Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-29704

Asked by: Emma Roddick, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 09 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 17 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to support as many people as possible to apply for the Rural Housing Fund.

A three year package of financial support of almost £1 million has been co-funded by the Scottish Government and Nationwide Foundation, to Communities Housing Trust and South of Scotland Community Housing, to enable them to support organisations with applications to the fund.

Officials in More Homes Division are also working closely with applicants to assist as many fully developed, consented projects to gain a formal approval for delivery of affordable rural and island homes through the fund.

Scottish Government guidance makes clear the expectation that projects supported by the local authority brought forward under the fund should be included in future Strategic Housing Investment Plans.

The Scottish Government’s Rural Delivery Plan, which is set to be published by the end of this parliamentary term, will set out how all parts of the Scottish Government will deliver for Scotland’s rural and island communities. It will cover a range of priority areas, including housing, transport and economic development.

Question reference: S6O-03678

Asked by: Emma Roddick, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 August 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to support communities to bring derelict buildings back into use as houses.

Question reference: S6O-03843

Asked by: Emma Roddick, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 05 August 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 May 2028

To ask the Scottish Government test bb 04/05/28

Question reference: S6O-03633

Asked by: Emma Roddick, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 June 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to make the process of reporting sexual crimes easier on survivors of these crimes.

Question reference: S6W-27991

Asked by: Emma Roddick, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 18 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding any modernisation of the energy consenting regime, as it relates to the UK Electricity Act 1989, to make pre-application community engagement mandatory.

The Scottish Government agreed with the UK Electricity Networks Commissioner that changes are required to modernise Scotland’s consenting regime under the UK Electricity Act 1989 to accelerate determinations and put pre-application community engagement on a statutory footing. This would improve public engagement and confidence in the consenting process, drive better applications and reduce delays to applications caused by insufficient information.

Prior to the General Election announcement, Scottish Government and UK Government officials had been discussing the scope of a potential review of Scotland’s consenting regime, in line with the commitment made in the UK Government’s Transmission Acceleration Action Plan. The Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy recently wrote to the UK Government to urge that this wider work continues at pace and we will re-engage with an incoming UK Government as a matter of priority.

Question reference: S6O-03593

Asked by: Emma Roddick, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 June 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide further details of how the Small Producers Pilot Fund has supported micro businesses in Scotland.

Question reference: S6O-03570

Asked by: Emma Roddick, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 June 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 13 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how it envisages that the recommendations of the second Strategic Transport Projects Review will benefit the people of the Highlands and Islands.

Question reference: S6O-03519

Asked by: Emma Roddick, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 May 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, as part of its work to further the case for Scottish independence, what engagement it has carried out with businesses regarding Scotland's constitutional future.

Question reference: S6W-27687

Asked by: Emma Roddick, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 20 May 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 5 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on how the Scottish National Investment Bank's £50 million investment in the Ardersier Port will benefit (a) the local area, (b) industry and (c) its climate ambitions.

Question reference: S6W-15641

Asked by: Emma Roddick, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 03 March 2023
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Humza Yousaf on 3 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what further progress has been made regarding Moray maternity services since December 2022.

I am delighted to be able to confirm that, following an intense period of scrutiny, that I am approving the plan for Integrated Maternity Services for the North, with consultant-led obstetric services at Dr Gray’s hospital. This is supported by an initial commitment of £6.6m to support implementation. I am also pleased to report that Linda de Caestecker, as lead for the external assurance panel has agreed to continue her involvement for at least the next 12 months as Boards move forward with implementation. The collaboration and innovation from NHS Grampian and NHS Highland on this plan provides a solid platform to build from as we look to strengthen maternity services in the north in a safe and sustainable way.

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