Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-27046

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 10 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made on the delivery of recommendation 11 of the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2).

Since the publication of the draft of STPR2 in January 2022, a multi-partner working group consisting of Transport Scotland (TS), Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) and Glasgow City Council (GCC) has been established to better define the scale of work that Clyde Metro might represent and the associated resource and programme requirements. This is overseen by a Programme Steering Group comprising of the Chief Executives of those organisations. SPT are leading the current stage of Clyde Metro, known as the case for investment stage, working alongside Glasgow City Council and with Transport Scotland providing support in a project assurance role. This key stage, which is currently underway, will define the Clyde Metro network. I understand that SPT have recently appointed consultants for some early work, with procurement of a framework for multi-disciplinary consultancy services for later phases of the case for investment currently ongoing.

Question reference: S6W-27047

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 10 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how much has been spent on the delivery of recommendation 11 of the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2) to date, and what any funding has been used for.

Since the publication of the draft of STPR2 in January 2022, a multi-partner working group consisting of Transport Scotland (TS), Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) and Glasgow City Council (GCC) has been established to better define the scale of work that Clyde Metro might represent and the associated resource and programme requirements. This is overseen by a Programme Steering Group comprising of the Chief Executives of those organisations. SPT are leading the current stage of Clyde Metro, known as the case for investment stage, working alongside Glasgow City Council and with Transport Scotland providing support in a project assurance role.

Since the publication of STPR2, Transport Scotland took a lead on delivering the recommendation on behalf of the Programme Steering Group and have spent approximately £921,000 on early consultancy services aimed at defining the scope, governance, programme and budget of Clyde Metro. This does not include spend incurred by SPT and GCC.

Question reference: S6W-27000

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 what it discussed in its meetings with Glasgow City Council on (a) 19 and (b) 27 February 2024 regarding teacher numbers, and whether a minute of each meeting exists.

Question reference: S6W-27082

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, further to the answer to question S6W-26786 by Jenny Gilruth on 25 April 2024, what its position is on Glasgow City Council's reported plan to substantially reduce the number of teacher posts.

The Scottish Government has a longstanding commitment to protecting teacher numbers, and we are offering local authorities £145.5m in this year’s budget for that purpose. This funding will allow councils to protect teacher numbers in order to support children’s education.

We have informed councils that we will issue this funding in the form of grants and councils will be required to commit to maintaining teacher numbers as part of those grant conditions.

Question reference: S6W-27136

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 10 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it can take to secure the improvement of Ardrossan Harbour, in light of recent reported criticism by CalMac of the harbour’s owner, Peel Ports.

CalMac are right to raise any concerns they have around infrastructure maintenance at the ports which they use to provide services for our island communities. Transport Scotland continue to engage regularly with Peel Ports Group as owner of Ardrossan Harbour and fully expect facilities to be maintained appropriately in line with operating agreements to support ferry services. Ministers are currently awaiting the completion of essential business case and cost review work for the longer-term investment proposals at Ardrossan, and I hope to provide an update on this to Parliament before the summer recess.

Question reference: S6W-27243

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 10 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the timeline and process towards delivering its commitment to introducing Low Emission Zone (LEZ) schemes in (a) Edinburgh, (b) Aberdeen, and (c) Dundee.

Low Emission Zones (LEZs) were formally introduced in Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow on 31st May 2022, with grace periods beginning at this point.

Enforcement in Glasgow began on 1 June 2023 (with an additional year for residents within the zone). Enforcement in Dundee will begin on 30 th May 2024 and in Aberdeen and Edinburgh on 1 June 2024.

Transport Scotland continues to work closely with local authorities and DVLA to ensure consistency in the approach to LEZ enforcement.

Transport Scotland is confident that these measures will lead to a reduction of harmful emissions in our city centres.

Question reference: S6W-27240

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 10 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-20438 by Fiona Hyslop on 29 August 2023, whether it will provide a progress update on the National Speed Management Review.

The National Speed Management Review is due to be completed in the coming weeks and we will then consider the proposed outcomes.

The review process will thereafter include a stakeholder and public consultation to consider their views on whether any changes to speed limit policies and speed management measures should be introduced as part of our speed management plan. The stakeholder and public consultations will take place in the coming months.

Question reference: S6W-27132

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 whether it will provide an update on its timeline for the introduction of free ferry travel for island residents under 22 years old.

Question reference: S6W-27385

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 May 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 23 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider amending the provisions in the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 in relation to the licensing and regulation of taxis in order to make the provision of a card payment facility mandatory, in light of reported concerns regarding the inconvenience that cash-only operations can cause to passengers and the potential impact on the efficient operation of taxi ranks.

Question reference: S6W-26984

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 9 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many school technicians were employed in Scotland in each of the last 10 years, broken down by local authority area.

Management information on the weekly hours of school support staff for 2020-2023 and of full-time equivalent school support staff for 2019, including technicians, can be found here: https://www.gov.scot/publications/school-support-staff-management-information/

Data on full time equivalent support staff for 2010 to 2016 (not comparable to the 2020-2023 management information), including technicians, can be found here: https://www.gov.scot/publications/teacher-census-supplementary-statistics/

Chamber and committees