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-28087

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 07 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 19 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service regarding the safety of (a) staff, (b) members of the public and (c) other court users during the pilot to reduce the number of police officers routinely on duty at Edinburgh Sheriff Court.

Question reference: S6W-28085

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 07 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 19 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the pilot to reduce the number of police officers routinely on duty at Edinburgh Sheriff Court.

Question reference: S6O-03566

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 June 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 13 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that it has spent nearly £6 million on consultants providing advice on the future of ferries.

Question reference: S6F-03150

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 20 May 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 May 2024

To ask the First Minister whether he will provide an update on what action the Scottish Government is taking to support the Ferguson Marine shipyard.

Question reference: S6O-03475

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 May 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve facilities at railway stations operated by ScotRail.

Question reference: S6W-27104

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 29 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 10 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-26870 by Fiona Hyslop on 25 April 2024, whether it will detail the value of each of the contracts listed.

The value of consultant contracts held by Transport Scotland relating to the Ardrossan Harbour Re-development Projects since 2016 are provided below:

MacWilliams Consulting – Gateway Review, £8,491.60
Turner and Townsend – 2023 Cost Estimate Review, £60,800.40

Work by Morton Fraser MacRoberts (previously MacRoberts Solicitors) on the Commercial and Legal agreements is still ongoing. From financial year 2019-2020 to 2023-2024 our records indicate that payments of £202,353.60 have been made.

All costs are inclusive of VAT.

Transport Scotland are currently reviewing their financial system for costs associated with the 2016-2017 STAG report undertaken by Peter Brett Associates and I will provide an update to the member separately on this item when the review is complete.

Question reference: S6O-03451

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 May 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the redevelopment of Ardrossan Harbour.

Question reference: S6W-27107

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 29 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 7 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to expand eligibility for the shingles vaccine.

Eligibility for the programme was recently expanded to allow some individuals to get protected at an earlier age. To deliver the programme effectively, NHS Boards will offer the programme on a phased basis over 10 years meaning by 2033 the vaccine will be routinely offered to everyone aged 60 and over.

Since 1 September 2023 the following groups have been eligible:

People who were aged 65 or 70 years on 1 September 2023
People aged 71–79 years who have not previously been vaccinated
People aged 50 years or over, about to start immunosuppressive therapy
People aged 50 years or over, with a severely weakened immune system
People aged 18 years or over who have received a stem cell transplant
People aged 18 years or over who have had CAR-T therapy

This phased approach is based on the advice of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) and to support NHS Boards to deliver the programme alongside other immunisation programmes.

There are no plans to expand eligibility any further at this stage. As with all vaccination programmes, the JCVI keeps its recommendations under review. If at any time the JCVI updates its recommendations around the shingles vaccination the Scottish Government will give this due consideration.

Question reference: S6W-27106

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 29 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 7 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will outline the rationale for a cut-off date of September for people aged 70 or over for eligibility for the shingles vaccine.

The 1 September cut-off date for the shingles programme has been in place since the introduction of the programme in 2013. At that point it aligned the offer of shingles vaccine with seasonal flu vaccinations.

The cut-off date ensures that only those eligible for vaccination within the current year’s programme as recommended by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) are included, and assists NHS Boards with planning and delivery locally, drawing up cohort lists (determined by date of birth) and the management of vaccine supply. It also supports the catch up programme for those who are aged 71-79 years who have not previously been vaccinated but remain eligible.

Question reference: S6W-26959

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 22 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 7 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the introduction of an independent Scottish football regulator