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: S5O-03052

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 March 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 27 March 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what impact its Budget has had on local authorities.

Question reference: S5O-03007

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 March 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 March 2019

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will provide an update on the ongoing issues with the car park barrier system.

Question reference: S5T-01528

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 04 March 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 March 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that the number of paramedics signed off work with depression or stress increased by more than 40% last year.

Question reference: S5O-02955

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 February 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 March 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to a recent news release by the Scottish Crofting Federation stating that many crofters believe that their incomes have been significantly affected by wildlife.

Question reference: S5W-21733

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 February 2019
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 26 February 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that, since 2007, ministers have approved 105 wind farm applications that had previously been rejected by local authorities, and that all local authority decisions in Clackmannanshire were overturned.

Our energy and climate change goals mean that onshore wind will continue to play a vital role in Scotland's future - helping to substantively decarbonise our electricity supplies, heat and transport systems, thereby boosting our economy, and meeting local and national demand. Scottish Minsters are committed to seeing the right developments in the right places. Decisions are made on the planning merits of the case. Reporters from DPEA have issued 248 decisions on planning appeals for wind farms since 2007, of which 105 (42%) have been granted. In Clackmannanshire one windfarm planning appeal decision, which was granted consent, has been issued since 2002.

Question reference: S5W-21217

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 January 2019
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 6 February 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Fife Council regarding the need to ensure that land is available to create an effective transport hub with bus/train interchange and active travel provision in respect of the Levenmouth Rail Link.

The evidence from a completed and robust transport appraisal in line with Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance is needed before consideration could be given to the development of any emerging project. Transport Scotland is leading the transport appraisal work for the Levenmouth Sustainable Transport Study, in close collaboration with Fife Council. The findings from the transport appraisal work will identify if there is a rationale for progressing the Levenmouth rail link, which is one of the options being considered.

Question reference: S5O-02868

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 January 2019
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 6 February 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what action is being taken to help pupils affected by the closure of the New School in Butterstone.

The Board’s decision to close the school is an extremely sad event and I am aware of the impact this has had on the whole community, and especially the young people who attended the school.

Since the Board made its decision to close, all seven local authorities have been working closely with families to identify the appropriate care and support for the young people who attended the school.

Every family has been offered support and education by the local authority, and it is our understanding that for 17 of the 24 enrolled at the school, alternative education arrangements have now been made, including post 16. Some of these are interim arrangements whilst long term solutions are identified.

A further 4 service users have other support, including adult support services, in place.

I continue to receive regular updates on the progress being made and will continue to work to ensure positive outcomes are achieved.

Question reference: S5O-02828

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 January 2019
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 30 January 2019

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a summary of information that was received by the Cabinet Secretary for Government Business and Constitutional Relations during his recent ministerial visit to Belgium.

On 21 January the Cabinet Secretary visited the Port of Zeebrugge and met with its Managing Director Mr Joachim Coens. This was an opportunity for the Cabinet Secretary to see first-hand the infrastructure and technology that the port applies for roll-on roll-off cargo, container traffic, bulk goods, conventional cargo and more specialist goods such as fish and liquefied natural gas. It was also an opportunity to discuss the arrangements that the Port Authority is putting in place to mitigate against a variety of different Brexit scenarios.

The Cabinet Secretary also met with MEP Danuta Huebner, Chair of the European Parliament’s Constitutional Affairs Committee, to discuss the progress in Brexit negotiations and the challenges ahead. The Cabinet Secretary was keen to better understand the EU position given recent developments in the United Kingdom, and to share his thoughts on the work and difficulties that the Scottish Government and Scotland more generally are facing in the face of these next few weeks.

Question reference: S5W-21056

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 January 2019
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 29 January 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what its reaction is to reports that NHS Forth Valley is planning to remove the Pulmonary Rehabilitation Unit at the Royal Hospital in Larbert and that this could subsequently lead to the closure of the tele-health rehabilitation service offered at Clackmannanshire Community Health Centre and in Callander.

NHS Forth Valley has confirmed that they a trialling a reconfiguration of local pulmonary rehabilitation services to effectively shift the balance of care from the acute site to more accessible local venues at the Peak in Stirling and Grangemouth Sports Centre. Classes at both venues will be fully staffed by respiratory nurses and physiotherapists whilst the move will open up space at the Royal Hospital for more acute care.

NHS Forth Valley has asked that any patients who have issues accessing the classes in Stirling and Grangemouth contact them to consider whether transport assistance can be provided. The Health Board has confirmed these arrangements are being trialled for six months after which patient feedback will be evaluated to inform the future shape of these services. As such, I would encourage local patients and their representatives to play a full part in this.

Question reference: S5O-02782

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 January 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 January 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to NHS Forth Valley being escalated to Stage 3 on the NHS Board Performance Escalation Framework.