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-15104

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 May 2013
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 3 June 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what its policy objectives are for its engagement with the government of (a) Iraqi Kurdistan, (b) Iraq and (c) Turkey.

Question reference: S4W-15103

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 May 2013
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 3 June 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with government officials from (a) Iraqi Kurdistan, (b) Iraq and (c) Turkey in the last six months.

Question reference: S4W-14936

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 May 2013
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 31 May 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what (a) car, (b) passenger, (c) driver and (d) pence per mile fares it uses to calculate the road equivalent tariff.

The road equivalent tariff (RET) fare for a car is calculated by a fixed element of £5.00 plus a rate per mile of £0.80.

A driver and any passengers will be charged as foot passengers. For foot passengers the RET fare is a fixed element of £2.00 plus £0.13 per mile.

The fixed cost element of the fare is designed to offset the elements on each route such as the costs of maintaining harbour infrastructure at each end of the route and the cost of maintaining the vessel.

As noted in the Ferries Plan, published in December 2012, the RET formula will be updated annually in line with the cost of travel.

The Scottish Ferry Services: Ferries Plan (2013 – 2022) can be found at:

http://www.transportscotland.gov.uk/strategy-and-research/publications-and-consultations/j254579-00.htm.

Question reference: S4W-14935

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 May 2013
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 31 May 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what numerical formula it uses to calculate the road equivalent tariff and when it was first used.

The road equivalent tariff (RET) formula for a car is a fixed element of £5.00 plus a rate of £0.80 per mile. For foot passengers the RET fare is a fixed element of £2.00 plus £0.13 per mile.

This current formula was first used for the roll out of RET to Islay, Colonsay and Gigha in October 2012. The intention is to update the formula annually in line with the cost of travel and to apply the formula at the start of each summer timetable period.

Question reference: S4W-14938

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 May 2013
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 31 May 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what the equivalent road distance is, expressed in miles, for each ferry crossing used in road equivalent tariff calculations.

The information requested is set out in the following table.

Routes	Miles
Tayinloan - Gigha	2.5
Uig (Skye) - Tarbert (Harris)/Lochmaddy (North Uist)	29.2
Kennacraig - Islay	32.3
Oban - Colonsay	36.6
Ullapool - Stornoway (Lewis)	52.2
Oban - Coll/Tiree	59.7
Oban - Castlebay (Barra)/Lochboisdale (South Uist)	N/A*

Note: *For this route the mileage was not used to calculate the fare level, which would have resulted in higher fare levels.

Question reference: S4W-14939

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 May 2013
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 31 May 2013

To ask the Scottish Government when it received the Advertising Standards Authority findings relating to the road equivalent tariff (RET) and when CalMac Ferries Ltd's additional clarifying information about RET was or will be made publically available in CalMac Ferries Ltd's advertising.

Transport Scotland and CalMac Ferries Limited corresponded with the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) regarding CalMac’s advertising of RET between March and May 2013.

ASA wrote to CalMac on the 15 March 2013. The case was transferred to Transport Scotland who replied to ASA on 16 April. ASA responded with recommendations on 8 May 2013.

Following the ASA recommendations, CalMac Ferries Limited made ASA aware of their plans and updated their website and templates for printed versions of the Explore magazine. These updates provided more explanatory information about RET to CalMac’s customers.

ASA replied to CalMac, copying in Transport Scotland, on 13 May confirming that they will close their file on the complaint following the completion of the planned changes.

Question reference: S4W-14982

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 May 2013
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 31 May 2013

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-14021 by Humza Yousaf on 25 April 2013, whether it will consider new guidance for officials dealing with the Government of Qatar to encourage discussion of the imprisonment of the poet, Mohammed al-Ajami.

We have no plans to issue new guidance at this stage for officials dealing with the Government of Qatar to encourage discussion of the imprisonment of the poet, Mohammed al-Ajami.

The Scottish Government’s International Framework recognises that, as a good global citizen, Scotland has a strong and enduring commitment to securing democracy, the rule of law and fundamental human rights across the world. We expect all states to comply with international and human rights law, and we condemn human rights abuses wherever they occur.

Question reference: S4W-14979

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 May 2013
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 31 May 2013

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-14020 by Humza Yousaf on 25 April 2013, whether ministers have set out parameters to officials on discussion of the imprisonment of the poet, Mohammed al-Ajami, with ministers and officials from the Government of Qatar.

No parameters have been set out by Ministers for officials regarding their discussion of the imprisonment of the poet, Mohammed al-Ajami with ministers and officials from the Government of Qatar. The Scottish Government’s International Framework recognises that, as a good global citizen, Scotland has a strong and enduring commitment to securing democracy, the rule of law and fundamental human rights across the world. We expect all states to comply with international and human rights law, and we condemn human rights abuses wherever they occur.

Question reference: S4W-14981

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 May 2013
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 31 May 2013

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-14019 by Humza Yousaf on 25 April 2013, whether the imprisonment of the poet, Mohammed al-Ajami, has arisen in dialogue with the Government of Qatar.

Question reference: S4W-14980

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 May 2013
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 31 May 2013

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-14018 by Humza Yousaf on 25 April 2013, whether ministers have been updated on dialogue between Scottish Government officials and officials and ministers from the Government of Qatar in the last six months and, if so, whether such updates have included discussion of the imprisonment of the poet, Mohammed al-Ajami.

Officials from the Scottish Government were in contact with officials and ministers from the Government of Qatar in November and December 2012 to make the necessary logistical arrangements for the Minister’s meeting with His Excellency Mr Khalid Rashid Al-Mansouri KCVO, Qatar Embassy in London. Following this, officials have been in contact with the Qatar Embassy in London in April and May. The focus of these discussions has been the preparations for the Minister’s attendance at the Doha Form 20 – 22 May. No updates have included reference to the imprisonment of poet, Mohammed al-Ajami.