Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-04074

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 18 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding deposit return schemes.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-35206 on 23 February 2021. Scottish Government officials engage regularly with representatives of the other UK administrations to understand their intentions regarding the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS).

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 .

Question reference: S6W-04179

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 05 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 18 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to introducing free travel for under 22s on internal ferries, in line with free bus travel commitments; what distance under 22s travel on average on internal ferries per year, and what assessment has been made of the costs that under 22s would save per year under a system of free internal ferry travel for that age group.

The new statutory scheme is for bus travel only and does not extend to ferry travel. The soon to be published Island Communities Impact Assessment will discuss this in more detail and ferry fares are being reviewed as part of the forthcoming Islands Connectivity Plan.

We are also committed to taking forward our Fair Fares Review to ensure a sustainable and integrated approach to public transport fares, looking at the range of discounts and concessionary schemes which are available on all modes including bus, rail and ferry. The review will look at both cost and availability of services.

Internal ferries, including the setting of fares and holding information about services and travellers, is wholly the responsibility of the local authority. However, recognising the challenges this brings, the Scottish Government has provided over £50m to local authorities in the last four years on top of the local government settlement to support internal ferries.

Question reference: S6W-04046

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 18 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Joint Nature Conservation Committee’s seventh quinquennial review of schedules 5 and 8 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, what assessment it has made of the potential removal of schedule 5 legal protection for mountain hares, and whether it would support such a recommendation.

The Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) published stakeholders consultation https://consult.defra.gov.uk/joint-nature-conservation-committee/911c8988/ , including a list of provisional recommendations regarding the addition, retention, regrading or removal of each species on 08 November 2021. Those proposed recommendations do not include the removal of schedule 5 legal protection for mountain hares.

We will carefully consider the JNCC recommendations of the seventh Quinquennial Review. Before making any recommendations regarding species removal from schedule 5, we must be satisfied that there would be no detrimental impact to the individual species or to the wider biodiversity and environmental landscape in Scotland.

Mountain hares are now a protected species following the passage of the Animals and Wildlife (Penalties, Protections and Powers) Act in June 2020. The protection came into force on 1 March 2021, meaning that the species can no longer be taken for sporting or recreational purposes. We will also continue to work with several partner organisations to continue to improve our understanding of mountain hare populations across Scotland, along with other work, to support the conservation status of this iconic species.

Question reference: S6W-04076

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 November 2021
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 18 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the interoperability of any future deposit return schemes.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-35206 on 23 February 2021. Scottish Government officials engage regularly with representatives of the other UK administrations to understand their intentions regarding the Deposit Return Scheme (DRS). We are open to working with the other administrations to ensure our schemes are compatible, but this must be on the basis of this not diluting the ambition of our own scheme.

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 .

Question reference: S6W-03863

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 18 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, broken down by NHS board, (a) how many training places are currently available in the Scottish Ambulance Service for community first responders, and (b) how many community first responders (i) are currently being used as a resource by the Scottish Ambulance Service and (ii) have been appointed in the past three years.

a) There are 6 planned training sessions for Community First Responders between November 2021 and March 2022. Each training session will accommodate up to a maximum of 12 trainees. These courses are scheduled to be held in Braemar (Grampian), Glasgow (Greater Glasgow & Clyde), RAF Lossiemouth (Grampian), Grangemouth (Forth Valley) and Portree (Highland).

b)

i) There are 765 Community First Responders across Scotland and approximately 80 Wildcat Cardiac Responders.

ii) The Scottish Ambulance Service recruited 199 Community First Responders between 2019 and 2021. In March 2020 utilisation of Community First Responders was suspended due to COVID-19 and the need to establish safe and effective processes with the subsequent delivery of training in the use of PPE and enhanced Infection & Prevention Control measures. This commenced in Sept ’20 with the majority back on-line by March ’21.

Question reference: S6O-00443

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 November 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting Stirling’s bid to become UK City of Culture 2025, following its inclusion in the longlist for selection.

Question reference: S6O-00427

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 November 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to address the reported backlog in at-home COVID-19 booster and flu vaccine appointments in the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde area.

Question reference: S6O-00445

Asked by: Tess White, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 November 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on progress in relation to A Culture Strategy for Scotland.

Question reference: S6O-00436

Asked by: Siobhian Brown, MSP for Ayr, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 November 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that construction firms adhere to the highest building standards.

Question reference: S6O-00425

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 November 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to tackle the reported backlog of colorectal cancer screening.

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