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-25036

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 15 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what the estimated improved travel time will be for journeys on the A75 as a result of the proposed (a) Crocketford and (b) Springholm bypass, and whether this is based on a single or dual carriageway bypass.

Expected travel time improvement and other benefits of the proposed bypass schemes can only be confirmed after the conclusion of the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (DMRB) Options Assessment work.

This planned work will assess the necessary evidence and data to determine the preferred configuration and layout of any bypass, however, until this work is completed it is not possible to confirm at this time as to what the potential time savings will be.

Question reference: S6W-25034

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 15 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when it anticipates that work will commence on a bypass for (a) Crocketford and (b) Springholm on the A75.

It is not currently possible to give an estimate for when construction work could start at Crocketford and Springholm because a detailed design development and assessment phase will need to be completed first.

We are obliged to follow due process which includes securing statutory consent to deliver the scheme.

Delivery of the scheme could only commence following successful completion of the statutory process. Thereafter, a timetable for construction can be set in line with availability of funding.

Question reference: S6W-25012

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 15 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how (a) many applications to the Used Electric Vehicle Loan scheme were (i) received and (ii) approved and (b) much money was provided in loans, in each month that the scheme was active.

The Scottish Government provides annual funding to Energy Saving Trust (EST) who are an independent organisation working to address the climate emergency, EST then deliver the Used Electric Vehicle Loan on behalf of Scottish Minister.

Since the used electric loan scheme launched in September 2020 we have (i) received 3,885 applications and (ii) approved and paid 2,207 claims. Information on the value of loans paid each month is detailed in the following table:

September 2020	£0
October 2020	£0
November 2020	£201,688.00
December 2020	£349,074.50
January 2021	£253,058.01
February 2021	£181,520.00
March 2021	£334,890.00
April 2021	£226,694.01
May 2021	£294,290.20
June 2021	£389.907.99
July 2021	£474,424.31
August 2021	£329,237.00
September 2021	£230,484.00
October 2021	£319,702.13
November 2021	£276,509.00
December 2021	£550,348.00
January 2022	£317,286.00
February 2022	£258,029.26
March 2022	£150,455.00
April 2022	£239,015.00
May 2022	£14,249.00
June 2022	£111,045.00
July 2022	£1,230,645.45
August 2022	£2,908,684.01
September 2022	£1,799,011.80
October 2022	£2,341,149.56
November 2022	£2,013,315.67
December 2022	£1,803,327,75
January 2023	£679,706.09
February 2023	£2,515,034,06
March 2023	£2,593,043.81
April 2023	£963,201.34
May 2023	193,905.00
June 2023	£459,737.00
July 2023	£2,163,403.67
August 2023	£2,999,783,88
September 2023	£3,192,008.68
October 2023	£3,327,557.52
November 2023	£3,126,433.10
December 2023	£2,945,038.00
January 2024	£2,806,595.00

EST regularly publish statistics on the Low Carbon Transport Loan on their website which can be found here - Grants and loans to help you travel greener - Energy Saving Trust .

Question reference: S6O-03112

Asked by: Kevin Stewart, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 February 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to review the operations of the Parole Board for Scotland.

Question reference: S6O-03114

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 February 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that railway infrastructure is safe and fit for the future.

Question reference: S6O-03111

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 February 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential impact of the £58.7 million reduction to the College Operational Expenditure budget for 2024-25 on the Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire constituency.

Question reference: S6O-03116

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 February 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the First Minister’s reported comments that it “has to go further” to ensure that plans to radically reform how young people are cared for in Scotland are realised, whether it has identified what steps it will take to achieve this.

Question reference: S6O-03115

Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Alba Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 February 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, as part of its work to further the case for Scottish independence, and in light of the Supreme Court ruling that the Scottish Parliament cannot legislate for a referendum on Scottish independence, for what reason its position is that there should not be a referendum at this stage on the powers of the Scottish Parliament.

Question reference: S6O-03110

Asked by: Collette Stevenson, MSP for East Kilbride, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 February 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the Read Write Count with the First Minister programme.

Question reference: S6O-03113

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 February 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of its current relationship with local authorities.