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-04635

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 24 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-03990 by Shona Robison on 4 November 2016, on how many occasions each NHS board has not followed its guidance "that any private work undertaken in NHS facilities must not be to the detriment of NHS patients waiting for treatment", and what subsequent action was taken.

Question reference: S5W-04637

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 24 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-03990 by Shona Robison on 4 November 2016, who is responsible for ensuring that NHS boards comply with its guidance "that any private work undertaken in NHS facilities must not be to the detriment of NHS patients waiting for treatment".

Question reference: S5W-04636

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 23 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-03993 by Shona Robison on 4 November 2016, if the information regarding how much income NHS boards receive in relation to private patients being treated in their facilities is not available centrally, how it can make an accurate assessment of each board's financial state.

The Scottish Government assesses Health Boards’ financial positions through formal Annual and Mid-Year Reviews, and through review of financial plans including annual Local Delivery Plans. Health Boards also provide monthly financial returns to Scottish Government, which include income and expenditure projections. Furthermore, there is regular ongoing engagement between officials and Health Board managers as appropriate.

Question reference: S5W-04523

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 04 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 16 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a list of multi-modal harbours on the Clyde and Hebrides ferry network, and what plans it has to integrate public transport services across the ferries network.

Question reference: S5W-04522

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 04 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 16 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to improve the resilience of (a) passenger and (b) freight ferry services on Clyde and Hebrides ferry routes operated by CalMac Ferries.

The Scottish Government is continuing to invest in new vessels and ferry infrastructure for the Clyde and Hebrides network, introducing newer and more resilient vessels.

Two new vessels have been procured at a cost of £97m, with the vessels due for delivery in the second half of 2018. These two vessels are initially earmarked for deployment on the Arran service and on the Uig Triangle routes.

Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL), the Scottish Government's ferry assets owning company, is currently undertaking a major redevelopment of Brodick harbour on Arran which is due to be completed in 2017. The project is being funded by CMAL with financial contributions from the Scottish Government, North Ayrshire Council, Strathclyde Partnership for Transport and the Coastal Communities Fund.

I announced on 3 November 2016 that I have asked Transport Scotland to commission a STAG-style study to assess the options for the mainland port for the Arran service. This study will look at potential work to improve Ardrossan Harbour, as well as the proposal from Associated British Ports to use an upgraded facility at Troon. The output from the study will help inform the scale and timing of the works at the selected mainland port.

Scottish Ministers have tasked CalMac Ferries Ltd and Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd with seeking potential additional tonnage to improve operational resilience on Clyde and Hebrides ferry routes.

Question reference: S5W-04521

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 04 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 16 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to improve the resilience of (a) passenger and (b) freight ferry services on the Ardrossan to Brodick ferry route operated by CalMac Ferries.

Question reference: S5W-04524

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 04 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 16 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government when Transport Scotland officials last met representatives of (a) Associated British Ports and (b) P&O Ferries.

Question reference: S5W-04520

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 04 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 16 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to improve port and harbour infrastructure on the Ardrossan to Brodick ferry route operated by CalMac Ferries.

Question reference: S5W-04519

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 04 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 16 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what maritime infrastructure projects it has discussed with representatives of private owners of ports in Scotland since January 2015.

Transport Scotland officials have discussed maritime infrastructure proposals at various stages of consideration with representatives of a number of privately operated ports in Scotland since January 2015. There is no definitive list of these meetings available, partly due to the commercially sensitive nature of these discussions.

Ports policy is market driven in Scotland and it is the responsibility of individual ports to consider the requirement for infrastructure improvements, including the business case and funding to support this and an assessment of any consents that may be required.

Question reference: S5W-04120

Asked by: John Finnie, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 28 October 2016
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 11 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government, further to its announcement on 10 October 2016 of its support for a third runway at Heathrow Airport, whether, given a prior commitment to "£200 million of construction-related spend in Scotland during planning and construction”, it has confidence in the integrity of the procurement process associated with the building of any third runway.

The Scottish Government will be represented on Heathrow's Procurement Strategy Forum to ensure that the construction supply chain is accessible to Scottish businesses. The Scottish Government and Heathrow will work together to ensure that the wider terms of the Memorandum of Understanding are progressed and progress is monitored including the commitment on £200 million of construction-related spend in Scotland during planning and construction.