Questions and answers

Question reference: S6O-02700

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 November 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how it works collaboratively to tackle depopulation in rural areas of the Highlands and Islands region.

Question reference: S6W-22230

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 16 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 30 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many freight sailings there were on routes from Aberdeen on the Northern Isles Ferry Services contract with Serco NorthLink, from January 2019 to date, broken down by month.

Freight Sailings from Aberdeen

	Jan-19	Feb-19	Mar-19	Apr-19	May-19	Jun-19	Jul-19	Aug-19	Sep-19	Oct-19	Nov-19	Dec-19
Aberdeen - Lerwick	13	18	18	14	14	13	13	14	11	14	12	8
Aberdeen - Lerwick via Kirkwall	5	4	4	4	5	7	9	9	7	8	9	6
Aberdeen - Kirkwall	2	4	5	5	4	5	4	4	13	7	4	6

	Jan-20	Feb-20	Mar-20	Apr-20	May-20	Jun-20	Jul-20	Aug-20	Sep-20	Oct-20	Nov-20	Dec-20
Aberdeen - Lerwick	10	11	15	17	18	15	18	14	13	13	11	9
Aberdeen - Lerwick via Kirkwall	3	3	3	1	0	3	5	7	9	9	7	6
Aberdeen - Kirkwall	4	4	7	8	9	5	4	5	11	6	6	6

	Jan-21	Feb-21	Mar-21	Apr-21	May-21	Jun-21	Jul-21	Aug-21	Sep-21	Oct-21	Nov-21	Dec-21
Aberdeen - Lerwick	6	8	22	11	13	12	19	14	13	13	10	12
Aberdeen - Lerwick via Kirkwall	4	3	5	5	4	9	4	7	8	8	8	6
Aberdeen - Kirkwall	4	4	4	3	4	3	4	5	12	8	4	5

	Jan-22	Feb-22	Mar-22	Apr-22	May-22	Jun-22	Jul-22	Aug-22	Sep-22	Oct-22	Nov-22	Dec-22
Aberdeen - Lerwick	12	10	16	15	13	14	13	13	13	13	10	12
Aberdeen - Lerwick via Kirkwall	4	4	6	7	6	10	9	9	7	8	7	6
Aberdeen - Kirkwall	4	6	4	4	5	3	5	4	12	10	5	3

	Jan-23	Feb-23	Mar-23	Apr-23	May-23	Jun-23	Jul-23	Aug-23	Sep-23
Aberdeen - Lerwick	12	15	19	13	13	13	15	13	13
Aberdeen - Lerwick via Kirkwall	7	6	7	8	9	9	10	10	9
Aberdeen - Kirkwall	5	5	4	5	9	8	6	4	12

Question reference: S6W-22228

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 13 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 30 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what recent assessment it has made of the (a) crewing levels and (b) frequency of ferry services between the mainland and the Orkney Islands.

A transport appraisal of passenger and freight ferry services between the Northern Isles and the Scottish mainland, in line with the Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance (STAG), was undertaken in 2016-2017 to inform the specification of the Northern Isles Ferry Services contract awarded in 2020. The study report is published here:

final-report-appraisal-of-options-for-specification-of-2018-northern-isles-ferry-services-april-2018.pdf (transport.gov.scot)

Crewing is a matter for the ferry operators.

Question reference: S6W-22229

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 13 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 30 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what the monthly passenger carrying statistics were on each route in the Northern Isles Ferry Services contract with Serco NorthLink, from January 2023 up to the latest available figures.

Question reference: S6W-22231

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 13 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 30 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what recent assessment it has made of freight services on non-Aberdeen routes in the Northern Isles Ferry Services contract.

A transport appraisal of passenger and freight ferry services between the Northern Isles and the Scottish mainland, in line with the Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance (STAG), was undertaken in 2016-2017 to inform the specification of the Northern Isles Ferry Services contract awarded in 2020. The study report is published here:

final-report-appraisal-of-options-for-specification-of-2018-northern-isles-ferry-services-april-2018.pdf (transport.gov.scot)

Serco NorthLink Ferries (SNF), as operator of the Northern Isles Ferry Services contract, keeps freight services under review and discusses these regularly with key stakeholders and Transport Scotland. SNF publish its carrying statistics, including freight, here:

NorthLink Statistics | NorthLink Ferries

Question reference: S6W-21970

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 30 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a list of the 30 police buildings that Police Scotland plans to dispose of, as detailed in its proposals submitted to the Scottish Police Authority.

The Police Scotland Estate Strategy seeks to deliver modern, fit for purpose police buildings which are co-located with strategic partners, and which meet the needs of 21st century operational policing. To date over 60 co-locations have been delivered.

Overall responsibility for managing the police estate is for the Chief Constable under Scottish Police Authority (SPA) scrutiny. As approved by the SPA it is for Police Scotland to consult on the details of its planned estate changes.

Question reference: S6W-22024

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don on 26 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether universal school breakfast provision is a means of building a food system that ensures the right to food for children and young people, as laid out in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights.

Article 24 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child includes the right to adequate nutritious food. Universal school breakfast provision does have the potential to give further and fuller effect to this right.

The Concluding Observations from the UK’s recent state party scrutiny by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child includes a recommendation that the UK administrations strengthen measures to address child malnutrition, food insecurity and growing trends in overweight and obesity, by expanding the free school meals programme to all children in disadvantaged situations. It is not specific about how provision could be strengthened in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-22023

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don on 26 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it remains committed to its Programme for Government 2021-22 commitment to "develop plans to deliver free breakfast to all primary and special school children", in light of this commitment not being included in its Programme for Government 2023-24.

The Scottish Government remains committed to developing plans to deliver free breakfasts to all primary and special school children.

The First Minister announced in this year’s Programme for Government that the Scottish Government remains focused on tackling child poverty in Scotland. We know that food provision is an important part of the mission to tackle child poverty, and that is why there is a range of support already in place for families.

Question reference: S6W-21712

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 25 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 23 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what process will be followed in the development of the market framework for private investment, as referenced in the Programme for Government 2023-24; over what timescale it is envisaged that the framework will be developed; at what point public engagement will be invited during the development process; when it expects a formal consultation will be held on any framework proposals, and whether an economic appraisal will be undertaken of where the potential financial benefits of any private investment will flow over the whole life impact of the investment.

The Programme for Government commitment to publish proposals for a market framework will be taken forward during 2023-24. It will be developed as part of the commitment in the National Strategy for Economic Transformation to develop a values-led high integrity market for responsible investment in natural capital. It will be developed with engagement and input from a wide range of interests and be evidence-led.

Question reference: S6W-21713

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 25 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 23 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has assessed or commissioned any independent analysis of (a) the potential future price of carbon in so far as that relates to carbon credits that may be traded from within Scotland and (b) any risks in projecting future carbon prices, and whether it will publish any such assessment or analysis.

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