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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: S6W-27070

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 April 2024
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answer expected on 10 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will conduct an assessment of any environmental impact of replacing grass pitches with artificial turf pitches that includes a full life-cycle assessment of the manufacture, use and disposal of artificial turf pitches and crumb rubber from playgrounds.

Question reference: S6W-27069

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 April 2024
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answer expected on 10 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of international research and the European Chemicals Agency’s evidence-based assessment for banning microplastic 3G crumb rubber infills, whether it will now take steps to immediately start phasing out this reported pollutant.

Question reference: S6W-27068

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 April 2024
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answer expected on 10 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will incentivise (a) local authorities and (b) other public bodies to install sustainable artificial sports surfaces or natural grass pitches and playgrounds.

Question reference: S6W-27071

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 April 2024
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answer expected on 10 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will conduct a comparative assessment of the (a) short-, (b) medium- and (c) long-term environmental impact of creating a standard sized natural grass football, rugby or hockey pitch, compared with 3G artificial surfaces of the same size.

Question reference: S6W-27072

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 April 2024
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answer expected on 10 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what changes it has made to procurement guidance since 2019 in order to reduce the amount of crumb rubber infill being discharged into seas and rivers.

Question reference: S6W-26472

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 25 March 2024
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 18 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential impact on the wider rail infrastructure supply chain of the reported reduction of £315 million to the rail renewals budget for control period 7.

Question reference: S6W-26471

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 25 March 2024
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 16 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential impact on (a) safety, (b) rail performance and (c) jobs of the reported reduction in the work bank and volume of work allocated to the Rail Systems Alliance Scotland for year one of control period 7.

Question reference: S6W-26467

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 25 March 2024
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 16 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what level of funding was provided for the Rail Systems Alliance Scotland in each year of control period 6.

Question reference: S6W-26468

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 25 March 2024
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 16 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what funding has been allocated for the Rail Systems Alliance Scotland for year one of control period 7.

Question reference: S6W-26466

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 25 March 2024
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 16 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential impact on (a) safety, (b) rail performance and (c) job security of bringing in-house the work and jobs contracted out via the Rail Systems Alliance Scotland.

The Scottish Government has not carried out an assessment of the potential impact of bringing “in-house” (assumed to mean wholly within Network Rail) the work and jobs contracted out via the Rail Systems Alliance Scotland.

Railway safety is a matter reserved to the UK Government and Network Rail is a wholly owned subsidiary of the UK Government. The independent rail regulator, the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), is responsible for rail safety, and it determines the appropriate funding for Network Rail. The Scottish Government has fully funded Network Rail Scotland to meet its funding requirements as specified by the ORR in its capacity as safety regulator for the next five-year rail investment Control Period, 2024-29, CP7.

Network Rail made a conscious choice to improve its approach to asset maintenance for CP7, relying less on renewals and more on maintenance. Whilst the workbank for the Rail Systems Alliance might reduce, Network Rail envisages more work delivered internally. This approach has been championed by the RMT union.