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-14925

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 what criteria it uses to select board members of Scottish Rail Holdings.

There is a job profile created for each individual role and this is used to assess the suitability of the candidates.

Job profiles are designed to attract the best people for the roles - high quality candidates with specialist knowledge and qualifications, where required, in relation to specific roles such as Safety and Audit and Risk. It is also important to us that candidates possess strong governance, diversity and leadership skills and a knowledge of constitutional devolution and how it affects public services in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-15382

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 24 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 15 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the WPI Economics February 2023 report, Bus and Coach: The route to net zero in Scotland.

The Scottish Government welcome the report’s focus on contributing to delivery of Scotland’s statutory Climate Change Targets.

Some of the recommendations align with Scottish Government existing actions to support the bus sector, including £113 million funding for 548 modern, zero emission buses, the £500 million Zero Emission Bus Market Transition Scheme to help organisations to understand the steps required to replace their bus fleet with zero emission alternatives and £25.8 million Bus Partnership Fund for bus priority in 11 partnerships covering 28 local authorities across Scotland. Other recommendations fall out with the remit of the Scottish Government, with recommendations on fuel duty and other taxation reserved fully to Westminster.

More widely on transport’s contribution to emission reduction, our route map to achieve a 20% reduction in car kms by 2030 also sets out the range of actions that will support mode shift and measures that support bus use. The route map similarly notes the need to address the cost of motoring and outlines that we are taking forward research to explore equitable options for demand management measures to discourage car use.

I thank CPT for the report which I will consider in full and respond in due course.

Question reference: S6W-15064

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 15 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service on the development of regulatory proposals for muirburn, in light of its potential role in mitigating wildfire risk.

Question reference: S6W-15066

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 15 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has sought advice from the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service regarding any implications of licensing muirburn.

Proposals to amend legislation relating to muirburn were included in our Wildlife Management in Scotland consultation. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service provided a full response to this consultation and their responses are being taken into account as the provisions for the Bill are developed.

I recently met with Bruce Farquharson, Deputy Assistant Chief Officer and Head of Training for SFRS to discuss their consultation response in more detail.

Question reference: S6W-15119

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 15 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how many public parking spaces there have been in each local authority area in each year since 1999.

Question reference: S6W-15022

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 15 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the procurement of replacement vessels for the Oban-Craignure route on the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services contract.

Question reference: S6W-15105

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 15 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when a £2 cap for single adult bus fares will be introduced in Greater Glasgow, similar to that in operation in Greater Manchester.

The Scottish Government's concessionary bus travel schemes are the most generous in the UK, with free travel for under-22s, over-60s, and people with disabilities. The Partnership and Franchising powers in the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 allow Local Transport Authorities, such as those covering Greater Glasgow, to gain control over the fares in their area, but that would be a matter for the relevant Local Transport Authority.

Question reference: S6W-15023

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 15 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the operational status of the MV Isle of Mull.

Question reference: S6W-15126

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 15 March 2023

To ask Scottish Government what its position is on the proposed introduction of a congestion charge in Edinburgh.

The Scottish Government welcomes the City of Edinburgh Council’s commitment to cut car kilometres by 30% by 2030, and will work with all local authorities to support equitable measures which discourage car use to accompany greater investment in public transport and active travel for a fairer and greener transport system. As outlined in our route map to achieving a 20% reduction in car kilometres by 2030, jointly developed with COSLA, the scale of the climate challenge means that we need to take forward a broad combination of interventions including infrastructure, incentives and regulatory actions, taking into account the needs of people on low incomes to help ensure a just transition to net-zero.

Question reference: S6W-15027

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 15 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government on how many occasions ministers have met with representatives of the Clyde Catamaran Group from 1 October 2022 to date, and what the outcomes were of any meetings.