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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.

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Question reference: S6W-07947

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 07 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 9 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what studies or analysis it undertook of publicly-owned railways in other countries between December 2019 and March 2022, and whether the results of these will be published.

Question reference: S6W-07948

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 07 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 9 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government which other countries its ministers or officials visited between December 2019 and March 2022 in order to see first-hand how publicly-owned railways operate, and whether the results of these visits will be published.

Question reference: S6W-07950

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 07 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 9 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has spent on removing the Abellio logo and name from livery, documentation and other parts of the train and rail infrastructure.

Question reference: S6W-07959

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 08 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 9 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what funding will be available for new Cycle Two flood defence schemes, in light of any Cycle One budget overruns.

Question reference: S6W-07961

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 08 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 9 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when it will announce which new Cycle Two flood defence schemes it will fund.

Question reference: S6W-07962

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 08 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 9 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what the expected timescale is, within which local authorities are to complete Cycle Two flood defence schemes.

The local flood risk management plans, which are due to be published by December 2022, will provide more detail on how the actions set out in the flood risk management plans for 2022-2028 will be delivered including who will lead them and how the actions will be coordinated with other organisations. They will also provide further information on when the actions will take place and how they will be funded.

As with all infrastructure projects, it can take many years for flood schemes to progress from option appraisal to completion . Given the impacts on individuals, communities and the environment, it is right that flood protection schemes are carefully and thoroughly planned - and balance the interests of the whole community.

Question reference: S6W-07955

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 08 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 9 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) original budget and (b) actual cost was for each of the Cycle One flood defence schemes that has been completed.

The following formal flood protection schemes are complete.

Scheme	(a) Initial Cost (£ million)	(b) Estimated Final Cost (£ million)
Huntly	4.9	3.8
Newmill	1.9	1.8
Dundee	6.2	6.9
Kirkwall	1.8	1.8
White Cart Water Phase 3	5.9	7.2
Camlachie Burn	1.2	1.7
Smithton and Culloden	15.2	13.0
Bouvrie Burn	0.4	0.4
Broxburn (Liggat Syke) Phase 1	Not held	Not held
New Cumnock Phase 1 Complete Phase 2 Under construction	3.3	7.3

Initial costs as provided by local authorities in 2016-17. Final Scheme costs are the latest estimates provided by local authorities. Differences between these latest estimates and initial cost estimates arise because flood protection schemes are put forward for prioritisation at various stages of their development to fit with the Flood Risk Management Planning cycle set out in the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009.

Costs are revised over time as designs are finalised and more detailed investigations are carried out. Outcomes from community engagement and changes to price and supply of materials may also require revisions to cost estimates.

Question reference: S6W-07958

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 08 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 9 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether any budget overruns on Cycle One flood defence schemes will reduce funding available for Cycle Two schemes.

In 2016, agreement was reached between Scottish Ministers and COSLA on a new strategic funding plan for flood protection schemes. The agreement guarantees that until 2026 the level of flooding capital grant in the local government settlement is set at a minimum of £42 million per annum. 80% of the available £42 million is allocated to the prioritised flood schemes set out in the Flood Risk Management Strategies published by SEPA in 2015 .

The Programme for Government published in 2020 included a commitment to invest an extra £150 million in flood risk management over 5 years in addition to the £42 million per annum. Consideration is being given to how the additional £150m allocated to flooding will be allocated.

In 2021 COSLA recommended to Scottish Ministers that the flood protection schemes eligible for funding which are not yet “legally committed” are paused. Ministers accepted this recommendation and COSLA are currently undertaking a review of these projects to assess their status and viability. COSLA will present the review findings to Ministers in due course. This pause and review of schemes is one element of the work being taken forward to review the current funding and distribution arrangements for flood risk management.

A joint Scottish Government/COSLA Flood Risk Management Working Group has been set up and is considering funding arrangements for flood risk management actions going forward. It will put recommendations to the joint Scottish Government/COSLA officers’ Settlement Distribution Group with Ministers and Council Leaders’ subsequently being provided with advice later in 2022.

Question reference: S6W-08077

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 9 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will encourage Glasgow City Council to introduce an annual and consistent increase in foster carers allowance.

Question reference: S6W-07957

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 08 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 9 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what the original budget was for each Cycle One flood defence scheme that has not yet not yet been started.

The following schemes are at various stages of development but are not yet under construction:

Scheme	Initial cost (£ million)
Kilmacolm – Glenmosston Burn	0.5
Comrie	15.7
Millport Coastal	12.1
Campbeltown	9.3
Arbroath	11.4
Dumbarton - Gruggies Burn	14.5
Quarrier’s Village	0.2
Dumfries - Whitesands	18.9
Water of Leith (Coltbridge, Gorgie, Saughton) Phase 3	Not held
Mill Burn Millport	1.1
Grangemouth FPS	111.5
St Andrews - Kinness Burn	3.2
Musselburgh	8.9
South Fords	1.4
Milnathort	1.9
Stranraer	0.4
Langholm	2.0
Newton Stewart/ River Cree	7.5
South Kinross	3.2
Scone	0.7
Bridge of Allan	4.4
Haddington	8.5
Stirling	26.2
Callander	2.4

Initial costs as provided by local authorities in 2016-17. Costs are revised over time as designs are finalised and more detailed investigations are carried out and as new information emerges. Outcomes from community engagement and changes to price and supply of materials may also require revisions to cost estimates.