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-28570

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 November 2015
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 1 December 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what involvement it has with the funding provided to Network Rail in Scotland.

In accordance with the requirements of the Railways Act 1993 the Scottish Government is responsible for producing a High Level Output Specification (HLOS) to set out what is to be achieved by railway activities in Scotland and the funding available to support this during the five-year control period set by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR).

The HLOS for the current regulatory control period (Control Period 5) was published in June 2012. It is then the responsibility of the ORR to establish the outputs that Network Rail is to deliver in Scotland and the funding that will be provided to support this. This was set out in the ORR's final determination in October 2013.

In Scotland Network Rail’s funding is largely provided by the Scottish Government by means of direct network grant or by track access charges subsidised through the ScotRail and Caledonian Sleeper franchise contracts. The balance between these two channels is set independently by the ORR.

New financing arrangements were put in place following Network Rail’s reclassification as a central government body in September 2014 with all borrowing now provided via a loan facility from the UK Government. As part of the arrangements agreed, a separate ring-fenced borrowing limit was set for Network Rail in Scotland which continues to be serviced by the Scottish Government. Alongside the core regulatory responsibilities of the ORR, the Scottish Government continues to monitor Network Rail’s financial performance to ensure delivery of the Control Period 5 programme against this limit.

Question reference: S4W-28574

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 November 2015
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 1 December 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what representations it has made to the Shaw review of the longer-term future shape and financing of Network Rail and whether it will publish any such representations.

Both the Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure, Investment and Cities and I met with Nicola Shaw on 8 October 2015. During this meeting, and subject to associated financial arrangements, we pressed the case for the full devolution of Network Rail in Scotland with direct accountability to the Scottish Government and Scottish Parliament. In particular, our strongly held view that this would deliver benefits for rail users through tailored, localised decision making and relationships, among other things helping the ScotRail Alliance to fulfil its potential.

The Scottish Government continues to work closely with the Shaw review team to help inform their considerations. A response to the recent Shaw scoping report will be issued and published in due course.

Question reference: S4W-28523

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 November 2015
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 30 November 2015

To ask the Scottish Government on what date it will publish its plans regarding air passenger duty that were referred to in the transport section of its legislative programme.

Question reference: S4W-28294

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 November 2015
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 12 November 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what vessel will be deployed on the Mallaig to Armadale service when the Coruisk is removed from this route and whether it will be of a similar age and capacity as the Coruisk.

Question reference: S4W-28148

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 October 2015
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 10 November 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions Transport Scotland officials have had with representatives of the Electoral Commission since 1 July 2012.

Question reference: S4T-01160

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 09 November 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 November 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with Loganair regarding safety, reliability and maintenance.

Question reference: S4W-27996

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 12 October 2015
Current Status: Answered by Margaret Burgess on 9 November 2015

To ask the Scottish Government whether the results of the 2014 cost-benefit analysis of the installation of fire suppression systems in new-build houses, flats, houses in multiple occupation and halls of residence have been published and, if so, where.

Question reference: S4W-28121

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 26 October 2015
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 5 November 2015

To ask the Scottish Government how many serious incidents meriting a firearms deployment armed police have responded to in the Highlands since October 2014.

Question reference: S4W-28140

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 October 2015
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 5 November 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what steps Transport Scotland has taken since 31 July 2015 to reduce the duration of the tendering period for the 2016-24 contract for Clyde and Hebrides ferry services in order to bring forward the announcement of the winning bidder to a date before the Scottish election on 5 May 2016.

Question reference: S4W-28142

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 October 2015
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 5 November 2015

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has the legal power to discontinue the tendering process for Clyde and Hebrides ferry services at any stage without incurring legal liability for bidders’ costs.