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-02036

Asked by: Dr Alasdair Allan, MSP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 30 July 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 24 August 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider ferry service timetable changes to enable the use of the mezzanine deck on the MV Hebrides.

The use of the mezzanine deck on MV Hebrides is a primarily an operational decision for CalMac Ferries Ltd (CFL). CFL continue to engage with the communities and businesses who use the service regarding the use of the mezzanine deck and the potential impacts on timetables, number of sailings and overall capacity for passengers and vehicles. The mezzanine deck was brought back into use on sailings from 9 August 2021.

Question reference: S6W-01978

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 July 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 24 August 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the reasons for only five new ferries having been delivered to CalMac since 2007.

8 new-build vessels have been delivered to CalMac since 2007: the MVs Loch Shira, Argyle, Finlaggan, Hallaig, Loch Seaforth, Lochinvar, Catriona and Carvoria. Had vessels 801 and 802 been delivered to the shipyard's original schedule, then there would have been 10.

The Scottish Government's Infrastructure Investment Plan set out plans for the next 5 years for the procurement of a new major vessel for Islay, up to 7 vessels under phase 1 of the Small Vessel Replacement Programme and further major vessels for Craignure-Oban and Mallaig-Lochboisdale.

A National Mission with Local Impact: Infrastructure Investment Plan for Scotland 2021-22 to 2025-26 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) .

Question reference: S6W-02034

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 30 July 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 24 August 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to provide funding to support bus operators to invest in additional fleets.

The Scottish Government currently provides funding to support the acquisition of zero-emission buses. The Scottish Zero-Emission Bus Challenge Fund (ScotZEB) is open to bids from any party, including bus operators, acquiring buses to run on registered local bus services and aims to support swift, and significant, change in the bus market in favour of zero-emission technologies. More information on ScotZEB is available on the Transport Scotland webpages at https://www.transport.gov.scot/public-transport/buses/scottish-zero-emission-bus-challenge-fund/ .

Previously, financial support has been provided through the Scottish Ultra-Low Emission Bus Scheme, and the Scottish Green Bus Fund.

Question reference: S6W-02011

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 July 2021
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 24 August 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what arrangements it has made regarding its policy and practice for note-taking during its meetings to ensure that all details are recorded.

The Civil Service Code of Conduct (Scottish Government & Agencies 2010) clarifies that civil servants are responsible for keeping accurate official records relating to decisions and key conversations. These responsibilities are discharged through the relevant business unit, with chairpersons and secretariats having responsibility for capturing key decisions or actions in the minutes of meetings and ensuring these are saved as part of the corporate record.

Question reference: S6W-01974

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 July 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 24 August 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will list the vessels in the CalMac fleet, broken down by those that are currently (a) in and (b) out of service.

The information available is in the following table (As of 11 August 2021)

Marine Vessels	In Service	Out of Service
ARGYLL FLYER		X
ALI CAT	X
ARGYLE	X
BUTE	X
CALEDONIAN ISLES	X
CARVORIA	X
CATRIONA	X
CHIEFTAIN	x
CLANSMAN	X
CORUISK	X
FINLAGGAN	X
HALLAIG	X
HEBRIDEAN ISLES	X
HEBRIDES	X
ISLE of ARRAN	X
ISLE of CUMBRAE	X
ISLE of LEWIS	X
ISLE of MULL	X
LOCH ALAINN	X
LOCH BHRUSDA	X
LOCH BUIE	X
LOCH DUNVEGAN	X
LOCH FYNE	X
LOCH LINNHE	X
LOCH PORTAIN	X
LOCH RANZA	X
LOCH RIDDON	X
LOCH SEAFORTH	X
LOCH SHIRA	X
LOCH STRIVEN	X
LOCH TARBERT	X
LOCHINVAR	X
LOCHNEVIS	X
LORD of the ISLES	X

Question reference: S6W-01882

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 July 2021
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 24 August 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that all children at pre-school and early years settings who currently receive free milk through the UK Government Nursery Milk Scheme will continue to receive free milk when the existing scheme is replaced by the new Scottish Milk and Healthy Snack Scheme on 1 August 2021.

The Scottish Milk and Healthy Snack Scheme replaced the UK Nursery Milk Scheme (UK NMS) in Scotland from 1 August 2021 following further devolution.

3,079 Scottish settings were registered to the UK NMS and claimed from that scheme in the 12 months to 1 August 2021. Initial data shows that 3,101 childcare settings and 116,293 eligible children are registered to the Scottish Milk and Healthy Snack Scheme (out of around 8,395 total childcare settings in Scotland).

The Scottish Government continues to work in partnership with local government and eligible childcare settings to increase registrations to the new scheme during the course of its first year.

Question reference: S6W-01847

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 23 July 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 24 August 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what the projected completion dates are for (a) a new eye hospital in Edinburgh and (b) all other new NHS facilities that are planned.

(a) NHS Lothian recently submitted an updated Outline Business Case for the development of eye care services. This will be reviewed by Scottish Government’s NHS Capital Investment Group at their next meeting.

(b) The Scottish Government provided a progress update on major capital projects, including NHS infrastructure projects, to the Public Audit Committee by letter dated 23 June 2021 which can be accessed here:

Infrastructure Investment Major Capital Projects Progress Update 23 June 202 | Scottish Parliament Website .

Question reference: S6W-01817

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 23 July 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 24 August 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many women aged (a) 50 and over and (b) under 50 are currently undergoing treatment for secondary breast cancer, broken down by NHS board.

Question reference: S6W-01819

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 23 July 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 24 August 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many women aged (a) 50 and over and (b) under 50 are currently waiting to start treatment for (i) primary and (ii) secondary breast cancer, broken down by NHS board.

Question reference: S6W-01793

Asked by: Gillian Mackay, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 July 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 24 August 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many full-time equivalent GPs are employed.

A publication by Public Health Scotland on 26th January 2021 showed the total number of GPs in Scotland was 5,134 as at 30th September 2020, a rise of 89 compared to 2019.

Public Health Scotland are currently analysing data collected from the 2019 Workforce Survey, which will show the Whole Time Equivalent (WTE) figure for GPs in Scotland. Scottish Government are planning to collect WTE data on an annual basis going forward.