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-06709

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 8 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what changes, if any, have been made to the Routes and Services Methodology applied to Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Service routes since it was first used to draw up the Ferries Plan (2013-22).

Question reference: S6W-07041

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 8 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish a long-term funding strategy for community-based adult learning provision.

Our Adult Learning Strategy will be launched in May. It has been co-produced with adult learning stakeholders, including senior staff from adult learning organisations and adult learners themselves, and aims to improve life chances for adult learners across Scotland. We want to create the conditions for connected adult learning opportunities that link Scotland’s communities, local authorities, third sector organisations, colleges and universities around an offer of learning for adults, particularly those furthest from inclusion and experiencing disadvantage.

To improve the lives of adult learners we need to ensure that there is a strong, well-understood, well-connected and well-resourced system of adult learning in Scotland. The strategy will set out our commitment to evaluating the suitability and levels of future funding arrangements for community-based adult learning. Through the delivery of the strategy we want to ensure that appropriate levels of funding are available to engage and support adult learners across Scotland to meet their needs.

Question reference: S6W-06702

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 8 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) Community Needs and (b) Market Assessments have been carried out to date on Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Service routes.

Question reference: S6W-06394

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 8 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Network Rail regarding any reductions to the maintenance budget in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-06393

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 8 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Network Rail regarding any proposed staff reductions in Scotland.

Transport Scotland has not held any discussions with Network Rail on proposed staff reductions in Scotland.

Network Rail advise that UK wide it has undertaken two rounds of an industry special Voluntary Severance Scheme, focused on management grades where it could be verified there would be no impact on safety, performance or customer service. However, no representations have been made to Scottish Government on this matter.

Question reference: S6W-07042

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S6W-06649

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 18 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 4 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-01341 by Maree Todd on 26 July 2021, whether it will commit to continuing to provide free-of-charge lateral flow tests, and what scientific advice it has received regarding when regular testing will no longer be necessary.

It is important, in line with the principle of healthcare being free at the point of use, that lateral flow device (LFD) tests should remain free of charge for any circumstance in which testing is required as part of clinical care.

The COVID-19 Strategic Framework Update, published on 22 February, sought input from public health specialists who support a move to focus on protecting those at highest clinical risk, supporting patient care and responding to outbreaks, as we move towards the endemic phase.

A transition plan setting out the next steps for Test and Protect in Scotland will be published later this month.

Question reference: S6W-06031

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 31 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 28 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-02968 by Graeme Dey on 28 September, when it anticipates it will publish provisional findings from the Ernst & Young review of the ferry network.

Question reference: S6W-06030

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 31 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 25 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what work has been done to increase standardisation of ferries, since the publication of its Infrastructure Investment Plan for Scotland 2021-22 to 2025-26.

Work to increase standardisation since the Scottish Government’s Infrastructure Investment Plan for Scotland 2021-22 to 2025-26 was published, can be seen in the announced Invitation to Tender (17 December 2021) for two new ferries for Islay and the continuing work as part of the Small Vessel Replacement Programme (SVRP) that will see up to 7 vessels replaced on the west coast as part of Phase 1 of the programme.

Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL) are taking forward the SVRP and are currently working with the appointed naval architects (Navalue) who are providing consultancy services for the concept design stage as well as investigating and evaluating the feasibility of designing low emission ferries to be in line with the Scottish Government climate change and standardisation commitments.

We also continue to support the vessel resilience funding that can be spent on replacing obsolete equipment on existing vessels.

Question reference: S6W-06029

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 31 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 25 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what recent consultations it has held with stakeholders regarding the Arran ferry timetable.

We continue to engage extensively with the Arran Ferry Committee on timetable matters through the twice yearly timetable consultation process, which has recently concluded with regard to the Winter 2022 timetable, and additionally through the Ardrossan Task Force which met most recently on 23 February 2022.

In the coming months CalMac Ferries Ltd will undertake a public consultation regarding service continuity plans for Arran ferry services when they temporarily relocate to Troon.