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-01082

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 15 July 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how much it costs ScotRail to use (a) a conductor and (b) another staff member as the second member of on-board staff.

Question reference: S5W-01083

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 15 July 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what processes are in place to ensure that Abellio meets the terms of the ScotRail franchise agreement; how often it meets the company to discuss the delivery of the agreement, and whether it will publish the delivery plan.

Question reference: S5W-00886

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 20 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 6 July 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what recent assessment it has made of the potential impact on the safety of (a) passengers and (b) staff of driver-only operations on (i) current and (ii) future ScotRail (A) passenger and (B) freight services.

Driver-controlled operation trains with a second staff member have operated safely over the last three decades and currently operate on 51% of ScotRail services, carrying circa 59% of passengers. Any change to working practices, including the introduction of new trains is subject to Office of Road and Rail (ORR) scrutiny and approval. I have written to the ORR to seek their views and will provide the member with a copy of the reply.

Question reference: S5W-00891

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 20 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 6 July 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to consult passengers regarding the proposed increase in the number of driver-only operated ScotRail services.

Question reference: S5W-00883

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 20 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 6 July 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what the cost is of the (a) driver-only operated and (b) guard-operated class 385 trains that have been ordered by ScotRail.

Question reference: S5W-00894

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 20 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 6 July 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what representations it has received from the (a) ScotRail Alliance and (b) Rail Delivery Group regarding (i) door operations on and (ii) other matters about the class 385 trains that ScotRail has on order.

Question reference: S5W-00882

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 20 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 6 July 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether the doors on the class 385 trains that have been ordered by ScotRail will be operated by the (a) driver, (b) guard or (c) both.

Question reference: S5W-00890

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 20 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 6 July 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what the safety implications are of ScotRail training (a) gateline and (b) other station staff to operate trains during the proposed industrial action on services.

ScotRail has put in place contingency arrangements to deliver as many services as possible during periods of disruption. ScotRail has an obligation to ensure appropriate training of competencies for all staff temporarily carrying out conductor duties, and assuring the safety regulator (Office of Road and Rail) of these contingency plans. We are not aware of gateline or station staff being trained to operate trains during industrial action.

Question reference: S5W-00893

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 20 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 6 July 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Network Rail Infrastructure Ltd regarding the class 385 trains that ScotRail has on order.

Ministers and Transport Scotland meet with Network Rail regularly as part of an on-going process across a range of topics to manage the progress of the wider Edinburgh Glasgow Improvement Programme project.

It is for the train operator to ensure any new fleet can operate across the rail network and ScotRail will do this through the normal regulatory processes and bodies including Network Rail.

Question reference: S5W-00896

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 20 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 6 July 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is a requirement of the ScotRail franchise agreement that the operator has to extend driver-only or driver-controlled operations.