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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

Filter your results Hide all filters

Displaying 2224 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S5O-00828

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 March 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has carried out of public support for a second referendum on Scotland leaving the UK.

Question reference: S5W-07610

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 15 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether problems have been encountered with utility service diversions on the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (AWPR) and, if so, what impact these could have on (a) the programme and (b) its completion date.

The new AWPR/B-T route is approximately 58km and interfaces with over 300 individual utility apparatus such as water pipes, gas pipes, electricity cables etc. As is usual for this type of project, the project contractor manages and coordinates utility diversions. Our technical advisors remain of the view that the contractor’s target of opening the roads in winter 2017-18 remains achievable.

Question reference: S5O-00743

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 8 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how many of the recently announced 371 new teacher training places will be at the University of Aberdeen.

Question reference: S5W-06817

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 1 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how many applications have been made to the sportscotland Sport Facilities Fund in 2016-17 and how (a) many have been approved and (b) much has been awarded.

Question reference: S5W-06816

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 1 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding (a) it and (b) the National Lottery will provide toward the sportscotland Sport Facilities Fund in (i) 2016-17 and (ii) 2017-18.

SportScotland’s budget for the Sport Facilities Fund, for the period 2016-17, is £5 million. This includes an in-year increase of £1million to address the programmes’ facility commitments. The Sport Facilities Fund is wholly-funded using National Lottery monies, as Scottish Government does not provide investment into this programme.

SportScotland’s budget for 2017-18 is not known at this time and is subject to, both, the outcome of the Budget (Scotland) Bill 2017-18, and of the National Lottery Distribution Fund (NLDF) resources, administered by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

Question reference: S5W-06819

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 1 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government further to the answer to question S5W-05557 by Shona Robison on 10 January 2017, whether the 200 new ambulance technicians, who are to be recruited to replace existing technicians moving into paramedic roles, will be trained to the same standards and qualifications as the staff whom they are replacing.

New ambulance technicians recruited to backfill positions of technicians who have moved on to become paramedics will enter into the recently revised SAS technician training programme.

From 2016 the Technician programme for new appointees involves completing a Level three Diploma in Emergency Care Support which, when followed by completion of a Level four Diploma for Emergency Medical Technicians will allow staff to qualify as an Ambulance Technician with the Scottish Ambulance Service.

The overall programme takes approximately 18 months to complete and the Diploma is equivalent to Scottish Curriculum and Qualifications Framework (SCQF) level seven. This new course is delivered more locally to the candidates at six regional clinical education centres, has widened access and, as it is slightly longer, allows the students more time to consolidate their clinical skills and theoretical knowledge under the supervision of a qualified clinician.

The level 4 Vocational Diploma has been developed in conjunction with other UK Ambulance Services and is endorsed by the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives. It covers the same curriculum as provided by the previous Certificate of Higher Education (Cert HE) in Ambulance Studies (also equivalent to SCQF level seven) and staff have an identical scope of practice on completion.

Question reference: S5W-06818

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 1 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-05557 by Shona Robison on 10 January 2017, how many additional ambulances will become operational in the NHS Grampian region as a result of the 32 newly-trained paramedics being deployed there.

Question reference: S5W-07060

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 24 February 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, further to its statement on Scotland’s ferry services on 2 February 2017, what steps it will take to reassure Serco NorthLink staff and their trade union representatives over the continuity of contractual terms and conditions of employment should an extension to the existing contract be required; by what date any contract extension will have to be produced by Transport Scotland, and whether it will consult the recognised trade unions before signing any contract extension with the existing employer.

I am committed to keeping Serco Northlink Ferries fully informed of the purpose and progress of the review, and on-going engagement with the trade unions involved.

The current public service contract is due to expire on 25 April 2018. Any extension of the contract would be a matter for negotiation between the Scottish Government and the operator of the public service contract.

Contractual terms and conditions of employment are a matter for Serco Northlink Ferries as the employer. I do not foresee the need for any changes to the current terms and conditions of employment during the review or as a consequence of any extension period being agreed.

Question reference: S5W-07063

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 24 February 2017

To ask the Scottish Government further to its statement on Scotland’s ferry services on 2 February 2017, on what date its discussions with Serco NorthLink on extending the existing contract for Northern Isles ferry services began.

Question reference: S5W-07064

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 23 February 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what stage it has reached in its discussions with the Royal Bank of Scotland regarding the leasing arrangements for the (a) Hrossey, (b) Hjaltland and (c) Hamnavoe passenger ferries deployed on the Northern Isles Ferry Service contract, and whether it will commit to making savings from revised leasing arrangements for these vessels as part of (i) the existing and (ii) any future contracts.

The existing and legally binding lease agreements for the three Royal Bank of Scotland vessels are due to expire on 25 April 2018. The current public service contract is due to expire on the same date.

The Scottish Government is presently engaged and will continue dialogue with the Royal Bank of Scotland regarding arrangements to secure the long term use of the vessels ensuring best value for the public purse.