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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-04383

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 14 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether its memorandum of understanding (MoU) with DFDS and Forth Ports for maritime freight services between Rosyth and Zeebrugge remains binding on all parties, and whether it will publish the MoU.

Question reference: S5W-04333

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 14 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what the impact of Brexit will be on the recruitment and retention of NHS staff in Scotland.

The impact of Brexit on the NHSScotland workforce will depend on the precise form of withdrawal from the EU. The free movement of people from the EU/EEA allows skilled and experienced health professionals to work in our NHS.

The Scottish Government is committed and fully supports the free movement of workers within the EU.

We greatly value our non-UK EU citizens and their wider contribution to our society, we will be working to see that their rights and place in our nation are protected.

Question reference: S5W-04382

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 14 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what total maritime freight volumes were handled at Rosyth Port in each year since 2009-10.

Question reference: S5W-04462

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 14 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd on the provision of publicly owned vessels to meet (a) passenger and (b) freight capacity requirements for Northern Isles ferry services.

A comprehensive study of the Northern Isles Ferry Services is currently being conducted. This study will inform the specification for the next contract and includes consideration of passenger and freight vessel requirements.

On 4 November Transport Scotland asked Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd to conduct a search on the worldwide maritime market to assess the scale of suitable and available freight vessels. The outcome of this search will inform freight vessel options and the specification for the procurement of the next Northern Isles Ferry Services contract.

Question reference: S5W-04453

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 14 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how many charter agreements it has entered into for additional (a) freight and (b) passenger vessels on Northern Isles ferry routes since 1 July 1999.

Question reference: S5W-04325

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 14 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how academics living and working in Scotland will be supported to travel to EU countries and higher education institutions to participate in learning and research opportunities post-Brexit.

The Scottish Government’s starting point is to protect our relationship with, and place in, the European Union. We are considering all possible options and we will work with others across the political divide to try to save the UK as a whole from the fate of a hard Brexit.

In light of the EU Referendum result and the potential impact this will have on free movement, we are strengthening our calls on the UK Government to deliver an immigration system that meets Scotland’s needs.

The Scottish Government will publish proposals over the coming weeks that would allow Scotland to stay in the single market and to preserve aspects of our relationship with the EU, even if the rest of the UK is intending to leave.

Question reference: S5W-04334

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 14 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on whether mutual recognition of medical qualifications across the EU will continue post-Brexit.

Parity of professional qualifications underpins the system of mutual recognition that currently facilitates professional mobility between EU Member States. The European Qualifications (Health and Social Care Professions) Regulations 2016 were laid by the Department of Health with my agreement on 28 October and will come into force on 18 November. This will transpose into UK law the updated health and social care provisions of the EU Directive on Recognition of Professional Qualifications, maintaining minimum standards for professional qualifications eligible for automatic recognition.

We are facing many uncertainties but, given the recent UK legislation, it is my understanding that the current mutual recognition arrangements will remain unchanged until the EU Directive is amended significantly or its provisions are specifically removed from the UK statute books. However, I recognise fully the understandable anxiety among doctors, nurses, allied health professionals, as well as other health and social care staff who have come to work here from other parts of the European Economic Area. To this end, I wrote on 13 September to Philip Dunne, Minister of State for Health, urging him to examine every possible option for maintaining an effective system for mutual recognition of professional qualifications going forward, whatever the outcome of negotiations.

Question reference: S5W-04378

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 14 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how many qualified seafarers and maritime officers were employed on MV Helliar and MV Hildasay in each year since the start of the current time charter for these vessels.

Question reference: S5W-04384

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 14 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) port staff and (b) seafarers were employed by companies operating from Rosyth Port in each year since 2009-10.

Question reference: S5W-04377

Asked by: Lewis Macdonald, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 14 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what the estimated cost would be of terminating the time charter with Seatruck for MV Helliar and MV Hildasay before April 2018.