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: S6O-01415

Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 September 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to address the issue of absenteeism in crofting.

Question reference: S6W-09878

Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 July 2022
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 23 August 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what representations it can make to (a) Ofgem and (b) energy supply companies regarding the reported issue of waiting times of more than three months for meters to be installed, exchanged or repaired in the Western Isles, in light of reports that this has become a significant issue for island consumers in the last 12 months due to an absence of energy company engineers on the islands and an unwillingness by companies to utilise local engineers.

I know that many consumers across Scotland are facing long waits for energy meters to be installed and this has been a source of much frustration.

Regulation of energy markets, including in relation to the installation of meters, remains reserved to the UK Government meaning that the Scottish Government's potential actions in regards to this are limited.

My officials have raised this issue with Ofgem, the energy regulator.

Question reference: S6W-09720

Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 July 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 2 August 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when Transport Scotland expects to provide an update on its consideration of the winter 2022-23 ferry timetable proposals, which were reportedly submitted to Transport Scotland by CalMac in May 2022.

Transport Scotland has engaged with CalMac and Ministers regarding routine Winter 2022-23 timetable requests and decisions have been fed back to Ferry Committees and local stakeholder groups.

The service continuity measures and alternative timetables during the Uig closure period are yet to be finalised. Transport Scotland continues to engage with CalMac and elected officials on this matter.

CalMac will publish Winter 2022-23 timetables in due course and are proactively engaging with stakeholders to keep them updated.

Question reference: S6W-09480

Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 June 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 28 July 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether any attempt has been made to measure the financial and economic losses to the Uist community from ferry disruptions in 2022.

As the member will know, disruption to the network in early 2022 linked directly to weather conditions and Covid impacts. Whilst no specific analysis of the financial and economic impacts from this ferry disruption on the Uist community has been undertaken, the Scottish Government recognises the impact these disruptions have on island life.

CalMac forms part of the local resilience partnership and prioritises the shipment of essential supplies during disruption to minimise welfare issues on the islands. Transport Scotland works with CalMac to monitor the impact of cancellations, listening to feedback directly from island communities and local resilience partnerships as well as transport operators.

Question reference: S6W-09479

Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 June 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 28 July 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether the new booking system for CalMac Ferries, Ar Turas, will gauge unmet demand for ferry services, and, if not, what systems can be put in place to ensure that unmet demand is recorded.

CalMac has noted that it is not possible to measure unmet demand using booking systems, including the eBooking solution being delivered by the Ar Turas Programme. We understand the desire to measure bookings “not made” for a specific set of reasons, principally vessel capacity on peak-demand sailings.

CalMac has been running a working group with a number of CalMac Community Board members during the last 18 months to help clarify and support understanding of measures that can be tracked. The group has explored a range of ideas and CalMac has developed a number of reports designed to support enhanced understanding of how and when vehicle bookings are made, amended, cancelled and the resulting impact on capacity. These requirements have been taken-forward for delivery against the improved data that the new system will capture.

A number of these items have already been made available in monthly Ferry User Group performance reporting packs.

Question reference: S6W-09990

Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 22 July 2022
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Dorothy Bain on 22 July 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update regarding the Lord Advocate’s reference to the Supreme Court on whether the question for a referendum on Scottish independence relates to reserved matters.

I have decided to publish the written case in the matter of my Reference under paragraph 34 of schedule 6 to the Scotland Act 1998 in relation to whether the question for a referendum on Scottish independence contained in the proposed Bill relates to reserved matters. The written case is available at: https://www.gov.scot/publications/reference-to-the-supreme-court-publication-of-the-lord-advocates-written-case .

I will represent the Scottish Government’s interests at the hearing and will argue the case personally .

Question reference: S6W-09254

Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 June 2022
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Angus Robertson on 14 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the development of its prospectus for an independent Scotland.

As part of our Programme for Government commitment to provide the people of Scotland with the information they need to make an informed choice about their future, I am pleased to advise Parliament that the Scottish Government is today publishing Independence in the Modern World. Wealthier, Happier, Fairer: Why Not Scotland?

This is the first paper in the Building a New Scotland prospectus series designed to inform the debate on Scotland’s future. The paper sets out how other European countries comparable to Scotland use their full powers of independence to tailor policies to their own specific circumstances and in doing so outperform the UK across a range of indicators. The Building a New Scotland papers will set out the vision for a fairer, more prosperous and greener Scotland and, taken together, will form a prospectus for how an independent Scotland could work.

Independence in the Modern World. Wealthier, Happier, Fairer: Why Not Scotland? is available to view on the Scottish Government website from today :

http://www.gov.scot/newscotland

Question reference: S6W-08621

Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 7 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to ensure that everyone in (a) Scotland and (b) rural and island areas has access to an epilepsy specialist nurse.

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that all people living in Scotland with epilepsy are able to access the best possible care and support, and benefit from healthcare services that are safe, effective and put people at the centre of their care.

Decisions on local staffing requirements are the responsibility of individual NHS Boards, such as NHS Western Isles which is reviewing its method of delivery for all people with neurological conditions, including epilepsy, across the island groups.

The Scottish Government and COSLA recently published a National Workforce Strategy on 11 March 2022. The Strategy commits to publishing new workforce projections in the autumn, once we have had the opportunity to consider Health Board and Health and Social Care Partnerships' three year workforce plans. The staffing needs for services and professional specialties across NHS Scotland will be, in partnership with stakeholders, factored into the development of those projections.

In 2019 we published a Neurological Care and Support – National Framework for Action 2020-25 , which sets out a vision to ensure everyone with a neurological condition, including epilepsy, can access the care and support they need to live well, on their own terms. Since October 2020, we have invested £324,500 in funding via the Framework to projects which specifically improve the health and wellbeing of people with epilepsy in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-08737

Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 1 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the guidance to the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 stating that feral sheep, goats and ponies are "protected animals" under the Act on account of domestication making them permanently reliant on humans, whether the Soay and Boreray sheep of St Kilda are covered by the Act, and, if not, for what reason; on what date it was determined that this should be the case, and what its position is on any impact that this will have for the protection of other feral animals in Scotland.

Animals protected under the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 are defined as those that are: (a) of a kind which is commonly domesticated in the British Islands; (b) under the control of man on a permanent or temporary basis; or (c) not living in a wild state.

The Scottish Government considers that the sheep on St Kilda, for the purposes of welfare legislation, should be regarded in the same way as an unowned and unmanaged population of wild deer or other wild animals. This position was first communicated in correspondence in February 2020, and was the Scottish Government position prior to that date.

Question reference: S6W-08577

Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 26 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what plans are in place to continue to support clinical physiology education and training, in light of the viability of the only clinical physiology degree programme in Scotland reportedly being at risk.