- Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 19 December 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 8 January 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what steps it is taking to encourage increased use of public transport, in light of recently reported disruption, delays and staff shortages on the ScotRail network.
Answer
Any cancellations, delays or disruptions are disappointing and we recognise the impact that this has on rail users. However cancellations represent a small percentage of the overall number of ScotRail services. ScotRail’s performance is consistently higher than the GB network average.
I refer the member to the answer to the question S6W-32514 on 8 January 2025. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers
- Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 December 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 8 January 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6T-02170 by Fiona Hyslop on 5 November 2024, what further details it can provide regarding what plans it has in place to ensure the protection of women and girls in the event that the proposed reduction in staffed hours at ScotRail station ticket offices is accepted.
Answer
Once the plans have been implemented, the improved staff visibility and ScotRail having the ability to deploy staff more flexibly will not only improve the feeling of safety for all passengers, including women and girls, but also maintain an environment, which deters any potential anti-social behaviour.
Additional Travel Safe Teams will be on hand to support a welcoming rail environment and provide a better journey.
ScotRail has also invested £1.6 million- to triple the number of body-worn cameras and hired more staff for late-night trains in problem areas.
- Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 19 December 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Jackson Carlaw (on behalf of the SPCB) on 8 January 2025
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what information relating to cancer awareness is currently provided on its intranet service, and whether it will consider providing (a) information about and (b) links to the Bladder Cancer in Scotland campaign, Do Look Down, on the service.
Answer
The health and wellbeing of MSPs, their staff and SPCB staff is a priority for the SPCB. The SPCB promotes a wide range of health and wellbeing resources on its intranet, including those provided by Spectrum Life, the SPCB’s employee wellbeing partner. These resources include cancer awareness and prevention and cancer survivor podcasts as well as information about World Cancer Day. The SPCB is aware of Fight Bladder Cancer’s awareness raising campaign. The SPCB will consider how it might raise awareness of this disease during bladder cancer awareness month in May.
- Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 19 December 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 8 January 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how many people are currently eligible for free rail travel as a result of being a (a) ScotRail employee, (b) partner of a ScotRail employee and (c) dependant of a ScotRail employee.
Answer
This is a matter for ScotRail as the employer. The Member may wish to contact ScotRail directly.
- Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 19 December 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 8 January 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the long-term viability of the Caledonian Sleeper as a public service obligation.
Answer
The Caledonian Sleeper services make a significant positive contribution to Scotland’s businesses, economy, communities and tourist offer, providing vital, low carbon connections to and from London. Demand for Caledonian Sleeper services continues to grow and the Scottish Government will continue to support these services.
- Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 19 December 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 8 January 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Scottish Renewables regarding the draft Scottish Budget 2025-26.
Answer
The Scottish Government regularly meets with Scottish Renewables to discuss a wide range of matters related to renewable energy. On 4 December 2024, I met Claire Mack, the Chief Executive of Scottish Renewables, to discuss the broad parameters of the draft Scottish Budget 2025-26 in relation to offshore wind and wider renewables.
- Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 19 December 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 8 January 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with ScotRail regarding increasing passenger numbers in the context of reducing car journeys.
Answer
Transport Scotland officials hold regular discussions with Scottish Rail Holdings and ScotRail. These discussions include considerations of any initiatives and incentives to encourage passengers to choose rail as an attractive and a more sustainable travel mode.
- Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 19 December 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 8 January 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with ScotRail regarding improving the service's Sunday timetable, in light of reports of disruption during the festive period.
Answer
Whilst staff working on rest days and overtime is a measure adopted by all GB train operating companies, ScotRail has been recruiting more staff to minimise this reliance. ScotRail is currently recruiting 160 Drivers each year, one of the highest numbers across all UK operators, which will help to reduce these challenges in the future.
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 23 December 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Fairlie on 8 January 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how many croft houses are unoccupied, broken down by local authority area.
Answer
The information as requested is not available.
In 2024, the Commission introduced a system of investigating crofters who appear to be non-resident and in breach of at least one of their duties. The project had positive results and has been well-received throughout the crofting counties. Allied to this, through Crofting Reform, we will look to strengthen residency and land use, creating a faster and more extensive enforcement process that will result in more active crofts and create opportunities for new entrants.
This Government recognises the importance of crofting to the sustainability of our rural and island communities and is committed to continuing to support crofters to live on and work their land.
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 23 December 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Fairlie on 8 January 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how many croft houses have been built using the Croft House Grant Scheme in each year since 2016, broken down by local authority area.
Answer
The Scottish Government has a track record of investment to improve croft housing. 186 croft houses have been built and recorded with Registers of Scotland.
County Area * | Number of Croft Houses Built |
Argyll | 8 |
Caithness | 9 |
Orkney & Zetland | 22 |
Inverness | 82 |
Ross & Cromarty | 50 |
Sutherland | 15 |
*Notice of Grants are registered by county rather than by local authority area.