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-25618

Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 October 2019
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 24 October 2019

To ask the Scottish Government how many homeless people in each local authority area live in temporary accommodation that provides access to cooking facilities additional to a kettle.

The Scottish Government do not collect data on the type of cooking facilities available in temporary accommodation placements.

Statistics on the number of homeless households in temporary accommodation, including the type of accommodation are published here:

https://www2.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Housing-Regeneration/RefTables

We want to see significantly fewer people spend shorter periods in temporary accommodation which is why we are moving to a system of rapid rehousing. Where temporary accommodation is still needed, the quality of provision should be of a consistently high standard and we recently consulted on ways to achieve this.

The consultation closed on 14 August. The full results are still being analysed but as a result of initial analysis we will extend the Unsuitable Accommodation Order to all homeless households this parliamentary term, which will ensure that all temporary accommodation contains cooking facilities. We will also publish advisory standards in our refreshed Code of Guidance later this year and following that will develop a legally enforceable standards framework.

Question reference: S5O-03674

Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 October 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 October 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking in response to reports that some women are having "total" or "full" mesh removal recorded on their medical records following surgery at centres of excellence only to later learn they still have mesh in their body.

Question reference: S5W-25417

Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 September 2019
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 23 October 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what plans ScotRail has to improve parking at Bathgate railway station.

ScotRail has paused any future car parking development at Bathgate railway station to allow for the joint establishment of an industry wide strategic review of the car parks which serve Scotland’s railway.

This will enable a more strategic overview to be achieved for Bathgate railway station, taking account of all key issues and future policy decisions including the consideration of active travel options. This includes taking cognisance of ongoing development of the STPR2 (Strategic Transport Projects Review 2).

Question reference: S5W-25406

Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 September 2019
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 23 October 2019

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason ScotRail has reportedly withdrawn commitments to the community to expand car parking at Uphall railway station.

ScotRail has paused any future car parking development at Uphall railway station to allow for the joint establishment of an industry wide strategic review of the car parks which serve Scotland’s railway.

This will enable a more strategic overview to be achieved for Uphall railway station, taking account of all key issues and future policy decisions including the consideration of active travel options. This includes taking cognisance of ongoing development of the STPR2 (Strategic Transport Projects Review 2).

Question reference: S5W-25564

Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 30 September 2019
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 18 October 2019

To ask the Scottish Government how many people in each of the last 10 years have (a) been hospitalised and (b) died as a result of taking drugs at a music festival.

National Records of Scotland (NRS) collect data on drug related deaths registered in Scotland, providing data on:

Drugs (where reported) which were implicated in or potentially contributed to, the cause of death.
Drugs (where reported) which were found to be present in the body.

Data are published annually by NRS and their most recent report Drug Related Deaths in Scotland was published on the 16 July 2019.

Question reference: S5W-25565

Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 30 September 2019
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 18 October 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what action has been taken to reduce the number of people being hospitalised or dying as a result of taking drugs at music festivals.

The Scottish Government fund CREW 2000's 'NPS and Training Coordinator' post to provide support and harm reduction at festivals and events across Scotland.

CREW 2000 report reaching 1,700 young people at festivals and events to December 2017, offering 198 crisis interventions and 279 brief interventions. Overall, 82.5% of young people reached reported increased knowledge and understanding of risks of harm, positive attitudinal change and positive changed behaviours in regard to their substance use.

Question reference: S5W-25363

Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 16 September 2019
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 8 October 2019

To ask the Scottish Government how much has been spent on staff salaries at the new Royal Hospital for Children and Young People in Edinburgh since it was handed over to NHS Lothian.

The RHCYP was handed over to NHS Lothian in February 2019 and the Board has provided figures for staff costs for the six months from March to August 2019, totalling £833k.

Domestics - £298k
Catering - £114k
Logistics - £421k

NHS Lothian have confirmed while the new building remains closed many of these staff, with their agreement, are still working in the current RHSC or on other sites; this has all been done with staff partnership and will be kept under review.

Question reference: S5W-25444

Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 23 September 2019
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 3 October 2019

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will list the last 10 bus journeys that the First Minister travelled on official business, broken down by the (a) date, (b) length and (c) cost of the journey.

Question reference: S5W-25407

Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 September 2019
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 3 October 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what recourse the public has to challenge ScotRail should people consider it has misled them regarding investment plans at railway stations.

Question reference: S5W-25404

Asked by: Neil Findlay, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 September 2019
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 3 October 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what (a) plans and (b) funding ScotRail has to improve parking at railway stations.

Under the current Franchise Agreement, ScotRail is committed to fund and deliver 600 new car park spaces across the rail network in Scotland by 31 st March 2020. Subject to obtaining third party funding, ScotRail is also committed to facilitating a further 400 spaces. Already ScotRail has delivered 287 spaces with a further 151 in the delivery phase.

A Joint Working Group with representation from Transport Scotland, ScotRail and Network Rail is being established to oversee the strategy which will allow the industry to inform future car parking investment. The group will engage with key stakeholders e.g. Regional Transport Partnerships and Local Authorities to ensure best value for investment in the long term whilst considering active travel options alongside provision for cars.