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Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

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Question reference: S5W-22520

Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 April 2019
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 23 April 2019

To ask the Scottish Government when plans for the implementation of non-invasive prenatal testing will be published, and whether the plans will be open to public consultation.

The UK National Screening Committee undertook a three month public consultation in 2015 which informed its subsequent recommendations on Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT) in 2016 and endorsed by the Scottish Screening Committee in March 2018. Given that the Scottish Government is advised on all aspects of screening by the UK National Screening Committee, we do not plan to run any additional public consultation.

The implementation plans for NIPT are not held by the Scottish Government, they are held by National Services Scotland (NSS); the organisation which is leading on the implementation of NIPT on behalf of NHS Scotland. Request for access to any plans should therefore be made to NSS.

Question reference: S5W-22401

Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 March 2019
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 23 April 2019

To ask the Scottish Government on what date it will announce details of the Wave 4 capital spending for Edinburgh's schools.

The Wave 4 Programme is the City of Edinburgh Council's school infrastructure investment programme. However, through our Scotland's Schools for the Future Programme, the City of Edinburgh Council has been awarded over £63 million towards the construction of four school projects.

In spite of the good work of the programme, which completes in March 2020, there is still more to do. This is why the Deputy First Minister announced the new £1 billion schools investment programme at the end of November 2018. The Scottish Government are engaging with COSLA, and other key stakeholders, to agree a new Learning Estate Strategy and an outcomes based funding model for future schools investment.

The 2019-20 Local Government Finance settlement provides the City of Edinburgh Council with £110.6 million Capital funding, an additional £20.1 million (22.3%) compared to 2018-19.

Question reference: S5W-22261

Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 March 2019
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 28 March 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to ensure that the roll out of 5G across Scotland will not result in the removal of healthy trees from the urban landscape.

Scottish Planning Policy (SPP) sets out that the planning system should support digital connectivity, in particular infrastructure provision which is sited and designed to keep environmental impacts to a minimum. SPP also sets out policy protection for trees and the wider environment. We will carry out a wide review of the National Planning Framework and SPP following on from the current Planning Bill.

Question reference: S5O-03089

Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 March 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 April 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to tackle air pollution in Edinburgh.

Question reference: S5O-03009

Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 March 2019
Current Status: Answered by Kezia Dugdale on 21 March 2019

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body how it plans to recruit more disabled people.

The SPCB is committed to building a diverse and talented workforce that reflects the people of Scotland and we firmly believe in using positive action in the recruitment of disabled people.

We have taken steps to ensure our recruitment processes are fair and inclusive of disabled people. For any disabled person who wants to work at the Parliament, the experience must be positive and rewarding, and the positive experience must continue throughout their career. In order to support this we look to remove barriers in the workplace and enable our staff to fulfil their potential, utilising their skills and talent.

Question reference: S5O-03064

Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 March 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 27 March 2019

To ask the Scottish Government on what date it took the decision to delay the roll-out of the second wave of social security benefits.

Question reference: S5O-03035

Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 March 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 March 2019

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason Transport Scotland requires disabled people to renew their National Entitlement Card every three years, including when their disability is permanent or progressive.

Question reference: S5W-21761

Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 February 2019
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 1 March 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, where the full funding allocation requested by local authorities is not being fulfilled, which areas of the Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan it will prioritise, or whether such decisions would be at the discretion of individual councils.

Question reference: S5W-21759

Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 February 2019
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 1 March 2019

To ask the Scottish Government by what date it plans to make a decision on the Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan.

There is no single rapid rehousing transition plan for Scotland but 32 individual rapid rehousing transition plans developed by each local authority. Officials are currently in the process of reviewing all 32 rapid rehousing transition plans. Individual tailored feedback to each local authority will be provided by the end of March 2019. Thereafter, officials will work with local authorities to develop their rapid rehousing transition plans where necessary.

Question reference: S5W-21760

Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 February 2019
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 1 March 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what the process is and timescales are for signing off and rolling out the Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan across Scotland.

There is no single rapid rehousing transition plan for Scotland but 32 individual rapid rehousing transition plans developed by each local authority. Officials are currently in the process of reviewing the rapid rehousing transition plans and individual tailored feedback will be provided to each local authority by the end of March 2019. Thereafter, officials will work with local authorities to develop their rapid rehousing transition plans further where necessary.

The Scottish Government expects rapid rehousing transition plans to commence from 1 April 2019 and we will be working with local authorities to support them to do this.

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