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-01983

Asked by: Ivan McKee, MSP for Glasgow Provan, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 April 2018
Current Status: Awaiting answer

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure the long-term protection of the marine environment, in light of reports that humpback whales are returning to Scottish waters.

Question reference: S5W-15827

Asked by: Ivan McKee, MSP for Glasgow Provan, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 April 2018
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Keith Brown on 6 April 2018

To ask the Scottish Government when a new chief executive will be appointed to Scottish Enterprise.

Question reference: S5W-15700

Asked by: Ivan McKee, MSP for Glasgow Provan, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 March 2018
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Keith Brown on 29 March 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what targets it expects Registers of Scotland to achieve in 2018-19.

Question reference: S5F-02204

Asked by: Ivan McKee, MSP for Glasgow Provan, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 26 March 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 March 2018

To ask the First Minister what progress the Scottish Government is making on negotiations regarding devolved powers, in light of it being one year until the UK is scheduled to leave the EU.

Question reference: S5W-14923

Asked by: Ivan McKee, MSP for Glasgow Provan, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 February 2018
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 13 March 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5T-00950 by Humza Yousaf on 27 February 2018 (Official Report, c. 7), what impact the class 385 trains will have on capacity on the Glasgow-Falkirk-Edinburgh service.

Question reference: S5W-14925

Asked by: Ivan McKee, MSP for Glasgow Provan, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 February 2018
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 13 March 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5T-00950 by Humza Yousaf on 27 February 2018 (Official Report, c. 7), what communication it has had with Hitachi regarding what ministers consider the importance to the railway network is of delivering the class 385 trains.

The First Minister and I have met twice with senior management from the global Hitachi organisation to reiterate the importance of this new fleet to Scotland’s Railway and the wider Scottish Economy. I also visited the Hitachi factory at Newton Aycliffe last year to see progress with the new fleet and meet the staff there. I am also involved in regular calls and meetings with representatives of Hitachi and ScotRail on this matter.

Question reference: S5W-14928

Asked by: Ivan McKee, MSP for Glasgow Provan, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 February 2018
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 13 March 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5T-00950 by Humza Yousaf on 27 February 2018 (Official Report, c. 7), in light of the delay in introducing the class 385 trains, what support it is offering to passengers, including (a) fare reductions and (b) minimising disruption, and what action it is taking to reduce the pressure on the Glasgow-Falkirk-Edinburgh line.

ScotRail has a communications plan in place using all of its regular media channels to inform travel choices. This provides passengers with the timings of longer trains on the route via Falkirk and details of alternative, parallel routes. In order to encourage passengers to use alternative services ScotRail is offering a reduced peak fare (£13.00 return or £12.90 single) between Edinburgh and Glasgow via Bathgate and Airdrie: this is intended to reduce potential over-crowding to and from the main intermediate stations (Croy, Falkirk High, Linlithgow & Polmont) on the route via Falkirk. More ScotRail staff are in place at the main stations to direct passengers onto the Airdrie/Bathgate line and try to manage any issues which could arise during unplanned disruption. The two other direct routes from Glasgow Central to Edinburgh via Shotts and Carstairs will also offer alternatives during this period.

Question reference: S5W-14924

Asked by: Ivan McKee, MSP for Glasgow Provan, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 February 2018
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 13 March 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how many class 380 trains are operating (a) peak and (b) off-peak services on the Glasgow-Falkirk-Edinburgh line, and how many carriages each has.

Question reference: S5W-14921

Asked by: Ivan McKee, MSP for Glasgow Provan, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 February 2018
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 13 March 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5T-00950 by Humza Yousaf on 27 February 2018 (Official Report, c. 7), how many services will operate with fewer carriages each day until the class 385 trains are operational.

There are 124 weekday services, 62 in each direction, on the Edinburgh-Glasgow via Falkirk High route. The allocation of carriages which are planned to operate until the introduction of the class 385 trains has taken account of measured passenger demand on particular services.

30 of the very busiest services are now running with more carriages and 100 extra seats per journey since December 2017, with seven carriages instead of six. 33 of the services are now running with fewer carriages than in December 2017: 18 with four carriages instead of six and 15 with three carriages instead of six.

Question reference: S5W-14919

Asked by: Ivan McKee, MSP for Glasgow Provan, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 February 2018
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 13 March 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5T-00950 by Humza Yousaf on 27 February 2018 (Official Report, c. 7), in light of reports that the delay in the introduction of the class 385 trains has been partly due to manufacturing problems, whether ScotRail has or plans to seek compensation from Hitachi; whether it considers the delay in delivery represents a breach of contract, and what possible sanctions Abellio could face in terms of its franchise contract.