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 48968 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S6W-30667

Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 1 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether community "appetite for risk" should be secondary to the implied standard of protection arising from the implementation of the UK Treasury Green Book and based upon Cost Benefit Analysis using SEPA’s proposed risk levels in relation to the development of flood development plans.

It is a local authority responsibility to develop and deliver flood protection schemes. This includes the selection of an appropriate standard of protection. This is because each place is unique and bespoke solutions are required.

We would expect local authorities to engage with their local communities on relevant design considerations including the level of protection throughout the development process.

Question reference: S6W-30673

Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 1 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the community that is purported to benefit from a flood protection scheme must always be consulted on the options long list in the early stages of a proposal, which is then used to produce an options short list.

It is a local authority responsibility to develop and deliver flood protection schemes and we would expect them to engage with their local communities on relevant design considerations throughout the development process.

The Scottish Government will publish a Flood Resilience Strategy by the end of this year, which will set out our vision on creating flood resilient places and recognise the important contribution people and communities make to their own flood resilience.

Question reference: S6W-30458

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 04 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 1 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when it anticipates that the new Gasay ferry terminal development for Lochboisdale will be operational.

The procurement timelines of the project are subject to completion of appropriate business case processes, availability of funding, and approvals from Scottish Ministers. The construction timelines are subject to successful completion of procurement and agreement of programmes with the contractor for the works.

Subject to approvals, procurement and construction, the Islands Connectivity Plan has scheduled the completion of the majority of the projects which commenced during Phase 1 by 2026-2031.

Question reference: S6W-30657

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 1 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government which licences to trade and permissions could potentially be in the scope of any decision to make eligibility for licences to operate conditional on payment of the real Living Wage, as set out in its Fair Work Action Plan, and how many licence holders could potentially be affected.

The Scottish Government is committed to using all levers at our disposal to extend Fair Work First conditionality with clear standards and minimum requirements to cover all forms of Scottish Government support within the limits of devolved competence.

We are currently focussed on implementing fair work conditionality in public sector grants, and the Scottish Government will be undertaking an evaluation of Fair Work First before exploring options to extend conditions to other forms of support such as licencing.

Question reference: S6W-30447

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 04 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 1 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that entertainment venues provide (a) visual impairment awareness and (b) sighted guide training for all staff members.

Question reference: S6W-30454

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 04 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 1 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration has been given to providing compensation to the community landlord, Storas Uibhist, for any business lost due to the delay to the development of the proposed Gasay ferry terminal development for Lochboisdale.

There are no plans for compensation to be offered to Storas Uibhist for any business lost during the ongoing development of the Gasay proposals. Any such scheme ultimately draws resources otherwise intended for the operation of ferry services and associated projects.

The importance of this project and the future of the route to the communities it serves, is well understood by both Scottish Ministers and the three organisations involved in leading the project. Developing a robust Business Case is essential in underpinning decisions against the current fiscal backdrop.

Question reference: S6W-30445

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 04 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 1 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to introduce a standardised booking system for accessible seats at entertainment venues.

Question reference: S6W-30663

Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 1 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether Flood Risk Management Plans submitted to it by local authorities, under the provisions of the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009, have been scrutinised and signed-off by experts with relevant expertise in all aspects of a scheme, including hydrology and civil and structural engineering, and who are fully independent and therefore not employed by the project proponents or by its appointed consultants, and, if this is not the case, whether it will undertake such scrutiny itself.

Flood Risk Management Plans are developed by SEPA, which has the expertise to do so as Scotland’s Strategic Flood Risk Management Authority.

It is a local authority responsibility to develop and deliver flood protection schemes. However, the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act sets out a specific set of circumstances where the Scottish Ministers may consider a scheme if they receive notice from a local authority under Schedule 2 of the Act.

Should Ministers decide that they wish to consider a scheme, a Public Local Inquiry would be held by a Reporter. The Reporter would hear evidence on all relevant considerations, including from relevant experts, before making a recommendation. Ministers would then consider the recommendation of the Reporter before making their decision.

Question reference: S6W-30666

Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 1 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the standard of protection in Flood Risk Management Plans, under the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009, should encompass the views of the beneficiaries, particularly the local community’s perceptions of the level of risk that is desirable and acceptable, and, if so, how this should be determined.

It is a local authority responsibility to develop and deliver flood protection scheme, including the selection of an appropriate standard of protection. This is because each place is unique and bespoke solutions are required.

Schedule 2 of the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009 sets out the local authority’s responsibilities in terms of public consultation as part of the notification of a flood protection scheme. However, we would expect local authorities to engage with their local communities on relevant design considerations throughout the development process.

Question reference: S6W-30675

Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 1 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how it is ensuring that value for money is achieved by the flood protection schemes that it is funding in full or partly.

It is a local authority responsibility to develop and deliver flood protection schemes. As such, it is for the local authority to ensure that its individual project is value for money and has a robust business case.

Individual local authorities are responsible for managing their finances in a prudent and sustainable way, ensuring the delivery of best value to the public for the services they provide. The Scottish Government provides grant funding to support local authorities in this responsibility through the general capital grant.

At a programme level, a joint COSLA/ Scottish Government Flood Risk Management Funding Working Group has been set up to discuss funding and governance of flood resilience actions in Scotland. The group includes representatives from COSLA, SEPA, local authority Directors of Finance and flood officers, and the Scottish Government. This group have been tasked with making recommendations to improve affordability, learn lessons for future programmes, and discuss future funding arrangements. This includes consideration of VfM.

Parliament dissolved ahead of election

Chamber and committees

Questions and answers

Filter your results Hide all filters

Answer

Answer

Answer

Answer

Answer

Answer

Answer

Answer

Answer

Answer