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: S5W-05151

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S5W-04295

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 31 October 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 14 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government, in its bid for the ScotRail franchise, by what date Abellio indicated that it would introduce refurbished IC125 trains on inter-city rail routes in Scotland; whether that date is expected to be met and, if not, by what date the trains will be in service and whether a financial penalty would be applied to Abellio if it did not improve services in the event of a delay in introducing improved trains.

All of the information related to Abellio’s commitments to introduce new and refurbished rolling stock is within the Franchise Agreement, Schedule 1.6, Part 1. This is the formal contract between Scottish Ministers and ScotRail and has been available since 20 February 2016 on the Transport Scotland website.

On potential penalties I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-24870 on 23 March 2015. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

Question reference: S5W-04153

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 31 October 2016
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 11 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to encourage more lenders to support the Help to Buy (Scotland) Affordable New Build Scheme and other shared equity schemes.

The Scottish Government meets regularly with our scheme partner the Council of Mortgage Lenders to consider a number of issues related to the Help to Buy (Scotland) schemes, including encouraging new lenders to participate in the scheme and provision of mortgage products. We would encourage any lender considering offering products to do so.

Officials have also met directly with lenders, including new market entrants, during the scheme's operation and are willing to meet any prospective lender with an interest in providing support or mortgages for shared equity homes.

Question reference: S5W-03762

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 October 2016
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 8 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on giving people with type 1 diabetes free access to blood glucose monitoring technology such as the Abbott Freestyle Libre.

We expect clinicians to follow appropriate national clinical guidelines and standards to ensure that continuous blood glucose monitoring technology is accessible to those who would clinically benefit from it.

Work is currently on-going to develop a national approach for the use of Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) devices in Scotland, as we recognise the speed of development of this technology.

Question reference: S5W-04269

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 31 October 2016
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 8 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether it would consider amending the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009 so that Kemnay would be considered a Potentially Vulnerable Area (PVA) before the 2019 review.

There are no plans to amend the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009. The Act created a new framework for the assessment and management of flood risk to reduce the risk of flooding from all sources, as far as is reasonable, taking full account of environmental, economic and social priorities. As part of this new approach, the Act requires SEPA to carry out a National Flood Risk Assessment (NFRA) every 6 years, and from this identify Potentially Vulnerable Areas (PVAs) where a significant flood risk exists. The decision not to include Kemnay as a PVA was taken by SEPA based on the best evidence available at that time, including flood maps, historical flood data held for the area, and public consultation.

SEPA is now starting the process for reviewing the NFRA and the designation of PVAs as part of the next cycle of flood risk management planning and will be considering new evidence and information. It should be noted that whilst the PVAs are the primary focus for flood risk management actions by public authorities, areas outwith them can also be subject to flood assessment and management at the discretion of the local authority.

Question reference: S5W-03788

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 14 October 2016
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 7 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government when it last consulted its Chief Scientific Adviser on fracking and for what reason.

Scottish Government officials have met with the Chief Scientific Advisor and Chief Scientific Advisor for Rural Affairs, Food and the Environment a number of times to provide a summary of the unconventional oil and gas work underway. The Scottish Government values the contribution of the scientific advisors, and our evidence-led approach to unconventional oil and gas underlines the value the Scottish Government places on robust science.

Question reference: S5O-00313

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 November 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how much carbon dioxide was released as a result of Ineos importing shale gas from the United States.

Question reference: S5W-03314

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 1 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will categorise xeroderma pigmentosum as a genetic DNA repair disorder, as opposed to a skin condition, to enable people with the condition to claim middle rate Disability Living Allowance.

While we will have powers over disability benefits in the future, the Scottish Government does not yet have the power to amend the qualifying criteria for Disability Living Allowance. We are consulting on our approach to Social Security in Scotland. However, until the necessary legislation and delivery mechanisms are in place, the UK Government will continue to set the qualifying criteria for disability benefits.

Question reference: S5W-03313

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 1 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on providing access to adapted vehicles to people with xeroderma pigmentosum who are reliant on them, regardless of their care component rating.

The Scottish Government has set out plans to continue to work with Motability, the independent charity that provides vehicles to recipients of qualifying disability benefits, to ensure the scheme can continue to operate in Scotland when powers over disability benefits are devolved.

The Scottish Government is currently consulting on its approach to Social Security in Scotland. However, until the necessary legislation and delivery mechanisms are in place, the United Kingdom Government will continue to set the qualifying criteria for disability benefits.

Question reference: S5W-03790

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 14 October 2016
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 31 October 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to ensure that investment in geothermal energy technologies is not discouraged by its moratorium on unconventional gas extraction.

The moratorium on unconventional gas extraction does not cover geothermal energy and should therefore not discourage investment in geothermal energy technologies or have an impact on geothermal energy exploration.

The Scottish Government is keen to develop the potential of a geothermal industry in Scotland which will help reduce carbon emissions while providing additional security of energy supplies. The Scottish Government has been working with stakeholders to explore the capacity of geothermal and its viability as a self-sustaining, economically attractive investment prospect with local community support for the principles of the project, including an understanding of its potential environmental impact.

During 2015-16, the Scottish Government made £179,000 grant available to explore the technical feasibility, environmental sustainability and economic viability of four locations in Scotland: Fife, North Lanarkshire, Aberdeenshire and Aberdeen City. The findings of these studies are available on the Scottish Government website at http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Business-Industry/Energy/Action/lowcarbon/LCITP/geothermal. A technical appraisal of the feasibility study reports has been undertaken, and a further grant of £37,000 has been awarded to the University of St Andrews for development work in Fife.

The roles of the regulatory authorities in relation to these developments is outlined in the Scottish Government guidance document available at:

http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Business-Industry/Energy/Energy-sources/19185/GeothermalEnergy/RegulatoryGuidance.