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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: S5W-13222

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 07 December 2017
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 20 December 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has used (a) other UK police forces and (b) the Civil Nuclear Constabulary at Dounreay for local policing issues.

Co-operation between Police Scotland and other UK police forces is an operational matter for Police Scotland and other UK forces. There are well established arrangements in place to facilitate mutual aid between UK police forces which is co-ordinated by the National Police Co-ordination Centre (NPoCC).

The Civil Nuclear Constabulary (CNC) can provide assistance to all UK forces under a collaboration agreement. The Scottish Government understands that Police Scotland have a very positive working relationship with the CNC at Dounreay. CNC dial into the Police Scotland daily tasking meeting which provides the opportunity to identify any issues which may have a joint impact. A Memorandum of Understanding, signed off at Chief Inspector level, is in place whenever Police Scotland utilise the CNC resource.

Question reference: S5W-13183

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 07 December 2017
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 19 December 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to double-track the Highland rail mainline between Dalwhinnie and Newtonmore, and whether it plans to double-track the other remaining sections of the line.

Phase 2 of the Highland Main Line Enhancements Programme, which aims to deliver faster more frequent journeys by spring 2019, used the Rail industry Governance for Railway Investment Projects (GRIP) process to develop and select a preferred option that was output focussed, this combines timetable enhancements, better performance of the High Speed Trains (HST’s) to be introduced on the route, and infrastructure interventions at key train passing points at Aviemore and Pitlochry.

Currently there are no plans to double-track the Highland Main Line between Dalwhinnie and Newtonmore or other remaining sections of the line.

Question reference: S5O-01628

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 December 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 December 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it will take regarding Northern Isles inter-island ferry services, in light of the debate on 6 December 2017.

Question reference: S5O-01592

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 December 2017
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 13 December 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what financial support it is offering to local authorities that are using reserve funds to provide essential services.

We have treated local government very fairly despite the cuts to the Scottish Budget from the UK Government.

The overall increase in spending power to support local authority services this year amounts to £383 million or 3.7 per cent compared to 2016-17.

Decisions on the use of reserves are rightly the responsibility of individual local authorities to take where it is prudent and sustainable to do so.

Question reference: S5F-01828

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 11 December 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 December 2017

To ask the First Minister what contingencies the Scottish Government has put in place to deal with the effects of extreme winter weather on rural and remote areas.

Question reference: S5O-01548

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 November 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 December 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the situation with people affected by the Salvesen v Riddell case.

Question reference: S5O-01491

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 November 2017
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 23 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to support the economy of the Highlands and Islands.

Question reference: S5W-12294

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 31 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 9 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the reported distress that can be caused to animals from fireworks, what its position is on reducing their noise levels to a maximum of 95 decibels, and whether it has discussed this matter with animal charities.

The Scottish Government recognises concerns about the noise of fireworks and the distress this can cause animals. A comprehensive package of measures has been introduced under the Fireworks Act 2003. These include The Fireworks (Scotland) Regulations 2004 which restrict when fireworks can be set off. However, the responsibility for regulating the noise of fireworks lies with the UK Government. We have no plans at present to review existing regulations.

Question reference: S5F-01699

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 06 November 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 November 2017

To ask the First Minister what discussions the Scottish Government has had with the UK Government regarding reports that the UK could leave the common agricultural policy and common fisheries policy in March 2019 with no transition period.

Question reference: S5O-01377

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 October 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what impact the proposed cost increase for ferry freight from 1 January 2018 will have on the Northern Isles, in light of reports that it was believed that prices would remain frozen.