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: S4W-22990

Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 November 2014
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 12 November 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what work it has done to assess any reduction in driving speeds on the A9 and increased travel time between Perth and Inverness following the implementation of average speed cameras on the road.

Average speed cameras have already proven effective in reducing excess speed whilst having a limited impact on overall journey times. The Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) speed limit pilot, which raises the limit from 40 mph to 50 mph on the single carriageways between Perth and Inverness, is expected to save 150,000 vehicle hours per year for HGVs alone. A robust monitoring programme to assess the before and after impact of the cameras is also in place covering a number of key indicators incorporating casualties, speed and journey time. The A9 Safety Group is committed to reporting quarterly on these key indicators.

Question reference: S4W-22999

Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 November 2014
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 12 November 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what is being done to address the 18% of schools in a poor or bad condition, as noted in the June 2014 Audit Scotland report, School education.

Through the £1.8 billion Scotland’s Schools for the Future programme the government is fully committed to tackling poor condition schools across the country in partnership with local authorities.

The recently announced fourth phase of the programme will specifically target replacing those schools which are in the poorest condition and schools projects to be supported through this additional investment will be announced by end November 2014.

Question reference: S4O-03648

Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 October 2014
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 5 November 2014

To ask the Scottish Government how much Registers of Scotland has spent on IT since April 2014.

Registers of Scotland spent £5.5 million on IT between 1 April 2014 and 30 September 2014. £4.9 million of this was operational expenditure and £600,000 was capital expenditure. Last month, Registers of Scotland successfully launched new digital products through an enhanced e-services portal. These will support the implementation of the Land Registration etc. (Scotland) Act 2012 on 8 December 2014.

Question reference: S4W-22721

Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 03 October 2014
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 30 October 2014

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-22383 by Kenny MacAskill on 10 September 2014, what input it has had to plans to reduce the number of divisions in Police Scotland.

As I stated in my previous reply to your question I meet regularly with Police Scotland to discuss a range of issues, including local policing.

I understand that Police Scotland regularly reviews and checks whether its approaches and structures provide the most efficient and effective mechanisms to ensure that the high quality delivery of policing in Scotland is maintained and enhanced. Any future changes to local policing structures will, of course, be progressed through engagement and discussion with the Scottish Government and relevant stakeholders.

Question reference: S4W-22548

Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 15 September 2014
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 9 October 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) average, (b) minimum and (c) maximum response time is to attend fire and rescue incidents in (i) Inverness, (ii) the rest of the Highlands, (iii) Shetland, (iv) Orkney and (v) the Western Isles.

This is a matter for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service. The information requested is not held centrally. However, response time information by Service Delivery Area can be found on the draft Quarterly Performance Report published by SFRS among the papers for the September board meeting at this link:

http://www.firescotland.gov.uk/media/669939/140925_item_8.4b_quarter1_performance_report_draft_new_format_appendix_1.pdf

Question reference: S4W-22545

Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 15 September 2014
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 9 October 2014

To ask the Scottish Government how many trained fire and rescue personnel have been available to be called out in each of the last five years.

Question reference: S4W-22546

Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 15 September 2014
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 9 October 2014

To ask the Scottish Government how many fire engines in the Highlands are no longer on call due to lack of trained staff.

Question reference: S4W-22543

Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 15 September 2014
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 9 October 2014

To ask the Scottish Government whether every firefighter is trained in the use of breathing apparatus.

Question reference: S4W-22550

Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 15 September 2014
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 9 October 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what the benefits are of the single Scottish Fire and Rescue Service to (a) staff and (b) the public.

The Scottish Government has identified three benefits to fire reform. First, to safeguard and improve local services while reducing costs, second, to create more equal access to specialist fire and rescue services across the country, and third, to strengthen the connection between the fire and rescue service and local communities.

In its Strategic Plan 2013-16, published in October 2013, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service identified the four strategic aims for the single service as improved safety for communities and staff, more equitable access to fire and rescue services, improved outcomes through partnership and a culture of continuous development.

Question reference: S4W-22544

Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 15 September 2014
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 9 October 2014

To ask the Scottish Government how many people have been employed in the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service in each of the last five years, broken down by staff category.