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-18506

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 August 2018
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 28 September 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what the intended purpose, or purposes, was of the £200,590 provided by way of a grant to Raytheon by Scottish Enterprise since 2007.

Question reference: S5W-18505

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 August 2018
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 28 September 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-14272 by Keith Brown on 23 February 2018, what it defines as "munitions" whose manufacture or export will not be supported by it, and for how long this criteria has been in place.

Question reference: S5W-18507

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 August 2018
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 28 September 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether the £200,590 provided to Raytheon by way of a grant by Scottish Enterprise since 2007 has been used to manufacture laser-guided missile systems, including Paveway IV missiles, or any equipment related to Paveway missile systems.

Question reference: S5W-18774

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 September 2018
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 27 September 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of Transport Scotland rejecting a bid from East Dunbartonshire Council for support from the Local Rail Development Fund to consider doubling sections of track on the Milngavie-Westerton route on the grounds that “Work is currently being taken forward by Network Rail to investigate current train performance (reliability) problems and determine how forecast demand can be accommodated on the route”, what discussions it has had with Network Rail regarding this work, including (a) what this work comprises and (b) by what date it will be completed.

The Scottish Government works closely with industry partners and wider stakeholders to plan rail investment, including regular discussions with Network Rail.

Network Rail and ScotRail are investigating the issues with performance on the Milngavie-Westerton route as part of the Donovan recommendations and targeted infrastructure improvements are being developed which will see capacity enhancements from November with further work scheduled to be completed by March 2019. A further, extensive review of the North Electrics/Argyle Line corridor (which includes Milngavie to Westerton) is planned by the rail industry, which will look at forecast demand and options to meet this with a high performing service.

All options for rail projects will be considered in line with the Scottish Government’s rail investment strategy.

Question reference: S5W-18712

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 September 2018
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 27 September 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how the most recent guidance on human rights reputational risk management for its agencies and other associated bodies was developed; which stakeholders were consulted ahead of or during its development, and whether it will publish the guidance.

Question reference: S5O-02429

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 September 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 October 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that pupils with additional needs receive coordinated support plans where appropriate.

Question reference: S5W-18696

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 10 September 2018
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 25 September 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that ScotRail smartcards function effectively and ease congestion at stations.

The Scottish Government's National Transport Agency, Transport Scotland, meets regularly with ScotRail to discuss all aspects of ScotRail's Smart ticketing programme. Transport Scotland monitors on an on-going basis the delivery of ScotRail's Smart committed obligations as set out in the Franchise Agreement and works closely with ScotRail to progress smart ticketing including providing a stable smart infrastructure system.

Question reference: S5W-18679

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 10 September 2018
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 20 September 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-10525 by John Swinney on 16 August 2017, whether the independent research into additional support for learning has been completed, and whether it will publish its findings.

Question reference: S5W-18645

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 September 2018
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 19 September 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-18053 by Michael Russell on 24 August 2018, what further impact assessments, contingency planning proposals and advice regarding a "No Deal" Brexit it plans to publish ahead of the UK’s planned withdrawal from the EU.

The Scottish Government intends to take a coherent, consistent and collaborative approach to preparations for EU exit and I refer the member to my statement on 11 September where I outlined the Government's plans, which include:

the alignment of existing financial and staff resources towards those areas with specific EU exit related demands;
an allocation of funding, which to date total £26.6m resource and £0.5 capital to support vital activities in 2018-2019; and,
details on how we will legislate to deliver a functioning statute book.

However, we will not add to the momentum around a “no deal” Brexit. After the UK Government has published all its technical notices, we will consider whether any further guidance is useful

Question reference: S5W-18522

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 03 September 2018
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 11 September 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-11258 by Keith Brown on 20 September 2017, for what reason the figures in the answer have twice been amended, and to what extent it considers that this meets section 1.2 (c) of the Ministerial Code, which states that “It is of paramount importance that Ministers give accurate and truthful information to the Parliament”.