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-00236

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 May 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 10 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many delays to ferry services operated by CalMac have been caused by mechanical complications in the last five years.

The number of times a mechanical problem has resulted in a delay to ferry services operated by CalMac Ferries Ltd between October 2016 to March 2021 is detailed in the following table.

Period	Scheduled Sailings	No. of Sailings Delayed	% of sailings delayed
Contract Year 1 Oct 2016 – Sept 2017	156,820	213	0.14
Contract Year 2 Oct 2017 – Sept 2018	163,892	198	0.12
Contract Year 3 Oct 2018 – Sept 2019	164,161	249	0.15
Contract Year 4 Oct 2019 – Sept 2020	119,651	272	0.23
Contract Year 5 Oct 2020 – March 2021	68,966	86	0.12
TOTAL	673,490	1,018	0.15

Question reference: S6W-00256

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 May 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 10 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what the estimated costs are for structural repair works to the M8 Woodside Viaducts in Glasgow.

Transport Scotland are preparing robust estimates for the all the works involved with the repairs to the viaduct. However, the current estimate for the propping to enable the M8 restrictions to be removed and facilitate the repair works is £33.36million. This estimate, and the delivery programme, is being refined to ensure value for money as detailed design progresses. Costs for the subsequent concrete repair works to the supports will be provided by Transport Scotland’s Operating Company, Amey, when the extent of the repair works and repair method is agreed.

Question reference: S6W-00260

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 May 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 10 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will commit to assembling half of all new trains procured for the domestic railway network within Scotland, equivalent to the commitment made by the Welsh Government.

Firstly, as means of clarification the Welsh Government did not commit to 50 percent of its fleet being assembled in Wales prior to its procurement. Both the Welsh and Scottish Governments must comply with relevant procurement law.

The procurement strategy for new rolling stock, to be produced by the wholly owned Scottish Government company named ScotRail Trains Limited, will be subject to approval by Transport Scotland. Through that process, the Scottish Government will seek to maximise opportunities for the involvement of the local supply chain.

Transport Scotland has already undertaken informal market testing with manufacturers to ensure the importance of local input is clear and any procurement will restate this. The current Class 314 conversion project at Bo’ness is focussed on developing a local supply chain which will support the need for diesel train replacement by zero emissions fleets.

Question reference: S6W-00205

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 24 May 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 10 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many electric charging points ChargePlace Scotland has installed in each year since 2012-13.

The shift to electric vehicles is an important part of responding to the climate emergency and improving air quality in our cities. To help incentivise this shift, the Scottish Government have invested over £45 million in Scotland’s own electric vehicle charging network, ChargePlace Scotland, which has steadily grown since 2012 with the highest number of installs being recorded in 2020 for both private and publicly owned charge points.

The ChargePlace Scotland network currently hosts 2080 electric vehicle charge points, which includes 335 charge points that are not available for public use but will support the blue light services, fleets and depot charging.

Year	Total	Public	Private
2013	122	122	0
2014	129	129	0
2015	277	277	0
2016	107	107	0
2017	170	170	0
2018	118	118	0
2019	321	267	54
2020	556	371	185
2021	280	184	96
	2080	1745	335

Question reference: S6W-00482

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 04 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 10 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Shetland Fishermen's Association paper, 'ICES-plus': Improving scientific advice in Scottish fisheries management.

Marine Scotland scientists provide the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) with data, evidence and expertise in relation to stocks of interest to the UK providing the basis for international advice. These scientists already contribute to the peer review of ICES advice in accordance with the organisation’s own advisory framework and principles, and are best placed to comment on the quality of advice from ICES and where appropriate challenge that advice or the interpretations and assumptions.

Marine Scotland intends to discuss these issues with the fishing industry under the Future Fisheries Management Strategy. The Scottish Government’s negotiating position has always been to deliver the best outcome for Scotland’s fishing interests through securing sustainable catching opportunities.”

Question reference: S6W-00572

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 June 2021
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Humza Yousaf on 10 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the NHS Board Performance Escalation Framework and the NHS boards that are currently escalated.

Prior to the start of the Covid-19 Pandemic, there were six Health Boards in Scotland who had been escalated to Stage 3 or above within the NHS Boards Performance Escalation Framework. This is the stage at which Boards are considered to require a higher level of support and oversight, from Scottish Government and/or other senior external support.

Boards can be escalated for a number of different reasons and can have more than one status, reflecting their individual positions. Reasons for escalation include:

Financial position and financial management
Operational Delivery/Performance
Governance, leadership and culture
Quality and safety

The six escalated Boards escalated were as follows:

NHS Ayrshire and Arran
NHS Borders
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde
NHS Lothian
NHS Highland
NHS Tayside

Following a recent review of escalated Boards by the Health and Social Care Management Board, and despite the challenges of responding to the Covid-19 Pandemic, the majority of Boards were found to have demonstrated sufficient improvement in relation to the issues which had led to their escalation to justify a reduction in their escalation status. The following table shows the changes which have now been made.

Board	Current Stage after Review	Previous Stage (date)	Primary Factors Influencing Escalation
NHS Ayrshire & Arran	3	3 (July 2018)	Financial position and management
NHS Borders	3	4 (Nov 2018)	Financial position and management;
NHS Borders	2	4 (Nov 2018)	Governance and leadership
NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde	4	4 (Nov 19/Jan 20)	QEUH & RHC (Infection control and related issues)
NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde	2	4 (Nov 19/Jan 20)	Performance and Service Delivery – including strengthening management capability and capacity
NHS Highland	3	4 (Nov 2018)	Financial position and financial management; Governance, leadership and culture Mental Health Performance
NHS Lothian	1	4 (Sept 2019)	Royal Hospital for Children and Young People
	2	3 (July 2019)	Performance and Service Delivery:
	3	3 (July 2019)	Mental Health Performance
NHS Tayside	3	4 (Feb 2019)	Mental Health Performance
NHS Tayside	2	4 (Feb 2019)	Financial position and financial management and governance and leadership

Scottish Government officials will continue to closely monitor Board performance during this challenging period. Those Boards who remain at Stage 3 or above will continue to receive enhanced support and scrutiny of progress against their plans for improvement.

Question reference: S6O-00034

Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 June 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the appointment of the new Makar.

Question reference: S6O-00041

Asked by: Sandesh Gulhane, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 June 2021
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what impact the presumption against short sentences has had on the number of people who are sent to jail for assaulting emergency workers.

Question reference: S6O-00043

Asked by: John Mason, MSP for Glasgow Shettleston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 June 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its plans to tackle violence against women, particularly in relation to prostitution and purchasers of sex.

Question reference: S6O-00046

Asked by: Paul McLennan, MSP for East Lothian, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 June 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many projects have been funded by the CashBack for Communities programme in East Lothian since the initiative was launched.