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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: S4O-03721

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 November 2014
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 November 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what support it provides to people who want to train as educational psychologists.

Question reference: S4W-22927

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 October 2014
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 5 November 2014

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-11500 by Keith Brown on 4 December 2012, whether it will provide an update on when work on Dalcross railway station at Inverness Airport will (a) start and (b) be completed.

The Aberdeen to Inverness Rail Improvements works have commenced with site and ground investigations on the infrastructure necessary to provide for a new station at Dalcross.

Network Rail, Transport Scotland, the Highlands and Islands Transport Partnership and Highland Council met in October 2014 to progress detailed planning and preparatory works for the proposed Dalcross station. This should encourage promoters to accelerate their plans for the station which requires third party funding. Accordingly, the package of works remains on schedule for completion by March 2019 as specified in the government’s High Level Output Specification, published on 21 June 2012.

Question reference: S4O-03645

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 October 2014
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 5 November 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on recent reports regarding the additional cost in energy prices for people in the Highlands and Islands.

The member will have heard my answer to the question S4O-03637 from Dave Thompson MSP on this matter but I am happy to respond to any additional points.

We believe a fairer approach is to permanently remove the cost of delivering the Energy Companies Obligation and Warm Home Discount from consumers’ electricity bills to help hard-pressed families, rather than the UK Government’s one-off £12 rebate.

Question reference: S4O-03605

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 October 2014
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 October 2014

To ask the Scottish Government how it will improve the uptake of the pension credit scheme.

Question reference: S4W-22468

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 22 August 2014
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 19 September 2014

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-21268 by Kenny MacAskill on 10 June 2014, whether it will provide the information that was requested by confirming whether an independent Scotland would be part of the Five Eyes partnership.

It will be in the interests of the rest of the UK and other partners to work closely with Scotland on security matters, including the sharing of intelligence. The Scottish Government and its partners would engage closely as sovereign, equal and cooperative allies in tackling issues such as terrorism and organised crime.

As I indicated in my answer to question S4W-21268, Scotland’s Future outlines that the security and intelligence agency would be required to work with partners, both at home and abroad, to ensure Scotland's national security. The new security and intelligence agency will have the appropriate security arrangement necessary to give assurance to international partners that it can receive and handle intelligence safely and securely.

Question reference: S4O-03519

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 September 2014
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 September 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what research has been undertaken to determine if there is a link between the intake of sugar and an increased risk of type 2 diabetes.

Question reference: S4W-22412

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 August 2014
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 5 September 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to (a) upgrade and (b) improve the A82.

A programme to address a number of areas along the route of the A82 is underway. The £5 million Crianlarich bypass and £9.2 million Pulpit Rock improvements are progressing, and the £1 million re-alignment scheme at Glen Gloy is currently programmed to start early 2015. Additionally, a £2 million design commission to improve the 17 km section of the A82 from Tarbet to Inverarnan is well underway.

Question reference: S4W-22408

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 August 2014
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 5 September 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with (a) Transport Scotland, (b) The Highland Council and (c) Lochaber Chamber of Commerce regarding traffic congestion in Lochaber.

Transport Scotland is part of the Scottish Government and meetings with ministers occur regularly in the normal course of business. Transport Scotland has quarterly liaison meetings with The Highland Council on trunk road issues. The next meeting is scheduled for 20 November 2014.

Transport Scotland attends the Fort William Traffic Congestion Working Group which currently meets every six months and comprises representatives of The Highland Council, Police Scotland and the A82 Partnership. The last meeting was on 2 September 2014.

Transport Scotland has attended a meeting of Lochaber Chamber of Commerce, when congestion in the area was discussed. A Fort William area congestion study is underway and due for completion towards the end of 2014.

Question reference: S4W-22413

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 August 2014
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 5 September 2014

To ask what the Scottish Government what recent assessment it has carried out of the impact on the business community of traffic congestion in (a) Lochaber and (b) the A82.

Question reference: S4W-22409

Asked by: David Stewart, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 August 2014
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 5 September 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with (a) Transport Scotland, (b) The Highland Council and (c) Lochaber Chamber of Commerce regarding improvements to the A82.