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-13750

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 24 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the reported decision by CalMac, to publish its 2023 summer sailing timetable in two phases, will have a detrimental impact on island businesses and those who rely on advanced bookings.

CFL will open up all routes for the whole summer timetable period by Friday 20 January – with the exception of Mallaig-Armadale, Mallaig-Small Isles and Mallaig-Lochboisdale, (which will open by 31 January).

For the Mallaig routes, CFL are still working through tidal amendments for the whole summer timetables. CFL will engage with those communities directly. However, each community are already aware of their core timetables.

Question reference: S6W-13745

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 24 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason CalMac is reportedly delaying the publication of its 2023 summer sailing timetable.

The delay was due to the necessary detailed consideration and discussions required at all levels of Government in order to find a way to mitigate the impact on ferry fares of an unprecedented level of CPI of 9.1%.

I announced on 15 January that fares on the Northern Isles and Clyde & Hebrides ferry networks will be frozen for six months.

The decision on fares allows operators to now release their timetables for booking until the end of September.

Question reference: S6W-13753

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 24 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether (a) Transport Scotland and (b) CalMac carried out an Island Communities Impact Assessment when it determined that there would be a delay to the publication of CalMac’s 2023 summer sailing timetable, and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

Question reference: S6W-13747

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 24 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government on what date Transport Scotland will confirm the 2023 ferry fare rates for CalMac.

Question reference: S6W-13744

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 24 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reported comments by Cllr Uisdean Robertson that the ferries division of Transport Scotland should be relocated to an islands base, rather than being based in Edinburgh, in light of reports of delays to the publication of CalMac’s 2023 summer sailing timetable and its 2023 ferry fares.

The delays to the publication of the timetable and confirmation of fare levels were not related in any way to the geographical location of Transport Scotland staff.

The delay was wholly due to the necessary detailed consideration and discussions required at all levels of Government in order to find a way to mitigate the impact on ferry fares of an unprecedented level of CPI of 9.1%.

The Scottish Government is acutely aware of the particular challenges faced by our island communities, where the ongoing cost of living impacts are arguably more challenging than in any other part of the country. Additionally, Ministers are mindful of the disruption on the ferry network in recent times - particularly in relation to the Clyde and Hebrides network.

I was pleased to announce last week a six month fares freeze, it is the right thing for our island communities and I hope it will go some way to encouraging tourism this summer as island businesses continue to recover from the pandemic .

Question reference: S6W-13623

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Christine Grahame on 24 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will consider allowing members of the public to request to have a loved one's 100th birthday recognised through a greetings card sent on behalf of the Scottish Parliament in situations where the recipient's contribution to Scottish public life is considered significant.

Question reference: S6W-13622

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Christine Grahame on 24 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will consider sending greetings cards on behalf of the Scottish Parliament to residents of Scotland who are due to celebrate their 100th birthday.

Question reference: S6W-13444

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 24 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the delivery of the commitment made in the Health and social care: integrated workforce plan to "design and oversee work to obtain a national picture of workforce planning capacity, methodology and capability in Local Authorities/ Health and Social Care Partnerships for planning social care services".

The Scottish Government has engaged directly with representatives from NHS Boards and Health and Social Care Partnerships (HSCPs) to consider workforce planning capacity and capability across services. We remain committed to building a culture of continuous learning and improvement in workforce planning, including through the guidance we developed to support the development of health board and HSCP three-year workforce plans. We have been exploring, with stakeholders, formal qualification and accreditation opportunities, we continue to take forward these discussions with partners in further and higher education, alongside the provision of in-house training.

Question reference: S6W-13589

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 24 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has developed an engagement programme across the health and social care workforce to inform a set of shared values.

As part of Leading to Change, the National Leadership Development Programme, we have been running a series of engagement events for the health, social work and social care sectors to promote compassionate and inclusive leadership at all levels and create an open and welcoming culture that will enable people to thrive.

Details of the events can be found here: Events | Leading to Change | Leadership Development | NHS Scotland

An update on the National Workforce Strategy for Health and Social Care will be published later this year.

Question reference: S6W-14008

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 24 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has provided to meet emergency repair work at fishing harbours since July 2019.