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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-21236

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 11 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 22 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what work it has carried out to explore potential options for eBooking of multi-journey tickets for the Cumbrae to Largs ferry route.

These were pre-RET products that had always been intended to be removed at the point RET was introduced across the Calmac network from 2015.

Following representations from the community, Transport Scotland are engaging with Calmac on this matter to consider whether any interim replacement product can be put in place. This will need to consider any practical challenges and any costs associated with the reintroduction of a similar product that will function with the new system.

A wider review of fares policy will be undertaken as part of the consultation on the Islands Connectivity Plan in due course.

Question reference: S6W-21122

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 07 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 19 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to investigate the use of remote alcohol monitoring (RAM) technology in the criminal justice system.

The Scottish Government is committed to expanding electronic monitoring use across a broader range of licences and community orders, including exploring use of remote alcohol monitoring as provided for by the Management of Offenders (Scotland) Act 2019.

Following passage of the Act a new national contract was procured that would allow for use of new technology. The majority of the Act has now been commenced and from 17 May 2022 provisions were commenced to allow electronic monitoring as part of bail and to allow electronic monitoring with Community Payback Orders at first disposal. As work continues to embed these recent changes, we are now engaging with justice partners to explore the potential uses of new technologies, including remote substance monitoring technologies.

Question reference: S6W-21124

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 07 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 19 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its collaboration with other devolved governments on the review of ETSU-R-97 guidance that is being led by the UK Government, whether it can provide an update on the outcome of the review as it applies to Scotland.

The ETSU steering group comprising of the four Governments of the UK is considering, under the lead of the UK Government, how best to take forward the recommendations of the WSP report .

Until this work concludes, ETSU-R-97 should continue to be followed by applicants and used to assess and rate noise from wind energy developments.

Scottish Government officials continue to engage with UK Government officials on this work.

Question reference: S6W-21120

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 07 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 19 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has raised the issue of infrasound low frequency noise (a) as part of its discussions on the ETSU steering group and (b) in any other discussions with the UK Government, in relation to noise regulations for onshore wind developments in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-21123

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 07 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 19 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of it not being included in its Programme for Government 2023-24, when it anticipates work on replacing HMP Greenock will commence.

The Scottish Government and the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) fully recognise the need to ensure prison infrastructure is fit for purpose for those that live and work in prisons, and supports the rehabilitation of people living there.

As set out in the Programme for Government 2023-24 we continue to invest in the prison estate, working towards replacing prisons in Inverness and Glasgow to ensure modern facilities that promote rehabilitation into communities and reduced reoffending. Given the current significant financial and operational pressures, we are having to prioritise capital investment based on risks and pressures across the estate.

Question reference: S6W-21121

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 07 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 19 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many offenders currently receiving non-custodial sentences are being monitored via (a) radio frequency (RF), (b) global positioning system (GPS) and (c) remote alcohol monitoring (RAM) technology, and what percentage of the total number of offenders currently being electronically monitored are being monitored by each of these technologies.

Question reference: S6W-21125

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 07 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 19 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government which members of the Scottish Government are represented on the ETSU steering group.

Question reference: S6W-20772

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 August 2023
Current Status: Answered by Dorothy Bain on 14 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to publish the Lord Advocate’s guidelines for Police Scotland regarding allegations of assault.

Question reference: S6O-02548

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 September 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the procurement process for the upgrade of Ardrossan harbour.

Question reference: S6W-20155

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 24 July 2023
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 7 August 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on Recommendation 32 in HM Inspectorate of Prisons for Scotland's full inspection report for HMP Greenock, for 27 February to 3 March 2023.

I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

At present there are no current plans to review the SPS Prisoners Wage Earning Policy within the current financial year. It is however anticipated that a review will be scheduled for 2024.

SPS have implemented a range of measures to lessen the impact of price increases including a temporary £1 per week supplement introduced to offset some of the price rises of canteen goods available to purchase, some of which have also been reduced to help with the rising costs.