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-06747

Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 April 2012
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 1 May 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will set out the details of the planned road equivalent tariff pilot for the Gigha, Colonsay and Islay services from October 2012.

We are in the process of putting arrangements in place for the road equivalent tariff pilot for the Gigha, Colonsay and Islay services, including specific details of fare levels to be applied. Details of additional annual subsidy levels required are therefore not available at this stage. The road equivalent tariff pilot will include all services between Islay and the Scottish mainland and fares will be the same for all services between Islay and Kennacraig. Information about fare levels will be made available in good time for the pilot to begin in autumn 2012.

Question reference: S4O-00910

Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 April 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 April 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on concerns raised by residents of Islay regarding the frequency of power cuts on the island.

Question reference: S4W-06290

Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 19 March 2012
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 10 April 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive whether representatives of the local community will be informed when ministers make a decision on the proposed special area of conservation in the Sound of Barra and, if so, how.

Question reference: S4W-06288

Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 19 March 2012
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 10 April 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive how ministers will engage with members of the local community in their decision-making process regarding the proposed special area of conservation in the Sound of Barra.

Officials will engage with representatives of the local communities and industries on the Isles of Barra, Eriskay, and South Uist, as well as other stakeholders, to develop a draft management plan for the Sound of Barra SAC proposal. Officials will visit the islands on more than one occasion to collaborate with these interests to develop a draft management plan that takes account of their economic, social and cultural requirements.

Question reference: S4W-06289

Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 19 March 2012
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 10 April 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive when ministers will make a decision on the proposed special area of conservation in the Sound of Barra.

The timing of the final decision on the proposed special area of conservation in the Sound of Barra will be dependent on two factors. Firstly finalisation of the report on the consultation and final advice by Scottish Natural Heritage. This is expected by the end of June 2012. Secondly, a decision will only be taken once a suitable draft management plan which takes account of the local economic, social, and cultural requirements has been prepared. This should be completed by the end of the summer recess and a decision will be made as soon as possible thereafter.

Question reference: S4O-00822

Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 March 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 March 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what support it is providing to the Machrihanish Airbase Community Company.

Question reference: S4W-05709

Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 February 2012
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 13 March 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the economic impact on the Western Isles, Coll and Tiree of the possible fare rises on the ferry routes serving them following the end of road equivalent tariff for commercial vehicles.

Question reference: S4W-05711

Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 February 2012
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 13 March 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the additional support for transitional arrangements for hauliers and other businesses on the ferry routes serving the Western Isles, Coll and Tiree will be available for occasional users and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

Question reference: S4W-05710

Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 February 2012
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 13 March 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what meetings it has planned with (a) hauliers, (b) the logistics sector and (c) other business to discuss fare rises on the ferry routes serving the Western Isles, Coll and Tiree following the end of road equivalent tariff for commercial vehicles.

Question reference: S4W-05708

Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 February 2012
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 13 March 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on concerns expressed by businesses that, even with the additional support announced for transitional arrangements, there could be fare rises of up to 50% on the ferry routes serving the Western Isles, Coll and Tiree following the end of road equivalent tariff for commercial vehicles.

We are absolutely committed to supporting our island and remote communities. We have recognised the impact of removing RET for larger commercial vehicles and have agreed action to address this.

Following meetings with key stakeholders and hauliers from across the Western Isles, Coll and Tiree, we have committed to investing £5.3 million next year in RET and on transitional arrangements for larger commercial vehicles. In addition, we have agreed an extension of RET to include small commercial vehicles up to 6 metres in length. Our transitional arrangements will support all hauliers and businesses, regardless of size or frequency of travel, using ferry routes to the Western Isles, Coll and Tiree.

We have committed to work with key stakeholders and hauliers on a six month study which will consider the broader impacts resulting from the changes in the ferry fares policy. This study will build on the previous monitoring and evaluation of the RET pilot to the Western Isles, Coll and Tiree.