- Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 15 January 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 29 January 2024
To ask the Scottish Government when CalMac will (a) publish its carrying statistics for the period after 16 May 2023 and (b) complete its audit in order to allow the publication of its latest carrying statistics.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-24402 on 19 January 2024. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers
- Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Date lodged: Thursday, 04 January 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 29 January 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will outline the potential impact of its 2024-25 Budget on (a) projects in and (b) future expenditure on its Rail Services Decarbonisation Action Plan.
Answer
(A) Specific allocations for the Rail Enhancement programmes and projects in 2024/25 continue to be considered. The 2024-25 budget allocations for the portfolio of enhancements projects will be made in the coming months.
(B) The Rail Decarbonisation Action Plan commits to all passenger diesel trains being replaced with zero emission alternatives; the order and programme in which that is done continues to be subject to appropriate business cases and available budgets. Funding decisions for Rail Decarbonisation projects are, and continue to be considered against budgets and forecast funding availability.
- Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Date lodged: Thursday, 04 January 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 29 January 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what recent assessment it has made of the relationship between staffing levels at railway stations on the ScotRail network and the accessibility of public transport.
Answer
Our vision is that all disabled people can travel with the same freedom, choice, dignity and opportunity as other citizens.
Whilst staffing levels are an operational matter for ScotRail, the importance of staff being deployed appropriately in stations and on trains to enhance the passengers’ experience, including accessibility, is clear.
- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 04 January 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 29 January 2024
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-08733 by Jenny Gilruth on 15 June 2022, whether any discussions have taken place with Transport for London about its Veteran Oyster Card, and whether it has considered introducing such a scheme in Scotland.
Answer
Transport Scotland undertakes regular engagement with Transport for London on a range of issues relevant to public transport provision. Transport Scotland has not specifically considered replicating the Transport for London Oystercard Veterans initiative.
The current National Concessionary Travel Scheme provides free bus travel for disabled people, irrespective of the cause of their disability. In addition, in 2021 the veterans rail card was launched, providing discounted rail travel.
The Fair Fares Review has been completed and will be published in the coming weeks. This will provide an opportunity to discuss and debate how to improve Scotland’s public transport system to deliver in a fairer and simpler way, whilst progressing towards achieving our Government’s priorities on equality, opportunity, and community.
- Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Date lodged: Thursday, 04 January 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 29 January 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what evaluation it has made to date of the trial of an all-day, off-peak fare on ScotRail services.
Answer
I refer the Member to the answer to question S6W-21967 on 18 October 2023.
An interim value for money assessment, which includes cross-modal impacts, using a multimodal evaluation of current travel patterns and impact to date in line with His Majesty’s Treasury Green Book principles to be undertaken of value for money is underway. At the end of the Pilot a final evaluation will be undertaken and the Scottish Government will carefully consider its impact and the long-term sustainability of such a proposition.
All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers .
- Asked by: Sharon Dowey, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 04 January 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 29 January 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what work it is doing to reduce any inequalities in pregnancy loss and baby deaths of Black and Asian babies in Scotland.
Answer
We are dedicated to tackling inequalities in maternity experience and outcomes. That is why we asked NHS Boards to prioritise the roll-out of continuity of carer in maternity care, that underpins The Best Start programme leading to improved outcomes, for women from Black and minority ethnic backgrounds, as well as for women experiencing multiple social complexity.
In January 2023, we launched a programme of work with a focus on racialised inequalities in maternity, informed by data and evidence from reports, including MBRRACE-UK (Mothers and Babies: Reducing Risk through Audits and Confidential Enquiries across the UK) confidential enquiries, audit reports, and third sector reports on the lived experiences of service users. We have established a short-life working group, bringing together third sector organisations, healthcare professionals, professional bodies and national networks to identify and take evidence-based actions addressing inequalities, with the voice of those with lived experience at the centre.
- Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Alba Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 18 January 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 26 January 2024
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on Net Zero Nation's proposed project for a Net Zero Pilot Accelerator involving 20 SMEs “to help decarbonise the Grangemouth supply chain”, as referred to in the Grangemouth Future Industry Board minutes of 11 August 2022.
Answer
Net Zero Nation launched their first Pilot Accelerator programme in Grangemouth in June 2023. This was funded by the Grangemouth Future Industry Board. The launch of this event was hosted by Forth Ports, who collaborated with Net Zero Nation to identify businesses in the Grangemouth area to recruit onto the Accelerator programme. The organisation successfully recruited 20 local SMEs onto the programme in 2023 and have plans to launch their Accelerator 2.0 Programme with a second cohort of Grangemouth businesses in early 2024.
The Accelerator programme provides businesses with advice on developing carbon reduction plans as well as access to CBN Expert carbon accountancy software, allowing them to record and report their carbon emissions in compliance with SECR and PPN 06/21 standards. The programme also facilitates networking opportunities for businesses to share their experience, with a goal of fostering collaboration between businesses who are seeking to decarbonise their operations.
- Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Alba Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 18 January 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 26 January 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether it can take any action to enable Petroineos Grangemouth to refine a greater volume of crude oil from the North Sea, and if doing so could potentially extend the life of the oil refinery beyond 2025.
Answer
As I outlined in my correspondence to you on 17 January, presently and historically, the vast majority of the crude oil transported into Grangemouth via the FPS is exported and not refined at Grangemouth.
- Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Alba Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 18 January 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 26 January 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what steps the Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy can take to secure the reported £60-80 million investment in the hydrocracker at Petroineos Grangemouth, in order to extend the life of the oil refinery beyond 2025.
Answer
The Scottish Government will continue to work closely with the business on its plans to bring forward new low carbon projects at Grangemouth. We are committed to exploring all opportunities that would preserve employment and maintain the cluster’s position as a supplier of critical fuels.
- Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Alba Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 18 January 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 26 January 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it can take to co-ordinate any necessary (a) investment and (b) action to help sustain the refinery operations at Petroineos Grangemouth.
Answer
The Scottish Government chaired the Grangemouth Future Industry Board Industrial Leadership Forum on 18 January which included representation from the UK Government and Petroineos to explore all options regarding the future of the refinery site. I am encouraged that, at this meeting, the UK Minister of State for Energy Security and Net Zero confirmed the UK Government's willingness to consider any proposals that support a long-term and sustainable future for the refinery business, recognising its strategic importance to the economy of the whole of the UK.
