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 43013 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S6W-24107

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 19 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how much of the £200 million that it committed to improve rail journey times between Aberdeen and the Central Belt by 2026 has been included in the Scottish Budget for 2024-25.

Question reference: S6W-24364

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 08 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 19 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to create specific funding schemes for brain tumour research.

The Scottish Government has no plans to create specific funding schemes for Brain Tumour research.

Within the Scottish Government, funding of Health and Care Research comes under the remit of the Chief Scientist Office (CSO).

The CSO's Translational Clinical Studies (TCS) Committee and the Health Improvement, Protection and Services Research (HIPS) Committee each meet twice per year to consider funding applications. Details of the application process are published on the CSO website.

https://www.cso.sc ot.nhs.uk/grant-funding/response-mode-funding-schemes/. Applications on Brain Tumour research are welcomed.

CSO provides funding support through NHS Research Scotland (NRS) for infrastructure to support the running of clinical trials in the NHS here. this includes the NRS Cancer Research Network whose role is to increase, support and sustain clinical trial activity in cancer care in Scotland https://www.nhsresearchscotland.org.uk/research-areas/cancer

The NRS Cancer Research Network is currently supporting 13 Brain Tumour Clinical studies with over 190 patients recruited.

Through UK-wide funding agreements, researchers based in Scotland are able to access research funding programmes administered by the National Institute for Health & Care Research (NIHR). Within their individual remits, these programmes can consider applications for research in Brain Tumours. CSO is working with the health research community in Scotland to ensure awareness of these opportunities and to maximise the number of high quality applications from Scotland to the NIHR research funding programmes going forward.

Question reference: S6W-24366

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 08 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 19 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what recent steps it has taken to improve care for people with a brain tumour diagnosis.

In our cancer strategy published in June last year, the Scottish Government committed to focus on cancer types that are the largest burden and have worse outcomes. These include brain and the other cancers categorised as less-survivable such as oesophagus, pancreas, and stomach.

We are continuing to invest in 12 pilot single point of contact (SPOC) sites and will evaluate the impact of the programme and expand its reach. We are also rolling out our final Improving the Cancer Journey (ICJ) service, in partnership with Macmillan, giving everyone diagnosed with cancer in Scotland access to a key support worker.

Question reference: S6W-24355

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 08 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 19 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it had with its Retail Industry Leadership Group regarding the possible introduction of a non-domestic rates public health supplement on retailers, prior to the announcement in the 2024-25 Budget.

Question reference: S6W-24365

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 08 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 19 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how it is working to improve access to treatments for brain tumour patients.

Question reference: S6W-24178

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by George Adam on 19 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many events have been hosted by (a) Nicola Sturgeon and (b) Humza Yousaf in Bute House in 2023, and whether it will provide a breakdown of the costs of each event.

Both Nicola Sturgeon and Humza Yousaf hosted 3 events each at Bute House in 2023. All Ministerial engagements are published here: Ministerial engagements, travel and gifts - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) .

The following table shows the total costs for each event:

Event	Hosted By	Total Costs
Industry Leadership Group Reception (02-02-23)	Nicola Sturgeon	£1,527.38
Women in Enterprise Reception (20-02-23)	Nicola Sturgeon	£1,477.47
Ukraine Reception (23-02-23)	Nicola Sturgeon	£1,637.72
Investor Panel Presentation and Dinner (31-10-23)	Humza Yousaf	£1,903.08
Scottish Cities Alliance Leadership Group Dinner (16-11-23)	Humza Yousaf	£1,763.65
Care Experienced Young People Christmas Lunch (08-12-23)	Humza Yousaf	£1,763.62

N.B. Bute House was closed for refurbishment works between April and September 2023.

Question reference: S6W-24240

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 19 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of CalMac's (a) existing and (b) planned ferry fleet showing the maximum number of (i) petrol or diesel and (ii) electric vehicles that can be carried on each vessel.

CalMac have confirmed they do not distinguish between fuel type when carrying vehicles on vessels.

The following table shows the current, maximum number of cars that each current and planned vessel can carry:

Vessel Type	Vessel	Total Car Capacity Approx.
Major Vessel	MV Clansman	80
Major Vessel	MV Hebridean Isles	51
Major Vessel	MV Isle Of Arran	55
Major Vessel	MV Isle Of Mull	62
Major Vessel	MV Isle Of Lewis	95
Major Vessel	MV Loch Seaforth	130
Major Vessel	MV Hebrides	86
Major Vessel	MV Lord Of The Isles	49
Major Vessel	MV Finlaggan	77
Major Vessel	MV Argyle	53
Major Vessel	MV Bute	53
Major Vessel	MV Caledonian Isles	93
Major Vessel	MV Coruisk	35
Major Vessel	MV Alfred	93
Small Vessel	MV Loch Bhrusda	16
Small Vessel	MV Loch Tarbert	16
Small Vessel	MV Loch Alainn	24
Small Vessel	MV Loch Linnhe	10
Small Vessel	MV Loch Portain	32
Small Vessel	MV Loch Riddon	10
Small Vessel	MV Lochnevis	10
Small Vessel	MV Loch Dunvegan	32
Small Vessel	MV Loch Fyne	36
Small Vessel	MV Loch Ranza	10
Small Vessel	MV Loch Shira	24
Small Vessel	MV Loch Striven	10
Small Vessel	MV Lochinvar	22
Small Vessel	MV Loch Buie	9
Small Vessel	MV Catriona	22
Small Vessel	MV Isle of Cumbrae	12
Small Vessel	MV Hallaig	22
Small Vessel	MV Carvoria	1
Small Vessel	MV Loch Frisa	31

Planned Fleet
Major Vessel	Glen Sannox (801)	117
Major Vessel	Glen Rosa	117
Major Vessel	New Islay Vessel x 2	100
Major Vessel	New Minch Vessel x 2	100
Major Vessel	New Lochboisdale Vessel*	52
Small Vessel	New Colintraive-Rhubodach Vessel	24
Small Vessel	New Lochaline-Fishnish Vessel	24
Small Vessel	New Tarbert LF-Portavadie Vessel	24
Small Vessel	New Sconser-Raasay Vessel	24
Small Vessel	New Kilchoan-Tobermory Vessel	24
Small Vessel	New Tayinloan-Gigha Vessel	24
Small Vessel	New Iona-Fionnphort Vessel	16

Question reference: S6W-24187

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 19 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what the average processing time is for a Home Energy Scotland (a) grant and (b) loan application, (i) nationally and (ii) broken down by local authority area.

In the most recent reporting period, which covered from start October 2023 to end November 2023, under the contract between Scottish Government and Energy Saving Trust, 92% of applicants had their applications processed within 15 working days. Several schemes are delivered through this contract, including the Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan Scheme, the SME Loan Scheme, and the Private Rented Sector Landlord Loan Scheme.

This figure is only tracked and reported for all applications and cannot be broken down by local authority or between schemes, nor is average processing time tracked and reported on.

Question reference: S6W-24447

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 19 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it (a) has and (b) will put in place to make the public aware that vehicle idling is an offence, under the Road Traffic (Vehicle Emissions) (Fixed Penalty) (Scotland) Regulations 2003.

The Road Traffic (Vehicle Emissions) (Fixed Penalty) (Scotland) Regulations 2003 provide local authorities with powers to issue fixed penalty notices to drivers of parked idling vehicles who refuse a reasonable request to switch off their engines. It is for individual local authorities to decide how to make use of their powers and promote awareness. The Scottish Government provides support to assist authorities in undertaking these duties.

Question reference: S6W-24389

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 19 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what reporting arrangements have been put in place regarding the role of the Deputy First Minister in co-ordinating cross government delivery, as referred to in the cabinet secretary mandate letters for the financial year 2023-24.