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: S6W-27401

Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 May 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 28 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is aware of any concerns that have been raised by firefighters and/or their representatives regarding the reportedly alleged unsuitability of new Angloco all-terrain vehicles that have been purchased by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.

Question reference: S6W-27434

Asked by: Tess White, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 May 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 28 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on progress towards publishing Scotland's first Flood Resilience Strategy in 2024.

Question reference: S6W-27104

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 29 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 10 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-26870 by Fiona Hyslop on 25 April 2024, whether it will detail the value of each of the contracts listed.

The value of consultant contracts held by Transport Scotland relating to the Ardrossan Harbour Re-development Projects since 2016 are provided below:

MacWilliams Consulting – Gateway Review, £8,491.60
Turner and Townsend – 2023 Cost Estimate Review, £60,800.40

Work by Morton Fraser MacRoberts (previously MacRoberts Solicitors) on the Commercial and Legal agreements is still ongoing. From financial year 2019-2020 to 2023-2024 our records indicate that payments of £202,353.60 have been made.

All costs are inclusive of VAT.

Transport Scotland are currently reviewing their financial system for costs associated with the 2016-2017 STAG report undertaken by Peter Brett Associates and I will provide an update to the member separately on this item when the review is complete.

Question reference: S6W-27093

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 26 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 10 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has spoken to the relevant authorities regarding plans to bolster public transport links between Ayr and Stranraer, in light of the reported ongoing disruption on the railway line from Ayr.

Officials from Transport Scotland are in regular dialogue with South Ayrshire Council, ScotRail and Network Rail regarding the ongoing disruption caused by the fire at the Ayr Station Hotel. Officials have separately kept the Regional Transport Partnership apprised of developments.

Feedback from ScotRail is that demand for the replacement bus service on the routes South of Ayr has been low.

Officials in Transport Scotland, and the rail industry, are working closely with South Ayrshire Council to ensure that every effort is made to complete the required safety related works affecting services as swiftly as possible to enable the restoration of rail services as soon as it is safe to do so.

Question reference: S6W-27131

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 10 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government by what date it expects island residents under 22 years old to have access to free ferry travel to the mainland.

The draft Islands Connectivity Plan Strategic Approach, published for consultation on 1 February 2024, said that we would take forward detailed consideration of proposals for under 22 year old island residents to provide free foot passenger travel on inter-island ferries within the Outer Hebrides, Orkney, and Shetland Island groups and extend the existing National Ferry Concessionary Scheme.

The online consultation concluded on 6 May 2024 and responses will now be collated and analysed. Further detail on next steps and timescales will be confirmed in due course.

Question reference: S6W-27083

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 10 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when the Strategic Board for Teacher Education last met, and what was discussed.

The Strategic Board for Teacher Education last met on 21 March, to discuss progress against the three workstreams contained in the Board’s workplan.

These are:-

Workstream 1 – Workforce Planning and Increasing Diversity of the Profession
Workstream 2 – Improving the Promotion of Teaching as a Valued Career
Workstream 3 – Continuum of Teacher Education

The agenda, minutes and papers from this meeting and future meetings will be published on the Scottish Government website in due course. The next meeting of the Board is scheduled for 15 May.

Question reference: S6W-27092

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 26 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 10 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has conducted an economic impact assessment of any damage to the economy of Stranraer and the surrounding area due to the reported ongoing disruption on the railway line from Ayr.

Question reference: S6W-27127

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 10 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when it will report the findings of the peak fares removal pilot to the Parliament.

Question reference: S6W-27091

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 26 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 10 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has conducted an equality impact assessment regarding the number of any missed health appointments as a result of the reported ongoing disruption to the railway line from Stranraer to Ayr, in particular for women.

Lead responsibility for Ayr Station Hotel rests with South Ayrshire Council while Network Rail has lead responsibility for the railway station itself.

All parties are aware of the disruption to travel caused by the dreadful vandalism which set fire to the Station Hotel. Rather than conduct post-event impact assessments, the focus of all partners involved is on working collectively to restore services to normal as soon as it is safely possible to do so.

Until rail services can be restored, a replacement bus service is in place to enable passengers on the affected route to access work, leisure, education and any other personal matters, including medical appointments.

Question reference: S6W-26654

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 10 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what powers it has to amend the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 to reduce or amend the distances from home to school before free school transport is provided.