ways of improving services to ensure that everyone has accessible public transport regardless of location. The Scottish Government has brought forward a wide toolkit within the Transport Act to enable local authorities to improve bus services in their local area.
All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers
- Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 August 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 7 September 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the (a) use and (b) control of public subsidy in Scotland.
Answer
Scottish Government has engaged regularly with UK Government at official and ministerial level on the new subsidy control regime. Officials have participated in all engagement sessions, continuing to provide feedback and raising our concerns and those of our stakeholders.
Disappointingly many of these remain unaddressed. Nevertheless, Scottish Government will continue to engage with BEIS through the introduction of the new Subsidy Control regime as it affects Scotland. We remain particularly concerned that the Act brings further erosion of devolution through the sweeping powers granted to the Secretary of State. It undermines the long-established powers of the Scottish Parliament and Scottish Ministers to act in relation to matters within devolved competence such as economic development, the environment, agriculture and fisheries.
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 August 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 7 September 2022
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-08749 by Shona Robison on 14 June 2022, and in light of the Bank of England increasing the base rate to 1.75%, when the review
(a) began and (b) will complete, and how it will announce the findings and
outcomes of the review.
Answer
An internal review of the Home Owners Support Fund began in the Spring and will complete later this year. If Ministers decide to make any changes to the eligibility or operational arrangements for the scheme updated guidance will be published.
