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-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: 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”.

Question reference: S5W-17702

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 16 July 2018
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 3 September 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-03736 by Keith Brown on 31 October 2016, whether it will provide the (a) name of and (b) amount received by each company involved in the arms trade that received funding from Scottish Enterprise in each year since 2006.

Question reference: S5W-18040

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 August 2018
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 29 August 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the findings in the report by the Scottish Sensory Centre, The Qualification of Teachers of pupils with visual impairment, or pupils with hearing impairment or pupils with multi-sensory impairment (vision and hearing impairment).

The Qualification of Teachers of pupils with visual impairment, or pupils with hearing impairment or pupils with multi-sensory impairment 2016 report, was commissioned by the Scottish Government, in response to the Education & Culture Committee’s inquiry into the attainment of pupils with sensory impairment.

The Scottish Government set up a Short Life Working Group to respond to the Committee’s recommendations, including the commissioning of this report. A plan, which sets out actions to deliver against all of the recommendations, was developed. A number of the actions to deliver the recommendations have already been completed and we are actively considering with key stakeholders the activities and actions required to deliver on the remaining recommendations.

I wrote to the Education Committee in March 2018 to provide an update on progress. This is available from http://www.parliament.scot/S5_Education/Inquiries/20180321Attainment_of_pupils_with_a_sensory_impairment_-_work_plan_published_version.pdf .

Question reference: S5W-18053

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 August 2018
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 24 August 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken to make preparations for any impact on Scotland of a "no deal" outcome in the negotiations to leave the EU.

Scotland voted to remain in the European Union. The Scottish Government’s view is that remaining within the European Union is the best option for Scotland’s future. Failing that, as set out in Scotland’s Place in Europe and Scotland’s Place in Europe: People, Jobs and Investment continued membership of the European Single Market and Customs Union is essential for Scotland’s economy, society and people. We will continue to make the case for that. However, in order to mitigate where possible the negative impact of other scenarios in these uncertain times, every directorate of the Scottish Government is engaged in planning, to the extent that is possible, for the UK’s exit from the EU. Our preparations are well under way, but they are constrained by a lack of clarity on the direction on negotiations with the EU, by uncertainty about the possible outcome of that and by the fact that many critical issues that will affect Scotland’s interests are reserved and the responsibility of the UK Government.

Question reference: S5W-18043

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 August 2018
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 20 August 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how many teachers of children and young people (a) with vision impairment and (b) who are deaf there have been in each year since 2007, broken down by local authority.

Statistics on the number of teachers with a main subject of visual impairment and hearing impairment are published in the teacher census supplementary data (split by primary, secondary, special and centrally employed) and are available on the Scottish Government website:

https://www.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/Browse/School-Education/teachcenssuppdata

These statistics exclude teachers at grant aided special schools as data on subject taught is not collected from teachers at these schools.