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-30280

Asked by: Alison Johnstone, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 March 2016
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 18 March 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers that the recommendations regarding separate collection streams in the European Commission report, Assessment of separate collection schemes in the 28 capitals of the EU: Final Report, are adequately reflected in Scottish legislation.

The requirements of the Waste Framework Directive relating to the separate collection of waste were transposed into Scots law through the Waste (Scotland) Regulations 2012. Whilst the report is based on a study of 28 EU capitals and did not involve Scotland, I see nothing in the report’s recommendations to indicate that the Scottish Government’s approach to transposition and implementation of the provisions of the directive that relate to separate collection are either non-compliant or inadequate. In fact, Scotland has gone further than most EU countries in making the separate collection of food waste a statutory requirement and we were the first UK administration to do so.

This, allied to our statutory ban on municipal biodegradable waste going to landfill by 2021, (the only UK administration to make this statutory), is another example of Scotland leading the way in tackling waste.

Along with our delivery body Zero Waste Scotland we will continue to work closely with local authorities and the private sector to develop separate collection procedures. A good example of this is the development of the Household Recycling Charter and associated Code of Practice, which aims to bring a consistent approach to recycling in Scotland.

In addition, my recent publication of Scotland’s first Circular Economy Strategy, Making Things Last, will take the targets and ambitions of our Zero Waste Plan and Safeguarding Scotland’s Resources document and put them firmly in the context of our action for a more circular economy.

Question reference: S4W-30576

Asked by: Alison Johnstone, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 March 2016
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 17 March 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken to (a) ensure that public procurement of IT does not enable abusive labour practices and (b) affiliate with Electronics Watch.

The Scottish Government’s standard terms and conditions of contract include clauses on corruption, equality, black-listing, payment of subcontractors and protection of the environment. We recognise that abusive labour practices are a concern in IT procurement, and have included targeted clauses to address this in IT frameworks. These frameworks are available for use across the Scottish public sector, charities and voluntary organisations.

While we appreciate the work Electronics Watch are doing, we are already including fair work requirements and appropriate clauses in our IT frameworks, and have identified that there are a range of sectors where labour conditions are a concern. We are therefore tackling this matter, with the support of the Scottish Fair Trade Forum and the Equality and Human Rights Commission in a number of areas.

Question reference: S4W-29735

Asked by: Alison Johnstone, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 05 February 2016
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 24 February 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what (a) its position is on and (b) guidance it provides to local authorities regarding closing streets to cars at certain times of the day to allow (i) children to play outdoors close to home and (ii) regular community events to take place.

Local authorities are responsible under the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 for the management and maintenance of local roads within their areas. Where necessary, this includes restricting local roads for events. In certain circumstances Scottish Ministers’ consent is required to make a temporary traffic regulation order that closes or restricts a road for a special event. Guidance on this matter was issued to local authorities in September 2015.

This government is aware of the issues that residents face with regard to temporary road closures for the purposes of play. We are evaluating lessons learned from successful resident-led projects elsewhere in the UK and considering how that learning might be applied in Scotland.

Question reference: S4O-05574

Asked by: Alison Johnstone, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 February 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 February 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure equal access to justice in environmental matters.

Question reference: S4W-29475

Asked by: Alison Johnstone, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 25 January 2016
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 11 February 2016

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the public health impacts of underground coal gasification are not being assessed by Health Protection Scotland.

Underground coal gasification (UCG) employs different technology to that used for unconventional oil and gas extraction, and it is therefore appropriate for the two to be considered separately.

On 8 October 2015 the Scottish Government announced a moratorium on UCG and an independent examination of the issues and evidence surrounding the technology, to be led by Professor Campbell Gemmell. Professor Gemmell will seek stakeholder input on a range of issues, including public health.

Information on the independent review of UCG can be found on the Scottish Government website at

http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Business-Industry/Energy/onshoreoilandgas.

Question reference: S4W-29520

Asked by: Alison Johnstone, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 January 2016
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 4 February 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the (a) social, (b) economic and (c) environmental impact of the Borders Railway.

In March 2013, Transport Scotland published the Borders Railway Final Business Case which sought the approval of the Transport Scotland Investment Decision Making Board to invest in the construction of the Borders Railway. The investment case included an assessment of social, economic and environmental impacts. This is available on the Transport Scotland website at: http://www.transport.gov.scot/report/borders-railway-final-business-case

Transport Scotland will publish the ‘Borders Railway Baseline Study’ in the next month. Data from this study will be used to inform a later evaluation of the project. The report provides an overview of travel behaviour patterns and the socio economic characteristics of the area prior to opening.

Question reference: S4W-29521

Asked by: Alison Johnstone, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 January 2016
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 4 February 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to extend the Borders Railway to Carlisle, and what action it has taken to establish the level of demand for such an extension.

The Scottish Government remain committed to support the development of a feasibility study to extend the Borders Railway line towards Carlisle and are working with the local councils, the Regional Transport Partnership (SEStran) and Network Rail. Current plans are that SEStran will appoint a contractor to undertake an initial study looking at high level connectivity to the network and any future demand assessment would draw upon the take up of existing services on the Borders Railway.

Question reference: S4W-29519

Asked by: Alison Johnstone, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 January 2016
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 4 February 2016

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reported freight congestion on the A75, what plans it has to reopen the Dumfries to Stranraer rail line.

Question reference: S4O-05560

Asked by: Alison Johnstone, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 February 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 11 February 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on extending train services between Edinburgh and Glasgow later into the evening.

Question reference: S4W-29157

Asked by: Alison Johnstone, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 January 2016
Current Status: Answered by Aileen McLeod on 19 January 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers the European beaver population in Scotland to be largely disease free.