- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 05 September 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Siobhian Brown on 17 September 2024
To ask the Scottish Government how much has been raised from victim surcharges ordered from offenders aged under 18 at date of offence in the Highlands and Islands region in each year since June 2022.
Answer
The Scottish Government does not hold information on the Victim Surcharge Fund broken down in this way.
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 05 September 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Siobhian Brown on 17 September 2024
To ask the Scottish Government how many offenders aged under 18 at date of offence in the Highlands and Islands region have been ordered to pay a victim surcharge for a (a) conditional discharge, (b) fine, including a Youth Rehabilitation Order or Referral Order, and (c) custodial sentence, in each year since 2021.
Answer
The Scottish Government does not hold information on the Victim Surcharge Fund broken down in this way.
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 August 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 17 September 2024
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason Marine Scotland is reportedly unable to conduct a further inspection of the partially deconstructed man-made causeway between the Isles of Luing and Torsa, as requested by members of the community in Luing.
Answer
Marine Directorate - Licensing Operations Team (MD-LOT), on behalf of Scottish Ministers, investigated the unlicensed construction of a causeway between Luing and Torsa between September 2021 and July 2022. During that time, several site visits were undertaken by authorised Marine Enforcement officers (MEOs) and remedial works were instructed under Section 44 of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010. Following a final visit to the site by MEOs, these works were completed to the satisfaction of MD-LOT on 26 July 2022. No further enforcement action is planned in this case.
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 September 2024
Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Current Status:
Answered by Alasdair Allan on 17 September 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to end the process of "salami-slicing" of energy infrastructure projects.
Answer
As part of the application process for energy infrastructure projects, the Scottish Government undertake a full and thorough consultation with stakeholders, including the relevant Local Planning Authorities, to ensure all aspects of the development are considered.
Where it is necessary to understand the environmental impact of an infrastructure project, a full Environment Impact Assessment is required to be undertaken which takes into account the cumulative impacts of the full development.
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 August 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Angus Robertson on 17 September 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on any ongoing repair work at Auchindoun Castle, and when it will reopen to the public.
Answer
Questions regarding day-to-day operational matters of Historic Environment Scotland, including information relating to any repair and maintenance works, are best answered directly by Historic Environment Scotland.
I have asked Historic Environment Scotland to respond directly to the member with a full reply to his question in writing.
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 August 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Angus Robertson on 17 September 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on any ongoing repair work at Glenbuchat Castle, and when it will reopen to the public.
Answer
Questions regarding day-to-day operational matters of Historic Environment Scotland, including information relating to any repair and maintenance works, are best answered directly by Historic Environment Scotland.
I have asked Historic Environment Scotland to respond directly to the member with a full reply to his question in writing.
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 02 September 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 17 September 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of its Reading Schools programme on improving literacy rates among children.
Answer
The Scottish Government funds the Scottish Book Trust (SBT) to deliver the Reading Schools programme which represents an inclusive, whole school approach to embedding a reading culture within schools.
SBT commissions independent evaluations of the programme to examine the impact on pupils, learning professionals and schools. All evaluations are published on the Reading Schools website at:
The Scottish Government understands that the most recent report on the 2023-24 programme by Research Scotland will be published in the next few weeks and will be publicly available through the Reading Schools website as referenced above.
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 02 September 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 17 September 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what action (a) it and (b) its agencies are taking to improve the strength of mobile phone signals along train routes in the Highlands and Islands region.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-29410 on 17 September 2024. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at /chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 02 September 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 17 September 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what criteria schools are required to meet to achieve Reading Schools accreditation.
Answer
The Scottish Government funds the Scottish Book Trust (SBT) to deliver the SBT Reading Schools programme and therefore SBT is responsible for setting the criteria for core, silver and gold accreditation.
Reading Schools encourages a whole-school approach to establishing a healthy reading culture in schools across Scotland. The Reading Schools Accreditation framework details the key areas considered crucial to building and sustaining a whole-school reading culture and are mapped against How Good Is Our School? 4. In order to be accredited, a school must provide evidence of how they have achieved the standard described under each of the key areas. Schools retain their accreditation for three years, before being required to evidence further developments to sustain reading culture.
The SBT Reading Schools Framework can be accessed online here:
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 02 September 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 17 September 2024
To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has allocated to promote its Reading Schools programme.
Answer
The Scottish Government has allocated £548,723 in this financial year 2024/25 to the Scottish Book Trust (SBT) to deliver the Reading Schools Programme. Since the Scottish Government began funding the programme in 2018, SBT have received a total of £1,592,923, including this year.
SBT also received funding of £28,750 from Scottish Government in 2023-24, to deliver a Reading Schools Early Years pilot in seven childcare settings across Angus.