- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 June 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 14 June 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-24804 by Jenni Minto on 5 February 2024, how much of the £190 million of funding from the Primary Care Improvement Fund in 2023-24 was provided to each NHS board for the development of Community Treatment and Care (CTAC) services.
Answer
While the Scottish Government are responsible for the strategic direction of the NHS, territorial Health Boards and Integration Authorities are responsible for delivering services in their areas, including the amount spent on each of the service areas delivered by the Primary Care Improvement Fund (PCIF). Integrated Authorities must work closely with local communities and other stakeholders to ensure that Primary Care Improvement Plans address specific local challenges and population needs while taking into account the guidance in the GP contract and accompanying MoUs as well as amended regulations.
- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 June 2024
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 20 June 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support schools in rural communities.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 20 June 2024
- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 May 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 7 June 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what consideration Scottish Forestry has given to allocating funds from the Strategic Timber Transport Fund to support the full reopening of Aboyne Bridge.
Answer
Scottish Forestry maintains very close working relationships with the relevant Local Authority and timber businesses in this region. Whilst we are aware of the closure of the Aboyne Bridge, and there have been discussions with local forest businesses around the implications of further deterioration on the adjacent Dinnet Bridge, Scottish Forestry has not received a request from the Local Authority for support towards reopening the Aboyne Bridge currently.
Scottish Forestry recently awarded £101,000 from the Strategic Timber Transport Fund to support £202,000 of improvements to the nearby B976 Birsemore to Dinnet Bridge Road through collaboration with Aberdeenshire Council.
- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 16 May 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 3 June 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what work it has undertaken to establish the extent of the use of part-time timetables in schools.
Answer
Information on pupils that are subject to reduced or part-time timetable is not reported centrally by the Scottish Government. Under the Additional Support for Learning Act 2004, education authorities have duties to identify, provide for and review the additional support needs of their pupils. Education authorities are responsible for determining the most appropriate educational provision for children and young people in their area, taking account of their legislative responsibilities and the individual circumstances of children, young people and their families.
- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 16 May 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 3 June 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what work it has undertaken to establish the extent of the use of informal exclusions in schools.
Answer
We are committed to ensuring that all children and young people get the support that they need to reach their full learning potential.
Our national guidance on exclusion, ‘Included, Engaged and Involved Part 2’ makes clear that exclusion should be the last resort. Where exclusion is used, it should be as a proportionate response where there is no appropriate alternative, and the wellbeing of the child or young person should be the key consideration. The guidance makes clear that the practice of “sending home” or “informal exclusion” is illegal and denies pupils and parents their rights. Following an incident where the decision is made that the child or young person cannot remain in school, for one of the reasons specified in regulation 4 of the Schools General (Scotland) Regulations 1975 as amended, this must be recorded as an exclusion. This will ensure transparency, allow for appropriate monitoring and enable support to be put in place through the education authority’s staged intervention system.
- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 16 May 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 3 June 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-16260 by Jenny Gilruth on 17 April 2023, whether it will provide an update on how many schools are currently mothballed, broken down by local authority area.
Answer
The Scottish Government does not routinely collect data on mothballed schools in Scotland. The Scottish Government does collect data from local authorities in order to collate a list of schools regarded as rural for the purposes of the Schools (Consultation)(Scotland) Act 2010. The most recent rural schools list was published on 25 October 2021 - Rural schools in Scotland - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) . The rural schools list includes those schools the relevant local authority has mothballed. The 2021 rural schools list shows that 21 schools were reported as being mothballed. The following table shows how many rural schools are mothballed by local authority area.
Local Authority | Number of schools reported as being mothballed |
Aberdeenshire | 4 |
Argyll & Bute | 2 |
Dumfries & Galloway | 1 |
Eilean Siar | 2 |
Falkirk | 2 |
Fife | 1 |
Highland | 4 |
Moray | 1 |
Scottish Borders | 1 |
Shetland Islands | 2 |
Stirling | 1 |
The Scottish Government has published statutory guidance on the Schools (Consultation)(Scotland) Act 2010 - Schools (Consultation) (Scotland) Act 2010: guidance - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) - which sets out the Scottish Government’s expectations in relation to mothballing schools.
- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 May 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 31 May 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it is aware of Forestry and Land Scotland (a) upgrading existing and (b) building any new roads in anticipation of onshore windfarm developments that have yet to receive planning approval.
Answer
Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) do not undertake any road upgrades, or build new roads, for the purpose of windfarm development. FLS include the right for a windfarm developer to upgrade roads or build new roads, at their expense, within a lease agreement. FLS will only enter into a lease and permit civil engineering works relating to windfarm construction once the development has received planning approval.
- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 May 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 30 May 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, when setting its target to produce 20 GW of onshore wind energy by 2030, what analysis it undertook regarding the need for more wind energy in Scotland.
Answer
The Onshore Wind Policy Statement 2022 , which was the culmination of an extensive consultative process with industry, our statutory consultees and the public, sets an overall ambition of 20 GW of installed onshore wind capacity in Scotland by 2030.
In addition to the public consultation on the draft Onshore Wind Policy Statement, the Scottish Government considered a range of evidence, including the Onshore Wind Industry Prospectus and the Climate Change Committee 6th Carbon Budget in setting a 20 GW ambition.
- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Date lodged: Thursday, 23 May 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 30 May 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the potential impact on its energy policy in Scotland, what its position is on the proposed introduction of locational marginal pricing for the GB wholesale electricity market, and whether it plans to respond to the UK Government’s consultation on the review of electricity market arrangements.
Answer
The UK Government’s Review of Electricity Market Arrangements (REMA) provides an opportunity to take a whole systems view of our future electricity market and consider how it can be reformed to support further renewable deployment, ensure security of supply and reduce costs for consumers. We are clear that any reforms should support a fair and just transition to net zero. We provided a response to the second REMA consultation on 3 May.
We are aware of the potential impacts, both positive and negative, that locational marginal pricing could have for market participants, and we are cognisant of concerns expressed by the renewables industry in Scotland. We are also aware of potential benefits for consumers, including those in or at risk of fuel poverty, as well as for the decarbonisation of industry, heat and transport through electrification. We continue to call on the UK Government to act quickly to provide further clarity on market reform options.
- Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 16 May 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 30 May 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on how many tonnes of peat were damaged by the landslide at the Viking Wind Farm site in Shetland on 7 May 2024.
Answer
SSEN have shared with the Scottish Government that they estimate that a volume of approximately 1700 cubic metres of peat has been disturbed. SSEN have suggested that the loss was generally the surface layer of peat in the area. SSEN have confirmed to the Scottish Government that they are working with key stakeholders and environmental specialists to put in place a plan for safe restoration and reinstatement.
SSEN have informed the Scottish Government that the landslide is not connected to the construction of the Viking Wind Farm but took place at SSEN Transmission’s Kergord Substation, which is currently under construction. We understand that there is no impact to the nearby Viking Wind Farm or the Shetland HVDC link.
