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-12442

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 03 November 2017
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 14 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take in light of recent reports that over 125,000 fish have died as a result of Pasteurella skyensis on the Isle of Lewis.

Scottish Government’s Fish Health Inspectorate received notification of increased mortality at North Shore fish farm, Isle of Lewis, and a site inspection was conducted on 18 October 2017. Diagnostic samples were taken to screen for the presence of listed diseases and to determine the cause of mortality on site. There is no evidence of listed disease from any of the samples taken. A diagnostic case review will be completed before written notification, which will include the significance of any findings, is issued to the company.

Question reference: S5W-12432

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 03 November 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 14 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports that NHS Highland did not meet the 90% target for drug and alcohol treatment patients to be seen within three weeks in 2016-17, what action it will take to ensure that this target is met in future.

The Scottish Government Alcohol and Drug Partnership (ADP) National Support Team are in regular contact with ADP officials in NHS Highland to support improved performance.

Developing and delivering services in a rural and remote setting can prove sensitive to fluctuating demand and workforce capacity. Highland ADP has developed a more sophisticated understanding of the work required to meet Waiting Times standards. A series of changes are being tested in relation to both access and structure of services to secure improvement.

It has also been highlighted at the NHS Board’s annual review, with improvement of this standard listed as an action point for 2017-18.

We will continue to work with NHS Highland ADP and monitor these improvements over the coming months.

Question reference: S5W-12272

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 30 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 9 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the finding in the Audit Scotland report, Transport Scotland’s ferry services, that there was a £128 million difference between Transport Scotland’s cost estimate for the Clyde and Hebridean Ferry Service bid and the initial bid from CalMac.

The potential to achieve cost savings can be a benefit of competitive tendering however, It may also be possible to generate similar savings through other procurement methods.

We are currently undertaking a procurement policy review into future provision of our lifeline ferry services. The policy review will include consideration of the financial implications relevant to the procurement of ferry services in future, including the extent to which efficiencies can be achieved through either competitive tendering or the direct award of contracts to an in-house operator.

Question reference: S5W-12273

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 30 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 9 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the suggestion that the £128 million difference between Transport Scotland’s cost estimate for the Clyde and Hebridean Ferry Service bid and the initial bid from CalMac, which was identified in the Audit Scotland report, Transport Scotland’s ferry services, illustrates the benefit of having competitive tendering.

Question reference: S5O-01432

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 November 2017
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 8 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what it anticipates the impact will be on its environmental and climate change targets of its plan to make the A9 Scotland’s first fully electric-enabled highway.

Question reference: S5W-12237

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 27 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 7 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Audit Scotland report, Transport Scotland’s ferry services, what its position is on whether the average passenger numbers on the Gourock-Dunoon route suggests that the current service level is excessive and inappropriate in respect to the needs of the community.

Question reference: S5W-12199

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 27 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 7 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Audit Scotland report, Transport Scotland’s ferry services, what action the agency is taking regarding considering the value for money of providing financial support for the Gourock-Dunoon route.

We welcome the publication of the Audit Scotland report, and recognise the need to continually review our approach to providing ferry services, and to reassess the needs of ferry users.

The Gourock – Dunoon ferry service provides a vital transport link for foot passengers between Dunoon town centre harbour and the rail head at Gourock harbour. The Scottish Government remains fully committed to this route, and the economic and social benefits it provides to the residents of Dunoon and the wider Cowal peninsula.

The public service obligation is set by the Scottish Ministers. The need for the service is defined by the impact it has on the wider economic and social sustainability of the community served. In its 2009 Decision on Scottish Ferry Services the European Commission concluded that there is a sound economic and social justification for public support of a passenger service on this route.

Service levels and subsidy required are dependent on the characteristics of the ferry service being provided.

An interim report on the emerging findings from our on-going policy review into the future procurement of Scottish Government funded ferry services will be published shortly. The report will outline the implications for each ferry service, including Gourock – Dunoon.

Question reference: S5W-12238

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 27 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 7 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Audit Scotland report, Transport Scotland’s ferry services, for what reason the Gourock-Dunoon route has the highest subsidy to cost ratio of the services provided under a public service obligation (PSO).

Question reference: S5W-11441

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 25 September 2017
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Annabelle Ewing on 20 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Aarhus Convention Compliance Committee report, Compliance by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland with its obligations under the Convention, which states that Scotland is not compliant.

The Scottish Government welcomes that the Aarhus Convention Compliance Committee report recognised, 'the significant progress made to date'.

Further work is underway to strengthen Scotland's compliance with the Convention. The Scottish Civil Justice Council has just completed a consultation on enhancing the system of Protective Expenses Orders that assists those who are bringing litigation related to the environment.

Question reference: S5O-01335

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 September 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to control the number of geese in the Highlands and Islands.