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-03724

Asked by: Richard Lyle, MSP for Uddingston and Bellshill, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 October 2016
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 31 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason sound-proofing barriers have not been installed as part of the M8 M73 M74 Improvement Plan near (a) the M74 and (b) residential houses.

The environmental assessments undertaken as part of the development of the M8 M73 M74 Motorway Improvements Project considered the change in traffic noise level expected as a result of the project and consequently any requirement for noise mitigation measures.

Where these assessments found that the predicted change in noise levels (as a consequence of the project) was to be less than one decibel, properties are not eligible for mitigation in accordance with relevant national road design standards and legislation. Where the assessment predicted a change in noise level greater than one decibel, noise mitigation was provided.

Question reference: S5W-03728

Asked by: Richard Lyle, MSP for Uddingston and Bellshill, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 October 2016
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 31 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what sound level recordings have been taken at Burnacre Gardens, Uddingston, near the site of the M8 M73 M74 Improvement Plan and what action it has taken to ensure that the noise levels do not exceed the agreed acceptable levels.

Question reference: S5W-03726

Asked by: Richard Lyle, MSP for Uddingston and Bellshill, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 October 2016
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 31 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what sound level recordings have been taken on the site of the M8 M73 M74 Improvement Plan and what action it has taken to ensure that the noise levels do not exceed the agreed acceptable levels.

Scottish Roads Partnership, the project contractor, undertook a pre-construction noise assessment on the project.

The contractor will continue to consult with the relevant local authorities in relation to the permissible construction noise levels, and in relation to the use of best practice construction methods. They will also continue to monitor noise levels to ensure they remain at acceptable limits.

All construction plant used for the works are selected with noise suppression as a consideration in order to minimise any impacts whilst works are carried out.

Question reference: S5W-03208

Asked by: Richard Lyle, MSP for Uddingston and Bellshill, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 26 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 27 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding the support that energy supply companies offer to vulnerable customers in Scotland, as part of their Priority Services Register obligations, to help maintain the safety of (a) gas and (b) electrical appliances and installation at home.

The information requested is not held centrally.

Ofgem, the energy regulator, maintain license conditions which electricity and gas suppliers must adhere to. Under license condition 26 suppliers must have a Priority Services Register (PSR) that offers specific, non-financial services to particular groups of people, free of charge.

This is separate to license condition 29 for gas suppliers which requires that they provide free gas safety checks to certain customers in specific situations as outlined in the license condition. There are no such license conditions requiring safety checks to be performed on electrical appliances.

Currently, license conditions are specific and stipulate what services suppliers must include as part of their PSR provision. There is no requirement for suppliers to provide other services, but they might do. Thus, all license holders should at least provide the services outlined in current license conditions.

However, Ofgem have recently reviewed PSR arrangements and will be publishing relevant license condition modifications at the end of October. The proposed license drafting in gas and electricity supply license conditions, includes a provision for suppliers to provide additional services of a similar non-financial nature as the licensee identifies are appropriate to the needs of the customer and reasonably practicable for the licensee to provide.

All gas and electricity suppliers, in accordance with license condition 26.8, must publish a statement on their website about their obligations under license condition 26.

Question reference: S5O-00287

Asked by: Richard Lyle, MSP for Uddingston and Bellshill, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 October 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether the prompt payment of bills relating to its public contracts has been sustained.

Question reference: S5W-03206

Asked by: Richard Lyle, MSP for Uddingston and Bellshill, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 26 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 24 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the online sale of counterfeit electrical goods.

The Scottish Government welcomes the work of bodies such as the Scottish Anti-Illicit Trade Group, Scottish Business Resilience Centre and Trading Standards Scotland in tackling the online sale of counterfeit electrical goods. The Scottish Government's Cyber Resilience Strategy, Safe, Secure & Prosperous: A Cyber Resilience for Scotland, looks to support the work of these and other organisations through the development of clear prevention messages for the wider public and the co-ordination of work to remove the online presence of those who seek to profit through the sale of counterfeit electrical goods.

Regulations concerning counterfeit goods are reserved and I expect the UK Government to take action to help reduce the availability of counterfeit electrical goods not least by opting in to the new Europol Regulation which will ensure that the UK continues to benefit from the significant resources and expertise available from the European Cybercrime Centre.

Question reference: S5W-03205

Asked by: Richard Lyle, MSP for Uddingston and Bellshill, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 26 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Annabelle Ewing on 21 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on collecting more detailed reporting of house fires, including details of housing tenure, to better inform the direction of home safety policy.

In the Fire and Rescue Framework for Scotland 2016, Scottish Ministers require Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) to collect, produce and analyse data and other intelligence to promote the safety and well-being of communities.

SFRS works with partners in communities to identify risks and to target fire prevention activities at those most vulnerable and it is SFRS, in collaboration with those partners, who is best placed to identify the data required to inform fire prevention strategies on a local and national basis.

Question reference: S5W-03204

Asked by: Richard Lyle, MSP for Uddingston and Bellshill, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 26 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Annabelle Ewing on 21 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what action (a) it and (b) its agencies can take to reduce the number of house fires caused by electricity.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) has a statutory duty to promote fire safety across Scotland. Additionally, in the Fire and Rescue Framework for Scotland 2016, Scottish Ministers require SFRS to fully contribute to improving the safety and well-being of Scotland’s communities and to ensure that there is a clear process for working with partners to identify the risks faced by communities and individuals so that the SFRS can target activity on a risk-based approach.

SFRS itself will consider how best to reduce dwelling fires, including those caused by electricity, what the focus of its preventative action will be, and with which partner organisations it will work to achieve this.

Question reference: S5W-03207

Asked by: Richard Lyle, MSP for Uddingston and Bellshill, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 26 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 17 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how it helps older people to live safely in their homes.

Approximately 77,000 older people in Scotland benefit from the policy of Free Personal and Nursing Care which allows them to receive personal care at home without charge, and through the Social Care (Self-Directed Support) (Scotland) Act 2013, we are embedding a new approach which gives adults, children and carers more choice and control over how their care and support is delivered.

Adaptations can help older and disabled people live safely and independently at home and make better use of our housing stock. Additionally, housing support services give low level help to allow people manage their home and includes community alarm services in sheltered housing. The type of support provided will aim to meet the specific needs of the individual.

Question reference: S5W-03203

Asked by: Richard Lyle, MSP for Uddingston and Bellshill, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 26 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 12 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on introducing five-yearly electrical safety checks in homes in the social-rented sector.