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: S4W-27781

Asked by: Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 September 2015
Current Status: Answered by Margaret Burgess on 9 October 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what rights a landlord has to change the locks on their property if a tenant has moved out but has kept the keys to the landlord’s property.

Question reference: S4W-27782

Asked by: Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 September 2015
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 8 October 2015

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is examining the possibility of extending the Borders Railway to Carlisle.

As co-signatory to the Borders Railway Blueprint document we are committed to feasibility work to extend the Borders Railway line towards Hawick and Carlisle. This work is being managed by Sestrans, the Regional Transport Partnership for the area. Transport Scotland is working with and providing advice to Sestrans to ensure feasibility work is as meaningful as possible by highlighting the further work that will be required post feasibility, to prepare an appraisal/strategic business case to satisfy current transport appraisal guidance.

Question reference: S4T-01128

Asked by: Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 28 September 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 September 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what action it can take in relation to the reported shortage of trading standards officers in Scotland.

Question reference: S4W-27466

Asked by: Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 11 September 2015
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 16 September 2015

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-24003 by Derek Mackay on 21 January 2015, whether it will provide an update on what progress has been made with the speed limit trial.

Progress has been made with proposals for the 20 mph speed limit pilot by way of traffic surveys and engagement with the local authority. We are developing an integrated proposal for the 20 mph limit pilot encompassing both the trunk and local roads to provide the greatest safety benefits and support the needs of the community of Langholm.

On confirmation that the local authority has agreement to proceed, we will engage further with the community through a joint public exhibition on the combined plan.

Question reference: S4W-27184

Asked by: Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 24 August 2015
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 3 September 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what information was made available on Transport Scotland’s website regarding the closure of the A75 between the A76 and the A702 on 22 to 23 August 2015.

Through the Traffic Scotland service https://trafficscotland.org/ Transport Scotland provides a high quality public service delivering traffic information for road users on Scotland’s motorway and trunk road network.

A news story advertising the proposed works was placed on the Traffic Scotland website on 18 August 2015. The works were also advertised on the ‘Planned Roadworks’ page of the Traffic Scotland website prior to the start date and thereafter details transferred to the ‘Current Works’ page of the Traffic Scotland website. During the event Inrix broadcast details of the closure to all media partners and Traffic Scotland tweeted live updates.

Question reference: S4W-27182

Asked by: Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 24 August 2015
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 3 September 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what consultation took place regarding the closure of the A75 between the A76 and the A702 on 22 to 23 August 2015, and who was consulted.

Initial consultation with both Police Scotland and Dumfries and Galloway Council began in November 2014. On 30 July 2015 a meeting was held between Transport Scotland, Dumfries and Galloway Council, Police Scotland and Scotland TranServ where suitable dates were finalised and diversion routes agreed to minimise disruption to the travelling public. Our operating company, Scotland TranServ, also consulted the organisers of Galloway Country Fair at Drumlanrig Castle and no concerns were raised.

Question reference: S4W-27183

Asked by: Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 24 August 2015
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 3 September 2015

To ask the Scottish Government who was notified in advance regarding the closure of the A75 between the A76 and the A702 on 22 to 23 August 2015.

Police Scotland, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, P&O Ferries, Stenaline, Alive Radio, Shopkeepers Association, Loreburn Community Council, Tesco, Morrison’s, Lidl, Tariff Country Store, Heathhall Garden Centre, Dalscone Farm, Peel Centre Retail Park, MacDonald’s Fast Food, ‘Dumfries and Galloway What’s Going On’ website, Galloway Country Fair and various petrol stations in the area were notified in advance of the closure. This was carried out by the distribution of information postcards and posters.

To alert motorists and members of the public of the works, variable message signs were erected on the route, press adverts published and radio messages broadcast advising of the planned works from two weeks before the works.

In addition the closure was also contained within a Road Order (SSI 204 2015) which was published in the Herald newspaper on 29 May 2015.

Question reference: S4O-04551

Asked by: Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 September 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 September 2015

To ask the Scottish Government how it is addressing the concerns raised by the Office for National Statistics regarding the transition to the European System of Accounts 2010 and whether local authorities will be fully compensated for any additional costs for their programmes.

Question reference: S4W-26973

Asked by: Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 31 July 2015
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 25 August 2015

To ask the Scottish Government how many people have received a fixed penalty notice for driving offences in each of Police Scotland’s divisions in the last year.

<>Alternatives to court proceedings for moving motor vehicle offences can be issued by the police (conditional offers of a fixed penalty) and by the procurator fiscal (fixed penalty notices). Information on fixed penalty notices issued by Police Scotland is not held centrally. For information on fiscal fixed penalty notices, I would refer the member to the answer to question S4W-26513 on 31 July 2015 for information on fiscal fixed penalty notices. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

Question reference: S4W-26972

Asked by: Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 31 July 2015
Current Status: Answered by Frank Mulholland QC on 20 August 2015

To ask the Scottish Government how many people have received driver education as an alternative to a fixed penalty notice for driving offences in each of Police Scotland’s divisions in the last year.

Driver education is not an alternative to a fixed penalty notice issued by the police for driving offences in Scotland. In limited circumstances, prosecutors can offer individuals reported to them for an offence of careless and inconsiderate driving under section 3 of the road traffic act 1988 a diversion to the national driver alertness course or the rider intervention developing experience courses. These courses are tailored to car drivers and motorcyclists respectively instead of prosecution. The aim of the schemes is driver improvement with a view to increasing road safety. In the year 2014 to 2015 474 drivers were offered such a diversion from prosecution.