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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-38391

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 06 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 18 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what the total projected cost is of the M8 Woodside viaducts project, and how this compares with the original estimate.

The cost estimate for the propping works is £126 million to £152 million, as previously announced in May 2024. A cost range was used due to the complexities associated with a project of this scale in a constrained urban environment, with varying ground conditions and site constraints, including the presence of a plethora of public utilities as well as the Glasgow subway underground tunnels.

The original estimate of £33.4 million in April 2021 for the propping works, was calculated without the benefit of any design or investigations having yet been undertaken due to the emergency nature of the works, and was based on the limited information available at the time.

Question reference: S6W-38390

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 06 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 18 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what the reasons are for the reported continued delays to the M8 viaduct works in Glasgow, and what the revised completion date is.

The M8 Woodside Viaduct is a complex project, which involves constructing temporary propping in a constrained urban environment to enable repairs to the half-joints which support the motorway. Transport Scotland and their contractor, Amey, have been examining each and every activity required to progress the works to ensure completion as soon as possible.

However, there have been unforeseen issues resulting in delays to the extensive piling work around the subway tunnels, which has to be carried out very carefully. Officials are assessing these issues to determine if they might impact on the current estimated completion dates and the public will be updated in due course. Updates can be found here: https://www.transport.gov.scot/projects/m8-woodside-viaducts-project/

Question reference: S6W-38427

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 06 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 18 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what environmental conditions or targets there are for the procurement of the new Intercity rail fleet.

Rail contributes just 1.2% to Scotland's total annual greenhouse gas emissions from transport, offering a sustainable and environmentally friendly way of moving both people and heavy goods.

Whilst there are no specific conditions or targets related to the future fleet which is sought to replace High Speed Trains, any replacement fleet is expected to be more energy efficient and therefore to reduce emissions.

Question reference: S6W-38392

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 06 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 18 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what economic assessment it has made of any impact of restricting the M8 in Glasgow to two lanes for six years.

Question reference: S6W-38739

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 June 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 15 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what the total lease cost is for its offices at (a) Tankerness Lane, Kirkwall, (b) Longman House, Inverness, (c) Marine Scotland (Eyemouth), (d) Marine Scotland (Peterhead), (e) St Andrew's House, Edinburgh, (f) Cadzow Court, Hamilton and (g) 4 Atlantic Quay, Glasgow.

Question reference: S6W-38737

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 June 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 15 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-37224 by Ivan McKee on 13 May 2025, what the average desk occupancy was for each of its offices from January to December 2024.

Question reference: S6W-38743

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 June 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 15 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Minister for Business and Employment met representatives of PetroChina during his visit to Beijing on 9 April 2025, and, if so, for what reason, and what the outcomes of the meeting were.

Question reference: S6W-35202

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 June 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 15 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many working groups currently exist within its (a) departments and (b) agencies, and how this compares with each year since 1999.

Question reference: S6W-38738

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 June 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 15 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-37224 by Ivan McKee on 13 May 2025, what the annual running cost was for each of its offices from January to December 2024.

Question reference: S6W-38169

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 June 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 15 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it will address Audit Scotland’s comment in its recent publication, NHS in Scotland: Spotlight on governance, that "NHS boards operate within parameters set by Scottish Government which impacts on how well they can plan and make decisions to deliver the reform needed".