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: S6O-01588

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 November 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what assets currently in public ownership it plans to privatise.

Question reference: S6W-11597

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 October 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 16 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-11363 by Jenny Gilruth on 5 October 2022, whether all jobs, including the current terms and conditions, will transfer to the new operator of the Caledonian Sleeper when the current franchise terminates in June 2023.

As the member knows, in accordance with the requirements of UK Railway legislation – namely, the Railways Act 1993, and the Scottish Ministers’ Franchising Policy Statement, consideration is being given to the successor arrangement for the continued provision of Caledonian Sleeper services. It is our firm intention, should it be required, that all current jobs and post holders will transfer, should they wish to.

Question reference: S6W-11595

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 October 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 15 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-11363 by Jenny Gilruth on 5 October 2022, whether the Caledonian Sleeper will continue to provide at least the same level of service frequency as it does at present, when it the Franchise Agreement with Serco is terminated in June 2023.

Question reference: S6W-11593

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 October 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 15 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-11363 by Jenny Gilruth on 5 October 2022, whether it expects any disruption to the Caledonian Sleeper service when the Franchise Agreement with Serco is terminated.

Question reference: S6W-11596

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 October 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 15 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-11363 by Jenny Gilruth on 5 October 2022, whether operation of the Caledonian Sleeper will transfer to the operator of last resort from June 2023.

In accordance with the requirements of the Railways Act 1993 and the Scottish Ministers’ Franchising Policy Statement, consideration is being given to the successor arrangement for the continued provision of Caledonian Sleeper services.

Scottish Ministers have to work within the relevant current legislation, principally the Railways Act 1993, which neither we, nor the Scottish Parliament have powers to change.

Question reference: S6F-01535

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 14 November 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 November 2022

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to the report, Health Inequalities in Scotland, by the Fraser of Allander Institute.

Question reference: S6O-01538

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 November 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether fatal accident inquiries are fit for purpose.

Question reference: S6W-11237

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 September 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 27 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what recent assessment it has made of the delivery of Harland and Wolff's contract with the developers of the Neart na Gaoithe offshore wind farm for eight turbine jackets under construction in the Methil facility, and how many jobs in Scotland this contract (a) directly and (b) indirectly supports.

I understand that the delivery of Harland and Wolff's contract with the developers of the Neart na Gaoithe (NNG) offshore wind farm for eight turbine jackets has now been reduced to four turbine jackets due to supply chain issues with component parts.

Whilst the number of jackets has been reduced by 50%, I understand that this will only reduce the contract value by around 10%-15%.

Due to commercial confidentiality the exact job number linked to the NNG are not available but as part of H&W overall Scotland project, it is forecast that a total of 1,042 jobs are expected to be created by H&W Methil over a 5-year period – 614 at Methil and 428 at Arnish.

Question reference: S6W-11239

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 September 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 27 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when it expects the eight turbine jackets under construction in Harland and Wolff's Methil facility to be shipped for installation in the Neart na Gaoithe offshore wind farm in the outer Firth of Forth.

Question reference: S6O-01495

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 October 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is regarding the impact in Scotland of calls by rail workers for fair pay settlements.