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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-13650

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 22 December 2017
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 10 January 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what research it is undertaking, or plans to undertake, to improve understanding of the environmental implications of the growing aquaculture sector on environmentally sensitive locations.

Marine Scotland Science are carrying out research to further understand the interactions of sea lice including the Scottish Aquaculture Research Forum (SARF) project ‘Piloting a network for determining spatial and temporal variation in marine survival of Atlantic salmon and effects of anti-sea lice agents’. Details are available at http://www.gov.scot/Topics/marine/Salmon-Trout-Coarse/Freshwater/Research/Aqint

Question reference: S5W-13174

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 07 December 2017
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 20 December 2017

To ask the Scottish Government which stakeholders it has met in the last 12 months to discuss proposals for national fixed pricing on electricity distribution networks; when the meetings took place, and whether it will publish details of the discussions.

Question reference: S5W-13173

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 07 December 2017
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 20 December 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on proposals for national fixed pricing on electricity distribution networks; what discussions it has had with the UK Government in the last 12 months to examine such proposals, and whether it will publish details of these discussions.

Distribution network pricing is an area of policy reserved to the UK Government. On 31 October 2016, the Deputy First Minister chaired a meeting of the Conventions of the Highlands and Islands (COHI) to discuss national network pricing with National Grid and Ofgem. The minute of this meeting will be approved at the next meeting of COHI in March and made available on the Scottish Government’s website.

On 23 November 2016, the Deputy First Minister wrote to Baroness Neville-Rolfe as the UK Energy Minister, inviting her to attend the following COHI to discuss network charging. She was unable to attend; this invite is being re-issued to the new UK Energy Minister for the next meeting of COHI in March 2018.

The Scottish Government recognises that the GB energy market does not always work in the interests of all consumers - we want a fair deal for all Scottish energy consumers.

For rural and remote communities across Scotland, a fair network charging regime is a crucial factor – but other factors like energy efficiency and raising household incomes are equally important. We are working to reduce overall energy costs for Scottish consumers by improving energy efficiency, promoting Scottish engagement in the energy market to lower energy bills and raising household incomes.

We commissioned the Scottish Rural Fuel Poverty Task Force to examine the full range of issues around fuel poverty in rural areas, including national network charging proposals. We are currently consulting on proposals for a new fuel poverty strategy. As part of its development, we will look to take forward recommendations made by the Scottish Rural Fuel Poverty Task Force and continue to engage with the UK Government and Ofgem to secure effective regulation of the changing energy market.

Question reference: S5W-13351

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 December 2017
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 20 December 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will undertake an assessment of the impact that installing phones in cells in a number of prisons in England has had on enabling prisoners to maintain contact with family members and reducing levels of reoffending.

I have asked Colin McConnell, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. His response is as follows:

SPS is in contact with colleagues in HMPPS to review the findings of a study carried out by York University into the impact of in-cell telephony on custodial behaviour and on re-offending.

I recently met with the HMPPS Director of Digital Services with a view to building relationships and partnership working.

Question reference: S5T-00833

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 18 December 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 December 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the deployment of armed police and the use of tasers.

Question reference: S5W-13097

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 04 December 2017
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 13 December 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-11608 by Humza Yousaf on 7 November 2017, for what reason the review has proved to be complex; what the technical points that have to be addressed are; what the anomalies within the existing fares structure were, and by what date it will publish the result of the review.

The existing ferry freight fares structure is extremely complex, with differences in, for example, rates per mile, categories of freight, rules of carriage and discounts, across the various ferry networks.

Much work has been done to assess the existing freight fares structure , generate options for a future structure, and assess the impacts of any potential changes.

The Freight Fares Review Working Group agreed on a preferred freight fares structure, which is on a cost neutral basis, at a meeting in March 2017. Since then, officials have been conducting further analysis to assess the impact of any potential changes, with regular discussions with Ministers.

Further details will be made available once conclusions have been reached and decisions made.

Question reference: S5W-13087

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 November 2017
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 13 December 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-12548 by Humza Yousaf on 15 November 2017, what steps it is taking to ensure that appropriate cover is provided on the Stromness-Scrabster ferry route when the MV Hamnavoe is in dry dock; what its response is to concerns that a freight vessel might be used as a replacement during this period; what its position is on the appropriateness of using such a craft and, in light of this, whether it will confirm if it would permit the use of a freighter.

Serco NorthLink Ferries continue to use best endeavours to search the open market for appropriate replacement tonnage for the MV Hamnavoe whilst she undergoes her scheduled period of dry dock at the start of 2018. At present, no final decision has been taken by the operator. Use of a freighter is permitted under the terms of the Public Service Contract, and freight vessels have previously been utilised on the Pentland Firth crossing.

Pentland Ferries also provide connections to Orkney from the mainland and there is a reciprocal arrangement that exists to ensure services are adequately maintained during periods of essential dry docking.

Question reference: S5W-13066

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 November 2017
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 12 December 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to use (a) the (i) Energy Efficiency Programme (SEEP) and (ii) Warm Homes bill and (b) other measures to invest in and support work (A) to bring more existing stock back in to use and (B) where properties need repaired or upgraded before insulation work begins.

We will set out further detail on Scotland’s Energy Efficiency Programme (SEEP) in the SEEP routemap to be published next year.

As set out in the Programme for Government, we will take forward legislation within this Parliament where this is needed to deliver the aims of Scotland’s Energy Efficiency Programme (SEEP) and to tackle fuel poverty.

To progress these we are currently seeking views (until 1 February 2018) on a new draft fuel poverty strategy (https://consult.gov.scot/better-homes-division/fuel-poverty/), which includes a proposed statutory target to effectively eradicate fuel poverty by 2040. This ambition would be backed up by, amongst others, a non-statutory sub-target to remove energy efficiency as a driver for fuel poverty by ensuring all homes reach a minimum energy performance rating by this date. Responses to this consultation will inform the development of a Warm Homes Bill to be laid in Parliament in June 2018.

The Scottish Government funds the work of the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership, which provides direct support and advice to individuals looking to report an empty home or to bring empty homes back into use. The Partnership also supports a network of dedicated Empty Homes Officers across Scotland to provide advice and support at local level. The Partnership has brought over 2800 homes back into use since 2010, and we are further supporting that success with a commitment to double funding in the Programme for Government.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer announced new powers in the Budget for English Authorities to introduce a council tax levy of up to 100% to encourage owners to bring homes back into use. This power has already been available to local authorities in Scotland since 2013.

Question reference: S5T-00813

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 11 December 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 12 December 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the recent reports from HMICS and Audit Scotland on police governance.

Question reference: S5W-12884

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 November 2017
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 11 December 2017

To ask the Scottish Government by what criteria prospective sites will be chosen for the Scottish 4G Infill Programme for Scotland, and how operators will be supported to bid.

The proposed initial intervention area published on 4 August 2017 – which was not intended to represent a comprehensive picture of 4G “notspots” – was derived using variety of data sources available to the Scottish Government at that time. Site selection was based on a number of factors, primarily the need to ensure sufficient critical mass of population in target areas to ensure site viability. The intervention area will be refined as the extent of mobile network operators’ commercial 4G rollouts becomes clearer and through further consultation with the industry to ensure effective targeting of resources.

We have engaged extensively with mobile operators and other prospective bidders throughout the programme’s development to ensure their understanding of our expectations of the programme deliverables and their readiness when the procurement is launched.