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-25004

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Independent
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 March 2015
Current Status: Answered by Aileen McLeod on 31 March 2015

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the finding that air pollution in central Scotland reached its highest levels in three years on 17 March 2015, how it plans to protect vulnerable people, particularly the elderly, young children and those with respiratory conditions, from air pollution.

The Scottish Government operates a pollution alert service called 'Know and Respond'. Members of the public can register to receive an SMS, voicemail or email message whenever air pollution is forecast to be moderate, high or very high as measured by the UK Air Quality Index. The message also provides advice on action that individuals can take to reduce the impact of the pollution during these periods.

The Scottish Government continues to work closely with local authorities, The Scottish Environment Protection Agency, Transport Scotland and other partners to improve air quality in Scotland.

Question reference: S4W-25002

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Independent
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 March 2015
Current Status: Answered by Aileen McLeod on 31 March 2015

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the finding that on 17 March 2015 air pollution in central Scotland reached its worst levels in three years, how it plans to reduce air pollution.

The Scottish Government continues to work closely with local authorities, The Scottish Environment Protection Agency, Transport Scotland and other partners to improve air quality in Scotland. We are currently consulting on a draft national low emission strategy for Scotland, which draws together policies across Scottish Government portfolios that impact on air quality. The strategy will build on ongoing work which has contributed to significant reductions in air pollution over recent years, as set out in the Air Quality Strategy for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and in Scotland’s National Transport Strategy.

At a local level, we provide practical and financial support to local authorities to undertake air quality monitoring and, where necessary, develop air quality action plans.

Question reference: S4W-25003

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Independent
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 March 2015
Current Status: Answered by Aileen McLeod on 31 March 2015

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the finding that air pollution in central Scotland reached its worst level in three years on 17 March 2015 largely due to car emissions according to environmental groups, how it will encourage individuals to use public transport.

The Scottish Government’s commitment to bus services in Scotland is clearly demonstrated by the quarter of a billion pounds expended every year on the Bus Service Operators’ Grant and concessionary fares. The grant helps to keep fares at affordable levels and enable bus operators to run services that might not otherwise be commercially viable and provides incentives for operators to use low carbon vehicles by giving double the standard payment rate for services which use low carbon vehicles. The Scottish Green Bus Fund was launched in 2010, incentivising the construction and use of new low carbon buses to improve air quality, accessibility and encouraging modal shift. To date this fund has awarded £13.8 million which has helped secure 209 new low carbon emission buses.

Question reference: S4W-24793

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Independent
Date lodged: Monday, 09 March 2015
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 20 March 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what (a) treatment is available and (b) support is provided to people diagnosed with chronic (i) Crohn’s disease and (ii) colitis.

Treatment of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis can involve a range of medication, including powerful immunosuppressant drugs, steroids and biologic treatments. Some patients will also undergo surgery.

The Scottish Government has provided funding to the charity Crohn’s and Colitis UK to set up a Scottish inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) steering group. This group brings together a range of stakeholders with the aim of designing a programme to improve the quality of clinical care and supporting the implementation of new approaches to the management of IBD.

NHS Inform is also a helpful source of information for people diagnosed with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. Information is available about symptoms, causes, diagnosis and treatment as well as support that is available. Information can be found at the following page:

http://www.nhsinform.co.uk/health-library/articles/i/inflammatory-bowel-disease/introduction/

Question reference: S4W-24772

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Independent
Date lodged: Monday, 09 March 2015
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 13 March 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what the average age is of ScotRail's rolling stock.

Question reference: S4W-24732

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Independent
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 March 2015
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 11 March 2015

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the findings of the Fiscal Affairs Scotland report, Local government funding challenges, what action it will take to ensure that local authorities are able to meet demand for (a) school meals and (b) other non-statutory services.

The Scottish Government has, despite the significant cuts to its budget imposed by the UK Government, treated local government fairly. The 2014-15 local government finance settlement has been increased to almost £10.8 billion and this will increase further to over £10.85 billion in 2015-16.

Within these totals, the Scottish Government is fully funding the extension of free school meals to all pupils in primary 1 to 3. Following agreement with COSLA, we are providing local authorities with additional revenue funding of £70.5 million over
2014-16 to deliver the commitment, supported with additional capital funding for local government of £24.8 million to prepare canteens, dinner halls and other facilities and ensure demand is met.

Future years settlements will depend on the budget allocated by the UK Government and will be the subject for discussion between Scottish Ministers and local government. The allocation of funding to all services, both statutory and non-statutory, is the responsibility of each local authority.

Question reference: S4O-04093

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Independent
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 February 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 March 2015

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body how it will engage on the proposal to establish a register of lobbying.

Question reference: S4W-24352

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Independent
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 February 2015
Current Status: Answered by Margaret Burgess on 19 February 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding how many households have had their (a) gas and (b) electricity supply disconnected, or "capped", in each of the last five years, also broken down by local authority area.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information centrally.

However, in December 2014, the Office of Gas and Electricity markets (Ofgem) published the Domestic Suppliers Social Obligations: 2013 annual report. Table 10 includes data at a Scottish level for the number of disconnections for non-payment of debt (2011-2013).

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/ofgem-publications/92186/annualreport2013finalforpublication.pdf

Question reference: S4O-04046

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Independent
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 February 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 February 2015

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met the Lord President of the Court of Session and what issues were discussed.

Question reference: S4W-23345

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Independent
Date lodged: Friday, 21 November 2014
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 3 December 2014

To ask the Scottish Government whether it sought assurances regarding the terms and conditions of employment of seafarers working on the Finlandia Seaways between Rosyth and Zeebrugge in its discussions with DFDS and Forth Ports on the future of maritime freight services on that route and whether it confirmed that these seafarers are covered by a collective bargaining agreement.