- Asked by: John Mason, MSP for Glasgow Shettleston, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 03 March 2022
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 10 March 2022
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, in light of the symbols of solidarity seen across the world, whether it will, and has the equipment necessary to, light the Scottish Parliament building in the colours of the Ukraine flag at night.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 10 March 2022
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 February 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom Arthur on 3 March 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to the creation of a development and recovery agency for Glasgow.
Answer
The Glasgow Regional Economic Partnership recently published a Regional Recovery Strategy for the area which aligns closely with the priorities outlined in our National Strategy for Economic Transformation published earlier this week.
Assisting with the City Centre recovery is the Glasgow City Centre Task Force which Scottish ministers work closely with on economic recovery and Glasgow City Council has been allocated £2.6m from the City Centre Recovery Fund to take forward local priorities.
The Scottish Government works closely with the Regional Economic Partnership and the Glasgow City Centre Task Force and we value their knowledge and expertise and do not believe a further Agency is required given the existing arrangements.
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 25 February 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 3 March 2022
To ask the Scottish Government how many libraries have closed in each year since 1999.
Answer
Public library services in Scotland are devolved to local authorities which have a statutory duty to secure the provision of adequate library facilities for all persons resident in their area.
The Scottish Library and Information Council has provided data on the number of libraries in Scotland, England and Wales, based on data compiled by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA). The data covers the period 2010 to 2020; we do not hold information on the numbers of libraries dating back to 1999. In Scotland, no libraries permanently closed in 2020-21. We do not have figures for England and Wales for this year.
FINANCIAL YEAR | SCOTLAND | ENGLAND | WALES |
| | Increase/ Decrease | Remaining | Increase/ Decrease | Remaining | Increase/ Decrease | Remaining |
2009-10 | 0 | 627 | 0 | 3,501 | 0 | 358 |
2010-11 | -8 | 619 | -32 | 3469 | +20 | 378 |
2011-12 | -9 | 610 | -149 | 3320 | -51 | 327 |
2012-13 | -4 | 606 | -59 | 3261 | -3 | 324 |
2013-14 | 0 | 609 | -35 | 3226 | +1 | 325 |
2014-15 | -3 | 603 | -57 | 3169 | -36 | 288 |
2015-16 | -15 | 588 | -47 | 3,122 | -16 | 272 |
2016-17 | -30 | 558 | -65 | 3,057 | +2 | 274 |
2017-18 | -2 | 556 | -38 | 3,019 | -1 | 273 |
2018-19 | -13 | 543 | -14 | 3,005 | -1 | 272 |
2019-20 | +1 | 544 | -30 | 2,975 | -1 | 273 |
NET CHANGE | -83 | | -526 | | -92 | |
% change from 2010 | 13.2% | | 15% | | 25.7% | |
[source: Scottish Library and Information Council]
The data shows that Scotland has seen library closures over this period, but at a lower level than that seen in England and Wales. Between 2010 to 2020 13.2% of branches closed in Scotland compared with 16% across England and Wales. No libraries in Scotland permanently closed in 2020 or 2021; however, there were temporary closures due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Building closures in Scotland have largely bottomed out with significant investment in excess of £25 million taking place in the building and mobile infrastructure since 2015. 2016 was the exception to this, due to a reorganisation of library services in Fife.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 10 February 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 3 March 2022
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-00906 by Jamie Hepburn on 28 June 2021, whether it will provide an update on the proposed Scottish Education Exchange Programme.
Answer
The development of a Scottish Education Exchange Programme is a Programme for Government commitment and will help maintain Scotland’s place as an outward looking, internationally connected destination for work and study.
We are engaging with stakeholders from across the education spectrum including higher and further education, community learning and development, youth work and adult education, schools and sports and are developing the programme ensuring it is fit for Scotland.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 10 February 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 3 March 2022
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-01090 by Jamie Hepburn on 13 July 2021, how it has assessed how the existing Turing Scheme will better reflect the needs of Scotland.
Answer
We have been engaging closely with the UK Government to establish that Scottish stakeholders can provide feedback and ensure that the Turing Scheme better reflects their needs.
In Turing Scheme’s first round of application results, each nation within the UK received less funding than previously secured under Erasmus plus. This highlights the need for the Scottish Government to consider how best to offer staff and learners further opportunities for mobility exchange.
- Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 February 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi McAllan on 3 March 2022
To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to publish its latest review into snaring, which, under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, was due to be completed by December 2021.
Answer
The Scottish Government intends to lay a copy of the report before the Scottish Parliament, as soon as it is practicable, as set out in accordance with Section 11F(5) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. The Scottish Government will also publish a copy of the report on its website.
- Asked by: Siobhian Brown, MSP for Ayr, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 February 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 3 March 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has for a replacement scheme for Erasmus, following the UK's exit from the EU.
Answer
The Scottish Government recognises the importance of educational mobility. While we remain committed to Erasmus plus, in the interim we are creating a Scottish Education Exchange Programme to support participants from across Scotland’s education system.
This is a Programme for Government commitment and will help maintain Scotland’s place as an outward looking, internationally connected destination for work and study.
- Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 February 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 3 March 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing colleges and universities to return to on-campus learning.
Answer
Throughout the pandemic, the Scottish Government has worked in collaboration with the college and university sectors to provide support and guidance, and to ensure the safety of staff and students. Following the publication of the Scottish Government’s updated Strategic Framework on 22 February, we are working with partners on the Advanced Learning COVID-19 Recovery Group to develop a framework to replace prescriptive sector-specific guidance.
This framework will provide high-level guiding principles and support for institutions in developing local solutions. We will also work with universities and colleges to support the development of institution-level COVID-19 Response Committees. The committees – using existing structures where possible with representatives from the institution, trade unions, students and accommodation providers – will monitor the public health and wider context, with a view to adjusting local safety protocols accordingly. This will enable decisions on COVID-safety measures, beyond any that may be in place across society, to be determined locally and, where possible, collectively.
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 11 February 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 3 March 2022
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-05802 by Michael Matheson on 3 February 2022, what the membership is of the (a) Bioenergy Policy Working Group and (b) Bioenergy Expert Panel, and whether it will publish the minutes of the meetings of the Bioenergy Policy Working Group.
Answer
a) The Bioenergy Policy Working Group consists Scottish Government officials from a number of policy areas.
- Agriculture Transformation for Environment and Climate Change
- Bioenergy
- Carbon Capture Utilisation and Storage (CCUS)
- Critical Energy Infrastructure & Commercial Projects
- Domestic Climate Change
- Environmental Protection - Air Quality
- Environmental Quality and Circular Economy
- Heat Strategy
- Hydrogen
- Industrial Decarbonisation
- Industrial Strategy and Technologies
- Just Transition
- Land Use Strategy
- Land Use Transformation
- Natural Capital and Land Management
- Office of the Chief Economic Adviser (OCEA)
- Rural and Environment Science and Analytical Services (RESAS)
- Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture (SASA)
- Scottish Forestry
- Sustainable Aviation
- Transport -Supply Chains and Alternative Fuels
- Whole Energy System
Minutes from the meetings will be published as soon as practical. However the group are still in the process of developing policy and considering options.
b) The Bioenergy Expert panel has still to be assembled.
- Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 11 February 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Keith Brown on 3 March 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the planning and development of a replacement for HMP Barlinnie.
Answer
I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Interim Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:
SPS is currently in the process of selecting a contractor to initially develop a design for HMP Glasgow and thereafter award a contract for the construction of the new prison.
It is anticipated that a contractor will be appointed later this year to develop the design stage of the project.
