Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-16502

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 12 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what meetings it has had with Rape Crisis Scotland since May 2021, and what the agreed outcomes were of any such meetings.

Information about Ministerial engagements is proactively released on the Scottish Government website . The spreadsheets include a wide range of information including details of the organisation/individuals Ministers met along with the subject discussed.

Officials across the Scottish Government regularly engage with violence against women and girls stakeholders as part of the policy development process. Officials work closely with Rape Crisis Scotland as part of the Scottish Government’s commitment to our Equally Safe Strategy, Scotland’s strategy to eradicate and prevent violence against women and girls. A representative from Rape Crisis Scotland sits on Equally Safe Joint Strategic Board (ES JSB) and further detail on this can be found on the Scottish Government’s website: Equally Safe Joint Strategic Board - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) )

Question reference: S6W-16310

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 12 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it has provided to SEPA for the financial year 2023-24.

The duties of SEPA are set out in the Environment Act 1995.

There is regular engagement at all levels between Scottish Government and SEPA and this will continue for the remainder of the financial year 2023-24. This includes regular dialogue between Ministers and the SEPA Chair and CEO. SEPA’s Corporate Plan will be renewed in 2024 and Ministers will work with SEPA to agree the Key Performance Indicators and priority areas to be included in that Plan.

In line with guidance sent to all public bodies, SEPA receive relevant guidance documents from Scottish Government. For example, SEPA have received a copy of the Public Sector Pay Strategy 2023-24 and a copy of the Fair Work First Guidance.

Question reference: S6W-16321

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Christina McKelvie on 12 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it provides to local authorities regarding the protection and promotion of local cultural heritage.

The Scottish Government recognises the crucial role local authorities play in communities across Scotland. Through various published strategies and plans, as well as sponsorship of our public bodies, we support and empower local authorities to act on behalf of the communities they serve.

Examples include our Culture Strategy, which celebrates the diversity and excellence of Scottish culture – past, present and future. National Planning Framework 4 approved by the Parliament in January 2023 recognises Scotland’s rich heritage, culture and outstanding environment as national assets that develop local economy, identity, and boosts health and wellbeing

Historic Environment Scotland has published a suite of documents on its website covering management of traditional buildings. It supports local communities through its Heritage and Place programme of area-based funding that aims to contribute to the development of vibrant and sustainable places in Scotland, through community-led regeneration of the historic environment. The Culture Collective programme, administrated by Creative Scotland with over £10m of Scottish Government funding to date, supports projects that celebrate local social history, and empowers communities to shape and share the story of their place.

Question reference: S6W-16295

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 11 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance has been issued to local authorities on planning for the implementation of a National Care Service.

Local authorities are important partners in delivering social care and will remain so as we develop new ways to deliver improved care across the country. At this stage, as the policy is still undergoing co-design with a range of stakeholders, it would not be appropriate to issue guidance to local authorities for the implementation of the National Care Service, therefore guidance will be issued in due course. I would further encourage local authorities to engage with us to ensure the development of the effective and responsive care system the people of Scotland have called for.

To support the transition towards the National Care Service and in acknowledgement of the high portion of social care service supports currently procured, we published Preparing to transition towards a National Care Service for Scotland: SPPN 7/2021 on 6 December 2021.

Question reference: S6W-16314

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Christina McKelvie on 11 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it provided to (a) Historic Scotland and (b) Historic Environment Scotland in each year since 2007.

Details of Scottish Government funding for Historic Scotland, from 2007-08 until it became part of Historic Environment Scotland, can be found in the following table. These figures come from the annual Scottish Budget publication.

Year	Historic Scotland Funding £m
2007-08	47.7
2008-09	51.7
2009-10	49.3
2010-11	49.8
2011-12	47.0
2012-13	45.3
2013-14	43.6
2014-15	37.8
2015-16	40.1

Details of the Scottish Government funding for provided Historic Environment Scotland since 2016-17, the first full year of its accounts, can be found in the following table. These figures come from the annual Scottish Budget publication with the exception of the revised budget in 2020-21 which took account of the effect of pandemic closures on its commercial income.

Year	Historic Environment Scotland Funding £m
2016-17	45.0
2017-18	45.5
2018-19	41.1
2019-20	39.8
2020-21 (pre-pandemic)	42.8
2020-21 (revised)	80.4
2021-22	75.9 (including £20m in COVID consequentials)
2022-23	70.1
2023-24	72.7

Question reference: S6W-16311

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 11 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it has provided to Forestry and Land Scotland for the financial year 2023-24.

There is regular engagement at all levels between Scottish Government and Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) and this will continue for the remainder of the financial year 2023-24. This includes regular dialogue between Ministers and the FLS CEO. FLS’s second Corporate Plan (2022 – 2025) was published on the 01 April 2022, this sets out the direction of travel for the organisation and priorities for the three-year period, including 2023-24.

Corporate Plan - Forestry and Land Scotland

The FLS Business Plan sets out the main actions that the organisation we will take over the period 1 April 2023 - 31 March 2024 to deliver the commitments and outcomes identified in their Corporate Plan. Ministers approved that plan in March 2023.

Business Plan - Forestry and Land Scotland

Like all Scottish public bodies, FLS receive relevant guidance documents from the Scottish Government. For example, FLS have received a copy of the Public Sector Pay Strategy 2023-24 and a copy of the Fair Work First Guidance.

Question reference: S6W-16477

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 11 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what meetings it has had with Ferguson Marine since May 2021, and what the agreed outcomes were of any such meetings.

Question reference: S6W-16324

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 11 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has invested in social care in each year since 2016.

Scottish Government has provided additional funding for social care and integration as set out in the following table.

	£m
2015-16	130
2016-17	380
2017-18	487
2018-19	551
2019-20	711
2020-21	811
2021-22	884
2022-23	1,603

In addition, the Scottish Budget for 2022-23 included a further £125m of social care investment that had been included as part of the Care, Support and Rights lines in previous budgets.

This funding is in addition to funding provided through the Scottish Government's annual local government settlement. The vast majority of funding through the settlement is provided by means of a block grant which cannot be separated into individual service allocations, including social care.

Question reference: S6W-16342

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 11 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how it will work with the Scotch whisky industry to restore Scotland's peatlands.

Question reference: S6W-16313

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Christina McKelvie on 11 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting Historic Environment Scotland in its efforts to preserve historic buildings.

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