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-10537

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 August 2017
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 24 August 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential impact on Scotland of BT's offer to provide the infrastructure for 99% of premises in the UK to get broadband speeds of at least 10 megabits per second by 2020 and, in light of this offer, what its position is on the impact on Scotland of the UK Government's proposal for a universal service obligation.

The Scottish Government would welcome any commercial investment that will improve Scotland’s digital infrastructure. We would want any such investment, however, to help deliver the superfast broadband connections that our rural communities need, not just the 10Mbps that the UK Government has decided is sufficient; and we would be concerned if the form of the investment had a negative impact on the delivery of our investment plans.

It is vital, therefore, that the UK Government shares the full detail of BT’s proposal with us, so that we can assess whether and how it will contribute to Scotland’s superfast ambitions. We have again called upon the UK Government to set up a working group, involving the devolved administrations and Ofcom, to consider the impact of this offer as a matter of urgency.

Question reference: S5W-10563

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 August 2017
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 23 August 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the e-purse scheme being developed by Transport Scotland.

Question reference: S5W-10436

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 21 July 2017
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 21 August 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what representations it has made to Flybe and Loganair regarding the need to maintain air service connections to and from the Highlands and Islands after their franchise agreement ends in September 2017.

I spoke to the Managing Director of Loganair on 5 July 2017 and the Chief Executive of Flybe on 9 August 2017. While I noted that Loganair and Flybe will be operating commercial services in competition with one another, I encouraged them to explore options for code share arrangements so that, at the very least, current onward connectivity levels from the Highlands and Islands are maintained to avoid the need for passengers travelling to destinations outwith Scotland to make two separate bookings.

Question reference: S5W-10438

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 21 July 2017
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 21 August 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with (a) the Highlands and Islands Transport Partnership (HITRANS) and (b) Shetland's Transport Partnership (ZetTrans) regarding flight connections to and from the Highlands and Islands, in light of the decision by Flybe and Loganair to end their franchise agreement.

Question reference: S5W-10496

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 July 2017
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 15 August 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact on NHS services in Scotland of the findings in the report by the Royal College of Physicians and the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, Every breath we take: the lifelong impact of air pollution, suggesting that, each year, 40,000 deaths in the UK are attributable to exposure to outdoor air pollution.

Scotland's air is amongst the best in Europe, but hotspots of poor air quality remain. According to the UK Government's Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollution (COMEAP), poor air quality in Scotland reduces average life expectancy by 3-4 months (compared with 6-7 months in England and Wales). That is why improving air quality in Scotland, especially in urban hotspots, is a priority for the Scottish Government.

The Cleaner Air For Scotland Strategy (CAFS) is taking forward an ambitious programme of work to deliver improvements including through the introduction of Scotland's first Low Emission Zone (LEZ) by 2018.

Question reference: S5W-10320

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 14 July 2017
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 2 August 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to protect the wildcat population, and what analysis it has carried out of the impact on the species of domestic cat overpopulation.

The Scottish Government supports, and works closely with, the partner organisations who are helping to implement the Scottish Wildcat Action Plan. This is a five year project that aims to restore viable populations of wildcat north of the Highland fault line. So far, this work has focussed on six Priority Areas and has included intensive camera trapping surveys, a first season of ‘Trap Neuter Vaccinate Release’ (TNVR) of feral cats and hybrid cats, the ‘Supercat’ campaign to promote responsible cat-ownership, and engagement with land managers to improve land management practices in relation to wildcats. Some of the partners are also working on a captive conservation programme, using Scottish Wildcats from collections across Britain.

Analyses show that the main threat to wildcats is hybridisation from feral and domestic cats. Survey work undertaken by the University of Oxford and recent monitoring work under the Scottish Wildcat Action Plan has established that feral and domestic cat populations can be extensive across the wildcat range and within the Priority Areas. These results have been confirmed by initial genetic analyses by the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland,.

Question reference: S5W-10322

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 14 July 2017
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 27 July 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the compulsory (a) neutering, (b) microchipping and (c) registration of all domestic cats, and what analysis it has carried out of the impact that this would have in controlling overpopulation.

The Scottish Government Code of Practice for the Welfare of Cats recommends that all cat owners should consider neutering and microchipping (involving registration) their pets as the best way of being reunited with them should they be separated. We do not currently consider these actions should be compulsory for cats.

The Scottish Government has not carried out analysis on the impact of these in managing the population of domestic cats.

Question reference: S5W-10231

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 07 July 2017
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 27 July 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with (a) Northlink, (b) Pentland Ferries, (c) Loganair, (d) Stagecoach and (e) other operators regarding the challenges of establishing and implementing the technology for a smart card system across (i) the Highlands and Islands and (ii) Scotland.

Question reference: S5W-10230

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 07 July 2017
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 27 July 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update and timeframe on proposals to create a smart card travel pass for (a) the Highland and Islands and (b) Scotland.

Transport Scotland continues to work with Scottish transport operators and other public bodies to deliver the Scottish Government’s vision that all journeys on Scotland’s bus, rail, ferry, subway and tram networks can be made using one type of smart ticket or payment.

In the UK, outside of London, bus services are deregulated so government cannot simply instruct bus operators or indeed certain ferry operators to adopt or participate in smart ticketing. The Programme for Government lays out a commitment to work with stakeholders to develop legislative options for improving bus services and securing nationwide multi modal smart ticketing as part of our preparation for a Transport Bill within the current Parliament.

Question reference: S5W-10229

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 07 July 2017
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 27 July 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of comments made in The Press and Journal on 7 July 2017, whether it will confirm that Orkney and Shetland will be part of a trial of an Oyster Card-style integrated travel pass.