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: S5W-27451

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 14 February 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 28 February 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of the £70.5 million funding for Highlands and Islands Airports Limited (HIAL) set out in its 2020-21 draft Budget, and what the reasons are for the increase from the £45.9 million allocated in 2019-20.

The Scottish Government subsidises HIAL as none of the airports in the group generate sufficient commercial revenue to cover operating, maintenance and development costs. The £70.5 million funding for HIAL for 2020-21 is broken down as £24.2 million for revenue, £36.8 million for capital and £9.5 million for depreciation. HIAL’s budget allocation for capital has increased compared to the £16.1 million budget in 2019-20. This increase will ensure that HIAL can continue to maintain and improve its infrastructure in order to facilitate the safe and compliant operation of essential air services in the Highlands and Islands. This includes costs required to progress the Air Traffic Management 2030 Strategy Programme as well as a range of other infrastructure repairs and improvements across the HIAL estate.

Question reference: S5O-04223

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 February 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 March 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that transport services meet the needs of island communities.

Question reference: S5W-27181

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 January 2020
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 26 February 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) early learning and (b) childcare centres there were in 2019, and for what reason this information was not provided in its December 2019 paper, Summary statistics for schools in Scotland.

Table 2.1 of the Summary Statistics for Schools in Scotland, No. 10, 2019 shows the number of settings who are delivering Early Learning and Childcare. Early Learning and Childcare is a service as defined in section 46 of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014.

Table 2.1 shows that 2,576 centres were providing early learning and childcare in September 2019. This figure includes local authority settings and settings in the private and third sector, who are delivering ELC through a partnership agreement.

It is not possible to split the number of centres into separate 'early learning' and 'childcare' categories as the data covers all centres providing funded ELC as defined in the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014.

Question reference: S5O-04159

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 February 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 February 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to develop the tourism industry in Shetland.

Question reference: S5W-27179

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 03 February 2020
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 6 February 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made in extending the current Northern Isles Ferry Services contract, and how long the extension will be.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-27316 on 6 February 2020. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx .

However, to assist the member, I repeat the answer here below:

C alMac Ferries withdrew its legal action on 31 January, with no financial payment due to either party. Additionally, Transport Scotland has completed its engagement with the European Commission in relation to outstanding State Aid issues, with the Commission having reaffirmed that they do not consider the public subsidy offered in support of the Northern Isles Ferry Service, under the proposed public service contract, constitutes State Aid.

Transport Scotland will now move to conclude the award of contract for the delivery of the ferry services to Serco NorthLink Ferries. We currently anticipate that the contract should be awarded by the end of March, allowing a three-month mobilisation period before the new contract takes effect from the end of June.

To ensure continuity of service during this timeline, the current contract has been extended and will run for a period of up to six months from 31 January.

Following the commencement of the new contract, a non-commercially sensitive copy will be published on Transport Scotland’s website.

Question reference: S5W-27139

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 24 January 2020
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 4 February 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what support it provides for island musicians to attend events on the mainland and for musicians to visit the islands.

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of musicians being able to travel to and from the mainland to undertake their work. The importance of music on the islands was recently set out in the first ever National Islands Plan in December 2019, the implementation of which will build on existing culture and language policies and approaches.

Specific support for musicians to travel, perform and showcase is provided by Creative Scotland and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. Opportunities from Creative Scotland include its Open Project Fund, the Youth Music Initiative, and the Made in Scotland Showcase Fund/Onward International Touring Fund. Its island-based Regularly Funded Organisations can provide assistance to bring in musicians and other artists from other areas. The Touring network operates a Go See Fund for promoters in the Highlands and Islands. Highlands and Islands Enterprise also provides a range of assistance, including support for musicians and artists to maximise opportunities to engage with industry specialists and mentors so that they can get to the next stage of their development. It also works with islands based musicians through Feisean nan Gaidheal.

Question reference: S5W-26863

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 January 2020
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 22 January 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of premises in the R100 North Lot will be reached through aligned interventions.

On 21 November 2019, I confirmed that BT plc had been selected as the preferred bidder for the north lot of the R100 procurement. However, you are likely aware that this decision has subsequently been challenged by Gigaclear Limited, putting contract signature on hold. Until that challenge is resolved, we cannot discuss what that contract might deliver and, as a result, which premises will require to be reached through the voucher scheme.

Anyone who will not be able to access superfast broadband by the end of 2021 – regardless of whether or not build through the R100 contracts will ultimately reach them – will be eligible for that voucher scheme.

The voucher scheme will launch later this year and will provide grants to broadband customers in non-domestic and domestic premises, offering support to access a range of technologies and suppliers.

Question reference: S5W-26932

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 10 January 2020
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 22 January 2020

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-25733 by Paul Wheelhouse on 30 October 2019, whether it will provide an update regarding by what date section 14 of the Islands (Scotland) Act 2018 will come into force.

Guidance and templates relating to Section 14 of the Islands (Scotland) Act 2018, which refer to retrospective Island Communities Impact Assessments (ICIAs), are being developed.

We have analysed the responses received during the extensive consultation process, and policy instructions are now being drafted. Officials are also working to finalise an illustrative timetable and, ideally, the regulations will come into force prior to the Summer recess.

Question reference: S5W-26822

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 23 December 2019
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 14 January 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on when the final National Islands Plan will be published.

Question reference: S5T-01947

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 13 January 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 January 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that the number of primary schools exceeding their capacity has increased by a third since 2009.