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-12594

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 9 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish an ancient woodland register.

Question reference: S6W-12596

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 8 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many times the Scottish Ministers have used their powers to make tree preservation orders in each year since 2011.

Both Scottish Ministers and the planning authority have a duty to ensure, whenever appropriate, that in granting permission for any development adequate provision is made for the preservation or planting of trees. In addition, a planning authority or the Scottish Ministers may make a Tree Preservation Order (TPO) if it appears to them to be expedient to do so and where relevant statutory tests are met.

The general principle under which the planning system operates in Scotland is that decisions should be taken at the most local administrative level unless there are compelling reasons for taking them at a higher level.

In line with this approach, Scottish Ministers will only use their powers with regards to tree preservation orders (TPOs) in exceptional circumstances where national issues of importance are raised. As such, we have no record of any TPOs made by Scottish Ministers since 2011.

More detail about tree preservation orders is available in Circular 1/2011: Tree Preservation Orders at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2011/01/28152314/0 .

Question reference: S6O-01691

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 December 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the comments from the Auditor General in his 2021/22 audit of the Scottish Government Consolidated Accounts that financial support for Burntisland Fabrications Limited, Ferguson Marine Engineering Limited, Prestwick Airport and the Lochaber Aluminium Smelter "has not delivered expected outcomes and is unlikely to achieve value for money".

Question reference: S6W-12601

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 7 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many failures to comply with property factor enforcement orders have subsequently been complied with as a direct result of follow-up action taken by the Scottish Ministers in each of the last five years.

Question reference: S6W-12603

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 7 December 2022

Question reference: S6W-12452

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 7 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6F-00752 by Nicola Sturgeon on 3 February 2022, what consultation had taken place with island communities on the issue of unbundling the ferry network before 3 February 2022, and what consultation has taken place since.

Further to the answer to S6W-12451 on 6 December 2022 - Consultation was carried out in developing the Ferries Plan 2012-2022, we continue to have regular engagement on general ferry issues with island communities and appropriate consultation with all relevant stakeholders including the work to be taken forward by the Chair of the Ferries Community Board in the near future.

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/written-questions-and-answers

Question reference: S6W-12430

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jackson Carlaw (on behalf of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body on 7 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will consider providing insurance for MSPs, similar to the policies offered to MPs, including professional indemnity insurance.

The Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body currently maintains the following types of insurance that extend to MSPs:

Employers’ liability
Public / Products Liability
Travel and personal injury

There is currently no provision for Members in respect of professional indemnity insurance and there are no current proposals to expand the existing suite of insurance provision. If any such proposals were to be made, consideration would need to be given to the guidance on insurance set out in the Scottish Public Finance Manual and budget implications generally. In place of insurance, the SPCB approved the Legal Advice Scheme. This Scheme allows the SPCB’s Legal Services function to provide advice to Members subject to certain conditions and exclusions, either directly or through supporting the provision of advice by People Services or Standards Clerks. This covers legal disputes, claims or actions raised against Members when acting in their parliamentary or constituency role; advice in relation to employment of Members’ staff; and advice in relation to Code of Conduct issues.

Question reference: S6W-11568

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 October 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 7 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to publish the minutes from the June 2022 meeting of the Ardrossan Harbour Task Force.

Question reference: S6W-12451

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 6 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6F-00752 by Nicola Sturgeon on 3 February 2022, what its position is on whether the decision to verbally rule out unbundling Scotland’s ferry network went against the regulations set out in the Islands (Scotland) Act 2018 on consulting island communities.

Question reference: S6W-12392

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 21 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 6 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-12054 by Jenny Gilruth on 17 November 2022, whether the Scottish Government has the power to extend the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Service contract after its conclusion in September 2024, and for what reason it did not provide this information in its answer.

Further to our response to S6W-12054, the Scottish Government has the power to operate lifeline ferry services and has been doing so through the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Service contract since 2007. We are currently considering the most appropriate route for continuity of these services supported by the engagement with local communities to be taken forward by the Chair of the Ferries Community Board in the near future and will provide further advice once our plans have been finalised.