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-17345

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 June 2018
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 3 July 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether the tendering processes for new NHS premises must take account of (a) accessibility for disabled people and (b) British Standard 8300:2009 and other such legal standards.

Question reference: S5W-17341

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 June 2018
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 3 July 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what audit it expects NHS boards to take of the accessibility of their premises to disabled people; whether these are carried out in-house, and how it ensures that the boards implement the recommendations.

NHS Boards are required to comply with relevant legislation and standards for accessibility, which includes assessment and monitoring of their compliance against such requirements:

The Equality Act 2010 requires listed public authorities, including NHS Boards, to develop and publish equality outcomes and to report on progress every two years. In setting these outcomes, Boards must consider relevant evidence and take steps to involve people with protected characteristics, including disability. The Equalities and Human Rights Commission monitors and assesses public bodies’ compliance with this and other Public Sector Equality Duties.

Under the NHSScotland guidance, NHS Boards complete an annual assessment and corresponding report that includes their high level in-house assessment of the current statutory and functional condition of their facilities, as well as their strategy for future service provision. Each Board’s return is reviewed annually by the Scottish Government and the returns are summarised in the annual State of NHSScotland Assets and Facilities report which is published each year.

For new premises or major upgrades to premises, Equality Impact Assessments ensure that relevant evidence on equality is gathered and informs decision-making. In addition, the NHSScotland Design Assessment Process assesses compliance with statutory (including equality) and other and mandatory requirements.

Question reference: S5W-17342

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 June 2018
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 3 July 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that accessibility features on NHS premises adhere to British Standard 8300:2009 and other such legal standards.

NHS Boards are required to adhere to equality and disability standards for general public facilities, which currently include:

Scottish Building Regulations – Non Domestic Technical Standards 2017 - Section 4
BS 8300-1_2018 Code of Practice: accessible and inclusive EXTERNAL design
BS 8300-2_2018 Code of Practice: accessible and inclusive BUILDING design

While standards are not generally applied retrospectively, under the Equality Act 2010, Boards have a duty to make reasonable adjustments, where necessary to ensure accessibility, which could include adjustments to facilities/premises or to services or roles. For new premises or major upgrades to premises, the NHSScotland Design Assessment Process assesses compliance with statutory (including equality) and other mandatory requirements.

Question reference: S5W-17344

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 June 2018
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 3 July 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how it monitors the effectiveness of the Blue Badge parking scheme, and how it ensures that the parking spaces are not misused by others.

The Scottish Government is keen to ensure the Blue Badge scheme is fit for purpose and enables disabled people to make more journeys. The Scottish Government provides the overarching legislative and policy framework for the scheme, whereas the scheme is administered by local authorities.

Following evaluation of the recently introduced extension to eligibility criteria, Transport Scotland officials are working to improve the scheme as a whole. Officials are talking with disabled people, healthcare professionals, local authorities and other stakeholders to identify how policy changes might help. Officials are also supporting the spread of good practice in Blue Badge administration and enforcement among local authorities.

Currently evidence is being gathered to identify the factors responsible for Blue Badge misuse and policy officials are working to develop proposals to address these. For example, lack of knowledge has been recognised as one of the main reasons for misusing the scheme and a further awareness-raising awareness campaign is being considered to make people understand what impact their actions have on disabled people.

Question reference: S5W-17238

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 June 2018
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 26 June 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether the FinTech Scotland virtual hub is fully operational and, if so, on what date it became so.

FinTech Scotland has an interim digital virtual hub platform that was created at the end of 2017 to act as a ‘test and learn’ environment for connecting FinTech stakeholders and the wider ecosystem across Scotland.

Plans are now being progressed by the FinTech Scotland team to introduce a sustainable digital virtual hub platform which will build on experience over the first six months since FinTech Scotland's establishment. The hub will provide an effective platform for connecting the various stakeholders across the FinTech ecosystem to drive innovation and collaboration, grow the international profile of Scotland’s FinTech activity and establish a community for FinTech SMEs.

The first stage of the delivery of the new digital virtual hub platform is being planned for Autumn 2018.

Question reference: S5O-02280

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 June 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 27 June 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how it defines social enterprise for the purposes of providing public funding, support or other assistance to relevant organisations.

Question reference: S5W-16785

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 18 May 2018
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 7 June 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how Transport Scotland ensures that communities can engage in the monitoring of how well (a) speed cameras, (b) speed limits, (c) traffic calming initiatives and (d) other road safety measures are operating in their areas, and what review it carries out of the effectiveness of this engagement.

Transport Scotland engages with individuals and communities across Scotland on a range of road safety issues and initiatives. In all cases, we seek to support the delivery of the Scottish Government’s established casualty reduction targets by using appropriate evidence and community engagement in tandem to develop a scheme that meets a particular location or issue. Many of these engagements, for instance those on speed limits or roads safety interventions are governed by statutory requirements, which make specific provision for publications, notifications, engagement and responses and we must follow the necessary steps to ensure any action we propose to take is defensible in line with the relevant legislation and likely to be effective on the basis of the evidence.

Question reference: S5W-16784

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 18 May 2018
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 6 June 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what mechanisms are in place to allow (a) communities and (b) an area's businesses to make a financial contribution to local road safety measures.

The Scottish Government’s role is to work in collaboration to support partners in reducing risk through a range of road safety measures and this is supported through the Road Safety Framework to 2020. However, while the Framework offers this structure and guidance, deciding which road safety measure is delivered in each area is a matter for road safety delivery partners.

Therefore, should anyone wish to make a financial contribution towards local road safety measures, I suggest that they contact the relevant local road safety partners for advice on doing so. Details of the Road Safety Partners which form part of the partnership of the Framework can be found at: https://www.transport.gov.scot/transport-network/roads/road-safety/#37501 .

Question reference: S5W-16786

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 18 May 2018
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 6 June 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what account it takes of the number of injuries, fatalities and near misses on a road when considering whether there is a need to introduce additional road safety measures.

The Scottish Government is committed to achieving safer road travel in Scotland, which is why Scotland’s Road Safety Framework to 2020 contains challenging casualty reduction targets and an ultimate vision where there are no fatalities on Scotland roads.

The Road Safety Framework Strategic Partnership Board (SPB), set up by Transport Scotland, regularly monitors the Reported Road Casualty Statistics to identify where activity or resources should best be directed. Deliver partners then coordinate initiatives in order to achieve the 2020 casualty reduction targets and make progress towards "Vision Zero".

Local Authorities, and Scottish Ministers for the Trunk Road Network, have a statutory duty to promote road safety, undertake studies of road accidents and take steps to both reduce and prevent accidents. In this respect it is for them to consider appropriate measures which will safeguard road users and residents, and to determine the priority that should be given to any road safety measures.

Question reference: S5O-02202

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 May 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 June 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what action it can take to prevent further business closures in Stirling city centre.