Chamber and committees

Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S6W-09452

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 June 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 28 July 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many complaints from (a) passengers and (b) staff were received by ScotRail services between 1 and 31 May 2022, broken down by the reason for the complaint.

The number of passenger complaints received by ScotRail, through their official complaints process, is set out in the following table for the period 1 and 31 May 2022. The complaints may involve incidents that occurred before 1 May 2022.

The average recorded number of complaints per period for previous years is as follows:-

2019-2020 - 1,664 complaints

2018-2019 - 2,064 complaints

The figure for 1 April to 30 April 2022 is 1,144. The figure of 2,006 complaints for May 2022 is higher than April 2022 as this May period was when several services were impacted due to driver shortages and the subsequent temporary timetable that was introduced on 23 May 2022. The temporary timetable that was in place until 20 July 2022 aimed to provide the best possible service to as many passengers as possible with the available resources.

ScotRail do not record staff complaints and therefore the information is not available.

Complaint Categories	1 – 31 May 2022
Train Service Performance	587
Policy And Product	324
Timetable	270
Staff	243
1 st Class	130
Capacity	128
Environment	46
Ticket Buying Facilities	37
Promotions	34
Information Provision	33
Customer Provisions	32
Rail Replacement	32
Safety & Security	26
Assisted Travel	25
Station Facilities	19
Cycles	17
Smartcard	9
Double Debit	8
Contact Centre	6
Total	2,006

Question reference: S6W-09479

Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 June 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 28 July 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether the new booking system for CalMac Ferries, Ar Turas, will gauge unmet demand for ferry services, and, if not, what systems can be put in place to ensure that unmet demand is recorded.

CalMac has noted that it is not possible to measure unmet demand using booking systems, including the eBooking solution being delivered by the Ar Turas Programme. We understand the desire to measure bookings “not made” for a specific set of reasons, principally vessel capacity on peak-demand sailings.

CalMac has been running a working group with a number of CalMac Community Board members during the last 18 months to help clarify and support understanding of measures that can be tracked. The group has explored a range of ideas and CalMac has developed a number of reports designed to support enhanced understanding of how and when vehicle bookings are made, amended, cancelled and the resulting impact on capacity. These requirements have been taken-forward for delivery against the improved data that the new system will capture.

A number of these items have already been made available in monthly Ferry User Group performance reporting packs.

Question reference: S6W-09480

Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 June 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 28 July 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether any attempt has been made to measure the financial and economic losses to the Uist community from ferry disruptions in 2022.

As the member will know, disruption to the network in early 2022 linked directly to weather conditions and Covid impacts. Whilst no specific analysis of the financial and economic impacts from this ferry disruption on the Uist community has been undertaken, the Scottish Government recognises the impact these disruptions have on island life.

CalMac forms part of the local resilience partnership and prioritises the shipment of essential supplies during disruption to minimise welfare issues on the islands. Transport Scotland works with CalMac to monitor the impact of cancellations, listening to feedback directly from island communities and local resilience partnerships as well as transport operators.

Question reference: S6W-09478

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 June 2022
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 28 July 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to translate the full 72-page publication, Independence in the Modern World. Wealthier, Happier, Fairer: Why Not Scotland?, into other languages.

Question reference: S6W-09518

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 June 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 28 July 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-06701 by Jenny Gilruth on 17 March 2022, whether it will provide an update on the timescales for carrying out the (a) community needs and (b) market assessments.

Question reference: S6W-09910

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 July 2022
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 28 July 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will invite all constituency and regional members of the Scottish Parliament from the Highlands and Islands region to attend the next Convention of the Highlands and Islands.

Question reference: S6W-09909

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 July 2022
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 28 July 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when the Convention of the Highlands and Islands will next meet.

Question reference: S6W-09563

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 01 July 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 28 July 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many times Scotland Office ministers have requested a meeting with the Minister for Transport regarding the A77 and A75, and how many such meetings have taken place.

Question reference: S6W-09823

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 July 2022
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 28 July 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the Seagreen Alpha and Bravo Wind Area monitoring reports, which reportedly found that craters of 1.6m x 1m x 0.3m, 2.18m x1.7m x 0.5m and 2.28m x 1.7m x 0.5m were induced in the seabed by unexploded ordnance (UXO) detonation.

On receipt of the reports submitted by Seagreen Wind Energy Limited as requirements of its marine and European Protected Species licences in respect of unexploded ordnance clearance, Marine Scotland – Licensing Operations Team (“MS-LOT”) sought advice on the reports from NatureScot, the statutory nature conservation body, and Marine Scotland Science which provides internal scientific advice to MS-LOT. No concerns were raised as regards the craters identified within the reports.

Question reference: S6W-09836

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 July 2022
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 28 July 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it holds any statistics on the number of people currently staying in community-based bail accommodation.

The Scottish Government does not hold statistics on the number of people staying in community based bail accommodation. Officials are currently exploring what further data could be practically recorded beyond the current information collated annually on total bail orders by gender and age and bail supervision cases by Local Authority areas.

The Scottish Government is committed to strengthening alternatives to remand and this year, alongside introducing electronic monitoring for bail, increased investment by £3.2m. We are continuing to work with partners to explore improvements, including the potential to further develop community based bail accommodation in the future .