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: S6W-30012

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 30 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether Scottish Water, as a public body, is meeting all of its statutory health, environmental and safety duties and requirements across all of its activities, and, if any shortfalls have been identified, what discussions ministers have had in regards to them and their rectification.

Scottish Water continues to deliver a high quality service throughout Scotland as demonstrated in its Annual Report for 2023-24, available here. Compliance with its statutory obligations is independently regulated by the Drinking Water Quality Regulator for Scotland (DWQR), the Water Industry Commission for Scotland (WICS) and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA). Scottish Water is required to meet strict drinking water standards and its performance is reported on annually by the DWQR; available here. It must also ensure the water it discharges into the environment meets strict standards; SEPA’s water environment classification is available here and Scottish Water publishes the information it provides to SEPA here. WICS’ most recent report on its performance in the 2021-27 regulatory period is available here. Ministers meet with Scottish Water and its regulators routinely to discuss a variety of matters.

Question reference: S6W-30007

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 27 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what it expects the long-term legacy benefits to be for greater Glasgow, particularly to grassroots sports, by hosting the 2026 Commonwealth Games, in light of reported concerns that the reduced timetable for its approval to go ahead has not outlined the obvious benefits to the city in the way that a normal award process would have.

The Commonwealth Games is a hugely important event for Scottish sport.

Hosting the 2026 Games will deliver economic and sporting opportunities for Glasgow and Scotland, and it is vital that the event leaves a positive legacy.

Scotland, and in particular Glasgow, has a world-renowned reputation for delivering outstanding major events, from Glasgow 2014 to the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships.

Details are still being finalised, but the legacy of Glasgow 2026 is expected to include vital infrastructure upgrades to sporting facilities. which will benefit individuals, communities and clubs in Glasgow, particularly at the grassroots level.

Inspirational performance by Scottish athletes on the world stage can also inspire the public to be more active, try a new sport, or join a local sports club, contributing to our vision of a more active Scotland.

Question reference: S6O-03788

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 September 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the first statutory National Islands Plan, published in 2019, has been a success.

Question reference: S6T-02111

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 23 September 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the reported announcement that issues with the gearbox of the MV Caledonian Isles have been identified, resulting in a further delay to its return to service on the Arran route.

Question reference: S6O-03752

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 September 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what improvements it has considered making to governance arrangements at Ferguson Marine, in light of recent reported concerns around quality control at the yard.

Question reference: S6O-03744

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 September 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to publish its review of the Water Industry Commission for Scotland, following the Auditor General for Scotland’s decision to issue a Section 22 report in relation to the audit of the organisation’s accounts.

Question reference: S6W-28378

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 June 2024
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 24 July 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the purpose of discussions held on 12 June 2024 between the Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture and the Chinese Consul General in Scotland, reportedly requested by the latter and granted by the former, in light of an announcement by the City of Edinburgh Council that it is suspending plans for a friendship agreement with a major Taiwanese city.

I met the Chinese Consul General Zhang Biao on 12 June at the Consul General’s request. The Consul General raised the prospect of a friendship arrangement between the City of Edinburgh Council and Kaohsiung. I made clear that the Scottish Government could not instruct, nor influence local authority decision making, regardless of the topic or issue. He re-iterated that the Scottish Government policy regarding Taiwan had not changed.

Question reference: S6T-02059

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 24 June 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the delivery of the MV Glen Sannox and MV Glen Rosa, in light of reports that a senior programme director has been removed from the project.

Question reference: S6W-28076

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 20 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what the current daily passenger capacity is on the Ardrossan to Brodick ferry route, broken down by (a) foot passengers and (b) vehicles, and what the comparative figures have been in each of the last five years.

Arran is currently served by the MV Isle of Arran from Ardrossan with a passenger capacity of 446 and vehicle deck for 55 cars, and MV Alfred from Troon with passenger capacity of 428 and vehicle deck for 98 cars.

A comparison of weekly passenger and car capacity on the main Arran route over the past five years has been provided by CalMac Ferries Ltd and is shown in the following table.

PASSENGER CAPACITY W/C 10TH JUNE	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024
Monday	14,470	4,000	3,550	11,510	14,470	6,172
Tuesday	14,470	4,000	3,550	11,510	14,470	6,172
Wednesday	14,470	4,000	3,550	11,510	14,470	6,172
Thursday	13,129	4,000	3,760	10,169	13,129	6,172
Friday	13,788	4,000	4,522	10,236	13,788	7,028
Saturday	13,576	4,000	3,760	10,616	13,576	6,582
Sunday	9,788	4,000	2,524	7,420	9,788	6,582
OVERALL	93,691	28,000	25,216	72,971	93,691	44,880

DECK SPACE METRES CAPACITY W/C 10th JUNE	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024
Monday	6,723	1,536	6,723	6,723	6,723	4,450
Tuesday	6,723	1,536	6,723	6,723	6,723	4,450
Wednesday	6,723	1,536	6,723	6,723	6,723	4,450
Thursday	5,937	1,536	6,199	5,937	5,937	4,450
Friday	6,007	1,536	6,531	6,007	6,007	5,300
Saturday	6,374	1,711	6,374	6,374	6,374	5,025
Sunday	4,470	1,711	4,470	4,470	4,470	5,025
OVERALL	42,958	11,104	43,744	42,958	42,958	33,150

Notes:
1. Data for 2024 is based on published timetables for week commencing 10th June 2024 2. Data for 2019-2023 is based on published timetables for closest comparative full week Monday-Sunday in each of the previous 5 years 3. A reduced timetable operated in 2020 and 2021 as a result of the Covid pandemic 4. Data included all legs operated from the mainland ports of Ardrossan and Troon to Brodick (and includes legs operating from Ardrossan and ultimately terminating in Campbeltown)

It is important to note that the full passenger capacity is rarely reached on the majority of sailings under normal services.

Question reference: S6W-28077

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 20 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what assurances it can provide that there will be no reduction in number of sailings or passenger capacity on the Ardrossan to Brodick ferry route as a result of MV Alfred now departing and arriving from Troon.

The overall passenger and vehicle capacity on the main Arran route is reduced during the current period of disruption when compared to the normal service. The Scottish Government continues to task CalMac with making best use of available vessel and port resources to serve our island communities. The services currently operated by the MV Isle of Arran from Ardrossan and MV Alfred from Troon is expected to remain in place until the return of the MV Caledonian Isles. CalMac have recently added a further return sailing by the MV Alfred on Friday afternoon’s following a successful trial in May 2024.