Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-31472

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 09 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 19 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to its role on the steering group that maintains the Port Marine Safety Code, how it can improve the safety and wellbeing of maritime workers, in light of the Marine Accident Investigation Branch's report into the deaths of two tugboat sailors on the Clyde in February 2023, identifying 14 safety issues leading to their deaths.

Shipping safety is a matter reserved to the UK Government. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency is responsible for establishing maritime safety protocol and legislation, including in response to specific incidents, working in partnership with the Marine Accident Investigation Branch.

Transport Scotland are standing members of the Port Marine Safety Code Steering Group. The aim of the Group is to facilitate regular meetings and other information sharing opportunities between port authorities, related maritime industries operating within ports, and government, including the devolved administrations, in order to share best practice and discuss developments such as the application of new legislation which may have a bearing on the content of the Port Marine Safety Code and the way in which it is applied at ports.

The Scottish Government expects the highest shipping safety and crew welfare standards, and for these to be applied in the case of those vessels and crews accessing Scotland’s waters.

Question reference: S6W-32057

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 09 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 19 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what consultation is underway with the Mobility and Access Committee Scotland (MACS) regarding the ScotRail proposal to reduce station ticket office opening hours across the network, in light of MACS reportedly indicating in its response to the 2022 consultation concern regarding the level of engagement there had been with it or other groups representing disabled people on this matter.

Question reference: S6W-32058

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 09 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 19 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what consultation it has had with local authorities regarding the ScotRail proposal to reduce the opening hours of a number of station ticket offices, in light of the specific requirement for face-to-face sales of local authority concessionary fares.

Question reference: S6W-32029

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 09 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Claire Baker (on behalf of the SPCB) on 19 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what discussions it has had with the City of Edinburgh Council regarding whether a pedestrian crossing might be appropriate outside the Canongate entrance to improve the safety of the public, MSPs and staff who cross at this location.

There is a pedestrian crossing directly outside the Parliament’s public access to facilitate safe travel. The SPCB has not been asked to consider whether a second pedestrian crossing would be appropriate. The current information provided by the City of Edinburgh council is that Canongate is being considered for redevelopment as part of a wider consultation through the Councils’ Street allocation framework ‘Our Future Streets’. We anticipate that the SPCB will be approached as part of the consultation process to assess and consider proposals by City of Edinburgh Council when developed and provide comment as appropriate.

Question reference: S6W-32028

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 09 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Claire Baker (on behalf of the SPCB) on 19 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what its position is on the flag flying policy indoors and outdoors on the parliamentary estate with respect to how and by whom decisions are made on (a) which are flown, (b) for how long they should be flown and (c) what grounds the appropriateness of the presence of any flag is assessed.

The SPCB has a policy covering the flying of flags on the flagpoles outside Holyrood - Flag-flying | Scottish Parliament Website. The policy sets out which flags are flown and how exceptional requests can be made to the SPCB for approval.

During official visits by external dignitaries, a flag can be displayed inside the building, usually in a meeting room or event space, for the duration of their visit.

Question reference: S6W-31980

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 19 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government's statement to the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee on 23 January 2024, how much ScotWind funding was drawn down in each financial year from 2021-22 to 2024-25.

To date £96 million of ScotWind revenues have been utilised, all in 2022-23.

In the 2024-25 budget, £200 million of Scotwind funding was profiled, with a further £224 million added as part of the in-year autumn budget revision.

As indicated in the Scottish Budget, the total set aside in 2024-25 at present has now reduced to £160 million. Work is on-going to reduce this further, and a further update will be provided as part of the Spring Budget Revision in January.

Final decisions on drawing down ScotWind revenues will be made in March 2025.

Question reference: S6W-31990

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 19 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how much money it has allocated to providing free bus travel for people seeking asylum in its draft Budget 2025-26.

The draft 2025-26 Budget, which is subject to Parliamentary approval, has allocated funding to provide free bus travel for asylum seekers in the 2025-26 financial year. Further information will be provided in due course.

People seeking asylum in Scotland who are currently eligible for free bus travel through the statutory National Concessionary Travel Schemes, including those under 22, aged 60 and over and those with disabilities, will continue to be able to make use of their entitlement.

Question reference: S6W-31972

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 19 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide more information on its plans to provide free bus travel for asylum seekers as set out in its draft Budget 2025-26, including (a) a clear timeline for developing and fully implementing this policy, (b) clarity on whether free bus travel will be provided for all people seeking asylum across Scotland, and (c) what models are being considered for delivery.

The draft 2025-26 Budget, which is subject to Parliamentary approval, has funding allocated to provide free bus travel for asylum seekers in the 2025-26 financial year. Further information on delivery will be provided in due course.

We are committed to exploring if we can extend free bus travel to all people seeking asylum on a longer term basis before the end of the current parliamentary session, subject to the successful passage of a Scottish Budget containing this issue and an agreed way forward on the policy in terms of practical delivery.

People seeking asylum in Scotland who are currently eligible for free bus travel through the statutory National Concessionary Travel Schemes, including those under 22, aged 60 and over and those with disabilities, will continue to be able to make use of their entitlement.

Question reference: S6W-32520

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 December 2024
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Jenni Minto on 19 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when it will consult on proposals for the further regulation of non-surgical cosmetic procedures.

Question reference: S6W-32358

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 13 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 19 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care last met the (a) chair, (b) chief executive and (c) board of NHS Grampian.

Both Ministers and Scottish Government officials are in regular contact with senior representatives of all NHS Boards, including NHS Grampian.

The Scottish Government has been working very closely with NHS Grampian in relation to the recent pressures on local services. I attended a meeting with the Board leadership team, including the Chair and Interim Chief Executive, and local elected representatives on 29 November 2024 to discuss the Board’s operational resilience plan and cover the actions underway to resume business as usual at the earliest opportunity.

Chamber and committees