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-28531

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Independent
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 November 2015
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 1 December 2015

To ask the Scottish Government how much the last ScotRail franchise tendering process cost and what information it has on the cost for bidders.

Question reference: S4W-28333

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Independent
Date lodged: Monday, 09 November 2015
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 19 November 2015

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-28166 by Fergus Ewing on 9 November 2015, whether it will provide a breakdown of the (a) stakeholders, (b) communities and (c) others that it has had or is having discussions with.

The unconventional oil and gas research and consultation timetable announced on 8 October 2015 will provide opportunities for stakeholder and community involvement at every stage. Stakeholders will be invited to participate in workshops to feed into the Public Health Impact Assessment process, as well as workshops at the outset of each of the research projects, and as part of our work on ensuring robust regulation.

The Scottish Government has also announced plans for an independent examination of the issues surrounding underground coal gasification, led by Professor Campbell Gemmell, which will ensure that stakeholders and communities are given every opportunity to contribute their views from an early stage.

For further details of meetings already held, I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-26272 on 27 July 2015. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

The Scottish Government is committed to engaging on these issues, and we will continue to meet with and listen to the widest range of views and voices. 1

Question reference: S4W-28061

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Independent
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 October 2015
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 9 November 2015

To ask the Scottish Government whether it would consider directing its current underspend into the early repayment of PFI/PPP contracts to reduce the burden on NHS boards.

Question reference: S4W-28165

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Independent
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 October 2015
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 9 November 2015

To ask the Scottish Government how Scottish Enterprise and others will assess the economic impact of mothballing the steel plants in Lanarkshire on the local supply chain and community.

In response to the proposed mothballing of TATA Steel’s operations at Clydebridge and Dalzell, the First Minister established the cross-party, multi-agency Scottish Steel task force and I chaired its first meeting on 29 October 2015. We agreed the Task Force's overall remit and that its immediate priority was to secure an alternative commercial operator for the plants. Scottish Enterprise, together with North Lanarkshire Council and South Lanarkshire Council, is working closely with the supply chain to identify and address potential impacts. The task force is also working to assess the potential impact on communities and intend to explore in detail at a future meeting, in the event that an alternative operator cannot be found.

Question reference: S4W-28166

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Independent
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 October 2015
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 9 November 2015

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-27892 by Joe FitzPatrick on 27 October 2015, what the reasons were for the delay in answering question (a) S4W-25126, (b) S4W-25128 and (c) S4W-25129.

Question reference: S4W-28151

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Independent
Date lodged: Monday, 26 October 2015
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 6 November 2015

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish the findings of the review of out-of-hours primary care services.

Question reference: S4O-04793

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Independent
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 November 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 12 November 2015

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what action it is taking to improve the speed of server access from members' regional offices.

Question reference: S4W-28150

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Independent
Date lodged: Monday, 26 October 2015
Current Status: Answered by Marco Biagi on 5 November 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what average fee has been set by local authorities for an application for a high hedge notice to be served, and what information it has regarding how many applicants are reimbursed.

Information about fees set by local authorities is available in the answer to question S4W-27084, answered on 3 September 2015. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

Information regarding the number of applicants who have been reimbursed is a matter for local authorities and is therefore not held centrally.

Question reference: S4W-28152

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Independent
Date lodged: Monday, 26 October 2015
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 2 November 2015

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has met or plans to meet any community council or tenants and residents associations in areas for which petroleum exploration and development licences have been issued for unconventional gas extraction and underground coal gasification.

The comprehensive research programme announced on 8 October 2015 was informed by meetings with a broad range of stakeholders, and the Scottish Government will continue to meet with and listen to the widest possible range of views and voices as the process develops. We will ensure that there is ample opportunity for everyone, and in particular for those people living in areas of potential exploration, to share their views as part of the consultation.

Question reference: S4W-28060

Asked by: John Wilson, MSP for Central Scotland, Independent
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 October 2015
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 29 October 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what research it has carried out on behalf of NHS boards into buying out PFI/PPP contracts.

Buying out PFI contracts is often unaffordable. However, the Scottish Government is supporting NHS boards in looking at options for the future management of PFI healthcare facilities.

In order to improve the value for money of historical PFI contacts, and support improvements in the management of the contracts, the Scottish Government has established a specialist support team within Health Facilities Scotland, which is working collaboratively with NHS boards and Scottish Futures Trust. Improvement work has already delivered changes that will save over £20 million over the remaining life of contracts, with all savings being reinvested in NHS services.

The Scottish Government is eager to reduce the burden of PFI on the NHS in Scotland and would review the affordability and value for money of any proposal brought forward.