Liam Kerr MSP

That the Parliament congratulates 12-year-old Arran Keenon from Cammachmore, near Stonehaven, on raising more than £700 for the Crohns in Childhood Research Association (CICRA) by completing the 2.6 Challenge; understands that Arran cycled 26 miles on roads and routes near his home to help CICRA maintain its services during the COVID-19 pandemic; notes that Arran chose to raise funds for CICRA after experiencing its work first-hand when the charity helped him back to health following his own Crohns diagnosis in Dec 2019; thanks Arran for his inspirational fundraising efforts at a time when charities across the country are under acute pressure, and wishes him the very best for the future.

That the Parliament congratulates 12-year-old Arran Keenon from Cammachmore, near Stonehaven, on raising more than £700 for the Crohns in Childhood Research Association (CICRA) by completing the 2.6 Challenge; understands that Arran cycled 26 miles on roads and routes near his home to help CICRA maintain its services during the COVID-19 pandemic; notes that Arran chose to raise funds for CICRA after experiencing its work first-hand when the charity helped him back to health following his own Crohns diagnosis in Dec 2019; thanks Arran for his inspirational fundraising efforts at a time when charities across the country are under acute pressure, and wishes him the very best for the future.

That the Parliament congratulates the Ferryhill Railway Heritage Trust on receiving grants worth £70,000 in order to restore and develop its engine shed; notes that the grants from the FCC Communities Foundation, the National Lottery and the Garfield Weston Foundation will enable the group to refurbish the roof of its engine shed, which was originally built in 1850; welcomes a further grant worth £23,487 from Historic Environment Scotland, conditional on the agreement of a conservation burden; understands that the shed will be used to showcase historic railway vehicles and display them to the public; thanks the Ferryhill volunteers for their tireless work to upgrade their site, enabling the return of steam charter services to Aberdeen, and hopes that this new development will enable a new generation of people to experience these vehicles and add to tourism in the north east in the years ahead.

That the Parliament congratulates the Ferryhill Railway Heritage Trust on receiving grants worth £70,000 in order to restore and develop its engine shed; notes that the grants from the FCC Communities Foundation, the National Lottery and the Garfield Weston Foundation will enable the group to refurbish the roof of its engine shed, which was originally built in 1850; welcomes a further grant worth £23,487 from Historic Environment Scotland, conditional on the agreement of a conservation burden; understands that the shed will be used to showcase historic railway vehicles and display them to the public; thanks the Ferryhill volunteers for their tireless work to upgrade their site, enabling the return of steam charter services to Aberdeen, and hopes that this new development will enable a new generation of people to experience these vehicles and add to tourism in the north east in the years ahead.

That the Parliament congratulates Stonehaven Gymnastics Club on being awarded £1,000 by the Asda Foundation after winning a vote among customers of Asda Portlethen; applauds the runners-up, Fordoun Defibrilator Group and Aberdeen Childline, which each received £500; commends each group for the good work that they carry out, and welcomes what it sees as Asda's continued commitment to community organisations in Portlethen and the surrounding area.

That the Parliament congratulates Stonehaven Gymnastics Club on being awarded £1,000 by the Asda Foundation after winning a vote among customers of Asda Portlethen; applauds the runners-up, Fordoun Defibrilator Group and Aberdeen Childline, which each received £500; commends each group for the good work that they carry out, and welcomes what it sees as Asda's continued commitment to community organisations in Portlethen and the surrounding area.

That the Parliament congratulates Friends of the Special Nursery on being awarded £1,000 by the Asda Foundation after winning a vote among customers of Asda Bridge of Dee; applauds the runners-up, Aberdeen Childline and the Grampian Kidney Patients Association, which each received £500; commends each group for the good work that they carry out, and welcomes what it sees as Asda's continued commitment to community organisations in Aberdeen.

That the Parliament congratulates Friends of the Special Nursery on being awarded £1,000 by the Asda Foundation after winning a vote among customers of Asda Bridge of Dee; applauds the runners-up, Aberdeen Childline and the Grampian Kidney Patients Association, which each received £500; commends each group for the good work that they carry out, and welcomes what it sees as Asda's continued commitment to community organisations in Aberdeen.

That the Parliament congratulates the Aberdeen-based Miscarriage Information Support Service (MISS) on its third anniversary; notes that MISS aims to offer a support group for women and partners to be able to speak to others and/or listen to health professionals about their experience of miscarriage; recognises that the service gained charitable status in early 2019 after starting out as a monthly support group, and that it celebrated its anniversary recently at the Ashvale restaurant, which was attended by 57 people; commends the charity event for raising funds to be given to a pregnancy after loss support group that will go towards boxes for local hospitals, including scan photos, written support information, flower seeds, a candle and information about the charity, and wishes the charity success in its future endeavours.

That the Parliament congratulates the Aberdeen-based Miscarriage Information Support Service (MISS) on its third anniversary; notes that MISS aims to offer a support group for women and partners to be able to speak to others and/or listen to health professionals about their experience of miscarriage; recognises that the service gained charitable status in early 2019 after starting out as a monthly support group, and that it celebrated its anniversary recently at the Ashvale restaurant, which was attended by 57 people; commends the charity event for raising funds to be given to a pregnancy after loss support group that will go towards boxes for local hospitals, including scan photos, written support information, flower seeds, a candle and information about the charity, and wishes the charity success in its future endeavours.

To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) average and (b) total amount of funding paid out to date is as part of the Newly Self-Employed Hardship Fund, broken down by local authority area.

To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) average and (b) total amount of funding paid out to date is as part of the Newly Self-Employed Hardship Fund, broken down by local authority area.

To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) average and (b) total amount of funding paid out to date is as part of the Creative, Tourism and Hospitality Enterprises Hardship Fund, broken down by local authority area.

To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) average and (b) total amount of funding paid out to date is as part of the Creative, Tourism and Hospitality Enterprises Hardship Fund, broken down by local authority area.

To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) average and (b) total amount of funding paid out to date is as part of the Pivotal Enterprise Resilience Fund, broken down by local authority area.

To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) average and (b) total amount of funding paid out to date is as part of the Pivotal Enterprise Resilience Fund, broken down by local authority area.

To ask the Scottish Government what compensation will be available to teachers in schools in Aberdeenshire and across the country who are concerned that they might lose a week’s annual leave if the new term commences on 11 August 2020.

To ask the Scottish Government what compensation will be available to teachers in schools in Aberdeenshire and across the country who are concerned that they might lose a week’s annual leave if the new term commences on 11 August 2020.

To ask the Scottish Government whether it can confirm that, on school buses, social distancing measures would mean these running at 15% of normal capacity, and, if so, whether this means that only 15% of children can travel each day; whether, in light of that, and in order to accommodate all children, this would require an increase in school transport provision, and, if that is the case, which body or bodies would be expected to pay for this, or which budgets would be reduced to cross-fund this.

To ask the Scottish Government whether it can confirm that, on school buses, social distancing measures would mean these running at 15% of normal capacity, and, if so, whether this means that only 15% of children can travel each day; whether, in light of that, and in order to accommodate all children, this would require an increase in school transport provision, and, if that is the case, which body or bodies would be expected to pay for this, or which budgets would be reduced to cross-fund this.