Questions and answers

Question reference: S5W-13005

Asked by: Kate Forbes, MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 27 November 2017
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 6 December 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it held with partners at the recent Arctic Circle Forum in Edinburgh.

The Scottish Government was pleased to host, in partnership with the Arctic Circle organisation, Scotland and the New North, the first Arctic Circle Forum to be held in the UK. The Arctic Circle Forum allowed Scottish Government representatives to engage with policy makers, academics, business leaders and others interested in the future of the Arctic region.

During the Forum, the First Minister held discussions with Arctic Circle Chairman Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson; Iceland’s Foreign Affairs Minister Gudlaugur Thór Thórdarson; the Faroe Islands’ Minister of Foreign Affairs & Trade Poul Michelsen; and Finland’s State Secretary, Samuli Virtanen to discuss Scotland’s relationship with the Arctic region and strengthening specific bilateral links. The Minister for International Development and Europe, Dr Alasdair Allan MSP, also had meetings with the Faroe Islands’ Minister of Foreign Affairs & Trade, Poul Michelsen and Finland’s State Secretary, Samuli Virtanen.

In addition, the Cabinet Secretary for the Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform, Roseanna Cunningham MSP, met with Lord Deben, Chairman of the UK Committee on Climate Change, on Scotland’s strong record in tackling climate change.

Question reference: S5T-00811

Asked by: Kate Forbes, MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 04 December 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 December 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what impact it expects the branch closures announced by RBS will have on communities across Scotland.

Question reference: S5W-12512

Asked by: Kate Forbes, MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 November 2017
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 21 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how many women were screened using mobile breast-screening units in 2016.

Question reference: S5W-12783

Asked by: Kate Forbes, MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 November 2017
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Fergus Ewing on 16 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the membership of the National Council of Rural Advisers.

Question reference: S5W-12510

Asked by: Kate Forbes, MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 November 2017
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 15 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what investment it is making in the West Highland Line.

Scottish Government are committed to improving rail services and connectivity across the Scottish network and continue to make investments to the West Highland Line which addresses local demands, reflected through the doubling of services between Glasgow and Oban on weekdays, and improvements to the frequency of services on Sundays.

Furthermore, the line will benefit from the introduction of newly refurbished trains as part of Abellio Scotrail’s Great Scenic Railways which will enhance the tourist experience. The Programme for Government, published in September 2017 also highlighted the development of proposals to introduce dedicated carriages for cycles and other outdoor equipment on rural routes in the north and west.

There are also enhancements to the Caledonian Sleeper service. The entire fleet is being replaced by brand new vehicles, seventy-five in total. Station enhancements include new passenger lounges at five stations in Scotland and digital information totems at 34 stations in Scotland.

Question reference: S5W-12511

Asked by: Kate Forbes, MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 November 2017
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 14 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how many mobile breast-screening units are operational, and what plans there are to increase capacity.

Question reference: S5W-12359

Asked by: Kate Forbes, MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 November 2017
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Derek Mackay on 2 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish its discussion paper on income tax.

Question reference: S5O-01425

Asked by: Kate Forbes, MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 November 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how it is assisting remote and rural communities with community land buyouts.

Question reference: S5O-01373

Asked by: Kate Forbes, MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 26 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how the price of energy for householders and the number of fuel-poor houses in Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch compares with the rest of the UK.

Energy statistics from the UK Government show that in 2016 electricity customers in the North of Scotland paid 8-9% more than the GB average per kilowatt hour.

Fuel poverty rates are not available at Parliamentary Constituency Level. However, the latest local authority level data from the Scottish House Condition Survey shows that on average, over the period 2013-2015, 56% of households in Highland were in fuel poverty compared to 34% for Scotland as a whole. The Scottish House Condition Survey sample for 2015 indicated a slightly lower figure of 31% for Scotland, but this is based on a single year’s sample.

It is not possible to directly compare Scottish fuel poverty levels with the rest of the UK due to differences in definitions of fuel poverty, as figures for England are calculated on a different basis to those in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The Scottish Government is committed to tackling fuel poverty, wherever it occurs in Scotland, and to ensuring that everyone in Scotland lives in a warm home that is affordable to heat. We are delivering the 2016 Programme for Government commitment to make half a billion pounds available over the next 4 years and, by the end of 2021, we will have allocated over £1 billion pounds since 2009 on tackling fuel poverty and improving energy efficiency.

Question reference: S5W-12095

Asked by: Kate Forbes, MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 26 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what impact the Gaelic Schools Capital Fund has had on the number of young people in Gaelic Medium Education.

Since its inception in 2008 the Gaelic Capital Fund has gone on to expand, enhance delivery and support Gaelic education at all levels across Scotland.

The Scottish Government has provided a total of £24m in support of new provision in Aberdeen, Argyll and Bute, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, East Ayrshire, East Dunbartonshire, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Highland Council, North Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, Perth and Kinross and South Lanarkshire. We have seen the number of Gaelic standalone schools increase from 1 to 5 with a further school in Portree opening in January 2018 and Edinburgh and Glasgow both considering expanding their offer.

Not only has the Gaelic capital fund paid for buildings it has been used to support and deliver Comhairle nan Eilean Siar’s eSgoil which continues to go from strength to strength providing Gaelic provision across a number of Local Authority areas in Scotland. This has led to enhanced and expanded provision for some young people who may not have been able to access their choice of language learning.

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