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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

Filter your results Hide all filters

Displaying 331 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S6O-02764

Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 November 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its plans to issue government bonds.

Question reference: S6W-22563

Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 30 October 2023
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 30 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the provision of support for young people travelling on ferries.

On 28 October 2023 the Scottish Government announced that the ferry scheme for young people is being extended to all island residents under the age of 22.

The scheme offers four free single (two return) ferry journeys a year to the mainland. At present it covers 16-18 year olds and eligible full time volunteers up to the age of 26 who are resident on a Scottish island. More young people will now be able to access ferry vouchers as a result of this change.

Question reference: S6W-21977

Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 23 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on proposals from SSE Renewables to halve the number of gannets harvested in the annual Guga Hunt at Sula Sgeir to compensate for mortalities caused by the Berwick Bank Offshore Wind Farm.

Scottish Ministers are currently processing applications from SSE Renewables (via its project company Berwick Bank Wind Limited) for the construction and operation of the proposed Berwick Bank offshore wind farm. This process includes consultations with statutory and non-statutory consultees, as well as the opportunity for the public to make representations.

SSE Renewables has also submitted proposals to compensate for the potential adverse environmental impacts of the proposed wind farm, if a derogation under the Habitats Regulations is required. This includes a proposal regarding the guga hunt, which SSE Renewables has submitted on a without prejudice basis.

As this is a live application, it would be inappropriate to comment on the application further.

In determining an application for any project, the Scottish Ministers will consider a wide range of issues, including the environmental impacts it may have and whether a derogation under the Habitats Regulations is required. Any derogation under the Habitats Regulations, will include an assessment of the feasibility of compensation measures.

Question reference: S6W-22149

Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 18 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the reported technical issues with MV Loch Bhrusda, MV Loch Alainn and MV Loch Portain, which have left the Western Isles with no inter-island ferry service, whether it will consider accelerating phase 2 of the Small Vessel Replacement Programme.

MV Loch Bhrusda and MV Loch Alainn returned to service on 11 and 12 October respectively. During the recent outage of MV Loch Portain, CalMac moved quickly to charter a vessel to provide replacement services.

Early business case development work for the second phase of the Small Vessel Replacement Programme is underway. Further progress will be made early next year as vessel design and feasibility studies will be undertaken as part of the development of the Outline Business Case.

Question reference: S6W-22221

Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 October 2023
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Paul McLennan on 13 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the publication of the Remote, Rural and Islands Housing Action Plan.

Question reference: S6O-02600

Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 September 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how its housing strategy is supporting people on low incomes to move towards greener energy use in their homes.

Question reference: S6O-02490

Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 September 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 13 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the progress of its proposed Land Reform Bill.

Question reference: S6O-02467

Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 August 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 6 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the announcement by the local government empowerment minister in July, whether it will provide an update on what discussions he has had regarding the roll-out of the Islands Cost Crisis Emergency Fund.

Question reference: S6W-20404

Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 August 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 22 August 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update regarding the reported shortage of specialist oncologists within NHS Highland.

NHS Highland’s oncology service is currently provided by a mix of substantive staff, locum consultants and some support from consultants based in other boards. This arrangement is ensuring all patients are receiving the treatment they need. Efforts to recruit additional substantive staff are ongoing, however this is difficult because of the current UK national shortage of doctors who are qualified oncologists.

Question reference: S6W-20514

Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 August 2023
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 22 August 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the Crofting Commission processing times of applications for (a) decrofting, (b) apportionment and (c) registration, and whether processing times have improved in the last five years.

The Crofting Commission publishes its application processing times in its Annual Report & Accounts. The median turnaround times for applications completed during Q1 of 2023-24 is as follows:

Croft House decrofting: 11 weeks

Apportionment: 117 weeks

The croft registration process belongs to Registers of Scotland, therefore these figures are not readily available.

Whilst the Commission’s capacity for processing casework declined in 2021-22, an increase to its budget in the last two years has enabled it to expand its staff resource and improvements are being made. The apportionment cases now being cleared include some of those affected by delays in 2021-22, or earlier.