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-28286

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 16 July 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what adjustment has been made to ScotRail's annual projections for travel to take account of the number of any (a) ticket examiner and (b) station booking office staff vacancies, and the impact of any such vacancies on ticket sales.

Question reference: S6W-28402

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 10 July 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the contracts of employment for Scotland-domiciled seafarers working on P&O Ferries services between Cairnryan and Larne, in light of the evidence given to the House of Commons Business and Trade Committee by the chief executive officer of P&O Ferries on 7 May 2024.

The Scottish Government has not held recent discussions with the UK Government regarding employment conditions for merchant seafarers working on ferry routes between Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Shipping safety, seafarer welfare and employment conditions are matters reserved to the UK Government. The Scottish Government expects the highest shipping safety, crew welfare and employment conditions, and for these to be applied in the case of those vessels and personnel accessing Scotland’s ports and coastal areas.

Question reference: S6W-28404

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 10 July 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what recent discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the reported late filing of full accounts for 2022 by (a) P&O Ferries and (b) Port of Cairnryan.

Question reference: S6W-28405

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 28 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 10 July 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what estimate it has made of the number of seafarers being supplied by employment agencies based in Scotland to operate P&O Ferries' Cairnryan to Larne services.

The Scottish Government has not estimated employment levels at P&O Ferries.

Our vision, shared with the Fair Work Convention, is for Scotland to be a leading Fair Work Nation by 2025, where fair work drives success, wellbeing and prosperity for individuals, businesses, organisations and society. Fair Work is a key driver for achieving sustainable and inclusive economic growth and a wellbeing economy.

Control over employment and industrial relations legislation is currently reserved to the UK Parliament; while this remains the case, we will continue to use our Fair Work policy to drive up labour market standards for workers across the Scottish labour market.

Question reference: S6W-28406

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 28 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 10 July 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will discuss the effect of P&O Ferries' crewing policies on Scotland-domiciled seafarer employment with members of the Scottish Maritime Cluster.

Question reference: S6W-28403

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 10 July 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the provision of public funds to Port of Cairnryan since March 2022.

Question reference: S6W-28401

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 10 July 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a list of any payments that it has made to (a) P&O Ferries and (b) Port of Cairnryan from 17 March 2022 to date.

Question reference: S6W-28108

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 26 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Scottish Borders Council declaring a housing emergency.

In 2024-2025 we are making available £12.113 million for the provision of more social and affordable homes in the Scottish Borders Council area. We will invest almost £600 million in affordable homes across Scotland in 2024-2025 and will continue to work with partners – including in the Scottish Borders – to increase the delivery of more affordable homes, the majority of which will be for social rent, including supporting acquisitions of existing properties.

Question reference: S6W-28107

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 26 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether any real-terms reductions that it has made to affordable housing budgets has led to (a) the Scottish Borders Council and (b) other local authorities declaring a housing emergency.

Question reference: S6O-03567

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South 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 assessment it has made of any economic and social impact of there being no rail services between Ayr, Girvan and Stranraer since the line was closed in September 2023.