Questions and answers

Question reference: S6O-03845

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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: S6W-28569

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 12 July 2024
Current Status: Answered by Kaukab Stewart on 31 July 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Sight Scotland and Sight Scotland Veterans' report, Enhancing Accessibility: Venues and Visual Impairment.

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that all serving Armed Forces personnel and veterans living in Scotland, as well as their families, are able to access the best possible care and support, enjoy their rights on an equal basis to others, and are able to participate fully and lead their own lives.

The Equality Act 2010 requires service providers to make reasonable adjustments in circumstances where a disabled person is placed at a substantial disadvantage in comparison with non-disabled people. That requirement covers changing the way things are done such as making changes to the built environment and providing auxiliary aids and services. The Scottish Government expects all relevant organisations to comply with the requirements of the 2010 Act and with the relevant codes of practice and other guidance published by the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

The Scottish Government welcomes the report by Sight Scotland and Sight Scotland Veterans, Enhancing Accessibility: Venues and Visual Impairment and would encourage venues across Scotland to consider implementing the recommendations within the report, and using the checklist and top tips provided, to create a more accessible and inclusive experience for all.

The Scottish Government provide funding to veterans organisations primarily through the Scottish Veterans Fund and the Veterans Scotland Grant usually totalling c.£590,000 per year. We also continue to provide funding to the Unforgotten Forces Consortium totalling £950,000 from 2023-2026.

Question reference: S6W-28589

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 July 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 30 July 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to setting standards for bird-dissuading mesh so that the deterrent does not trap or threaten the safety of birds.

There is no legislation that specifically prevents the installation of netting around buildings. However, Section 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside (Scotland) Act 1981 does make it an offence to obstruct or prevent any bird from using its nest during the nesting season and this would include the use of bird-dissuading mesh.

The Scottish Government has no plans to introduce standards for the use of bird-dissuading mesh.

NatureScot have published advice which outlines that all exclusion measures [including netting] must be appropriately maintained to avoid welfare issues such as entanglement: Guidance - gull management | NatureScot .

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals have a leaflet on bird netting which recommends that netting is checked regularly for both trapped birds and to ensure that it is in good repair : Wild birds and netting.pdf (rspca.org.uk)

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds also recommends that exclusion nets, on both buildings and elsewhere should be checked at least daily, and any trapped birds or other wildlife should be released immediately: The use of netting to stop birds nesting - what you need to know (rspb.org.uk)

Question reference: S6W-28591

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 July 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 30 July 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to how users of bird-dissuading mesh may be incentivised to maintain the mesh so that the safety of birds is not threatened.

Question reference: S6W-28590

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 July 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 30 July 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on how many birds have been trapped and have died in bird-dissuading mesh being used in Scotland in the last five years.

Question reference: S6W-28549

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 12 July 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 30 July 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will emulate the bus franchising process in England by permitting local transport authorities to make the final decision on franchising proposals once the audit of financial implications and public consultation has been completed.

The Scottish Government notes the UK Government’s plans in the King’s Speech to remove barriers that currently limit bus franchising powers in England only to metro mayors. We will review the new UK Government’s proposals in relation to franchising in England when the Better Buses Bill is published.

In Scotland, all local transport authorities have the powers to commence the franchising process. The Scottish model includes an independent panel to consider proposed franchising frameworks, which was approved by the Scottish Parliament as part of the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019. To ensure transparency, the panel will consider whether the local transport authority adhered to the franchising process, had regard to the statutory guidance which will be issued by the Scottish Ministers, given appropriate weight to matters prescribed by Scottish Ministers, and reached a reasonable conclusion in deciding to make their proposed franchising framework.

Question reference: S6W-28551

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 12 July 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 30 July 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its timetable is for publishing the statutory guidance to support local transport authorities when utilising bus franchising powers under the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019.

The Scottish Government has now delivered all the bus powers within the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 to enable local transport authorities to consider all the powers available to them, including partnership working, franchising and local authority run services which sits alongside their ability to subsidise services. Further regulations will be laid throughout 2024, which will give the partnership and franchising powers full effect.

Alongside the outstanding legislation, the Scottish Government will publish its statutory guidance on bus franchising powers before the end of 2024. It will also publish statutory guidance on Bus Services Improvement Partnerships (BSIPs) before the end of 2024.

Question reference: S6W-28544

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 July 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 30 July 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the publication of the New Scots Strategy Delivery Plan, what the timeline is for the (a) development of and (b) delivery process for the national pilot scheme for free bus travel for people seeking asylum.

Question reference: S6W-28545

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 July 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 30 July 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the publication of the New Scots Strategy Delivery Plan, how the national pilot scheme for free bus travel for people seeking asylum will be evaluated, and whether this will be carried out while the pilot (a) is in place or (b) has concluded.

The scheme will build on learning from the small local and regional pilots that have been delivered by third sector organisations over recent years.

Expected learning from the scheme includes impact of providing free bus travel, demand for this concession, the cost of providing this concession, and the practicalities of delivery of such a scheme at the national level. Evidence to inform the evaluation will be collated both during and post the operation of the pilot.

Question reference: S6W-28546

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 July 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 30 July 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the findings from previous regional pilot schemes for free bus travel for people seeking asylum, including those in Glasgow and Aberdeen, and how it used these findings to inform the national pilot scheme set out in the New Scots Strategy Delivery Plan.

The development of the national pilot scheme is building on useful learning from the small scale local and regional pilots that have been delivered by third sector organisations over recent years. These projects include the Grampian Regional Equality Council Report on the free bus travel project in Aberdeen, the Travel Choices Project Report by the Refugee Survival Trust and the Friends of Scottish Settlers project in Falkirk.

Representatives of these and other Third Sector organisations are members of the Working Group and are providing valuable advice and knowledge in the development of the national pilot.

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