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 45721 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S6W-15430

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 15 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on how its pilot scheme to remove peak rail fares will operate, and when it will publish the full details of the scheme.

The ScotRail peak fares pilot is scheduled to be undertaken in the next financial year (2023-2024).

Work on the precise methodology and design is ongoing with Transport Scotland officials working closely with Scottish Rail Holdings (SRH) and ScotRail to derive maximum benefit for this scheme.

Once this work has been completed an update will be provided well in advance of the ScotRail peak fares pilot commencing.

Question reference: S6W-15448

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 15 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what the current vacancy rate is for lung cancer nurse specialists within the (a) West of Scotland Cancer Network, (b) North Cancer Alliance and (c) South East Scotland Cancer Network.

Question reference: S6W-14923

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Friday, 10 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 15 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how long the standard tenure is of each board member, including non-executive directors, of Scottish Rail Holdings.

The current non-executive directors of Scottish Rail Holdings (SRH) Board were appointed on an interim basis to 31 March 2023. The SRH Board non-executive appointments are non-regulated and there is no stipulation of specific appointment length detailed within the Framework Agreement, however going forward it is anticipated that terms for non-interim appointments will be for up to three years.

The standard tenure of the executive members of the SRH Board is permanent.

Question reference: S6W-15350

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 27 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 15 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what advice is currently being provided to residents of buildings that are suspected of requiring cladding remediation, regarding the (a) reinsurance, (b) selling and (c) re-mortgaging of their properties.

Lending and insurance policy are reserved matters for the UK Government. We are aware of the difficulties that some people are facing in accessing mortgages for buildings with potentially unsafe cladding. Work has been undertaken between the UK Government and UK Finance to develop a solution which reflects the situation in England and we are in urgent discussion with UK Finance about adapting that solution for Scotland as quickly as possible. The Single Building Assessment is a crucial element in identifying issues in buildings with potentially unsafe cladding in Scotland. We expect the vast majority of buildings to be found to be safe, but first we have to carry out comprehensive and technical assessments. This is a complex and time-consuming programme, and a number of assessments are either at final or pre-final reporting stage.

Question reference: S6W-15159

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 17 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 15 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether spill data on monitored combined sewer overflows (CSOs), where data is currently reported to SEPA, will be published annually, in light of the commitment in Scottish Water's Improving Urban Waters route map that annual publication of this data would commence by December 2022.

As indicated in Scottish Water’s first annual update to its Improving Urban Waters Routemap, which I referenced in my response to S6O-01493 on 23 November 2022, spill data has been published at https://www.scottishwater.co.uk/Your-Home/Your-Waste-Water/Sewer-Overflow-Spill-Data .

I refer the member to the Official Report: https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/official-report/search-what-was-said-in-parliament/meeting-of-parliament-23-11-2022?meeting=14005&iob=126871

Question reference: S6W-15142

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 17 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 15 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many instances of trespassing have been recorded on the (a) Forth Rail Bridge, (b) Forth Road Bridge and (c) Queensferry Crossing in each year since 2018; what the estimated cost of this was to the emergency services, and in how many instances the bridges were closed as a result.

Instances of trespassing recorded on the (a) Forth Rail Bridge, (b) Forth Road Bridge and (c) Queensferry Crossing each year since 2018, the estimated cost of this to the emergency services, and in how many instances the bridges were closed as a result is as follows:

	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023
Forth Rail Bridge
Instances of trespassing	0	3	0	2	2	0
Resultant closures	0	1	0	0	0	0
Costs to Emergency Services	Information not held by Transport Scotland
Forth Road Bridge
Instances of trespassing	0	0	3	0	0	0
Resultant closures	0	0	0	0	0	0
Costs to Emergency Services	Information not held by Transport Scotland
Queensferry Crossing
Instances of trespassing	0	0	1	0	1	0
Resultant closures	0	0	0	0	0	0
Costs to Emergency Services	Information not held by Transport Scotland

Question reference: S6W-15188

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 17 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 15 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a progress update on the National Speed Management Review, including the consideration of HGV speed limit policy, as outlined in the Road Safety Framework to 2030.

Transport Scotland is undertaking the National Speed Management Review to support a range of policy drivers including better road safety and health outcomes, promotion of active travel, climate change mitigation, place making and economic growth.

The review covers comprehensive analysis of all types of speed management policies including HGV speed limits as well as a review of what has been introduced in other countries throughout the world.

We will consult with stakeholders and the public this year to gather and consider their views on future changes to speed limit policies and speed management measures.

Question reference: S6W-15525

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 15 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the number of (a) co-operatives and (b) employee-owned businesses, broken down by local authority area.

Question reference: S6W-15429

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 15 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what plans the Scottish Government has regarding the cost of rail fares from March 2023, following the end of the rail fares freeze that was announced by the First Minister on 6 September 2022.

The Scottish Government has a strong record of maintaining lower rail fares compared to the rest of the UK, with our commitment to this shown by the rail fares freeze in our recent Programme for Government.

The decision was taken last year to freeze ScotRail fares to the end of March 2023 to support rail users during the ongoing cost of living crisis.

I am currently considering future fare options noting the current challenging fiscal climate facing rail passengers and funders.

Question reference: S6W-15470

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 15 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many eye surgeons are currently employed in NHS (a) Lanarkshire and (b) Forth Valley.