Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-27859

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 7 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many approved providers are available to provide superfast service via the R100 Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme in the Mid Galloway and Wigtown West council ward in Dumfries and Galloway.

There are currently 10 suppliers who are registered to deliver services through the R100 Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme that may be able to provide a service within the Dumfries and Galloway local authority area, which includes the Mid Galloway and Wigtown West council ward. These are suppliers who have existing commercial customers within Dumfries and Galloway.

Anyone can search for a supplier by local authority or the technology that they offer using the filters available here:

Find a supplier | Digital Scotland Superfast Broadband

Question reference: S6W-27836

Asked by: Clare Adamson, MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 7 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to take steps to improve recycling infrastructure and technologies to enable the increased recovery of critical minerals and other materials.

While the Scottish Government recognises the need to ensure that we have effective infrastructure and technologies to enable the increased recovery of critical minerals, we acknowledge the complexities of critical mineral markets. Data is often not readily available, markets can be volatile, and supply chains are fraught with environmental, social and governance issues.

Better data availability is in all our interests to support well-functioning markets and responsible, traceable supply chains, to help de-risk investments and development of new projects. We are working with the UK, Welsh and Northern Irish governments and regulators to implement a UK-wide mandatory digital waste tracking service. The digital waste tracking service will improve the quality of waste data and make it easier to identify opportunities to keep materials in use for as long as possible and ensure nothing is wasted.

Question reference: S6W-27791

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 7 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has ever corresponded with the Divisional Commander of Police Scotland's Edinburgh Division regarding the operational distribution of officers.

Scottish Government ministers and officials liaise with Police Scotland officers of various ranks on a regular basis. I and accompanying officials met the then Divisional Commander for Edinburgh in August 2023 as part of a short visit to the joint Police Scotland and City of Edinburgh Council operation overseeing the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

The operational deployment of officers is however a matter for the Chief Constable. The Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Act 2012 is very clear on this point, and that Police Scotland is accountable to the Scottish Police Authority for this, rather than to Scottish Ministers directly. These arrangements are in place to ensure public confidence that the police act independently, free from unwarranted Ministerial interference.

Question reference: S6W-27776

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 7 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how many of the 8,500 jobs created in Scotland through inward investment in the 2022-23 financial year were connected to UK projects.

Responsibility for measuring Scotland’s annual inward investment performance rests with Scottish Development International (SDI) on behalf of the Enterprise Agencies. SDI reports for the financial year 2022-23, of the 8,533 jobs generated in Scotland, 2,629 were created or secured through supported inward investment projects with UK headquartered businesses across 23 supported inward investment projects.

SDI results form part of a suite of indicators used to measure Scotland’s inward investment performance. According to the latest EY Annual Attractiveness Survey (2023), Scotland’s strong track record of attracting inward investment continues, with Scotland maintaining its position as the top performing part of the UK outside of London for the eighth year.

Question reference: S6W-27799

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Ruth Charteris on 7 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-27378 by Dorothy Bain on 21 May 2024, when it anticipates that it will complete its work on ensuring that the approach to counter allegations set out in the joint protocol on challenging domestic abuse is followed in practice by both reporting officers and marking deputes, and that counter allegations are part of the training.

COPFS has commenced work in relation to the areas identified in the His Majesty's Inspectorate of Prosecution in Scotland (HMIPS) report and is identifying the necessary work that will require to be undertaken and the resource requirements needed to implement the recommendations.

COPFS has agreed to provide HMIPS with regular updates on the work undertaken in implementing the recommendations contained within the report and anticipate that an update on progress could be provided in 6 months.

Question reference: S6W-27801

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Ruth Charteris on 7 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-27376 by Dorothy Bain on 21 May 2024, when it anticipates that it will complete its work on ensuring that prosecutors have sufficiently detailed information on the risk to victims that can be passed on to the court when required.

COPFS has commenced work in relation to the areas identified in the His Majesty's Inspectorate of Prosecution in Scotland (HMIPS) report and is identifying the necessary work that will require to be undertaken and the resource requirements needed to implement the recommendations.

COPFS has agreed to provide HMIPS with regular updates on the work undertaken in implementing the recommendations contained within the report and anticipate that an update on progress could be provided in 6 months.

Question reference: S6W-27881

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 7 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what direction it provides to Glasgow City Council to make new housing developments accessible for wheelchair users and for disabled people.

The Scottish Government provides guidance for local authorities to support the preparation of Local Housing Strategies including the provision of accessible and specialist housing. Separate guidance requiring local authorities to set all-tenure wheelchair accessible housing targets as part of their Local Housing Strategy has also been provided.

Where local authorities identify a strategic requirement for a particular type of home, including wheelchair accessible housing, projects to support delivery of these homes are expected to be included in Local Authority Strategic Housing Investment Plans for delivery through the Affordable Housing Supply Programme.

Question reference: S6W-27793

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Ruth Charteris on 7 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-27444 by Dorothy Bain on 21 May 2024, when it anticipates that it will complete the work to ensure that statutory aggravations are applied where appropriate.

COPFS has commenced work in relation to the areas identified in the His Majesty's Inspectorate of Prosecution in Scotland (HMIPS) report and is identifying the necessary work that will require to be undertaken and the resource requirements needed to implement the recommendations.

COPFS has agreed to provide HMIPS with regular updates on the work undertaken in implementing the recommendations contained within the report and anticipate that an update on progress could be provided in 6 months.

Question reference: S6W-27792

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Ruth Charteris on 7 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-27450 by Dorothy Bain on 21 May 2024, when it anticipates that it will complete the work on recommendation 12 in the report on HM Inspectorate of Prosecution in Scotland's (HMIPS) inspection of the prosecution of summary domestic abuse cases, in order to ensure that victims are informed of bail review applications, their views are sought and put before the court, and they are informed of the outcome timeously.

COPFS has commenced work in relation to the areas identified in the His Majesty's Inspectorate of Prosecution in Scotland (HMIPS) report and is identifying the necessary work that will require to be undertaken and the resource requirements needed to implement the recommendations.

COPFS has agreed to provide HMIPS with regular updates on the work undertaken in implementing the recommendations contained within the report and anticipate that an update on progress could be provided in 6 months.

Question reference: S6W-27802

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Ruth Charteris on 7 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-27377 by Dorothy Bain on 21 May 2024, when it anticipates that it will complete its work on ensuring that Standard Prosecution Reports fully address the victim’s views on court proceedings, bail conditions and non-harassment orders, with reasons for victims’ views being fully explored and described, by both the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service and Police Scotland, in appropriate and accurate language.

COPFS has commenced work in relation to the areas identified in the His Majesty's Inspectorate of Prosecution in Scotland (HMIPS) report and is identifying the necessary work that will require to be undertaken and the resource requirements needed to implement the recommendations.

COPFS has agreed to provide HMIPS with regular updates on the work undertaken in implementing the recommendations contained within the report and anticipate that an update on progress could be provided in 6 months.

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