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-19782

Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 November 2018
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 14 November 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how many crisis grant (a) applications and (b) awards there have been in the last quarter, broken down by local authority; what the average grant was, and how many applications were due to delays in benefits payments.

Crisis grant statistics for the latest quarter, broken down by local authority, are available in "Scottish Welfare Fund statistics: update to 30 June 2018", published at https://www2.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Social-Welfare/swf.

Figures for applications are presented in Table 3, awards and average award value in Table 15, and reasons for applications including 'Other - delay in payment of benefits' in Table 7.

Question reference: S5W-19781

Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 November 2018
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 14 November 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how many applications for crisis grants in the last 12 months were due to delays in benefits payments.

Question reference: S5W-19233

Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 October 2018
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 30 October 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how many unannounced site visits there have been by the Fish Health Inspectorate to fish farms in (a) the Western Isles and (b) Scotland in the last year.

Question reference: S5O-02503

Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 October 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 November 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made in securing work for the Arnish fabrication yard on the Isle of Lewis.

Question reference: S5W-18863

Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 17 September 2018
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 1 October 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking in response to reports of high levels of wild and farmed salmon mortalities in Loch Roag, Isle of Lewis.

A report was received from the Outer Hebrides Fisheries Trust on 30 July regarding mortalities in wild salmon in the Blackwater River, Lewis. An inspector attended on the 2 August and investigative samples were taken. A report detailing the results of the testing has been issued to the Outer Hebrides Fisheries Trust.

All of the stocked fish farm sites in Loch Roag were inspected on the 7, 8 and 13 August following reports of elevated sea lice numbers. A second inspection, in conjunction with the Animal and Plant Health Agency, was carried on a fish farm in Loch Roag on 5 September following reports of welfare concerns. Four advisory letters have been issued to the operator in line with the Scottish Government’s sea lice compliance policy; https://www.gov.scot/Resource/0052/00522428.pdf

Question reference: S5F-02618

Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 17 September 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 September 2018

To ask the First Minister how the Scottish Government will use the Social Metrics Commission’s new framework for tackling poverty.

Question reference: S5W-18166

Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 August 2018
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 7 September 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to investigate options for increasing the capacity on the Stornoway-Ullapool ferry route in the summer months.

Capacity in peak periods is one of the challenges for our ferry services, particularly given the very welcome increase in passenger numbers which has followed the successful introduction of Road Equivalent Tariff (RET).

Additional passenger and car capacity has been provided to the Stornoway-Ullapool service in the form of the deployment of the MV Loch Seaforth and the Isle of Lewis and Isle of Harris communities will benefit from the additional capacity provided through the new major vessel under construction when she enters service in 2020.

Looking further ahead, a strategic transport appraisal commissioned from Peter Brett Associates is considering the long-term options for ferry services to, from and within the Western Isles, including the important Stornoway-Ullapool service. This appraisal started in early 2018 and is due to completed in early 2019.

The outcome of the strategic transport appraisal will be subject to detailed review, with full consideration of all options and consultation with communities and stakeholders prior to any future investment decision being undertaken for the Stornoway-Ullapool route.

Question reference: S5W-18165

Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 August 2018
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 7 September 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what lessons will be learned from the recent breakdown of MV Loch Seaforth in terms of the ability of Calmac’s fleet to cope with the breakdown of one or more major vessels.

The vessel lost propulsion power and switched to her emergency generator before proceeding to Stornoway at 11 knots, accompanied by an RNLI escort.

Following her arrival in port, both engines were checked and CalMac crew completed a repair to the vessel followed by sea trials so that the vessel could return to full service. The Maritime & Coastguard Agency and Lloyd’s Register were both informed and following sea trials both organisations gave their approval, later on the evening of 8 August, for the vessel to sail.

CalMac are undertaking a technical assessment into the recent breakdown of the MV Loch Seaforth and will apply any lessons learned to improve the future resilience of the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services.

Question reference: S5W-17560

Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 June 2018
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 20 July 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the action it is taking to secure work for the Arnish construction yard on the Isle of Lewis.

BiFab was acquired by DF Barnes on 17 April 2018 as part of an agreement brokered by the Scottish Government to support new opportunities for fabrication and construction in the marine, renewables and energy sector.

The commitment of DF Barnes to securing a new future for the business at Arnish is a hugely positive step.

The Scottish Government has delivered on the commitment made last year to stand by BiFab and work to secure a long term future for the company. We have always been clear that there remains hard work ahead and that we will continue to engage closely with management and the union representatives as this progresses.

It is not within the Scottish Government’s gift to award contracts and it is ultimately a matter for BiFab to secure further work, which will need to be tendered for under a competitive process. However I am supportive of the ambition which DF Barnes have for BiFab, which will include long-term sustainable employment for the local economies which these yards serve.

Question reference: S4W-00037

Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 16 May 2011
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 31 May 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive whether a minister will visit St Brendan's Hospital on Barra to discuss progress on plans to replace the present building.

There are currently no plans for a minister to visit St Brendan’s Hospital on Barra to discuss progress on plans to replace the present building.

Officials are however actively engaged with the NHS board regarding the development of their Property and Asset Management Strategy. This strategy sets out key issues and priorities associated with the management and performance of the boards’ facilities, equipment and other assets.