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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-25029

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 15 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what action it plans to take to improve access for disabled people at (a) Kirkconnel, (b) Annan and (c) Sanquhar railway station on the Nith Valley line.

We are progressing Recommendation 19 of the Strategic Transport Projects Review 2 (STPR2), reviewing station accessibility across Scotland, including Kirckonnel, Annan and Sanquhar. This work will identify and remove barriers to travel and improve access for all to the rail network, prioritising those stations that have particular accessibility related requirements.

The review is anticipated to complete in Spring 2024, whilst it is too early to comment on any outcome to the review, Recommendation 19 reinforces the Scottish Government commitment to improve access for all to Scotland’s Rail Network.

SWestrans received funding from the Local Rail Development Fund to undertake the first stage of a transport appraisal using Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance. The appraisal has considered accessibility at Kirkconnel station.

Transport Scotland reviewed the Initial Appraisal: Case for Change report received from SWestrans and officials will feedback to them on this report in the coming weeks.

Question reference: S6W-24729

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 1 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what provision local authorities have to allow Council Tax exemptions or discounts to residents in properties affected by flooding.

The Council Tax system in Scotland provides for a 100% exemption from Council Tax for homes that are not habitable, and are undergoing major repairs, which lasts for up to 12 months. Further, local authorities have the discretion to apply a Council Tax discount of up to 50% to an unoccupied property at any time. As there is no time limit to this discretion there is no date at which any discount must expire.

Question reference: S6W-24891

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 26 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 31 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential impact on meeting its tree planting targets of the proposed reduction to the budget for woodland creation grant funding.

Question reference: S6O-03049

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 January 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when it last discussed waiting times for hernia operations with NHS Dumfries and Galloway.

Question reference: S6O-02987

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 January 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to attract and retain staff in colleges.

Question reference: S6W-23849

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 21 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it supports the campaign to amend the Consumer Protection Act to remove the current 10-year longstop limitation and extend the time period to 20 years.

Question reference: S6O-02938

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 December 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential impact that the Scottish Budget 2024-25 will have on police officer numbers in the South Scotland region.

Question reference: S6O-02893

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 14 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Public Health Scotland publication, Care home census for adults in Scotland, which showed that the number of care homes across the country has dropped by nearly a fifth in the past decade.

We are working with partners to improve social care services and deal with the challenges the sector faces. Adult social care support is vital to all who require additional support, whether that is to live independently at home, in the community, or to move into a care home.

While the number of care homes has fallen, the estimated number of care home places available has remained relatively stable.

This reflects our policy of supporting people to live at home for as long as possible.

No one wants to see the closure of care homes, unfortunately this can happen for a number of reasons, such as quality concerns or changing ownership.

Question reference: S6O-02910

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 December 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to data from National Records of Scotland showing a rise in homelessness-related deaths since 2017.

Question reference: S6W-23225

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 27 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 12 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it defines multi-year funding for voluntary sector organisations as a three-year minimum commitment.

In line with our Fairer Funding commitment to embed a multi-year grant approach on all third sector grants by 2026, the First Minister has committed to increasing the number of two-year grants in the forthcoming budget, and longer where possible.

It must be recognised that whilst we would wish to go further we face significant economic uncertainty and it would be wrong to make commitments we cannot sustain.