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: S5O-02508

Asked by: Richard Lyle, MSP for Uddingston and Bellshill, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 October 2018
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 1 November 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what tree planting has been undertaken recently on the upgraded sections at Uddingston as part of the M8 M73 M74 Motorway Improvements Project.

Planting season runs from November to March, as such no planting has taken place recently. Scottish Roads Partnership, the contractor for the M8 M73 M74 Motorway Improvements Project has recommenced tree planting and landscaping works on the project now that the planting season is once again underway. The majority of landscaping works at Uddingston have been completed with the remainder programmed between November 2018 and March 2019. This includes the planting of trees, shrubs and grassland areas.

Question reference: S5O-02513

Asked by: Richard Lyle, MSP for Uddingston and Bellshill, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 October 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 November 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will pass on any health budget consequentials resulting from the UK Budget to the NHS.

Question reference: S5W-19632

Asked by: Richard Lyle, MSP for Uddingston and Bellshill, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 26 October 2018
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 29 October 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will report its findings from 2018’s Dickeya survey of Scottish potato crops.

Today the Scottish Government published its annual Dickeya survey report. Dickeya is a damaging pathogen of potato which affects both the yield and quality of the crop. In 2010 Scotland was the first country in the World to introduce specific legislation to control Dickeya . Each year SASA, a division of the Scottish Government, conducts a detailed Dickeya surveillance programme. In 2018 2 positive cases of Dickeya have been found in seed potato crops from the 690 Scottish crops sampled as part of SASA’s routine monitoring. The positive findings were from two crops grown in the same field in Perthshire. Both have since been harvested using appropriate biosecurity measures, under a statutory plant health notice. Neither crop will be used for seed and will be disposed of appropriately to reduce the risk of further disease spread, as per our legislation.

Detailed investigations by SASA have found no evidence that the infection came from contaminated input seed. SASA is considering the possibility that irrigation water may be the source, but we are pleased to report that crops from neighbouring farms and those in the vicinity of the water source have been tested and were found negative for Dickeya. Studies are ongoing to determine the origin of this infection and growers in the vicinity will be kept informed as the investigation progresses.

It is important to keep this finding in context, Dickeya is a plant pathogen that raises no concerns with regards human and/or animal health. Up until this year’s findings Scotland has consistently demonstrated freedom from Dickeya . Scottish seed potatoes have an enviable reputation for quality and health and there exists a long history of government and industry working together to protect this important trade. The legislation and its associated surveillance programme has demonstrated it is robust and effective. It has identified infections at an early stage and removed infected crops from the production chain to ensure our seed potatoes maintain their World-wide reputation for quality.

Question reference: S5O-02457

Asked by: Richard Lyle, MSP for Uddingston and Bellshill, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 October 2018
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 25 October 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what its latest position is regarding Brexit negotiations and their impact on Scotland.

The Scottish Government has been consistent in our position that short of remaining in the EU, Scotland and the UK should stay in the single market and customs union. We published an updated document setting out that case on October 15.

Because of the UK Government’s chaotic handling of the negotiations, we are however currently facing a No Deal or blind Brexit, both of which will be disastrous for jobs and living standards in Scotland. However, we are still urging the UK Government to adopt the workable, common-sense proposals that the Scottish Government has set out.

Question reference: S5W-19163

Asked by: Richard Lyle, MSP for Uddingston and Bellshill, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 October 2018
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 15 October 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what progress has been made on making the drug, Orkambi, available to people with cystic fibrosis in Scotland.

Question reference: S5O-02351

Asked by: Richard Lyle, MSP for Uddingston and Bellshill, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 September 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 13 September 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Network Rail to ensure that it responds to residents' complaints regarding rodents on the track at Carfin, Motherwell.

Question reference: S5O-02299

Asked by: Richard Lyle, MSP for Uddingston and Bellshill, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 August 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 September 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the recently published GERS figures.

Question reference: S5W-17506

Asked by: Richard Lyle, MSP for Uddingston and Bellshill, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 June 2018
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 20 July 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how many people with inherited bleeding disorders have had a post-mortem investigation to monitor for the vCJD-implicated prion in each year since 1995, and how many eligible families have refused a post-mortem investigation in each year.

Question reference: S5W-17192

Asked by: Richard Lyle, MSP for Uddingston and Bellshill, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 11 June 2018
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 19 June 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the BVG Associates’ report that building more onshore wind farms could save UK consumers £1.6 billion.

The Scottish Government welcomes the publication of the BVG report and are pleased to see this echo our well-established views on onshore wind. This report provides evidence in support of our calls to UK Ministers, made since 2016, to establish a price stabilisation mechanism through the CfD auction or alternative means. As the report makes clear, onshore wind is the cheapest form of large new-build electricity generation in the UK, providing clean, renewable electricity, as well as making a significant contribution to both the UK and Scottish economies.

We continue to urge the UK Government to provide a route to market for onshore wind and to allow the UK and Scottish economies to reap the benefits this report illustrates. Onshore wind is a low cost, sustainable source of electricity which commands 76% public support across the UK. The cost of onshore wind is well below the strike price set for the Hinkley ‘C’ nuclear powerstation and, therefore, increased investment in onshore wind could help to significantly offset the higher cost of new nuclear plants. If UK Ministers heed the report’s recommendations, and develop a ‘route to market’ for new onshore wind, this would provide a very welcome boost to onshore wind, its supply chain across the UK and significantly boost efforts to lower bills for consumers.

Question reference: S5O-02252

Asked by: Richard Lyle, MSP for Uddingston and Bellshill, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 June 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 June 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what the NHS policy is on accessing IVF treatment by couples.