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: S5W-03544

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 October 2016
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 25 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how it assesses the (a) site and (b) cumulative environmental impacts for proposals for woodland expansion.

Forestry Commission Scotland assesses the site of proposals for woodland expansion and their environmental impacts using the Selection Criteria (stated in Schedule 3 of the Environmental Impact Assessment (Forestry) (Scotland) Regulations 1999) and the information supplied by the applicant. The cumulative impact of projects is taken into account during the Environmental Impact Assessment determination screening phase.

Question reference: S5W-03543

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 October 2016
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 25 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how it records the potential cumulative impact of new commercial afforestations and how these records help to inform decisions for assessment criteria.

The cumulative impact of projects is taken into account during the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) determination screening phase. Information on existing woodland creation projects is recorded and is available to Forestry Commission Scotland staff and the public through the publically available web browsers at the following: http://scotland.forestry.gov.uk/supporting/communication-consultation/map-viewer-guidance

Question reference: S5W-03217

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 20 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what the cost to business will be of the MV Hebrides running aground on 25 September 2016; how much freight traffic will be disrupted; what contingencies it will introduce to allow freight to move during the disruption, and what support it will offer to the businesses affected.

CalMac Ferries Limited (CFL) worked hard to clear any backlog of freight following the MV Hebrides incident. Business and freight customers should contact CFL direct for the most up to date information and assistance during this period of disruption. CFL put in place a number of contingency measures including vessel redeployment and revisions to timetables to ensure that lifeline services continue to link to the Western Isles during this period of disruption.

The MV Hebrides resumed service on the Clyde & Hebrides Ferry Services network on Sunday 16 October 2016. This followed full repairs in the Garvel, Clyde, and effective sea trials.

Question reference: S5W-03212

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 19 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how long the disruption will be to the Uig-Tarbert-Lochmaddy ferry route following the MV Hebrides running aground on 25 September 2016; how many passengers will be affected, and what support it will offer to them.

The MV Hebrides resumed service on the Clyde & Hebrides Ferry Services network on Sunday 16 October 2016. This followed full repairs in the Garvel, Clyde, and effective sea trials.

The contingency arrangements put in place by the operator, CalMac Ferries Ltd, during the period of disruption, including repositioning of vessels, ensured that connectivity with the Western Isles was maintained.

Affected customers were encouraged throughout this period to contact the operator if they had any concerns.

Question reference: S5W-03210

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 18 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what the reason was for the technical failure that caused the MV Hebrides to run aground on 25 September 2016, and what steps it is taking to avoid similar incidents in the future.

Question reference: S5W-03216

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 18 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how often equipment safety checks are completed on the ferries that serve the Outer Hebrides.

Question reference: S5W-03215

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 18 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how much it will cost to repair of the damage to the pontoons at Lochmaddy harbour following the MV Hebrides running aground on 25 September 2016, and where the funding for this will be sourced.

Question reference: S5O-00223

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 5 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to promote telehealth and telecare.

The Scottish Government's Technology Enabled Care, or TEC, Programme was set up in 2014 to significantly extend the number of people directly benefiting from technology enabled care and support in Scotland, which includes telehealth and telecare.

Funding from the TEC Programme drives activity within Health boards, Integration Authorities and other delivery partners who remain responsibly for promotion locally. A report of the first year of funding, covering 2015-16, shows that already close to 25,000 additional people have benefited from the Programme. This report will be published later in October.

The Scottish Government will also publish this month our National Action Plan for Technology Enabled Care, setting out a range of actions to further promote telehealth and telecare as part of service redesign.

Question reference: S5W-03155

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 23 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 5 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what action it can take to reduce the number of bats being killed by the condition, barotrauma, as a result of flying near to wind turbines.

Question reference: S5W-02887

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 4 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with broadband providers in the last year regarding the speeds that they offer customers.

The Scottish Government has regular dialogue with broadband providers on a range of issues, including speeds. I most recently met with BT on 6 September 2016 at which broadband speed issues were discussed. Ofcom, the UK telecoms regulator, has a key role in overseeing the quality of service, and speeds, delivered by broadband providers. I recently met Sharon White, Ofcom’s Chief Executive, where broadband speeds, and wider quality of service issues, were discussed.