- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 November 2020
-
Current Status:
Answered by Fergus Ewing on 11 December 2020
To ask the Scottish Government how much funding was available through the Hotel Recovery Programme, and how many grant applications were (a) received and (b) successful, broken down by local authority area.
Answer
The funding made available to support the Hotel Support Programme is £14m. Enterprise Agencies, VisitScotland and SDS are also drawing in their wider support products and services to assist companies on the Programme. The number of Expressions of Interest received by local authority area is set out in the following table:
Local Authority | Total No of EOIs |
Aberdeen City | 14 |
Aberdeenshire | 11 |
Dundee City | 9 |
Angus | 4 |
Perth & Kinross | 15 |
Edinburgh City | 46 |
East Lothian | 5 |
West Lothian | 2 |
Mid Lothian | 3 |
Glasgow City | 21 |
East Dunbartonshire | 2 |
East Renfrewshire | 3 |
Inverclyde | 1 |
North Lanarkshire | 5 |
Renfrewshire | 8 |
South Lanarkshire | 11 |
West Dunbartonshire | 3 |
East Ayrshire | 5 |
South Ayrshire | 9 |
North Ayrshire | 7 |
Stirling | 11 |
Falkirk | 10 |
Fife | 13 |
Argyll & Bute | 16 |
Highlands | 37 |
Moray | 1 |
Orkney | 3 |
Shetland | 2 |
Western Isles | 2 |
Scottish Borders | 7 |
Dumfries & Galloway | 9 |
Total | 295 |
We are not yet in the position to confirm the number of hotels which have been successful as final discussions are on-going with a small number of applicants around the detail of their support package, and the Enterprise bodies await the return of a number of issued contracts of offer of support.
Originally, the Hotel Support Programme was expected to support in the region of 60 hotels. Despite the Programme being heavily oversubscribed following the submission of 295 Expressions of Interest, our expectation is that we will be able to exceed the original expected number of hotels supported.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Monday, 30 November 2020
-
Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 10 December 2020
To ask the Scottish Government what advice has been issued to local authorities regarding the working arrangements for pregnant teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Answer
Safety of staff in schools is paramount. Teachers are entitled to feel safe at work and we expect schools and local authorities to make sure appropriate arrangements are in place for them.
Our latest guidance on reducing coronavirus (COVID-19) risks in schools, published on 30 October, says schools and local authorities should follow the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists advice to try to keep the risk of exposure as low as is practically possible to pregnant women, particularly in the third trimester. Normal pregnancy risk assessments should also be undertaken, and appropriate attention paid to mental health and wellbeing.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Monday, 30 November 2020
-
Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 10 December 2020
To ask the Scottish Government when the outcome of the consultation on options for the A83 at the Rest and Be Thankful will be announced.
Answer
Transport Scotland is in the process of analysing around 650 responses received from the public consultation. It is expected the consultation findings, including responses to occurring themes where relevant, will be published on the Transport Scotland website in early 2021.
In the meantime, Transport Scotland has published information on the emerging themes from the consultation on its website at https://www.transport.gov.scot/projects/a83-access-to-argyll-and-bute/project-details/ .
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Monday, 30 November 2020
-
Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 10 December 2020
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish an outline timetable for taking forward the replacement of the A83 at the Rest and Be Thankful.
Answer
The Scottish Government has committed to identifying a preferred corridor by Spring 2021. A full timetable can only be established once a preferred corridor is known and the nature of the infrastructure works can be more clearly defined.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Monday, 30 November 2020
-
Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 10 December 2020
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish responses to the consultation on options for the A83 at the Rest and Be Thankful, and, if so, when.
Answer
Michael Matheson: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-33622 on 10 December 2020. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx .
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Monday, 30 November 2020
-
Current Status:
Answered by Kate Forbes on 8 December 2020
To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to outline how it will spend the reported £2.2 billion of remaining unallocated Barnett consequentials.
Answer
As I previously indicated to the Finance and Constitution Committee, on an exceptional basis, I will provide the Committee with a high level analysis of the allocation of Barnett consequentials since the Autumn Budget Revision in early December. This will be an interim update, subject to final allocations being formally confirmed in the Spring Budget Revision.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Monday, 30 November 2020
-
Current Status:
Answered by John Swinney on 8 December 2020
To ask the Scottish Government whether local authorities have been instructed to carry out risk assessments on the requirement to wear face coverings at school gates.
Answer
As part of our precautionary approach, our COVID-19 guidance on reducing the risks in schools advises that parents/carers should wear face coverings during school drop off/pick up. This was a recommendation from the COVID-19 Advisory Sub-Group on Education and Children's Issues.
The guidance makes clear that it is a legal requirement that local authorities ensure that risk assessments are conducted, regularly reviewed and updated, and that all aspects of school life should be taken into consideration.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 November 2020
-
Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 7 December 2020
To ask the Scottish Government how much of the £48 million allocated in part to the COVID-19 (a) Restrictions Fund and (b) Business Hardship Fund has been spent, broken down by local authority.
Answer
The Scottish Government worked closely with COSLA and all local authorities to deliver the Restrictions Fund which closed on 3 November, including monitoring arrangements. Information about the breakdown of spend by local authority for the restrictions and business hardship aspects of the COVID-19 Restrictions Fund which applied for the period 9 October– 2 November will be published on the Scottish Government website shortly.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 November 2020
-
Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 7 December 2020
To ask the Scottish Government how much it has allocated to the Strategic Framework Business Fund.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S5O-04819 on 3 December 2020 which is available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/ormain.aspx '
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 November 2020
-
Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 7 December 2020
To ask the Scottish Government whether there have been any changes to the eligibility criteria for businesses applying to the COVID-19 Strategic Framework Business Fund compared with those for the COVID-19 Restrictions Fund.
Answer
The Strategic Framework Business Fund is a different fund from the COVID-19 Restrictions Fund for businesses impacted by the temporary restrictions between 9 October and 2 November and the eligibility criteria are not directly comparable. The Strategic Framework Business Fund is available not only to limited companies, partnerships and sole traders, but to charities and social enterprises and community interest companies, provided they meet the eligibility criteria.