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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

Filter your results Hide all filters

Displaying 129 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S6W-22327

Asked by: Jackie Dunbar, MSP for Aberdeen Donside, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 10 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will receive any Barnett consequential funding as a result of the additional £8.55 billion of funding announced by the UK Government for City Region Sustainable Transport Settlements 2 (CRSTS2) in England.

The additional £8.55 billion of UK Government funding for CRSTS2 relates to financial years 2027-28 to 2031-32.

This funding will form part of the Department for Transport’s (DfT) future budget allocation. The Scottish Government will receive additional Barnett funding as part of its block grant based on any increase in the DfT’s total budget for the relevant financial years in accordance with the Statement of Funding Policy.

This funding announcement falls into the next UK Government Spending Review period and confirmation of funding levels for the Scottish Government will only be confirmed once the Spending Review has concluded.

Question reference: S6O-02735

Asked by: Jackie Dunbar, MSP for Aberdeen Donside, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 November 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the provision of electronic devices to all school pupils to support their studies.

Question reference: S6W-22325

Asked by: Jackie Dunbar, MSP for Aberdeen Donside, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 20 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 7 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how much has been spent on rail infrastructure in each local authority area in each of the last 10 years.

Network Rail is a wholly owned subsidiary company of the UK Government. The responsibility for determining and monitoring its operation, maintenance and renewal expenditure rests with the Office of Rail and Road (ORR).

Transport Scotland funds Network Rail in accordance with the ORR’s determination. Therefore, Scottish Government does not hold the full investment information broken down by local authority within Scotland.

Therefore, I recommend that the member contacts Network Rail or the ORR for the detailed information requested for how much has been spent on rail infrastructure in each local authority area in each of the last ten years.

Question reference: S6W-22775

Asked by: Jackie Dunbar, MSP for Aberdeen Donside, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 November 2023
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Mairi McAllan on 7 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it is making with the UK Government on climate policy, and whether there it will provide an update on the timing of its draft Climate Change Plan.

The unprecedented changes by the UK Government reneging on their net zero commitments, including the rolling back of policies already announced and accounted for, have repercussions on our ability to produce a draft Climate Change Plan that is just and fair by the end of November. I am meeting with the UK Government again on 15 November to urge them to reconsider their position, and to stop putting party politics ahead of planetary health.

This, tied with the uncertain economic outlook for the UK as a whole and the constraints of devolution placed upon us, make this challenging task ever more difficult.

The Scottish Government are continuing to develop climate policies and are fully committed to bringing forward a draft of the next Climate Change Plan, covering the period 2025 to 2040, which is fair and just for everyone. It is regrettably not possible to do this by our own November deadline, but will progress in line with statutory deadlines.

Question reference: S6O-02690

Asked by: Jackie Dunbar, MSP for Aberdeen Donside, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 November 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what steps are being taken to increase recruitment and retention of staff in the Scottish Ambulance Service this winter.

Question reference: S6O-02594

Asked by: Jackie Dunbar, MSP for Aberdeen Donside, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 September 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what steps it is taking to support community pharmacies.

Question reference: S6W-21293

Asked by: Jackie Dunbar, MSP for Aberdeen Donside, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 September 2023
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 13 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the peak fares pilot.

The Scottish Government is able to confirm that the ScotRail Peak Fares Removal Pilot will operate between 2 October 2023 and 29 March 2024 in a move which will make rail travel more affordable and accessible over the pilot period and encourage modal shift from private car to rail.

This trial is an exciting and unique opportunity to encourage more people to choose a safe, reliable, and green form of public transport. We know that there is much to be done in encouraging people back to rail if we are to achieve our net zero targets.

The Scottish Government will consider carefully the impact of the pilot and the long-term sustainability of such a proposition before committing to any reinstatement of the pilot after 29 March 2024.

During the pilot, ScotRail will ensure that all fares and products set and controlled by it which are valid in the off peak are valid to travel all day.

Question reference: S6F-02358

Asked by: Jackie Dunbar, MSP for Aberdeen Donside, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 11 September 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 September 2023

To ask the First Minister, in light of reports that no bids were received for offshore wind projects in the UK Government’s latest contract-for-difference round, what action the Scottish Government is taking to encourage investment in offshore wind and hydrogen power in Scotland.

Question reference: S6O-02509

Asked by: Jackie Dunbar, MSP for Aberdeen Donside, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 September 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has spent in the last five years, within the Aberdeen City Council area, to mitigate any effect of UK Government welfare policy.

Question reference: S6W-20582

Asked by: Jackie Dunbar, MSP for Aberdeen Donside, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 August 2023
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Neil Gray on 10 August 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has for further implementation of No One Left Behind.

Providing the support that people need to move towards, into and to sustain work is a key aspect of building a fairer and more equal society. I am pleased to confirm that from 1 April 2024, following the end of referrals to Fair Start Scotland in March 2024, employability support for disabled people and those at risk of long-term unemployment will be provided through No One Left Behind.

Learning and evaluation must continue to underpin our ambitions and I welcome today’s publication of the Implementation Evaluation of No One Left Behind and the Young Person’s Guarantee, which offers valuable insight on how we continue to build upon the strengths of local delivery and good practice.