Questions and answers

Question reference: S5W-13968

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 19 January 2018
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 31 January 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on progress to improve (a) mobile phone coverage, (b) superfast broadband and (c) DAB radio signals in rural parts of the Mid Scotland and Fife region, and what action it is taking to speed up their implementation ahead of the target date of 2021.

Despite the reserved nature of telecommunications in the UK, the Scottish Government has chosen to take action to improve broadband and mobile coverage across Scotland, rather than wait for the UK Government to act. We do not have any formal role in the delivery of DAB radio coverage, which is being taken forward by the UK Government, local radio multiplex operators and the BBC. However, Ofcom produces a yearly report on digital radio, and the 2017 report can be found at https://www.ofcom.org.uk/research-and-data/tv-radio-and-on-demand/radio-research/digital-radio-reports.

Our Mobile Action Plan – the first of its kind in the UK – outlines the steps we are taking with industry and other partners to improve mobile coverage across Scotland. In July 2017, we made changes to planning regulations to make it easier for mobile network operators to deploy new or upgraded infrastructure. We are piloting a scheme to trial non-domestic rates relief for new mobile masts in non-commercial areas; and we will shortly begin the procurement for the Scottish 4G Infill Programme. This will see up to £25 million invested to deliver new masts in selected areas affected by mobile notspots. We will announce more details later in the year.

Our investment through the Digital Scotland Superfast Broadband (DSSB) programme has seen substantial improvements to broadband access in Mid Scotland and Fife. As at 31 December 2017, over 118,000 additional premises in the region had access to fibre broadband, thanks to DSSB, with over 105,000 of those able to access speeds of 24 megabits per second (Mbps) and above.

We recognise that more needs to be done and this is why the Scottish Government recently announced a £600 million investment in the initial phase of the R100 programme, which will extend superfast broadband access to 100% of premises by the end of 2021. This is the biggest public investment ever made in a UK broadband project; and underpins the first universal superfast programme in the UK. Of course, of this £600 million, the UK Government is contributing a mere £20.99 million - just 3.5% of the total investment - and I would hope that I can rely on your support in seeking a fairer, more substantial contribution from your colleagues in Westminster.

Procurement to deliver this investment is underway. It is expected to last around 12 months, and we will announce plans for delivery in early 2019, once contracts have been awarded.

Question reference: S5W-13818

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 12 January 2018
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 26 January 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that Fife College is having to reduce the number of courses that it offers because of reported reductions in its budget.

Fife College received a real terms increase in funding from the SFC in 2017-18. The SFC provide the budget allocations to College Regions, indicative allocations have yet to be published, however in 2018-19 we will deliver a real-terms increase in funding for colleges. The College reviews its curriculum to ensure that it meets the demands of the economy and needs of current and prospective students.

Question reference: S5W-13819

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 12 January 2018
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 26 January 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what action it can take to ensure that further education (a) courses and (b) student numbers can be maintained, and what analysis it has carried out on the impact on this of the reported reductions in college budgets.

This government has a strong track record on colleges - over the last Parliament, we maintained 116,000 full-time equivalent college places.

We will continue this commitment, concentrating learning on recognised qualifications.

In 2018-19 we will deliver a real-terms increase in funding for colleges of 9.4%. Our commitment to college funding is illustrated by an allocation of over £7 billion of investment (resource and capital) in colleges since 2007.

Question reference: S5W-13967

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 19 January 2018
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 26 January 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on developing a new generation of new towns, and how it will ensure that any proposed developments will have adequate amenities.

We support the contribution that our planned and under development new settlements in Scotland, including for example Shawfair and Tornagrain, will make to providing essential homes and services for their local areas.

New towns are not a new solution or the only solution. We expect local authorities to take a lead in saying where development should take place based upon local requirements and capacity for growth and for that to be reflected in local development plans.

Question reference: S5O-01738

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 January 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 31 January 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had regarding the provision of new housing stock to meet future needs.

Question reference: S5W-13852

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 15 January 2018
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 23 January 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding what projects are likely to feature in the Stirling and Clackmannanshire City Deal.

The Scottish Government remains fully committed to a City Region Deal for Stirling and Clackmannanshire and we have been leading tripartite discussions with the city region partners and the UK Government throughout the process. It is crucial for us that this Deal delivers the best possible outcomes for Stirling and Clackmannanshire and delivers transformative growth to the regional economy and inclusion. Any plan must fit within the overall framework of Scotland’s Economic Strategy – making a clear and measurable significant long-term contribution to both prosperity and fairness.

The scale of the Deal, and the projects included within it, will be subject to negotiation between both the Scottish and UK Governments and the city region partners. Given the nature of these discussions it is not possible, at this stage, for me to confirm when a decision will be reached or to discuss details of which projects may be included as part of the overall deal going forward.

We are giving all proposals our full consideration and, depending on the progress made through tripartite discussions, we are working to reach a Heads of Terms agreement as soon as possible.

Question reference: S5W-13869

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 15 January 2018
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 23 January 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on setting up and maintaining a national register of people who have been falsely accused of rape.

Question reference: S5W-13302

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 07 December 2017
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 22 December 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on care homes being permitted to issue day disability badges, similar to those offered to rail passengers.

We recognise the vital role the disabled person’s parking scheme plays in supporting people to live independent lives. For example, I have this week announced the extension of the scheme to some people with cognitive impairments who pose a risk to themselves or others in traffic, where alternative strategies do not work to handle the risk.

At present care homes can pay for a range of rail tickets to facilitate travel of their residents, full details of which are available on the ScotRail website.

There is a facility to issue disabled person’s parking badges to organisations such as care homes, when the organisation is carrying passengers who would be entitled in their own right to such a badge. Individual decisions about issue of such badges is a matter for the local authority.

More information about our position on eligibility criteria for a disabled person’s parking badge is available at www.mygov.scot/apply-blue-badge/eligibility-who-can-have-one which has a full description of eligibility criteria.

Question reference: S5F-01853

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 December 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 December 2017

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to figures from NSPCC Scotland, which suggest that there has been a 42% increase in child sexual abuse referrals in the last year.

Question reference: S5O-01607

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 December 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 December 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that multidisciplinary goal setting is in place for stroke patients as soon as possible as part of their rehabilitation.

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