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-29183

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 January 2016
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 14 January 2016

To ask the Scottish Government which services will be reduced during the works on the high level tunnel at Glasgow Queen Street Station and whether capacity will be fully retained through the use of longer trains.

The following table summarises the rail services that will have reduced frequency during the Queen Street High Level tunnel closure:

Service(s)	Existing	During tunnel closure
Glasgow to Edinburgh via Falkirk High	Four trains per hour from 0700 to 1930 hours	Half hourly all day
Ashfield to Anniesland via Maryhill	Two trains per hour all day	Hourly all day
Cumbernauld to Glasgow	Three trains per hour all day	Two services per hour all day (one direct and one requiring interchange Springburn)

The Queen Street High Level tunnel closure will inevitably result in a loss of some capacity. However, ScotRail will ensure that all available rolling stock is used through longer trains and diversions, to enable the vast majority of capacity to be retained during the works.

Question reference: S4W-29169

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 January 2016
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 14 January 2016

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-12861 by Keith Brown on 28 February 2013, when the decision was taken not to include in the Infrastructure Investment Plan 2015 the reference to a Scottish section of high speed rail that was contained in the Infrastructure Investment Plan project pipeline update published in January 2013.

Question reference: S4W-29184

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 January 2016
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 14 January 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) trains and (b) passengers are carried through the (i) high and (ii) low level tunnel at Glasgow Queen Street Station per hour at peak period.

The following tables confirm how many trains and passengers travel through Glasgow Queen Street High and Low Level stations per hour at peak period:

Glasgow Queen Street

High Level Station

Low Level Station

Trains

AM peak (0745-0915 hours)

37 trains (20 arrive, 17 depart). Approx. 25 per peak hour.

56 trains arrive and depart, none terminate or commence there in the peaks. Approx. 37 per peak hour.

PM peak (1630-1800 hours)

38 trains (17 arrive, 21 depart). Approx. 25 per peak hour.

54 trains arrive and depart. Approx. 37 per peak hour.

Glasgow Queen Street

High Level Station

Low Level Station

Passenger flows (estimated via sample surveys of ticket gate entries and exits)

AM peak (0745-0915 hours)

Depart – 1,500

Arrive – 4,700

Total – 6,200

Total per hour – 4,100

Depart – 500

Arrive – 2,200

Total – 2,700

Total per hour – 1,800

PM peak (1630-1800 hours)

Depart – 4,300

Arrive – 1,800

Total – 6,100

Total per hour – 4,000

Depart – 2,180

Arrive – 800

Total – 2,900

Total per hour – 2,000

Question reference: S4W-29176

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 January 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 14 January 2016

To ask the Scottish Government which of its economic development plans since 2007-08 have included reference to Iran.

Question reference: S4W-29182

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 January 2016
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 14 January 2016

To ask the Scottish Government to what extent the works on the high level tunnel at Glasgow Queen Street Station will increase average journey times, broken down by affected service.

The following table summarises the estimated impact that the Glasgow Queen Street High Level tunnel closure will have on affected rail services:

Service(s) affected	Estimated impact (average)
Edinburgh to Glasgow Queen Street	20 to 25 minutes longer
Dunblane/Alloa	20 to 25 minutes longer
Aberdeen or Inverness to Glasgow	30 to 40 minutes longer
West Highland	20 to 25 minutes longer

Question reference: S4O-05277

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 January 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 January 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what assistance it is providing to refugees from Syria and what further discussions it has had with the UK Government on this matter.

Question reference: S4W-28022

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 October 2015
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 23 December 2015

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-27249 by Richard Lochhead on 1 October 2015, what information it has on what average profit is made by dairy farmers based on the price paid by (a) Sodexo and (b) the other public bodies.

Question reference: S4O-05217

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 December 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 6 January 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how many eligible crofters and farmers have not received any common agricultural policy basic payment by 6 January 2016.

Question reference: S4T-01248

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 14 December 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 December 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the outcome of the Paris climate conference.

Question reference: S4W-28657

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 November 2015
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 7 December 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what inspections have been carried at the Royal Cornhill Hospital in Aberdeen by (a) the NHS, (b) the Care Commission and (c) other bodies since 2011, and what information it has regarding inspections by the Health and Safety Executive; what the outcome of each inspection was; what reports were published, and whether the hospital is subject to any ongoing inspection.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has undertaken the following visits and investigations:

In 2012 the HSE visited Royal Cornhill Hospital to carry out an investigation into a patient fall reported to the HSE by NHS Grampian. No action was taken by the HSE in relation to this. No report was published.

In 2012 the HSE visited Royal Cornhill Hospital to carry out an investigation into a patient suicide. The HSE issued an improvement notice as result of this investigation. No report was published.

In 2013 NHS Grampian invited specialist HSE investigators into Royal Cornhill Hospital to carry out a formal supportive visit in three wards. No action was taken by the HSE in relation to the visit. No report was published.

The Mental Welfare Commission has also visited the hospital as part of its activities, in order that individuals receiving care and treatment can raise any concerns they have, and that facilities are providing care and treatment that meets their needs and respects their rights. Reports are produced with recommendations for the service. These reports have not been published in line with long-standing Mental Welfare Commission practice but the Mental Welfare Commission will start to publish their visit reports in 2016.

Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) – in 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 NHS Grampian invited the SFRS into Royal Cornhill Hospital to carry out Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 compliance audits. No action has been taken by SFRS as a result of any of these visits. No reports have been published.

Forensic Network/Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) Forensic Service – the Forensic Network/HIS did a peer review of the forensic unit on 1 November 2011 and a further visit is planned within 2016. The forensic learning disability service was visited on 11 September 2012.

Scottish ECT Audit Network (SEAN – enabling communication of the latest information on ECT (electroconvulsive therapy) in Scotland) visited in 2015 with their next visit due in 2018.

The Royal Cornhill Hospital is not subject to any current or on-going inspections.