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-20058

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 July 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 15 August 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to S6W-19560 by Lorna Slater on 18 July 2023, on what date it began to assume that Circularity Scotland was likely to go into administration.

Question reference: S6W-20087

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 July 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 15 August 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the academic environmental research, Delivering net zero in the UK: twelve conditions for success, which was published on 10 July 2023, in particular in relation to any implications for net zero policy in Scotland of the research’s findings that (a) deploying low-regret solutions on a large scale, (b) engaging with communities, (c) taking an interdisciplinary and whole systems approach and (d) upskilling and capacity building in the workforce and government are among the conditions for success.

The Scottish Government welcomes this research and agrees with the need for Net Zero to be implemented in a manner that achieves maximum benefit for all of society. Through our Just Transition Planning and publication of the next Climate Change Plan we will ensure that we act quickly to achieve our Net Zero ambitions in a manner that assures inequalities are tackled in partnership with Scotland’s local communities.

Question reference: S6W-20091

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 July 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 15 August 2023

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it has not responded to the letter from the Chair of the Just Transition Commission to the then Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Just Transition and the Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy, entitled Further Advice on the Draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan, which was published on 17 April 2023, in light of its aim to respond within 12 weeks from the date of the publication, as stated in the Memorandum of Understanding, which was published on 24 March 2023.

In response to the Just Transition Commission’s letter providing further advice on the Draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan published on 17 April 2023, the Scottish Government issued a reply on the 9 May 2023. The letter acknowledged the Commission’s extensive recommendations and committed to a more detailed response to these, alongside consideration of responses to the formal consultation.

The reply adhered to the 12-week timeframe as outlined in the Memorandum of Understanding and can now be found online here: Just Transition: letter to Just Transition Commission 9 May 2023 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) .

Question reference: S6W-20090

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 July 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 15 August 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the letter from the Chair of the Just Transition Commission to the then Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Just Transition and the Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy, entitled Further Advice on the Draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan, which was published on 17 April 2023, and when it will publish a response to the Commission.

In response to the Just Transition Commission’s letter providing further advice on the Draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan (ESJTP) published on 17 April 2023, the Scottish Government issued a reply on 9 May 2023. This can be found online: Just Transition: letter to Just Transition Commission 9 May 2023 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

We are currently awaiting independent analysis of the large volume of responses received from the public consultation held on the draft ESJTP. We are fully considering stakeholder views including those of the Just Transition Commission and will engage with them further as we finalise the ESJTP.

Question reference: S6W-20088

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 July 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 14 August 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what progress is being made in relation to the work of the Climate Change Plan Advisory Group (CCPAG) and what policy outcomes can be reported as a result of the input from the CCPAG.

The Climate Change Plan Advisory Group has undergone 4 of 7 plenary meetings and has so far elicited wide ranging input from diverse stakeholders into the next draft Climate Change Plan. This input includes on topics such as our vision for the future of Scotland, just transition work and energy use, with a Sub- Group meeting on the topic of heat in buildings planned in September.

The Scottish Government will produce an Outcomes Report regarding the policy outputs from the Climate Change Plan Advisory Group after the final meeting in October 2023. Policy outcomes from the group will be used to inform development of the upcoming draft Climate Change Plan.

Question reference: S6W-20008

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 17 July 2023
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 14 August 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether (a) Transport Scotland and (b) ScotRail Holdings has entered negotiations with Stena Line on increasing the availability of "Rail and Sail" tickets between Edinburgh, Glasgow and Belfast.

Question reference: S6W-20007

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 17 July 2023
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 14 August 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether ScotRail Holdings has any plans to expand the offering of "Rail and Sail" tickets between Scotland and Northern Ireland.

This is an operational matter for ScotRail and Stena Line. ScotRail advises that it regularly meets with Stena Line to review potential service changes and ensure tickets are available on rail retail systems and Stena Line expands the service if demand dictates. Details of these tickets can be found via Rail & Sail to Ireland | Stena Line , which also provides contact details for Stena Line for further information.

Question reference: S6W-20089

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 July 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 14 August 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how its Climate Change Plan Advisory Group’s policy outcomes will be reported on.

Question reference: S6W-20006

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 17 July 2023
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 10 August 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether any consultation has taken place regarding increasing the connectivity between Ayr and Stranraer railway stations and the Cairnryan ferry terminal, for the purposes of increasing passenger traffic on journeys between Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Significant public consultation and stakeholder engagement was undertaken as part of the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2), published in December 2022. STPR2 will inform the Scottish Government’s transport investment programme in Scotland over the next 20 years (2022-2042) and will help to deliver the vision, priorities and outcomes for transport set out in the National Transport Strategy (NTS2). Within this there is a recommendation for a review of the upgrade or relocation of Stranraer rail station to be undertaken. Stakeholder engagement and public consultation were key elements of this review, including a three-month public consultation on the draft recommendations between January and April 2022. A summary report detailing the outcomes of this exercise was produced alongside an analysis report setting out how responses were used to inform the appraisal process. STPR2 Recommendation 40 includes measures to improve access to Stranraer and ports at Cairnryan; to encourage greater use of public transport and support wider town regeneration proposals, this recommendation also includes a review of the upgrade or relocation of Stranraer rail station.

Question reference: S6W-20009

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 17 July 2023
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 10 August 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether (a) Transport Scotland and (b) ScotRail Holdings has modelled the potential reduction in carbon emissions from a modal shift on journeys between Edinburgh, Glasgow and Belfast.