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-15503

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 March 2018
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 17 April 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to prevent Citizens Advice centres from closing.

The Scottish Government recognises the excellent work that Citizens Advice Bureaux do in helping some of the most vulnerable people in our communities. The Scottish Government includes funding to support the most vulnerable people as part of the block grant which we provide to all local authorities as part of the annual local government finance settlement. This provides flexibility to local authorities and it is for each of them to allocate their resources in the way that best meets local needs. Each Bureau is responsible for putting together its own package of funding, including any core funding from the local authority and project funding from other sources. I commend Bureaux for their use of a variety of approaches to identify funding streams, and I encourage Bureaux to continue to work closely with potential funders and Citizens Advice Scotland to develop sustainable plans for the future.

Question reference: S5W-15676

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 March 2018
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 17 April 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has undertaken regarding the feasibility of expanding the Glasgow underground and the (a) costs and (b) benefits of doing so.

The responsibility for the operation management and investment in the Glasgow Subway rests with Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT). The Scottish Government has not undertaken any analysis of the feasibility of expanding the Subway. (The Scottish Government is currently providing SPT with up to £246 million towards its Subway Modernisation programme but this does not involve expanding the Subway system.)

Question reference: S5W-15490

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 March 2018
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 17 April 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how many Smartcards are used each day on trains, and how much passengers spend using these.

Question reference: S5W-15721

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 April 2018
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 17 April 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it has put in place to help local authorities that face potential reductions to housing support funding.

Housing support services are commissioned by Health and Social Care Partnerships as they are best placed to determine local needs and priorities and make best use of resources.

We are supporting Integration Authorities to improve outcomes across health and social care. In particular we are providing support for the effective commissioning of new and better models of care.

In 2018-19 an additional £66 million is included in the Local Government settlement allocations to support additional spending by local government on social care.

In recent years the delivery of housing support services have been undergoing changes to the traditional models. For example the increased use of technology enabled care. However, although the service models may change, the level of support should not be diminished.

Question reference: S5W-15505

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 March 2018
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 12 April 2018

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the number of special constables has reportedly decreased over the last five years.

Question reference: S5W-15456

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 March 2018
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 10 April 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how much it estimates it will spend in each of the next five years on non-emergency medical travel.

Question reference: S5W-15454

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 March 2018
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 10 April 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what cost-benefit analysis it has undertaken regarding subsidies for all travel to and from hospitals.

Question reference: S5W-15448

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 March 2018
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 10 April 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how many people made claims for refunds of transportation costs to hospitals through the Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme in 2017, and what the total value was of these claims.

Question reference: S5W-15439

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 March 2018
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 10 April 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what funding it provides for non-emergency medical transportation for people who require it.

Individual NHS Boards are responsible for paying for or reimbursing the cost of patient travel, in accordance with their own patients’ travelling expenses scheme policies and within their overall baseline budgets which are increasing by 3.7% in 2018-19 for frontline Boards. In addition, in 2018-19, a new Neonatal Expenses Fund of £1.5 million will include support for travel and subsistence costs for families whose babies are born prematurely and require long term admission to a neonatal unit.

Question reference: S5W-15440

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 March 2018
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 10 April 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what the cost was of patient taxis for non-emergency medical transport in 2017.

The information requested is not held by the Scottish Government. Individual Boards are responsible for paying for or reimbursing the cost of patient travel, in accordance with their own patients’ travelling expenses scheme and within their overall baseline budgets, which are increasing by 3.7% in 2018-19 for frontline Boards.

Boards are required to make best use of resources, including setting policies on the most appropriate and cost effective means of patient transport whilst ensuring that patient care and safety is at the centre of all decisions made.