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: S6O-03377

Asked by: Fulton MacGregor, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 April 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports of a sinkhole on the rail network between Drumgelloch and Caldercruix stations, which forced the closure of the track.

Question reference: S6O-03366

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 April 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that local government debt has now risen to 160% of its annual funding settlement.

Question reference: S6O-03378

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 April 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the procurement process for the Small Vessel Replacement Programme.

Question reference: S6O-03374

Asked by: Karen Adam, MSP for Banffshire and Buchan Coast, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 April 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to support the improvement of transport links in the north east of Scotland.

Question reference: S6O-03364

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 April 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on when its review of capital spending will be complete.

Question reference: S6O-03362

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 April 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what impact it anticipates its recent announcement on changes to its net zero targets will have on the development of a green economy.

Question reference: S6W-26983

Asked by: Audrey Nicoll, MSP for Aberdeen South and North Kincardine, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 April 2024
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 24 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when the next paper in the Building a New Scotland series will be published.

The Scottish Government continues to deliver on its commitment to build the case for an independent Scotland within the EU, through the development of a prospectus to give people the information they need to make an informed choice about their future. I’m pleased to confirm that on 25 April we will publish the thirteenth paper in the Building a New Scotland series ‘Building a New Scotland: Justice in an independent Scotland’.

The paper sets out how independence would give Scotland the powers to take all the decisions in justice areas that are currently reserved, creating opportunities for more focused and creative action on some of the most challenging issues facing our society, such as drugs and gambling. The paper also describes how Scotland would be an open, engaged and positive international partner, able to play a key role in justice issues across borders, particularly around counter-terrorism, cybercrime and serious organised crime.

The Scottish Government is continuing to prepare further papers in the Building a New Scotland series and these will be published shortly. I can also confirm that the matters raised in this publication will be taken forward as part of a future debate on BaNS publications in the Scottish Parliament.

‘Building a New Scotland: Justice in an independent Scotland’ is available to view on the Scottish Government website from 25 April at www.gov.scot/newscotland

Question reference: S6W-26975

Asked by: Gordon MacDonald, MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 April 2024
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Richard Lochhead on 24 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the progress of the UK Government’s Project Gigabit programme in Scotland.

The Scottish Government will play a key role in delivering Project Gigabit procurements in Scotland. The Scottish Government will lead delivery of local (Type A) and regional (Type B) activity, providing opportunities for alternative network suppliers in Scotland. We will also work alongside the UK Government to manage the UK-wide (Type C) framework in Scotland.

This is a recognition of our strong track record of delivering large scale digital infrastructure programmes and will allow us to align Project Gigabit with our own Reaching 100% (R100) programme.

The first local procurement in Scotland is expected to launch imminently, covering the Borders and East Lothian areas. A regional procurement, in the Dundee, Aberdeenshire, Angus, and Moray Coast areas is expected to follow in the coming months.

The Scottish Government and Building Digital UK (BDUK) have worked together to prepare further procurements, and these will be launched if and when we are confident that there is the market interest needed for them to succeed. We are also preparing the ground for the UK-wide (Type C) framework to deliver across Scotland.

Unlike our R100 programme, there is no predetermined level of funding assigned to deliver connections in Scotland via Project Gigabit. Instead, funding is allocated to each individual procurement based on a model developed by the UK Government.

As we work jointly to deliver these procurements in Scotland, we will continue to urge the UK Government to match our ambition for Scotland’s digital infrastructure with a sufficient level of financial commitment to deliver in this wholly reserved area.

Question reference: S6W-26948

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 22 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 24 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will establish a pilot scheme on methane supressing feed products before January 2025.

On 18 April the Scottish Government published a new package of climate action measures, this included the intention to establish a pilot scheme to support the roll out of methane supressing feed products to reduce emissions from livestock.

Officials are currently exploring the options for delivering such a scheme. Methane supressing feed products offer opportunities for emissions reduction in Scottish livestock systems and evidence on the efficacy and appropriate application of these products will be considered in developing the pilot scheme. Further details on the pilot scheme will be provided in due course, including a timescale for establishing the pilot scheme.

Question reference: S6W-26949

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 22 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 24 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will include crofts in its proposed pilot scheme on methane supressing feed products.

The Scottish Government has stated an ambition to establish a pilot scheme on methane supressing feed products. Officials are currently exploring options for the proposed scheme.

The pilot scheme will support policy development around the appropriate use of methane supressing feed products. Officials will consider the appropriate targeting of such a pilot scheme, this will include consideration of farm business specialisation and size including the role of livestock crofts in such a pilot scheme.

Parliament dissolved ahead of election

Chamber and committees

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