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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

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Question reference: S6W-17312

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 25 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when the Serco NorthLink Ferries booking system will open for bookings for dates beyond 30 September 2023.

Question reference: S6W-17313

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 25 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-11562 by Jenny Gilruth on 8 November 2022, what progress it has made on assessing whether the timing of the opening of the booking system for Serco NorthLink Ferries can be brought forward to an earlier date in the year.

Following discussions with the operator, Serco NorthLink Ferries, it was clear that the associated works required in order to change the date mid-contract would have a cost and impact to all customers.

We will however seek to revert to the previous date that would open the bookings from October, noting that the previous delays were to allow funding to be found to freeze the fares due to the cost of living crisis.

Question reference: S6W-16141

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 24 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, when it next negotiates NHS board terms and conditions with unions and staff representatives, whether it will take into account the Miscarriage Association's standards regarding pregnancy loss and miscarriage leave, in order to enable NHS boards to sign the Miscarriage Association's Pregnancy Loss Pledge.

We are fully committed through our employment policies and procedures to support employees who experience pregnancy loss at any stage of pregnancy, and our current package of support measures fully reflect the spirit and intent of the Pregnancy Loss Pledge. The ongoing NHSScotland workforce policies refresh programme offers the opportunity to go further in highlighting provisions and improving guidance for managers. These refreshed policies and supporting documents relating to the Pledge will be published in Autumn 2023.

Question reference: S6F-02017

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 17 April 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 April 2023

To ask the First Minister what urgent action the Scottish Government is taking to ensure that everyone who is eligible for any cancer testing and screening programme is receiving their invitation on time, in light of recent reports that 13,000 women who were mistakenly removed from the national database are being offered an appointment for a cervical smear.

Question reference: S6W-16140

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 14 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on proposals to locate two new 4G masts in Shetland, at sites in Skerries and Foula, as part of the Scottish 4G Infill Programme.

Question reference: S6W-16139

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 14 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether any funding remains available, through the Scottish 4G Infill Programme, that could be used to site new masts or provide upgrades to the capacity of existing sites.

Question reference: S6W-15520

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 16 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what assistance is available from NHS Scotland for patients in island areas who are required to make multiple journeys to the mainland to receive vaccinations for overseas travel.

Question reference: S6W-15521

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 16 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what assistance is available from NHS (a) Western Isles and (b) Orkney, (i) through the NHS board directly and (ii) in conjunction with mainland NHS boards, for patients requiring overseas travel vaccinations.

Question reference: S6W-15429

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 15 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what plans the Scottish Government has regarding the cost of rail fares from March 2023, following the end of the rail fares freeze that was announced by the First Minister on 6 September 2022.

The Scottish Government has a strong record of maintaining lower rail fares compared to the rest of the UK, with our commitment to this shown by the rail fares freeze in our recent Programme for Government.

The decision was taken last year to freeze ScotRail fares to the end of March 2023 to support rail users during the ongoing cost of living crisis.

I am currently considering future fare options noting the current challenging fiscal climate facing rail passengers and funders.

Question reference: S6W-15428

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 15 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what evidence-based appraisals of fixed links as solutions to strategic problems were carried out in preparation of Strategic Transport Projects Review 2.

The outcomes of the transport appraisal that supported second Strategic Transport Projects Review(STPR2), was published on the 8 December 2022 on the Transport Scotland website.

The appraisal was conducted in several phases which involved ongoing stakeholder engagement. The eleven regional and national Case for Change Reports were published in February 2021 and further details on these can be found here: STPR2 strategic approach | Transport Scotland .

Appendix D and E of the National Case for Change Report Initial appraisal: Case for Change - National - STPR2 | Transport Scotland , respectively detail those options sifted “in” and “out” for further consideration at next appraisal stage.

The outcomes of this final detailed appraisal, including details of the approach followed to appraise options, are contained in the published Final technical report - December 2022 - STPR2 | Transport Scotland .

Specific details on the results of the appraisal related to Recommendation 41 – Potential Fixed Links across the Sounds of Barra, Harris and between Mull and the Mainland can be found here: recommendation-41-potential-sound-of-harris-sound-of-barra-fixed-link-and-fixed-link-between-mull-and-scottish-mainland.pdf (transport.gov.scot)