Seòmar agus comataidhean

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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

Criathragan Hide all filters

Displaying 591 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S6W-20694

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 August 2023
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 12 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the Transport Scotland document, Ferry Concession, Guidance Note for Operators, which states, "Single concession holder: - will be able to access at no charge a berth in a same sex cabin, either two or four berth", whether it will raise with Serco Northlink Ferries its current policy, which is reportedly not in line with the stated guidance.

Question reference: S6W-20695

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 August 2023
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 12 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the Northern Isles ferry service journey from Lerwick to Kirkwall, and in light of Transport Scotland being responsible for ensuring that any policy decision about service delivery is made taking full account of equality issues, including medical needs, what consideration has been given to (a) allowing passengers to use a concessionary voucher for use of a cabin during the evening sailing from Lerwick to Kirkwall and (b) reinstating shared cabins to allow concessionary voucher holders use of a berth on all routes.

National Concessionary Travel Scheme vouchers can currently only be used for cabins on overnight sailings. Concessionary Travel arrangements are being reviewed as part of the Fair Fares Review and Islands Connectivity Plan.

The decision to remove shared cabins was taken solely by NorthLink following their risk assessments. The Scottish Government notes concerns about the impact of the removal of shared cabins on the National Concessionary Travel Scheme entitlement and this will also be considered through the Fair Fares Review and Islands Connectivity Plan.

Question reference: S6W-20597

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 11 August 2023
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 6 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to the Northern Isles route between Aberdeen and Lerwick, whether it will provide a provisional timeline (a) from pre-build to full entry into service for new (i) passenger and (ii) freight vessels and (b) for any community engagement regarding vessel design and services to ensure that they meet the needs of the islands.

The pre consultation draft of the Islands Connectivity Plan Long Term Plan for Vessels and Ports, published in December 2022, indicates that the Northern Isles Ferry Service freight vessels are scheduled to be replaced and the passenger vessels project developed between 2026-2031. As these projects progress, engagement events will be held to enable key stakeholders to contribute to the outcomes. CMAL will communicate details of the various engagement events when arrangements are made. The business case work will be reviewed when complete and all future funding for delivery will be determined as part of the annual Scottish Budget setting process, as is normal.

Question reference: S6W-20180

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 July 2023
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 22 August 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many households, by R100 contract area, remain eligible for a Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme (SBVS) voucher, but have yet to make a claim.

As of 28 July 2023, a total of 65,602 properties in Scotland remain eligible for a voucher worth up to £5,000 through the R100 SBVS. That total is broken down by R100 contract area as follows:

North – 31,104

Central – 29,550

South – 4,948

The R100 SBVS remains the most generous broadband voucher currently available and we continue to publicise its availability via the press, social media, and through continued stakeholder engagement activity across Scotland. Suppliers registered to deliver connections through the R100 SBVS provide a range of superfast capable technologies including fibre, fixed wireless, 4G and satellite. The R100 SBVS can also be combined with the UK Government’s Gigabit Voucher, where applicable, to provide up to £9,500 to secure a gigabit capable broadband connection.

Question reference: S6W-20181

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 July 2023
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 15 August 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-19328 by Richard Lochhead on 3 July 2023, whether every home and business in Scotland will have access to superfast broadband by March 2028, and, if this is not the case, whether the R100 Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme (SBVS) will continue beyond the completion of the R100 contracts and by what date it expects to meet its goal of 100% superfast broadband coverage across all of Scotland.

Through a combination of the R100 contracts, the R100 Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme and the commercial broadband market – including the emergence of technologies such as Low Earth Orbit satellite - every home and business across Scotland can access superfast broadband speeds of 30 Megabits per second (Mbps). The R100 contracts are continuing to deliver future-proofed, full fibre connections – capable of gigabit speeds; more than 30 times faster than our original superfast target.

Question reference: S6W-20179

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 July 2023
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 14 August 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what the average value has been of vouchers issued through the R100 Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme (SBVS).

Question reference: S6W-20178

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 July 2023
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 14 August 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what further support will be provided for (a) homes and (b) businesses that are outside the scope of the main R100 programme, but have chosen not to apply for a Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme (SBVS) voucher due to the ongoing cost of a bespoke connection, the reported inability to easily move providers, or the reliability of the technology on offer.

Given the reserved nature of telecoms legislation, it is the responsibility of the UK Government to ensure that people across Scotland can access reliable broadband. Despite this, the Scottish Government has had to step in and our R100 programme is currently delivering gigabit-capable, full fibre connections across Scotland. We want to push coverage as far as possible via the three R100 contracts and, so far, Openreach have connected over 6,700 additional premises, over and above those contracted at no extra cost to the Scottish Government.

The UK Government’s Project Gigabit should be a vehicle to connect any remaining premises but, to this point, UK Ministers have yet to commit a sufficient level of funding to deliver coverage across all parts of Scotland. We continue to urge them to do so.

Question reference: S6W-20123

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 July 2023
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 11 August 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6O-02399 by Gillian Martin on 21 June 2023, whether it plans to consider reforms that devolve the decisions of Grazings Committees to the local level.

The legal function of a grazing committee is to maintain the common grazing for the benefit of the crofters who share in it, and to manage the interests of those crofters.

The management and control of common grazing land, where there are many inter-acting rights, including those of crofters, landowners and grazings committees, requires safeguarding. The purpose of legislation is to ensure that these rights are kept in balance and that everyone’s rights are protected.

We will consult on the Bill proposals in due course and will consider all views as part of Bill development.

Question reference: S6W-19928

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 July 2023
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 8 August 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it will give to extending the Young Persons’ (Under 22s) Free Bus Travel scheme to include inter-island ferry travel, as reportedly called for in a motion passed by Members of the Scottish Youth Parliament at the July 2023 sitting in Orkney.

The Scottish Government published an Island Communities Impact Assessment of the Young Persons’ (Under 22s) Free Bus Travel scheme on 14 December 2021 which concluded that ferry travel should not be included in the scheme, but that issues relating to ferry fares should be considered as part of the Islands Connectivity Plan and the Fair Fares Review, which are underway. The issue of ferry fares for young people is being actively considered as part of this work.

Although the new statutory Young Persons’ Free Bus Scheme is for bus travel only, we are continuing our existing Young Persons Concessionary Travel Scheme which provides 16-18 year old islanders four free ferry journeys to or from the mainland every year, as well as discounted rail travel.

Additionally, significant fare reductions have been implemented on the Northern Isles and Clyde & Hebrides ferry networks, including a fares freeze until the end of March 2024.

Question reference: S6W-20121

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 July 2023
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 3 August 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the conclusions of the Independent Strategic Review of Funding and Commissioning of Violence Against Women and Girls Services.

The Scottish Government is absolutely clear that it is vital that funding works most effectively and efficiently to improve outcomes both for those using services and in the sphere of preventative action. We thank the Chair and Advisory Group for the their work. The Independent Strategic Review of Funding and Commissioning of Violence Against Women and Girls Services Chair, Lesley Irving, has recognised that the recommendations contained within the publication are part of a long-term approach given the wide-ranging nature of the Report. The Scottish Government will now consider the report and its recommendations, along with COSLA, local authority partners and wider stakeholders, to ensure a stable footing for funding in the future is developed.