Questions and answers

Question reference: S5W-18558

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 September 2018
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 13 September 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will accept re-submissions from unsuccessful applicants to the Local Rail Development Fund in the next round of applications.

Question reference: S5W-18533

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 03 September 2018
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 13 September 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the long-term delivery of the Forth Replacement Crossing Public Transport Strategy.

The Forth Replacement Crossing Public Transport Strategy was developed in collaboration with bus operators, City of Edinburgh Council, Fife Council and SEStran. The strategy has helped deliver a number of interventions including bus hard shoulder running on sections of the M90 both north and south of the Forth as well a Halbeath Park and Ride. It is up to all members of the group to play their part and Transport Scotland intends to publish an update to the strategy to reflect the current status of each intervention. The evaluation of the performance of public transport measures will form part of the overall project evaluation for the Queensferry Crossing and this will help inform future investment considerations.

Further to the above, as part of the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal the Scottish Government has committed £20 million for public transport infrastructure identified by the West Edinburgh Transport Appraisal work. City Region Deal partners will also contribute towards the improvements in West Edinburgh.

Question reference: S5W-18534

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 03 September 2018
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 11 September 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what support it has provided to NHS Fife regarding the delivery of out-of-hours GP services in communities.

Since introducing contingency measures in April 2018, officials have had several discussions with the Fife Health and Social Care Partnership and continue to monitor the situation. Sir Lewis Ritchie, author of Pulling together - transforming urgent care for the people of Scotland visited the Health and Social Care Partnership with officials from the Scottish Government in July to offer advice and support to the service.

Question reference: S5W-18202

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 August 2018
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 4 September 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how many meetings of the Joint Ministerial Committee there have been to discuss trade matters since the EU referendum.

There have been three meetings of the Joint Ministerial Committee in Plenary since the EU referendum. Trade and Investment was on the agenda for the meeting on 30 January 2017, and trade has been discussed in each of these in the context of the future relationship with the EU. There have been seven meetings of the JMC for Europe however trade has not been an agenda item. There have been ten meetings of the JMC on EU Negotiations since the EU Referendum and trade has been discussed at each of them in the context of the future relationship with the EU. There have also been three meetings of the Ministerial Forum on EU Negotiations since it was established in May 2018, and the future economic relationship with the EU has been part of the discussion in each of those meetings.

Throughout our engagement with the UK Government we continue to highlight the real costs of Brexit to our economy and reiterate Scotland’s clear position that membership of the single market and the customs union would be the least damaging future relationship with the European Union.

Question reference: S5W-18203

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 August 2018
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 30 August 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how many meetings its ministers have had with the Minister of State for Trade and Investment or Minister of State for Trade since the EU referendum.

Since the EU Referendum Scottish Ministers have met with the Secretary of State for International Trade, Minister of State for the Department of International Trade and Minister of State for Trade at the Department of International Trade four times.

Throughout our engagement with the UK Government we continue to highlight the real costs of Brexit to our economy and reiterate Scotland’s clear position that membership of the single market and the customs union would be the least damaging future relationship with the European Union.

Question reference: S5W-18201

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 August 2018
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 30 August 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how many meetings its ministers have had with UK Government ministers to discuss trade matters since the EU referendum.

Since the EU Referendum Scottish Ministers have met with UK Government ministers total of ten times specifically discussing trade matters.

Throughout our engagement with the UK Government we continue to highlight the real costs of Brexit to our economy and reiterate Scotland’s clear position that membership of the single market and the customs union would be the least damaging future relationship with the European Union.

Question reference: S5W-18204

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 August 2018
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 30 August 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how many meetings its ministers have had with the Secretary of State for International Trade since the EU referendum.

Question reference: S5O-02321

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 August 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 6 September 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to tackle overcrowding on rail services between Edinburgh and Dunblane.

Question reference: S5W-17652

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 July 2018
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 1 August 2018

To ask the Scottish Government when it will make a decision on which projects will be awarded funding from the Local Rail Development Fund.

Question reference: S5W-17302

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 June 2018
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 30 July 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it is making in addressing marine pollution issues caused by plastic microfibres.

The marine pollution issues caused by plastic microfibres are not yet clear. It is evident that plastic microfibres can be found throughout the marine ecosystem, however their long-term effects are not yet known. At this time, the Scottish Government's focus is to reduce the amount of plastic entering our waters, and to better understand how this can be achieved in the case of microfibres which may have many sources.

Chamber and committees