Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-16529

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 13 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met with the directors of finance of each local authority.

Question reference: S6O-02116

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 April 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many affordable homes it has delivered in the past year.

Question reference: S6W-15845

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 24 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that there is adequate (a) weekend and (b) evening ambulance cover in rural Stirlingshire, in light of recent reports that there has been no cover at two ambulance stations.

Ensuring the adequate availability of ambulance resources throughout Scotland is an operational matter for the Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS).

The Service advise that there is no truth to any report of there being no cover at ambulance stations in Stirlingshire.

We are determined to continue to support the Scottish Ambulance Service to ensure resources are in place across the country to ensure they maintain a fast and effective response to our most seriously ill patients.

Our continued increased investment has seen a record 540 additional staff join the service since 2021, with further recruitment underway.

Question reference: S6O-02068

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 March 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has for the Covid Recovery and Parliamentary Business portfolio.

Question reference: S6W-15215

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 7 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the Water and Sewerage Charges Exemption Scheme, whether it will consider retroactively applying an exemption to any registered charity or SCIO for the 2022-23 financial year, and for subsequent years, until the current cost of living crisis is under control.

Whilst organisations are encouraged to apply in advance, registered charities and community amateur sports clubs (CASCs) have until 31 March 2023 to apply for the water and sewerage charges exemption scheme for the 2022-23 financial year. If exemption is granted, it will be backdated to 1 April 2022 - provided the criteria of the scheme were met at that time - and any charges will be refunded. The organisation’s income must be below £300,000 to qualify. Exemption will not be granted if:

The organisation holds a permanent alcohol licence to sell alcohol at the premises
the premises is a charity shop or other premises used for the purposes of retailing new or second hand merchandise
the premises operates as a café which is open to the public and operated on a regular basis to generate income
the organisation is a local council or an Arms-Length External Organisation (ALEO) which can be used by councils to deliver services

Question reference: S6W-14776

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 23 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to rectify any potentially dangerous new street layouts, aimed at encouraging walking and cycling, which are reportedly impacting the daily lives of visually impaired people.

Responsibility for the management of local roads, including decision making on street layouts, remains with local authorities as set out in the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984.

The Scottish Government supports local authorities to deliver safe and accessible active travel infrastructure through the provision of the £35 million Cycling Walking Safer Routes grant which goes directly to local authorities on a pro rata basis.

Support is also provided to local authorities to deliver safe walking, wheeling and cycling infrastructure that is accessible to all through the Scottish Government funded Places for Everyone programme (PfE). Through the PfE programme, support is available at the design stage, and with completion of Equality Impact Assessments (EQIA), to ensure access for all and equality of opportunity in public space.

The Scottish Government is funding Living Streets to research the user experience and consistency in design for walking and cycling infrastructure such as continuous footways and bus stop bypasses.

Where new infrastructure is found to cause accessibility issues for visually impaired people, we would encourage people to engage with their local council.

Question reference: S6W-14317

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 7 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason shooting is permitted at, or adjacent to, sites that have statutory protection, such as National Nature Reserves, Sites of Special Scientific Interest and Local Nature Reserves.

The legislation underpinning Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) requires that NatureScot identifies any activities that are likely to damage the natural features for which the site is designated. These activities are listed for each site as ‘Operations Requiring Consent’ (ORC).

Before a private owner or occupier of a SSSI carries out any activity listed on the ORC list, permission must be sought from NatureScot and a consent issued. A SSSI Consent may be required by the landowner/occupier to undertake wildfowling on a specific SSSI if ORC 10 ‘The killing or removal of any wild mammal, bird, fish or invertebrate’ is in place for the SSSI in question, as this indicates that such activity has the potential to adversely affect nationally important bird populations. Further information on ORC can be found on the NatureScot website .

Most, if not all National Nature Reserves (NNRs) are also SSSIs, and so the provisions above for ORC would also apply. There is also provision in the underpinning legislation for NNRs for the creation of bye-laws to prevent damaging activity.

Where wildfowling takes place on Local Nature Reserves (LNRs) local authorities have powers to make bylaws to protect the interests of LNRs.

Question reference: S6W-14315

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 7 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it permits the shooting of wildfowl from locations immediately next to public footpaths.

Question reference: S6W-14320

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 6 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when it last (a) reviewed the legislation and (b) held a public consultation on wildfowling.

Question reference: S6W-14316

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 6 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it permits the shooting of wildfowl within 10 yards of locations where birds fly in to roost.

There is no specific legislation that prohibits the shooting of wildfowl within 10 yards of locations where birds fly in to roost.

The rules applying to the hunting of wildfowl are set out in the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981. These rules do not prohibit the shooting of wildfowl within 10 yards of locations where birds fly in to roost. The Scottish Government is not aware of any reason to introduce such a prohibition.

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