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-18700

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 05 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 19 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will list any contracts awarded, to date, to (a) Stantec UK Limited, (b) Fisher Advisory Ltd and (c) Turner & Townsend Project Management Limited, under Transport Scotland’s Multiple Supplier Framework Agreement for Maritime Consultancy Services.

Question reference: S6W-18640

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 05 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 19 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government which local authorities have made use of Experimental Traffic Regulation Orders, and on how many occasions, in each year since 2022.

Local authorities can use Experimental Traffic Regulation Orders as set out in the Local Authorities' Traffic Orders (Procedure) (Scotland) Regulations 1999. As with all other Traffic Regulation Orders, local authorities are under no obligation to inform the Scottish Government when they use these measures and as such we do not hold an accurate record of how many have been deployed during this time period.

Details of Traffic Regulation Orders published by local authorities, including Experimental Traffic Regulation Orders, can be found on Tell Me Scotland's website at: Public Information Notices for Scotland | Tellmescotland .

Question reference: S6W-18637

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 05 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 19 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to expand fast-charging points for electric vehicles (EV) beyond the 56 railway stations that currently have them, and how many new EV chargers, fast or otherwise, have been installed in car parks operated by ScotRail in each year since 2017.

Question reference: S6W-18635

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 05 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 19 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to expand the use and availability of React technology at more railway stations, in order to support visually impaired people.

ScotRail advise that currently there is no plan to install more REACT technology at more stations. New adaptable Smart wayfinding technology that uses GPS location is being trialled and subject to positive feedback, a decision will be made by ScotRail as to whether that can be installed at more stations. At Dundee, ScotRail has partnered with RNIB and MyEyes (iKi Technologies) to test this technology linking the Museum and the train station.

Question reference: S6W-18699

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 05 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 19 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish all live contracts between Transport Scotland and Turner & Townsend for work on the future (a) tendering and (b) provision of Clyde and Hebrides ferry services.

Transport Scotland publishes the results of all regulated procurements through contract award notices on the Public Contracts Scotland website. In addition to the award of contracts and conclusion of framework agreements, we also apply this requirement to call-off contracts awarded under framework agreements; these include the contract with Turner and Townsend for work associated with the provision of the Clyde and Hebrides ferry services.

Question reference: S6W-18636

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 05 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 19 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many fires have been recorded on ScotRail trains that were caused by, or believed to have been caused by, lithium-ion powered micro devices such as e-scooters, in each year since 2019.

Question reference: S6W-18576

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 02 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 16 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider adopting universal salt iodisation (USI) as a public health measure to address any iodine deficiency in the population.

The Scottish Government has no plans at this time to adopt universal salt iodisation.

Food Standards Scotland advises that adults need 140 micrograms (µg) of iodine a day and most people should be able to get all the iodine they need by eating a varied and balanced diet. Children need proportionally less depending on their age group.

Good food sources of iodine include cows' milk and dairy products, eggs, sea fish and shellfish. Iodine can also be found in varying levels in plant foods, such as cereals and grains.

The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) considered ‘Maternal iodine status, birth outcomes and child development’ at its horizon scanning meeting in June 2022. Members agreed that this would be added to the SACN work programme. The Scottish Government will continue to monitor this work as it progresses.

Question reference: S6W-18535

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 02 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 16 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to address the growing needs for dentistry and GP services in Lothian, in light of data showing that, for example, the population of East Lothian has increased by 21.5% compared to Scotland’s average of 8.2% between 2001 and 2021.

Health and Social Care Partnerships are responsible for planning for the health and social care needs of their residents.

Funding for general medical services is based on population level data about registered patients and practice shares are continuously adjusted to reflect the movement of patients.

Scottish Government continually reviews in conjunction with all Boards, including NHS Lothian, areas for inclusion within the Scottish Dental Access Initiative. This provides funding to dentists who wish to establish a new practice, or extend an existing practice in areas where access to dental services is challenging.

Scottish Government will continue to liaise with NHS Lothian and local Health and Social Care Partnerships to understand all their service-related infrastructure plans and priorities.

Question reference: S6W-18526

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 02 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 16 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports of the Minister for Transport's concerns about strangers sharing cabins on the Serco NorthLink Ferries, what consideration it has given to obtaining vessels with single occupancy cabins.

Question reference: S6W-18629

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 02 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 16 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government in how many instances A8 compensation has been awarded to ScotRail passengers in each year for which data is available, as per ScotRail’s Accessible Travel Policy document.