- Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 May 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Lorna Slater on 8 June 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has assessed the economic impact on businesses of the changes to the Deposit Return Scheme that it announced on 18 April 2023.
Answer
The deposit return scheme is a major undertaking for businesses, bringing very significant environmental and economic benefits. Accordingly, we have regularly consulted with a wide range of businesses, trade associations, the scheme administrator, and other organisations as part of the decision making process.
The suite of impact assessments has been updated to reflect the draft regulations laid in May 2023, and as part of this, the Scottish Government has produced a supplementary analysis to the Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment. This document includes the economic impacts of the amendments to the scheme announced in April. We will publish updated impact assessments in due course.
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 25 May 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Angus Robertson on 8 June 2023
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-17500 by Angus Robertson on 12 May 2023, when it plans to update the gov.scot website with "the full costs of my visit, and those of all Ministerial travel costs", in order for MSPs to be able to see the information, in light of its answer encouraging people to "look there for more details"; whether it has now published "details of the meetings, including summaries of each", in light of its answer stating that this would "be published next week under Freedom of Information", and whether it will provide the "range of actions including follow up with specific companies, ongoing diaspora engagements and discussion with the Tartan Week Committee" that "will continue to be monitored in the coming year".
Answer
Ministerial Engagements, travel and gifts are published within 3 months in line with the Scottish Ministerial Code.
The Freedom of Information request referred to, detailing meetings and summaries of each, was published on 19 May 2023 on the Scottish Government Website. Details can be found at this link https://www.gov.scot/publications/foi-202300352406/ .
Follow up actions from business meetings are contained in the meeting summaries. Actions include, but are not limited to: offering to support links to centres of excellence in technology and data science; continued support of the encouragement of talent access; gathering examples of best practice across industries; supporting development of events; working with our diaspora partners to support improving delivery of Tartan Week results for Scotland; and continuation of support from Scottish Enterprise for development activities.
Specific actions that are sensitive to the future operations of those companies and diaspora groups, have been omitted in order to protect business interests and the strong US Scotland relationship.
- Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 May 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Paul McLennan on 8 June 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has plans to increase competition in the tenancy deposit scheme market, in light of there being currently only three companies, with one of them reportedly having almost 70% of the market share.
Answer
A review of the tenancy deposit schemes was undertaken at the end of 2018. It was clear from the findings that the current regulations continued to provide a robust regulatory and operational framework.
Following the review a number of revisions to the operating procedures were made under The Tenancy Deposit Schemes (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2019 . The schemes submitted revised procedures in October 2019 and were reapproved in November 2019.
Should any additional companies wish to operate a tenancy deposit scheme in Scotland they would be required to apply to Scottish Ministers for approval demonstrating they can meet the requirement of the Regulations before they can operate.
- Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 May 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 8 June 2023
To ask the Scottish Government how many victims’ requests to silently observe a parole hearing had been refused at the time that the author of the publication, Independent Review of the Victim Notification Scheme, wrote that seven victims had been allowed to observe these hearings.
Answer
We cannot specify the precise number of victim observations which took place at any one given time during the development of the independent review of the Victim Notification Scheme because the number of requests will have varied throughout the drafting process.
The Parole Board for Scotland has provided the following information on the number of victim requests to observe parole hearings to 30 May 2023 – both approved and denied. It should be noted the first period coincides with the Board’s wish to consider and protect the safety of all parole hearing participants as they emerged from Covid restrictions, therefore no applications were approved during this time.
Dates | Requests received | Requests approved | Requests denied |
08-03-21 – 11-03-22 | 38 | 0 | 38 |
12-03-22 – 16-02-23 | 57 | 47 | 10* |
17-02-23 – 30-05-23 | 11 | 11 | 0 |
*Reasons for refusal
The following reasons were given for refusing an application to observe a hearing:
- 6 out of the 10 were because of the sensitive nature of the information to be discussed at the Tribunal;
- 1 where the case was considered under Rule 20 or the Parole Board (Scotland) Rules 2001 (i.e. an oral hearing arising from a Part III case, where there is no entitlement to observe);
- 1 where the prisoner did not have a solicitor;
- 1 where the Panel thought written reps more suitable; and
- 1 where the panel concluded a summary of the decision would be sufficient
- Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 May 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Angus Robertson on 8 June 2023
To ask the Scottish Government when it anticipates its "public-facing digital directory of organisations around the world affiliated with Scotland", as set out in the Scottish Connections Framework, will go live, and how it will be accessed.
Answer
A digital directory of organisations with a Scottish connection will launch in 2023. The directory will be hosted on the Scottish Government’s international-facing website www.scotland.org and will be available for all to access without registration.
The directory will include a range of diaspora or affiliated organisations – from traditional clan and St Andrew’s Societies, to established alumni groups and business networks. The directory will be reviewed and updated regularly.
- Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 May 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Angus Robertson on 8 June 2023
To ask the Scottish Government on what date it anticipates it will launch its diaspora recognition award, as set out in the Scottish Connections Framework, and how many will be awarded each year.
Answer
The Scottish Government, in its Scottish Connections Framework, committed to launch a diaspora recognition award, marking the achievements of our diaspora, and that this would be launched over this parliament following its design with diaspora communities and the advisory panel.
The award will recognise the work of our diaspora around the world, either in service to their own communities or for Scotland’s reputation and interests.
- Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 May 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 8 June 2023
To ask the Scottish Government how many restoration orders to restore damaged natural features in certain protected areas have been handed down by courts in each year for which data is available.
Answer
Restoration orders can be issued as an additional disposal to people convicted of charges under the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 Sections 19(1), 19(3), 27(1) or 36(2). As of 31 December 2022, no restoration orders have been issued as a disposal in a criminal court.
Source: Scottish Government Criminal Proceedings in Scotland, 2020-21 and the Scottish Government Justice Analytical Services Criminal Disposals Dashboard: Q3 2022-23.
- Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 June 2023
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Current Status:
Initiated by the Scottish Government.
Answered by Michael Matheson on 8 June 2023
To ask the Scottish Government how many of the 750 additional nurses, midwives and allied health professionals from overseas, as announced in October 2022, with associated funding of £8 million, have been recruited by NHS boards across Scotland.
Answer
As a result of intensive work by Health Boards the target has been exceeded and an additional 800 staff from overseas have been recruited of which 293 are already in posts across the country to date, and a further 507 in train due to arrive, with the majority taking up posts in the first quarter of this financial year. This builds on the previous year where 200 staff were recruited from overseas, meaning an additional 1,000 staff have been recruited in the last 18 months, bolstering our existing workforce.
- Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 May 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Paul McLennan on 8 June 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what advice it gives to customers of the tenancy deposits schemes if they have an issue, dispute or complaint with one of the tenancy schemes that do not offer an independent dispute resolution procedure.
Answer
Tenancy Deposit Schemes were introduced to deal with the problem of landlords and letting agents who unfairly withheld deposits from tenants. In Scotland a custodial scheme is operated by 3 schemes approved by Scottish Ministers.
Tenants benefit from having deposits safeguarded by an independent third party. Section 33 and 34 of the Tenancy Deposit Schemes (Scotland) Regulations 2011 sets out the requirements for all approved schemes to provide a free and independent dispute resolution service, so that the deposit can be returned quickly and fairly.
Scottish Government cannot intervene with individual deposit disputes and cannot intervene in decisions made by the independent adjudicator in relation to a tenancy deposit case.
- Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 May 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Angus Robertson on 8 June 2023
To ask the Scottish Government on what date it will appoint its diaspora Youth Officers, as set out in the Scottish Connections Framework, and how many Youth Officers it plans to appoint each year.
Answer
The Scottish Government, in its Scottish Connections Framework, committed to engage with Scottish heritage organisations internationally, supporting these organisations to broaden their appeal to young people, including supporting appointment of Youth Officers and establishing scholarships and youth exchanges.
The Scottish Government will not appoint diaspora Youth Officers but will support and encourage diaspora organisations in their efforts to broaden their membership and appeal to younger generations.
