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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.

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Question reference: S5W-00779

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 29 June 2016

To ask the Scottish Government when ministers were made aware of delays in the construction of the Queensferry Crossing that would result in the project falling behind the programmed slippage time.

On 26 May 2016, ministers were informed that Forth Crossing Bridge Constructors (FCBC) were looking specifically at the recent weather impacts on the delivery of the project as part of their six monthly programme review.

On 1 June 2016, FCBC ratified their revised programme at a meeting of the FCBC Board showing the Queensferry Crossing opening by May 2017.

On 1 June 2016, the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Jobs and Fair Work met with Sally Cox, Chair of the FCBC Board and Michael Martin Project Director for FCBC to discuss the emerging programme. Transport Scotland officials were asked to rigorously assess the programme when it was received to ensure everything possible that could be done was being done to meet the December 2016 opening to traffic target.

On 2 June 2016, Transport Scotland received written confirmation of FCBC’s revised programme showing opening by May 2017. Detailed scrutiny and challenge of this programme was subsequently undertaken on 6 June 2016 by Transport Scotland Directors, Transport Scotland Project team and independent advisors. Following this review, the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Jobs and Fair Work made a statement to Parliament on 8 June 2016 announcing the new date for opening to traffic.

Question reference: S5W-00778

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 22 June 2016

Inclement weather affects construction activities in different ways ranging from the need to alter a method of work to completely cancelling a piece of work. Consequently, it is not possible to quantify how many construction days were lost on construction of the Queensferry Crossing as a result of inclement weather conditions. However, the contractor estimates that approximately 20% of the project programme has been impacted by weather in the period 2011 to 2015 which is in line with the allowances made in their programme.

Question reference: S5W-00777

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 22 June 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether delays in the construction of the foundations on the Queensferry Crossing have contributed to the delayed opening of the bridge.

Question reference: S5W-00427

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 16 June 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what support it offers NHS boards that (a) miss or (b) expect to miss their referral to treatment timescale for child and adolescent mental health services.

Question reference: S5W-00429

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 16 June 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what work the Minister for Mental Health will carry out regarding child and adolescent mental health waiting times.

As part of the £54.1 million package of support announced by the First Minister in January 2016, £4.8 million will be awarded to Healthcare Improvement Scotland to establish a mental health access improvement support team. This team will provide support to boards to improve access to psychological therapies for all ages, including for children and adolescents.

The improvement programme will be delivered by Healthcare Improvement Scotland, with support from NHS education for Scotland to enhance the supply and training of workforce (£24.6 million Scottish Government funding).

The Scottish Government has invested £16.3 million over a six year period to increase the number of psychologists working in specialist Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) with a further £3.5 million committed in 2016.

Question reference: S5W-00428

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 14 June 2016

To ask the Scottish Government on what dates since January 2016 it has met officials of NHS Forth Valley to discuss waiting times for child and adolescent mental health services.

Scottish Government officials, Health Improvement Scotland and NHS Education for Scotland met with NHS territorial boards, including NHS Forth valley, to discuss current performance and provide information on the mental health improvement programme in May 2016. The improvement programme will work in collaboration with NHS Boards to deliver sustained improvements in access to child and adolescent mental health services and psychological therapies services.

Health Improvement Scotland met individually with NHS Forth Valley on 20 May 2016 to discuss the tailored support which they will provide to the board through the improvement programme.

Question reference: S5W-00534

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 8 June 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether it remains the case that the Queensferry Crossing is due to open to the public in 2016.

Question reference: S5W-00533

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 8 June 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether construction of the Queensferry Crossing is on schedule.

The contractor, Forth Crossing Bridge Constructors’, has advised Transport Scotland that due to adverse weather conditions in April and May 2016 exceeding expectations and resulting in an increase in days lost to weather, they are unable to achieve the target opening date of December 2016 – which is six months ahead of the contractual completion date. The contractors remain on schedule to complete the project ahead of the contractual completion date. The contractors have taken additional steps to mitigate on-going weather impacts and have provided a revised timetable for completion to Transport Scotland and Scottish Ministers. Subject to the agreement of the Parliamentary Bureau, it would be my intention to provide a statement to Parliament on 8 June 2016.

Question reference: S5F-00040

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 June 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 June 2016

To ask the First Minister, in light of the findings of the latest Bank of Scotland research series report on oil and gas, what support the Scottish Government will offer the industry.

Question reference: S5W-00252

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 May 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 6 June 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what work it has undertaken to introduce an independent appeals service, similar to that which exists in England, for the private parking industry in Scotland.

The Scottish Government is currently reviewing the progress of the Independent Parking Committee's (IPC) Independent Appeals Service, which was extended to Scotland in April 2015, without the need for keeper liability following the publication of Citizens Advice Scotlands' 2014 report.

In October 2015, the Independent Advisors Scotland (IAS) obtained 'Alternative Dispute Resolution' (ADR) accreditation under the UK Government's Alternative Dispute Resolution for Consumer Disputes (Competent Authorities and Information) Regulations 2015’. These regulations enable motorists who have disputes with other parking operators other than IPC members to appeal to the IAS. As part of our considerations we will determine whether an appeals service without keeper liability should be rolled out across Scotland.