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: S5W-16209

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 April 2018
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 8 May 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has asked Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL) to assess the freight capacity of the freighters operating between Lerwick and Aberdeen.

Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL) has a bareboat charter arrangement with the owners of the current freight vessels (MV Helliar and MV Hildasay) that are utilised on the Lerwick, Kirkwall and Aberdeen routes. These vessels are currently sub-chartered to Serco Northlink Ferries. Discussions are on-going regarding the future freight vessel requirements and involve Transport Scotland, CMAL and the operator who are working together to consider the future freight demand for the Northern Isles.

The MV Helliar and the MV Hildasay each provide 885 lane metres of capacity per sailing. Average deck utilisation of the freighters in 2017 was 56%. Average deck space utilisation of the freighters in the first quarter in 2018 was 59%. Serco NorthLink Ferries works closely with industry to monitor trends and analyse capacity to ensure that freight capacity is available to meet both current and future demand.

Question reference: S5W-16183

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 April 2018
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 8 May 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the General Teaching Council of Scotland regarding increasing the number of minority ethnic teachers.

Question reference: S5W-16187

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 April 2018
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 8 May 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether it provides guidance to local authorities regarding how to recruit a more representative workforce in relation to ethnicity.

The Scottish Government does not provide guidance to local authorities regarding how to recruit a more representative workforce in relation to ethnicity.

The Equality Act 2010 (the 2010 Act) requires public authorities to: eliminate discrimination, harassment and victimisation; advance equality of opportunity; and to foster good relations between persons who share a relevant protected characteristic and those who do not. This is known as the Public Sector Equality Duty (PSED).

Through the Equality Act 2010 (Specific Duties) (Scotland) Regulations 2012 the Scottish Government has introduced a number of measures to ensure that public authorities comply with the Equality Act’s provisions. These include enhanced data collection, greater transparency and the assessment of new, revised and existing policies.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission is responsible for compliance with the Act, and the Scottish Government works closely with the Commission who have produced a suite of technical guidance on the delivery of the public sector equality duty in Scotland that can be found at:

https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/publication-download/technical-guidance-public-sector-equality-duty-scotland

Question reference: S5W-16067

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 23 April 2018
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 8 May 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of media reports in January 2018, what information it has regarding whether P&O is considering introducing a ferry service between Scotland and Scandinavia.

Question reference: S5W-16066

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 23 April 2018
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 8 May 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Minister for Transport and the Islands (a) has hosted or (b) plans to host a summit with ferry operators regarding services between Scotland and Scandinavia.

Question reference: S5W-15857

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 April 2018
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 3 May 2018

To ask the Scottish Government who the members are of the board of Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (HIAL), also broken down by their annual remuneration.

The Board Members of Highlands and Islands Airports Limited along with their remuneration are:

Name	Position	Annual Remuneration (£)
Lorna Jack	Interim Chair	22,320 1
Inglis Lyon	Managing Director	105,000 – 110,000
Gillian Bruton	Finance Director	54,600.00 2
David Savile	Non-Executive Director	7,424.25 3
Tim Whittome	Non-Executive Director	7,424.25 3
Jim McLaughlin	Non-Executive Director	8,018.19 4

1 – Remuneration paid directly to the Law Society of Scotland to compensate for Ms Jack’s time.

2 – Remuneration paid directly to Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd to compensate for Ms Bruton’s time.

3 – £7,127.28 for Non-Executive Director role and £296.97 as member of the Audit Committee.

4 – £7,127.28 for Non-Executive Director role and £890.91 as Chair of the Audit Committee.

Question reference: S5O-02072

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 May 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 May 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reported comments by the health secretary regarding cooperation between NHS boards that "there will be a regional structure in place", whether it will provide further details of this policy, and what the implications are for regional NHS boards.

Question reference: S5W-15864

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 April 2018
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 1 May 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (HIAL) has started tendering or contract negotiations with businesses regarding installing equipment to charge for car parking at Sumburgh, Kirkwall and Stornoway airports and, if so, which businesses.

Question reference: S5W-15862

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 April 2018
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 1 May 2018

To ask the Scottish Government when Audit Scotland last examined the financial management and accounting processes at Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (HIAL), and what the outcome was.

Question reference: S5W-16097

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 20 April 2018
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 1 May 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether the assessment material used for the Scottish Survey of Literacy and Numeracy will be made available to teachers and, if so, when.