Questions and answers

Question reference: S5W-28741

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 27 April 2020
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 4 May 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what additional financial support it is putting is in place during the COVID-19 outbreak for Scotland-domiciled students studying at universities in England, including the University of Cumbria.

As announced on 8 April 2020, we have introduced a £5 million package of emergency financial support to help students facing hardship as a result of the coronavirus outbreak. This £5 million includes an additional £2.2 million for Scotland’s Higher Education (HE) Discretionary Funds specifically to address COVID-19 related hardships, which has been made available to colleges and universities immediately.

University and college students are able to apply for any emergency discretionary payments directly to their own institutions. This support is also available to students from the rest of the UK (rUK) currently studying at Scottish institutions.

The UK Government have confirmed that they are working with the Office for Students, the regulator in England, to help English higher education providers reallocate funding towards their hardship funds for all students in need of additional support.

It may also be helpful to note that the University of Cumbria’s hardship fund for students who are experiencing financial difficulty is available to all UK students. I have included a link to the relevant page of their website below:

https://www.cumbria.ac.uk/study/student-finance/support-funds/

Question reference: S5W-28387

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 April 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 27 April 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to treating Ecclefechan Truckstop as a workplace canteen for HGV drivers during the COVID-19 outbreak.

The Scottish Government has given the matter appropriate consideration and we have written to the Truckstop proprietor to clarify the position.

All services that remain open during the current period must adhere to the emergency health protection legislation. Any public food outlet needs to comply with the restrictions which do not permit the consumption of food on premises.

The haulage industry in Scotland and its support network are vital to our efforts to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on all businesses and individuals in Scotland. These restrictions are designed to safeguard public health and this is especially pertinent for drivers and the haulage industry and the vital role they are performing in this National effort.

The Scottish Government is grateful to the haulage industry in Scotland and its support network which are working extremely hard to help ensure food and other essential items remain available. We will continue to support those efforts during this unprecedented situation.

Question reference: S5W-28172

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 31 March 2020
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 27 April 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that Dumfries and Galloway Council is withholding payments to some private, voluntary and independent nursery providers for funded places.

I issued a joint letter with the COSLA Spokesperson for Children and Young People on 24 March to confirm that where private or third sector providers (including childminders) are closed or children are unable to attend due to the pandemic, local authorities should continue payments for funded places for the duration of the closure, to ensure that local early learning and childcare (ELC) capacity is retained and to support sustainability for the future delivery of ELC. COSLA also published supporting guidance for commissioners on 24 March which can be found at: https://www.cosla.gov.uk/cosla-guidance-commissioners-during-covid-19-response .

Dumfries and Galloway Council have confirmed that they have brought forward payments to providers that have remained open and these payments have been made, whilst payments to providers that are now closed will be made in advance, as normal, within four weeks of the start of the new term.

Our colleagues in local government are working at pace under enormous pressure to respond to the extraordinary circumstances in which we all find ourselves. We are working together to resolve issues as they emerge, and I would like to thank councils for their continued efforts.

Question reference: S5W-28305

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 April 2020
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 20 April 2020

To ask the Scottish Government when it will provide the necessary guidance to Dumfries and Galloway Council to allow grant payments to be made to eligible self-catering businesses under the COVID-19 support scheme.

Question reference: S5W-27992

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 March 2020
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 31 March 2020

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the advice that it is issuing to help control the spread of COVID-19, what action it is considering in relation to the planning system for large-scale projects, such as wind farm developments, where public consultation might be curtailed.

The Scottish Government is urgently considering the need for legislation and guidance in relation to the continued operation of the planning system during the COVID 19 emergency. As part of this we are proposing legislation to temporarily suspend the statutory requirement for a public event in relation to pre-application consultation on major and national developments, given the need to avoid public gatherings. Pre-application consultation will remain an important element of the planning process, and we expect alternatives, such as online opportunities, to enable local communities to influence the planning process in the meantime. A Chief Planner letter will be issued shortly setting out our position on this and other aspects of our response on planning issues.

Question reference: S5W-27993

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 March 2020
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 26 March 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has reviewed the future-proofing of the Whitesands Flood Protection scheme to take account of predicted climate change across the anticipated lifespan of the project, and whether there are any legal implications in progressing with a scheme that is not based on the most recent analysis of future water levels.

Statutory guidance on Sustainable Flood Risk Management ( https://www.gov.scot/publications/guidance-support-sepa-responsible-authorities/ ) requires that flood management actions being undertaken should stand the test of time and be adaptable to future changes in the climate. However, the Scottish Government does not specify design standards for new flood protection schemes. It is for the local authority to decide on the standard of protection for a proposed scheme based on social, economic and environmental factors. The approach should be risk-based, linking benefits to costs with the aim of maximising the reduction in overall risk.

Climate change was one of the issues considered by Reporters at the Whitesands Public Local Inquiry. The Reporters were content that climate change has been adequately addressed. Consideration has been given to climate change in the modelling and the design of the scheme but it is not intended to be built to a height that includes an allowance for that issue. It is, however, designed to incorporate an element of flexibility to allow for future adaptions to increase the height of the defences if it is determined that this is necessary and appropriate.

After giving full consideration to the complex issues involved, the range of evidence presented and the detailed independent scrutiny by the reporters, the Scottish Ministers decided to confirm the Whitesands Flood Protection Scheme and issued their decision to Dumfries and Galloway Council on 17 March. The council is required to give notice of this final decision and it will be for them to decide whether and when to proceed with the project.

Question reference: S5W-27171

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 January 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 19 February 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what the waiting time is for cataract removal surgery in the NHS Dumfries and Galloway area.

Question reference: S5O-04122

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 February 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 February 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve road safety around schools in rural areas.

Question reference: S5W-27093

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 January 2020
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 4 February 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how a member of the public can contact the Inspector of Funeral Directors.

Should a member of the public wish to contact the Inspector of Funeral Directors they can do so by sending their query to: InspectorofFuneralDirectors@gov.scot

The former Inspector of Funeral Directors’ appointment ended on 30 June 2019 and Ministers are finalising arrangements for a new Inspector to be appointed under the Burial and Cremation (Scotland) Act 2016. During this transition period, until a new Inspector is appointed, the Burial and Cremation Team will deal with all correspondence.

Question reference: S5W-26692

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 December 2019
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 7 January 2020

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met the Scottish Schools Education Research Centre, and what was discussed.

I last met with the Scottish Schools Education Research Centre (SSERC) when I visited the centre on 25 September 2019 to meet with its Chief Executive and members of the Senior Management Team. The visit focused on SSERC’s delivery of “face-to-face” and digital training along with their support for early years practitioners.

In line with the STEM Education and Training Strategy, the Scottish Government provides SSERC with an annual grant to enable the organisation to deliver a programme of professional learning for early years practitioners, teachers in primary and secondary schools and school science technical support staff. My officials meet SSERC on a quarterly basis to discuss progress in delivery of the Scottish Government grant.

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