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-20053

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 November 2018
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 3 December 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how long each ferry in the CalMac fleet is expected to be operational.

Question reference: S5W-19593

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 October 2018
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 21 November 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how much has been spent on repairs to the CalMac fleet in each calendar year since 2007.

Question reference: S5O-02571

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 November 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 November 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how many police officers there are.

Question reference: S5F-02779

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 12 November 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 November 2018

To ask the First Minister what plans the Scottish Government has to evaluate the impact on sales of minimum unit pricing of alcohol.

Question reference: S5W-19560

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 October 2018
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 9 November 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how many vessels in the current CalMac fleet have been built since 2007; how many tons of vessels have been built since 2007; what percentage of the total fleet tonnage this represents, and how many vessels there are in the current fleet, broken down by vessel tonnage.

Since 2007, there have been 8 new vessels introduced by Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (CMAL) to the CalMac Ferries fleet operating on the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Service (CHFS) network.

The combined gross tonnage of these 8 vessels is 19477 tonnes.

This represents 29.34% of the total fleet, by gross tonnage.

There are currently 31 vessels in the CHFS fleet.

Vessels in CHFS fleet .

	Gross Tonnes (GT)
MV Carvoria	7
MV Catriona	499
MV Loch Seaforth	8680
MV Lochinvar	499
MV Hallaig	499
MV Finlaggan	5626
MV Loch Shira	1024
MV Argyle	2643
MV Bute	2612
MV Coruisk	1599
MV Loch Portain	950
MV Hebrides	5506
MV Lochnevis	941
MV Clansman	5499
MV Loch Alainn	396
MV Loch Bhrusda	246
MV Isle of Lewis	6753
MV Caledonian Isles	5221
MV Loch Tarbert	211
MV Loch Buie	295
MV Loch Fyne	549
MV Loch Dunvegan	549
MV Lord of the Isles	3504
MV Isle of Mull	4719
MV Loch Ranza	206
MV Loch Riddon	206
MV Loch Linnhe	206
MV Loch Striven	206
MV Hebridean Isles	3040
MV Isle of Arran	3296
MV Isle of Cumbrae	201

Total Gross Tonnage	66388

Full details are available on the CMAL website. http://www.cmassets.co.uk/ferries/

Question reference: S5W-19520

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 October 2018
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 9 November 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how many times services on the (a) Tobermory-Kilchoan, (b) Ardrossan-Brodick, (c) Claonaig-Lochranza, (d) Ardmhor-Eriskay, (e) Oban-Castlebay, (f) Colintraive-Rhubodach, (g) Wemyss Bay-Rothesay, (h) Oban-Coll-Tiree, (i) Oban-Colonsay-Port Askaig-Kennacraig, (j) Talbert-Portavadie, (k) Largs-Millport, (l) Tayinloan-Gigha, (m) Uig-Tarbert, (n) Fionnphort-Iona, (o) Kennacraig-Port Askaig-Port Ellen, (p) Gallanach-Kerrera, (q) Ullapool-Stornoway, (r) Freight Ullapool-Stornoway, (s) Oban-Lismore, (t) Oban-Craignure, (u) Lochaline-Fishnish, (v) Uig-Lochmaddy, (w) Berneray-Leverburgh, (x) Sconser-Raasay, (y) Mallaig-Armadale, (z) Mallaig-Small Isles and (aa) Mallaig-Lochboisdale ferry route have been (i) delayed and (ii) cancelled in each year since 2007.

Information on how many times services on the ferry routes requested have been (i) delayed and (ii) cancelled in each year since 2007 in the form requested has been collated and is available from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre ( Bib . number 60164).

The data relating to (q) Ullapool to Stornoway and (r) Freight Ullapool to Stornoway services cannot be separated and are reported in the same Ullapool to Stornoway line of the information provided.

Question reference: S5W-19325

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 October 2018
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 8 November 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what the total cost of using locum staff at NHS Ayrshire and Arran has been in 2018.

From January - August 2018 NHS Ayrshire and Arran has spent £6,563,200 on internal and agency Medical Locum staff. This equates to 0.9% of their overall 2018-19 budget allocation. Temporary staff allow NHS Boards to maintain services during times of planned and unplanned absences including staff sickness, leave and short and longer term vacancies.

Since September 2006 the medical workforce in NHS Ayrshire and Arran has risen by 29.8% which includes a 59.6% rise in the Consultant workforce from 180.9 to 288.8 WTE, a rise of 2.3% (up 6.1) in Doctors in Training and a rise of 37.1% (up 29.7) in other trained doctors which includes Specialty Doctors. GPs have also increased by nearly 5% (up 15) headcount during the last 11 years. Recruitment of permanent members of staff to fill vacant posts remains a priority for the board.

Question reference: S5W-19517

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 22 October 2018
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 7 November 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what the total cost is of the First Minister’s communication team, and how many staff it has had in each year since 2007, broken down by role.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W–19518 on ‎ 7 November 2018. 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 .

Frontline communications teams have a dedicated Team Leader per portfolio with all other frontline communications staff expected to work flexibly across all portfolios depending on demand, therefore it is not possible to provide the specific breakdowns requested.

Question reference: S5W-19518

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 22 October 2018
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 7 November 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what the total cost is of its communication team, and how many staff the team has had in each year since 2007, broken down by role.

The cost of frontline communications staff/press officers in each year since 2007 to the most recent financial year is available at Scottish Government website: https://beta.gov.scot/publications/cost-of-frontline-communications-staff/

The number of full-time equivalent (FTE) frontline communications staff/press officers is set out in the following table.

Numbers of FTE staff vary throughout the financial year and the figures represent staff numbers on just one day of each year, March 31 st . This means that these figures are a 'snapshot': they do not represent either a total number or average number of staff employed in the year.

Year	FTE
2007-08	51.2
2008-09	48.4
2009-10	44
2010-11	36.41
2011-12	37.97
2012-13	37.28
2013-14	50.14
2014-15	40.9
2015-16	43.7
2016-17	38.6
2017-18	45

Frontline communications teams consist of Team Leaders, Senior Media Managers and Media Managers. Portfolios have a dedicated team leader with all other frontline communications staff expected to work flexibly across portfolios depending on demand.

Question reference: S5W-19042

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 September 2018
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 6 November 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5T-01217 by Derek Mackay on 18 September 2018 (Official Report, c. 7), what discussions it has had with (a) Ferguson Marine and (b) Caledonian Assets Maritime Ltd (CMAL) regarding moving the development of the ferries to another shipyard for completion.

2007	£7,920,199
2008	£8,279,384
2009	£8,575,398
2010	£9,581,796
2011	£9,800,410
2012	£10,714,167
2013	£12,594,035
2014	£15,460,375
2015	£18,018,939
2016	£18,231,507
2017	£19,751,529