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 869 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S6W-03224

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 6 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what impact introducing free bus travel for under-22s will have on the number of people using the active travel infrastructure.

The proposed National Bus Travel Concession Scheme for Young Persons is expected to increase patronage and cause modal shift but the precise impact of these changes is uncertain. The Scottish Government will monitor the scheme to assess the level of take up and the impact it has on people’s travel behaviours and on other modes of transport, including active travel.

Evidence from the existing National Bus Travel Concession Scheme for Older and Disabled Persons indicates that people who benefit from free public transport tend to be more active as a result. These journeys can be used to access outdoor activities and most will involve an active component, for instance to get to or from the bus stop.

Question reference: S6W-03221

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 6 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what financial support it will provide to bus operators to meet the costs and deliver at pace the necessary depot charging infrastructure before the end of 2023.

The Scottish Government ran two rounds of the Scottish Ultra Low Emission Bus scheme in 2020/21, awarding a total of £39.6 million to support operators acquire new zero-emission buses, and £11 million to support operators install the necessary depot charging infrastructure. Phase one of the Scottish Zero Emission Bus Challenge Fund, has a total of £50 million available and is currently open for bids. The funding is to support the cost of both zero-emission buses and the associated charging infrastructure. Bidders can request up to 75% of the cost of battery-electric charging infrastructure, and up to 85% of the cost of hydrogen fuel-cell charging infrastructure.

Question reference: S6W-03220

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 6 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many diesel buses will have to be replaced to meet the 2023 net-zero target.

Question reference: S6W-03219

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 6 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what evaluation it has carried out of ScotZeb scheme, and how many buses have been purchased using this.

Question reference: S6W-03217

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 6 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding reducing the reported backlog of bus driving licence applications at the DVLA, in light of the potential impact of this on bus services in Scotland.

Transport Scotland officials are in regular contact with the Department for Transport regarding bus service provision and issues impacting on bus driver numbers. Discussions, which are ongoing, seek to identify and address issues delaying licence applications and driver testing to ensure timely recruitment and training processes. Officials will remain closely engaged with Department for Transport officials as this work progresses.

Question reference: S6W-02867

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 30 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-02205 by Michael Matheson on 8 September 2021, what percentage of Scotland’s GDP is spent on infrastructure.

Question reference: S6W-03037

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 30 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-02372 by Graeme Dey on 13 September 2021, whether it will provide the information requested regarding whether buses funded through the Scottish Ultra-Low Emission Bus Scheme (SULEBS) that were built abroad have been subsidised by foreign governments, and, if so, to what extent, and for what reason it did not provide this information in its response.

Question reference: S6O-00260

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 September 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what the latest estimate is of the public cost of procuring the ferries MV Glen Sannox and Hull 802.

Question reference: S6W-02553

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 27 August 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 27 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it anticipates making design changes to the dualling of the A96, and, if so, what these will be.

The current plan is to fully dual the A96 route between Inverness and Aberdeen, however we have agreed to conduct a transparent, evidence-based review to include a climate compatibility assessment to assess direct and indirect impacts on the climate and the environment which will report by the end of 2022. We are still committed to improving the A96 and will take forward a transport enhancements programme that improves connectivity between surrounding towns, tackles congestion and addresses safety and environmental issues.

All projects, including the A96 Programme, are subject to detailed review and assessment work to ensure we deliver the right schemes and keep impacts on the environment to the absolute minimum.

Question reference: S6W-02550

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 27 August 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 27 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what the timetable is for the individual elements of the A96 dualling project.