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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: S6O-02282

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 May 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its plans for Scottish carbon credits, including how it ensures benefits for local communities.

Question reference: S6O-02279

Asked by: Willie Coffey, MSP for Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 May 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what it anticipates the impact of the Green Jobs Fund will be on the Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley constituency.

Question reference: S6W-17743

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 05 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 17 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the use of self-driving buses.

The Scottish Government believes that the development and deployment of Connected and Autonomous Vehicles has the potential to bring transformative change to peoples’ lives, not just in how we travel, but in how we work, where we live, the environment, and road safety. Our National Transport Strategy 2 highlights that we will use beneficial innovation to improve our transport system and seek to make Scotland a market leader in the development and early adoption of beneficial transport innovations. This Government wants Scotland to be at the forefront of developments in CAVs and we are excited to see how this technology can help to support our vision for a sustainable, inclusive, safe and accessible transport system.

Question reference: S6W-17763

Asked by: Edward Mountain, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 05 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 17 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many GP practices are currently operating with a single GP.

Question reference: S6W-17741

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 05 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 17 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when it last spoke with trade unions regarding self-driving buses.

The Scottish Government has not had specific conversations with trade unions regarding self-driving buses but we are aware that concerns have previously been raised about the possible future impact on jobs. Whilst the longer term impact of the adoption of CAV technologies on jobs is uncertain, Scotland will not be isolated from this and our involvement in Project CAVForth ensures we are at the forefront of developing the technology.

Even in a future that has fully autonomous vehicles, the work to date of my officials with partners on Project CAVForth supports the view that bus operators must continue to provide a focus on customer experience to provide assistance, ensure appropriate personal safety and comfort. This will be delivered during the CAVForth trial by the provision of both the legally required safety driver and an additional ‘Bus Captain’. The safety driver will be ready to take over the driving task at any time, whilst the Bus Captain will provide support and assistance to customers e.g. ticketing, travel advice etc.

Question reference: S6W-17739

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 05 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 17 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what funding plans it has to develop more self-driving bus services, similar to the service running between Edinburgh Park and Fife from 15 May 2023.

This Government wants Scotland to be at the forefront in the development of Connected and Autonomous Vehicles and the start of the CAVForth trial will really help the country establish its credentials on the world stage. We are excited to see how this technology can help to support our vision for a sustainable, inclusive, safe and accessible transport system.

Transport Scotland’s formal participation in the CAVForth project will cease at the end of July 2023, however the CAVForth service will continue to operate beyond that point, and is expected to include an extension of the service to Dunfermline.

We have no current plans for the introduction of further autonomous bus services, however Scotland is ‘open for business’ to test, demonstrate and pilot autonomous vehicle trials, and in line with our CAV Roadmap for Scotland my officials at Transport Scotland will continue to investigate and explore what future CAV opportunities there may be.

Question reference: S6W-17667

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 17 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to its commitment, announced on 23 April 2023, to support affordable housing for key workers in rural areas, whether it plans to make funds available for community-led housing projects in rural areas that aim to provide affordable housing to key workers.

Development Trusts and others taking forward community led housing already have access to the demand-led £30 million Rural and Islands Housing Fund. This fund already supports community organisations to bring forward new housing projects, or to renovate empty homes or to convert commercial or non-domestic premises into residential accommodation to meet local housing needs including through the attraction or retention of economically active households.

Question reference: S6W-17670

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 17 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding in total is still available to applicants through the (a) Rural Housing and (b) Islands Housing Fund.

Question reference: S6W-17883

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 17 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many training places for gastroenterologists there have been in each year since 2019.

Question reference: S6W-17885

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 17 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many gastroenterologist vacancies there are.

	Posts advertised	Posts filled	Fill rate
2022	14	14	100%
2021	2	2	100%
2020	3	3	100%
2019	8	8	100%