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-00757

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 29 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with NHS Scotland regarding the price that people arriving in Scotland are being charged for PCR tests, compared to people arriving in England.

Travellers returning to Scotland from green and amber list countries must use the NHS tests, which can be booked through the UK Government’s booking portal for international travel. These kits are home test PCR kits provided by NHS Test & Trace.

NHS Scotland has no role in setting the price of the kits. The cost of the kits is set by the UK Government and the process managed through its contract with the travel management company, so our ability to reduce costs unilaterally is limited.

Question reference: S6W-00753

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 29 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government when it last had discussions with (a) airport, (b) airline operators, regarding the cost of PCR tests for those entering Scotland from green and amber list countries.

The Scottish Government has remained engaged with the aviation sector throughout the pandemic and will continue to do so, including on testing of international travellers.

Travellers returning from green and amber list countries must use the NHS tests, which can be booked through the UK Government’s booking portal for international travel. These kits are home test PCR kits provided by NHS Test & Trace. The cost of the kits is set by the UK Government and the process managed through its contract with the travel management company, so our ability to reduce costs unilaterally is limited.

Currently, we are not using private test providers for international travellers arriving into Scotland from green and amber list countries due to concerns about the speed and reliability of the flow of data from private companies. We are having on-going discussion with the UK government on any issues with using private test providers and any risks attached to this. We are keen to understand fully the key performance indicators (KPIs) that have been recently set for these companies and the process should these not be met.

Question reference: S6W-00356

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 16 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government when Transport Scotland first considered chartering the MV Pentalina for service on routes set out in the Clyde and Hebrides ferry services contract.

Question reference: S6W-00353

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 June 2021
Current Status: Holding Answer by Graeme Dey on 16 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with (a) Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd, (b) CalMac Ferries, (c) passenger groups and (d) trade unions regarding the chartering of additional vessels to operate on routes set out in the Clyde and Hebrides ferry services contract.

Question reference: S6W-00358

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 16 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its discussions with Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd on the procurement of the next generation of ferries on the Clyde and Hebrides network.

Transport Scotland officials meet regularly with their counterparts at Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL) and CalMac Ferries Ltd to discuss future investment in vessels and harbours for the Clyde and Hebrides network, primarily but not exclusively at a formal bi-monthly programme board. Discussions have produced a forward programme which was summarised for the next five years in Annex D of the Scottish Government's Infrastructure Investment Plan published 4 February 2021 and is also reflected in the CMAL Business Plan 2021-2024 published 9 April 2021.

Question reference: S6W-00355

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 16 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what additional costs (a) it and (b) the operator will incur if additional vessels are chartered to cover prolonged periods of service disruption as set out in the current contract for Clyde and Hebrides ferry services.

The cost incurred due to disruptions, including potential charter of any additional tonnage, if available, would depend on the time over which vessels were chartered for and under which conditions. We are actively exploring opportunities for chartering additional tonnage, including consideration of the suitability of MV Pentalina to increase resilience across the network. In addition, we have also confirmed new investment of £580 million in ports and vessels to support and improve Scotland’s ferry services over the next five years, as part of our wider infrastructure investment plan.

Question reference: S6W-00354

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 16 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide guarantees that any new vessels chartered to work on publicly subsidised routes, set out in the Clyde and Hebrides ferry services contract, will be covered by the existing collective bargaining agreements with trade unions that are recognised by CalMac Ferries.

Collective bargaining agreements are a matter for the relevant employer and employees. The employer in each case would depend on the type of charter entered into. If a vessel is chartered on a ‘bare boat’ basis and crewed by CalMac staff then existing contract arrangement regarding collective bargaining arrangements would apply. If a time charter on a temporary basis is progressed, for example the MV Pentalina, then the employer of the crew would not be CalMac and different arrangements would apply.

Question reference: S6W-00357

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 9 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what its assessment is of the impact of the Ferries Plan 2013-22 on the resilience of publicly subsidised ferry services.

The Ferries Plan (2013-2022) published in 2012, following a 4-year review, set out the Scottish Government’s strategic approach for the provision and support of ferry services to 2022. It has led to increased frequencies and capacities on numerous routes, reduced fares and introduced new services. The Scottish Government has not specifically assessed the impact of these measures on resilience and intends to produce a progress report on the implementation and outcomes of the Ferries Plan as part of its work on the Islands Connectivity Plan.

Question reference: S6W-00232

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 May 2021
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 7 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish a list of all publicly-owned companies in Scotland.

The National Public Bodies Directory provides information on all Scottish Government public bodies, including those bodies constituted as limited companies. The directory was last updated on 26 January 2021.

The Scottish Government Consolidated Accounts also include a complete list of all nationalised companies where Scottish Ministers are the sole shareholder as well as providing information on other organisations and companies where the Scottish Ministers have an interest. The accounts are published on an annual basis with the most recent accounts published on 17 December 2020.

Question reference: S6W-00231

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 May 2021
Current Status: Answered by George Adam on 4 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on all care homes, including those in the charitable and third sectors that are currently exempt, being subject to and required to comply with freedom of information requests.

The Scottish Government carried out a public consultation in late 2019 to gather views on the future use of Scottish Ministers' powers under section 5 of FOISA to extend coverage of the Act. We published our analysis of consultation responses in March 2020 and undertook to further develop and set out the Scottish Government's proposed approach to the future use of these powers. That work was suspended following the coronavirus outbreak but is now resuming, and we hope to set out proposals on the use of the section 5 powers later this year. Our work on extension of FOISA will consider the areas highlighted in the consultation analysis, which include health and social care services provided under contract to Scottish public authorities.