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: S4O-01248

Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 September 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 12 September 2012

To ask the Scottish Government how businesses can benefit from being part of business improvement districts.

Question reference: S4W-09057

Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 August 2012
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 4 September 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the level of mobile phone network coverage in the Southend area of Argyll, what action it will take to improve this and whether it will discuss this with mobile phone operators.

As set out in Scotland’s Digital Future – Infrastructure Action Plan, published on 31 January 2012, improving mobile phone and broadband coverage across the whole of Scotland is a priority for the Scottish Government, and we continue to have discussions with mobile operators about improving coverage across Scotland.

The Scottish Government currently has no powers to set improved levels of mobile coverage as telecoms regulations in the UK is reserved. Coverage obligations fall within mobile operators’ licence conditions, and Ofcom, the UK telecoms regulator, is responsible for ensuring that operators fulfil their licence condition requirements. All operators are meeting the 3G coverage obligations contained within their respective licence conditions.

We continue to make representations to the UK Government to ensure that its Mobile Infrastructure Project has maximum possible impact throughout all of Scotland for both voice and data coverage in current mobile Not Spots. The precise areas to benefit will not be known until the UK Government’s procurement completes in December 2012.

The Scottish Government has also successfully lobbied Ofcom to improve coverage targets associated with the forthcoming 4G auctions. This has resulted in a 95% indoor coverage level target being set in all four UK nations – a considerable improvement on the coverage targets originally proposed by Ofcom in 2011 and one that will extend 4G services across Scotland.

Question reference: S4W-09244

Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 August 2012
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 3 September 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what (a) grants and (b) other financial support have been given each year by Creative Scotland, broken down by art form.

Question reference: S4W-09056

Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 August 2012
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 23 August 2012

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish the results of Transport Scotland’s survey on the use of bilingual signs on trunk roads.

Question reference: S4W-08997

Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 03 August 2012
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 22 August 2012

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-08320 by Keith Brown on 19 July 2012, whether the work will be accelerated, in light of the landslide on 1 August 2012.

It is very important that any solutions, permanent and temporary are properly designed and constructed. We are fully committed to delivering a safe diversion route at the A83 Rest and Be Thankful in as short a timescale as possible. Discussions are ongoing with the landowner and the works are currently programmed to start this month, with a 12-week construction period.

I am chairing a taskforce which has been set up to oversee progress. The taskforce, which met for the first time on 15 August, includes representatives from the key agencies involved.

Question reference: S4W-08998

Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 03 August 2012
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 21 August 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to prevent future landslides on the A83 at the Rest and Be Thankful.

Scotland has outstanding scenery - high mountains and steep valleys – which can, under periods of prolonged or severe weather events, be prone to landslides. These are a natural phenomenon and the A83 trunk road at the Rest and Be Thankful is an area of particular risk. We cannot stop landslides occurring, but we need to manage the consequences effectively.

Following previous landslides at the Rest and Be Thankful, Scottish ministers have invested approximately £700,000 on mitigation measures, including the installation of flexible flow netting, a new culvert and drainage system at a previous landslide site and geotechnical monitoring equipment. The protective netting is currently being extended. An early warning system has also been put in place which activates Wig-Wag flashing amber lights when severe weather warnings are received from the Met Office.

Transport Scotland will continue to deliver the landslide mitigation programme, investing approximately £500,000 per year across the network, including the A83.

Earlier this year, we announced a £100,000 study to investigate the feasibility of improvements on the A83 trunk road. The study will look closely at what more can be done in managing the effects of landslides at the Rest and Be Thankful, including long term engineering options such as rock shelters, stabilisation using vegetation techniques and investigating alternative access routes to mid Argyll. The study will also look into removing pinch points along the route. We remain on schedule to complete the study by the end of the year.

Question reference: S4W-08996

Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 03 August 2012
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 21 August 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the closure of the A83 on 1 August 2012 due to a landslide at the Rest and Be Thankful.

Question reference: S4W-08882

Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 July 2012
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 15 August 2012

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-08557 by Keith Brown on 19 July 2012, whether all ministers agree that “[Argyll Ferries Ltd] is delivering the services specified by the contract”.

Question reference: S4W-08903

Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 27 July 2012
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 15 August 2012

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-08319 by Keith Brown on 19 July 2012, what its response is to any concerns that HGVs and other haulage vehicles will be unable to use the Old Military Road.

Question reference: S4W-08881

Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 July 2012
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 15 August 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the EU regarding the tendering process for CalMac ferry routes and whether these have included delaying the process.