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 790 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S6W-03685

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 13 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it (a) has taken and (b) plans to take to increase the number of face-to-face appointments with GPs.

Public Health Scotland has published guidance on distancing and infection control measures in health settings changing the 2 metre rule to 1 metre – this means more potential space for patients in waiting rooms where it is appropriate, while continuing to ensure everyone is kept safe.

Following this, NHS and Scottish Government guidance for general practices was published on 7 September. This is an important step in getting more in person appointments in primary care.

This guidance also makes clear that there is no longer a need to triage every patient, although they should continue to screen patients for Covid before seeing them face to face. It contains resources for practices to help improve their communication with patients as well as access arrangements.

The Scottish Government’s recently announced winter funding package will help increase NHS and social care capacity this winter. The new funding will support a range of measures to maximise capacity in our hospitals and primary care. Up to £28m of additional funding will underpin a range of measures to aid Dentistry and General Practice.

Question reference: S6O-00556

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 December 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the Scottish National Investment Bank's investment portfolio.

Question reference: S6W-04568

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 22 November 2021
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 6 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to introduce Just Transition conditions as part of the ScotWind Leasing process.

Question reference: S6W-04566

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 22 November 2021
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 6 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government when it expects to announce the outcome of the current round of ScotWind Leasing for offshore wind farms.

Question reference: S6W-04567

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 22 November 2021
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 6 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to publish the Supply Chain Development Statements submitted by developers as part of the current round of ScotWind Leasing.

Supply Chain Development Statements (SCDS) are a required component of the ScotWind Leasing process and are therefore administered by Crown Estate Scotland. Crown Estate Scotland will publish the SCDS Outlook documents once Option Agreements are signed by successful applicants. In addition, Crown Estate Scotland will confidentially share the commercially sensitive SCDS Narrative Documents of successful applicants with the Scottish Government and enterprise agencies. The Scottish Government and enterprise agencies would not expect to publish documentation of a commercially sensitive nature.

Question reference: S6W-04565

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 22 November 2021
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 3 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will ensure that recognised trade unions in the ferry industry are fully consulted over the design of ferries that Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL) will procure in line with the Infrastructure Investment Plan.

Transport Scotland and CMAL fully understand the importance and significance of engaging with the relevant trade unions on ferry services and future vessel contracts. Regular meetings were held with unions by Transport Scotland, CMAL and CalMac, from the outset of the Islay vessels project. Similarly, these bodies have provided unions with progress updates, whilst listening and taking action on their views when appropriate. Transport Scotland will ensure a similar approach will be taken with all future projects.

Question reference: S6W-04564

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 22 November 2021
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 3 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that workers in the ferry industry are trained to (a) operate and (b) re-fuel hydrogen-powered ferries.

Question reference: S6W-04563

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 22 November 2021
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 3 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL) regarding the procurement of hydrogen-powered ferries and infrastructure on publicly subsidised contracts for lifeline ferry services.

Question reference: S6O-00482

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 November 2021
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 December 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to encourage a modal shift to increase train passenger numbers and journeys.

Question reference: S6W-03826

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 October 2021
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 16 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what estimate it has made of the number of jobs that will be supported by the Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL) contract for two new ferries for the Isle of Islay.

The responses to the invitation to tender (ITT) for the two new ferries are expected in December 2021. The responses to the ITT will be evaluated with the preferred bidder identified by February 2022, numbers of jobs that will be supported can be advised when the preferred bidder and the programme is finalised. The investment in these vessels does of course support the communities served by the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Service and the jobs associated with the economies on these islands.