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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

Filter your results Hide all filters

Displaying 40714 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S6W-14689

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 6 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to carry out a gap analysis of the cardiology and cardiac surgery workforce that has been informed by the nationally-agreed pathways and the developed competency framework.

Question reference: S6W-14564

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 30 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 6 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether the proposed reduction in the Major Public Transport Projects budget for 2023-24 will have any impact on the delivery of the rail projects outlined in Transport Scotland’s Control Period 6 plans.

Rail enhancement projects successfully completed in Control Period 6 include Queen Street station redevelopment, new stations at Robroyston, Reston and Inverness Airport and Far North Enhancements. The Glasgow to Barrhead electrification project and the new East Linton station remain on schedule to be completed within Control Period 6.

As a result of the proposed reduction on the Major Public Transport Projects budget for 2023-24 there is limited impact on Transport Scotland’s Control Period 6 plans. There are rail projects that commenced in Control Period 6 and have been planned to span into Control Period 7. These projects that will be delivered in Control Period 7 include the reopening of the railway to Levenmouth, including two new stations at Leven and Cameron Bridge, works to electrify the railway from Haymarket to Dalmeny and the electrification of the East Kilbride route.

Question reference: S6W-15272

Asked by: Jackson Carlaw, MSP for Eastwood, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 6 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when it last reviewed the effectiveness of promotional activities for the Young Scot National Entitlement Card to ensure that 11- to 25-year-olds are aware of how they can use the facility.

In Autumn 2022, Transport Scotland launched a national marketing campaign to increase awareness and understanding of the Young Persons’ Free Bus Travel Scheme.

Analysis of the campaign was completed in February 2023 and showed that over 97% of the adult population in Scotland, and 94% of 13-18 year olds, would have seen or heard the campaign at least three times.

The evaluation also showed that the campaign helped to improve opinions of bus and increase bus use. Over half of those who responded to the post campaign survey said their opinion of bus travel improved as a result of the campaign. 91% of the young people who responded, and had already joined the scheme, said they were using bus more.

Question reference: S6W-15256

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 6 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, of the couples who are claiming social security benefits in Scotland, how many have a (a) woman and (b) man as the lead claimant.

Social Security Scotland does not routinely produce information on couples claiming social security benefits.

Information on the characteristics of applicants, including gender, is published as part of Official Statistics publications on Social Security Scotland client diversity and equalities analysis.

These statistics were most recently published in September 2021 and are available at: https://www.socialsecurity.gov.scot/reporting/publications/social-security-scotland-client-diversity-and-equalities-analysis-to-may-2021.

There is currently work being undertaken to produce an update to this publication, which will be published by the end of summer 2023. This will cover the period from June 2021 to October 2022.

Question reference: S6W-15012

Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 13 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 6 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide the exact date on which it requested data from the Department for Work and Pensions regarding the Winter Heating Payment.

Throughout our programme of work to deliver the new Winter Heating Payment in Scotland, the Scottish Government engaged regularly with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and emphasised the need for data to be transferred as early as possible.

DWP were unable to provide the data required prior to 31 January. The Scottish Government and DWP have begun discussions about the feasibility of moving payments forward for future years.

Question reference: S6W-14926

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 10 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 6 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has any plans to change the structure of the board of Scottish Rail Holdings, including the number of non-executive directors.

Question reference: S6W-14930

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 10 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 6 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-13041 by Jenny Gilruth on 10 January 2023, whether it will itemise the sub-contracts placed with Scottish firms by Cemre Marin Endustri to supply the build programme for the new Islay vessels, including the total value of those respective sub-contracts.

Cemre have signed an agreement with Kongsberg for Fins Stabilisers with the production facility in Dunfermline. Neither the Scottish Government, nor CMAL as procuring authority, have details of the value of this commercial contract between the manufacturer and Cemre. Further information can be found at the attached link:

https://www.kongsberg.com/maritime/about-us/news-and-media/news-archive/2022/contract-to-supply-aquarius-50-retractable-fin-stabilisers/

Question reference: S6W-14927

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 10 February 2023
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 6 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government who the current acting chief executive officer of Scottish Rail Holdings is; how long it is intended that they will be in this position; how many days they are contracted to work in the post, and what their remuneration is for these duties.

Question reference: S6W-14768

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 6 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what communication it has had with the UK Government regarding the decision taken by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to close Radnor House site in Clydebank.

Question reference: S6W-14674

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 6 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has established referral guidelines for common symptoms of heart disease to support timely access to diagnostics.