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 895 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S5W-29565

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 June 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 16 June 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential impact on disabled passengers of Abellio ScotRail’s plans to reduce the number of Travel Shop serving positions at Glasgow Queen Street station.

Question reference: S5W-29563

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 June 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 16 June 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Abellio ScotRail regarding its plans to reduce the number of Travel Shop windows from six to two at the redeveloped Glasgow Queen Street station.

Question reference: S5W-29564

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 June 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 16 June 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential risks to staff and passenger safety and security in relation to the proposals to relocate the Travel Shop serving windows to an open plan location at the redeveloped Glasgow Queen Street station.

Question reference: S5W-29191

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 May 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 10 June 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance it has given to local authorities to ensure that active travel infrastructure established under the initiative introduced in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, Spaces for People, will be accessible to blind and partially-sighted people.

To ensure Spaces for People infrastructure will be accessible to blind and partially-sighted people, support is provided to local authorities through our delivery partner Sustrans Scotland. If required by local authorities, they will facilitate specialist advice, such as from the Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland (MACS).

Additionally, MACS has written a guidance note on Temporary Street Measures during the Coronavirus Crisis , to help ensure the mobility needs of disabled people are fully considered.

Sustrans are offering support to local authorities on a range of areas such as design, engagement, equality impact assessment, monitoring and evaluation.

Question reference: S5W-29194

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 May 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 10 June 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what effect the initiative introduced in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, Spaces for People, might have on bus routes, and what action it is taking to ensure that people with limited mobility who use these routes will still be able to access essential buildings, including shops and medical facilities.

Individual local authorities are best placed to engage with all relevant parties to make an assessment of the impact of their Spaces for People projects on bus routes, and to make plans to ensure access to essential shops and services for those with limited mobility. This engagement includes bus operators where appropriate.

To assist with this, Sustrans Scotland are offering support to local authorities on a range of areas such as design, engagement, equality impact assessment, monitoring and evaluation. Additionally, the Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland has written a guidance note on Temporary Street Measures during the Coronavirus Crisis , to help ensure the mobility needs of disabled people are fully considered.

Question reference: S5W-29193

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 May 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 10 June 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what work it has been carrying out with train operators regarding how passenger assist will be adapted as the COVID-19 lockdown eases, and how this will ensure that disabled passengers can continue to be assisted with boarding and leaving trains.

The Transport Transition Plan was recently launched and guidance has been issued to public transport providers.

Further information can be found at: https://www.transport.gov.scot/coronavirus-covid-19
/transport-transition-plan/guidance-for-transport-operators/

This guidance confirms that those requiring assistance when travelling and would normally contact their transport operator ahead of time, should continue to do so, to enable the operator to prepare accordingly.

Passengers should also maintain a 2 metre distance from members of staff. If this is difficult to achieve, passengers should try to avoid physical contact, if possible, and keep the time they spend within 2 metres of staff as short as necessary.

Question reference: S5W-29479

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 May 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 10 June 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how much was allocated to the Places for Everyone programme in the 2020-21 Budget; how much of this has been reallocated to the Spaces for People programme; how much remains in the Places for Everyone fund, and whether it will provide additional funding for the Places for Everyone programme if there is demand.

The Scottish Government allocated up to £50.8 million for the Places for Everyone programme in 2020-21. To date £30 million has been repurposed to the Spaces for People fund, leaving £20.8 million of the original allocation for the Places for Everyone programme. The repurposing of funding recognises the expected demand for Places for Everyone project funding in 2020-21, however this will be kept under review.

Question reference: S5W-29190

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 May 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 10 June 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether equality impact assessments will be carried out on traffic layouts established under the initiative introduced in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, Spaces for People.

We expect public bodies making temporary changes to road space in response to Covid-19 to comply with all relevant statutory duties including, where applicable, the public sector equality duty and requirements to carry out equality impact assessments.

Sustrans are offering support to applicants on a range of areas such as design, engagement, equality impact assessment, monitoring and evaluation. Additionally, the Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland has written a guidance note on Temporary Street Measures during the Coronavirus Crisis , to help ensure the mobility needs of disabled people are fully considered.

Question reference: S5W-29562

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 June 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 10 June 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has reviewed Abellio ScotRail’s proposals for changes to the redeveloped Glasgow Queen Street station Travel Shop in light of COVID-19 and the need for social distancing.

It is the responsibility of Abellio ScotRail to ensure the plans for the Travel Shop at the redeveloped Queen Street station take account of the recently published Transport Transition plan which contains comprehensive guidance relating to physical distancing for transport operators, staff and members of the public.

Abellio ScotRail has reviewed the design proposals for the new travel shop which will include, if necessary, the temporary installation of screens to support physical distancing for staff and customer welfare. Meantime, they have temporarily maintained the current travel shop location due to the impact Covid-19 has had on the project timescales.

Question reference: S5W-29192

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 May 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 8 June 2020

To ask the Scottish Government when the review of Cycling by Design will be completed.

The review of Cycling by Design is being progressed, led by representatives of Transport Scotland, Sustrans and local authorities working in partnership. The programme for delivery of this work is currently under review due to uncertainties around reduced availability of partners and consultees caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Work on Cycling by Design is continuing where possible to ensure that it can be published as soon as practicable.