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-29355

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 August 2024
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 17 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason Marine Scotland is reportedly unable to conduct a further inspection of the partially deconstructed man-made causeway between the Isles of Luing and Torsa, as requested by members of the community in Luing.

Marine Directorate - Licensing Operations Team (MD-LOT), on behalf of Scottish Ministers, investigated the unlicensed construction of a causeway between Luing and Torsa between September 2021 and July 2022. During that time, several site visits were undertaken by authorised Marine Enforcement officers (MEOs) and remedial works were instructed under Section 44 of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010. Following a final visit to the site by MEOs, these works were completed to the satisfaction of MD-LOT on 26 July 2022. No further enforcement action is planned in this case.

Question reference: S6W-29427

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 02 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 17 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will confirm the (a) number and (b) percentage of schools that have (i) been awarded Reading Schools accreditation and (ii) joined the Reading Schools programme, broken down by local authority area.

The Scottish Book Trust (SBT) has a dedicated page on their website providing information on the total number of accredited Reading Schools. The website can be accessed at: https://www.readingschools.scot/map and includes a filter option which enables the total to be broken down by local authority.

That web page confirms that, as of 6 September 2024, there are 505 accredited Reading Schools, with 663 working towards accreditation. All 32 Local Authorities have schools working towards an accreditation and the total number of schools involved in the programme is 1,168.

The most recent Scottish Government statistics on the number of schools in Scotland confirms there are 2,456 schools. This means that approximately 21% of schools are currently accredited and 48% are involved in the programme.

Question reference: S6W-29412

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 02 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 17 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of locations along train routes in the Highlands and Islands region has access (a) 3G, (b) 4G and (c) 5G mobile phone signals.

Question reference: S6W-29410

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 02 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 17 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has met (a) BT Openreach and (b) mobile phone service providers to discuss improving access to a phone signal on train routes in the Highlands and Islands region, and, if so, what the outcome was.

The Scottish Government’s recently concluded £28.75 million Scottish 4G Infill investment programme and the UK Government’s ongoing Shared Rural Network programme have, and are continuing, to deliver widespread improvements to mobile connectivity across the whole of Scotland.

The Scottish Government continues to engage with BT Openreach and the mobile network operators to improve phone connectivity across the country, which includes access on train routes in the Highlands and Islands region. However, policy relating to telecommunications, including mobile communications, is reserved to the UK Government.

Question reference: S6W-29431

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 02 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 17 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how it works with teachers to improve its Reading Schools programme.

The Scottish Government funds the Scottish Book Trust (SBT) to deliver the Reading Schools programme and therefore SBT works with teachers to seek feedback and improve its programme.

SBT seek feedback from teachers taking part in the programme via annual surveys. They conduct three teacher surveys: one to gather feedback on their Professional Learning offer; a second one focusing on the process for staff experience; and a final survey that is sent after accreditation is granted to assess the impact of the programme on the school.

Question reference: S6W-29411

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 02 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 17 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the number of mobile phone signal blackout spots for (a) 3G, (b) 4G and (c) 5G services on train routes in the Highlands and Islands region.

The Scottish Government does not collect or hold, nor has assessed data on current 3G, 4G and 5G mobile notspots or areas with coverage, alongside train routes in the Highlands and Islands region. Overall policy relating to telecommunications, including mobile communications, is reserved to the UK Government.

Ofcom produces an annual Connected Nations report including coverage and performance of mobile networks across Scotland and at local authority and constituency levels. This is accessible at https://www.ofcom.org.uk/research-and-data/multi-sector-research/infrastructure-research along with underlying datasets.

Question reference: S6W-29216

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 August 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 17 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on any ongoing repair work at Dallas Dhu Historic Distillery, and when it will reopen to the public.

Question reference: S6W-29211

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 August 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 17 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on any ongoing repair work at Kilchurn Castle, and when it will reopen to the public.

Question reference: S6W-29212

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 August 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 17 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on any ongoing repair work at Kisimul Castle, and when it will reopen to the public.

Question reference: S6W-29365

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 17 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to end the process of "salami-slicing" of energy infrastructure projects.

As part of the application process for energy infrastructure projects, the Scottish Government undertake a full and thorough consultation with stakeholders, including the relevant Local Planning Authorities, to ensure all aspects of the development are considered.

Where it is necessary to understand the environmental impact of an infrastructure project, a full Environment Impact Assessment is required to be undertaken which takes into account the cumulative impacts of the full development.