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-23861

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 10 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how it (a) monitors passenger numbers on local bus services and (b) assesses whether any local bus service routes are at risk due to low passenger numbers, particularly in light of any changes in passenger numbers since the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Department for Transport publishes data and statistics about the local bus sector in Great Britain, which includes passenger journey numbers. This is used in the Scottish Transport Statistics publication, and the Scottish Government currently has no plans for further monitoring of passenger numbers.

The Scottish Government does not assess the commercial viability of individual bus service routes, Local authorities have a duty to identify where there is a social need for particular bus services and can seek additional information from bus operators to support that identification in cases where services have been varied or withdrawn.

Question reference: S6W-23907

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 9 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-23449 by Mairi McAllan on 12 December 2023, what information it is gathering to inform the transport demand management options described, and how it is gathering it.

The Scottish Government is taking a systematic approach to gathering information on transport demand management options. This includes reviewing relevant reports and evidence, tracking developments across the UK and abroad, and commissioning our own research where key gaps exist. Transport Scotland commissioned research on equitable options for car demand management, referred to in S6W-15653 on 21 March 2023. More recently, Transport Scotland commissioned an evidence review on ‘ Reducing Car Use through Parking Policies’ . Collectively, all available evidence from Scottish Government commissioned research and external sources will help inform options and proposals, which, working with local and regional partners, we intend to set out in a Demand Management Framework by 2025.

All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/questions-and-answers

Question reference: S6W-23910

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 9 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, as part of setting a national carbon budget, whether it has discussed or reviewed what a "vehicle kilometres travelled" budget might look like for Scotland and how this might be implemented.

In line with international reporting practice and independent advice from the UK Climate Change Committee, Scotland’s statutory climate change targets are set on the basis of long-term reductions in total net territorial emissions, and also include a share of emissions from international aviation and shipping. As set out in the answer to S6W-23278 on 11 December 2023 the Scottish Government has no plans to set per capita carbon budgets. There have not been any discussions or review of what a 'vehicle kms travelled' budget may look like for Scotland. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/questions-and-answers

Question reference: S6W-23915

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 5 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of the Community Bus Fund since September 2023.

Question reference: S6W-23914

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 4 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government which organisations or interested parties have received funding through the Plugged-in Communities Grant Fund in 2023-24.

The Scottish Government provides annual funding to Energy Saving Trust (EST) who are an independent organisation working to address the climate emergency. EST then deliver the Plugged-in Communities (PiC) grant fund on behalf of Scottish Ministers.

EST publish details of all PiC grant recipients along with the grant values on their website, this information can be found here - Plugged-in communities grant fund - Energy Saving Trust .

In 2023-2024 the following organisations received Plugged-in Community funding:

Annandale Community Transport Services

Beannachar Ltd

Caithness Rural Transport

Camphill School Aberdeen

Checkin Works

Coalfield Community Transport

Creich Croick & Kincardine District Day Care Association

Elder Voice

Glasgow Children’s Hospital

Glasgow No.1 Baby and Family Support Service

Handicabs (Lothian)

Healthy and Active in East Kilbride

Homeless Project Scotland

Local Energy Action Plan

Lothian Community Transport Services

Moray Carshare

South Ayrshire Community Transport

Southwest Community Transport

St Madoes and Kinfauns Parish Church

Tagsa Uibhist

The Food Train.

Question reference: S6W-23908

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 21 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether the roll-out of the recommendations by the Electricity Networks Commissioner will have implications for (a) regional spatial strategies, (b) local development plans and (c) local place plans in Scotland, and, if it will, what communication it will have with local authorities to ensure that this is captured in these documents as they are updated.

We are supportive of the strategic approaches for the co-ordination, design and delivery of electricity transmission infrastructure recommended in the Electricity Network Commissioner’s Report and are currently engaging with the UK Government on plans for their implementation. We will update local authorities and Heads of Planning Scotland at the appropriate stage so that, where relevant, outputs can be taken into account in preparing future plans and strategies, including Local Development Plans and Regional Spatial Strategies, as well as supporting the preparation of Local Place Plans by communities.

Question reference: S6O-02927

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 December 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the work of its overseas offices.

Question reference: S6W-23858

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 20 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how it is monitoring the progress regarding the introduction of 20-minute neighbourhoods across Scotland.

National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) policy delivery is at an early stage and early action is focusing on how policy is being interpreted and used in decision making. Scottish Government is developing a monitoring framework to support the delivery of NPF4. This monitoring framework will cover all three elements of NPF4, which are the spatial strategy, national developments and national planning policies. Policy 15, Local living and 20 minute neighbourhoods is one of the key indicator policies, and will be amongst the ones on which we will have initial focus.

Question reference: S6W-23451

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 15 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has undertaken to understand any impact of future private technology mobility solutions on the viability of local authority bus franchise arrangements, and whether any legislative safeguards are required.

Prior to the introduction of the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 (“the 2019 Act”) all relevant impact assessments were conducted, and no significant issues were identified as part of this process. All the bus powers in the 2019 Act, including franchising, are designed to be flexible to ensure local transport authorities can improve bus services according to their local needs. In developing their franchising proposals, local authorities will need to take account of the individual circumstances of their area, including any potential impact of technological developments, and how the proposals will contribute to the implementation of their relevant general policies. We continue to engage with local transport authorities as we develop the further regulations and guidance required to give the franchising powers full effect.

Question reference: S6W-23450

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 13 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what work it has done to explore the potential for a national roll-out of a fully digitised real-time ride-share scheme.

Digitised ride-share schemes were included in some of the projects successful in obtaining grants from our £2M Mobility as a Service (MaaS) Investment Fund, which aims to test the viability of one-stop digital journey planning, booking and payment services for Scotland. With all projects due to complete by the end of this year, the results of these will then be analysed to determine next steps for these digital mobility services across Scotland.

Looking at the longer term, the Scottish Government published the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2), in December 2022. It recommends future funding support for pilot schemes and demonstration projects to establish how Demand Responsive Transport and Community Transport services can provide improved public transport connectivity and integration without increasing the need for revenue support.

Part of this recommendation, includes the potential to better inform people on journey options through the use of MaaS. The supporting transport appraisal noted that smart technology, where appropriate – can be used to provide improved public transport connectivity. This is important in addressing the differences in service provision between and within regions.