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-38406

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 06 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 20 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to its announcement on 30 May 2025 regarding the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Fund, which local authorities received funding, and how much each received.

Since 2011, the Scottish Government has provided over £65 million to support the development of public EV charging across Scotland. As a direct result of this funding, and increasing private sector investment, Scotland now has over 6,900 public charge points, a target for 6,000 public Charge points was met in October 2024, two years ahead of schedule. Scotland has one of the most comprehensive public charging networks in the UK, with, on a per head of population basis, more rapid public EV charge points than any other part of the UK except the South East of England.

Through our £30 million EV Infrastructure Fund we are continuing to supporting local authorities to work in partnership with the private sector to expand public EV charging across Scotland, with public funding prioritising those areas of Scotland less likely to benefit from stand-alone private sector investment in public EV charging infrastructure, including rural and island communities.

Through the EV Infrastructure Fund, each local authority or collaboration or local authorities has received the following funding to support the expansion of the EV network:

Angus and Perth & Kinross collaboration, £1,987,678. This is expected to deliver an additional 183 charge points across the region.
North of Scotland collaboration (Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Highland and Moray Councils), £7,236,380. This is expected to deliver an additional 589 charge points across the region.
Glasgow City Region (East Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow City, Inverclyde, North Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire, South Lanarkshire and West Dunbartonshire Councils). £3,613,960. This is expected to deliver an additional 3,349 charge points across the region.
Ayrshires Collaboration (East Ayrshire, North Ayrshire and South Ayrshire Councils), £2,891,168. This is expected to deliver an additional 307 charge points across the region.
Dundee City Council, £309,768. This is expected to deliver an additional 129 charge points across the region.
Funding for the following collaborations has yet to be announced:
South of Scotland (City of Edinburgh, Clackmannanshire, Dumfries & Galloway, Falkirk, Fife, Midlothian, Scottish Borders and West Lothian Councils)
HITRANS (Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, Orkney Islands and Shetland Islands Councils) collaboration with Argyll & Bute Council.

Local authorities are taking forward public procurement to deliver their respective projects.

East Lothian Council and Stirling Council took the decision not to take forward projects citing high levels of existing public charging infrastructure across their respective local authority areas.

Transport Scotland EVIF page weblink: Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Fund | Transport Scotland

Question reference: S6O-04852

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 June 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to undertake a regulatory check of existing Transport (Scotland) Act 2001 powers to allow local authorities and regional transport partnerships to implement local road user charging schemes.

Question reference: S6O-04781

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 June 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 11 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the finance secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding the allocation of any additional funding to meet the cost increases for MV Glen Rosa that were recently announced by Ferguson Marine.

Question reference: S6W-37747

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 19 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 2 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when it was first informed that the MV Glen Rosa would be delayed until Q2 2026.

Scottish Government officials informed Ministers on the content of Ferguson Marine’s board papers relating to the recommended operational plan for MV Glen Rosa on 26 March 2025.

Following a Board meeting, the Chair of Ferguson Marine briefed the Deputy First Minister on the updated delivery plan; and the Chief Financial Officer of Ferguson Marine wrote to the NZET committee to report that a “further stage of review and assurance activity would commence to ensure the MV Glen Rosa operational plan has been fully optimised from the perspective of costs and handover date.”

On 12 May, Graeme Thomson, Chief Executive Officer of Ferguson Marine, informed the Deputy First Minister in writing that delivery of the MV Glen Rosa would be delayed until Q2 2026.

Question reference: S6W-37748

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 29 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government which budget the additional funds, which Ferguson Marine has reportedly requested to complete the MV Glen Rosa by Q2 2026, will be drawn from.

Question reference: S6W-37749

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 29 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to the urgent question by Kate Forbes on 14 May 2025, when it established the small review team to have oversight on the completion of the MV Glen Rosa.

Question reference: S6W-37750

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 29 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to the urgent question by Kate Forbes on 14 May 2025, whether it will provide an outline of the work of the small review team that will now meet weekly to discuss the completion of the MV Glen Rosa.

Question reference: S6O-04716

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 May 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with cardiology patients, clinicians and other relevant stakeholders as part of the development of the recently published Long Term Conditions Framework consultation.

Question reference: S6O-04696

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 May 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it decided to make a direct award of the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services contract to CalMac.

Question reference: S6O-04649

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 May 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that shoplifting crimes have increased by 89% since 2020.