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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: S6W-17641

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S6O-02227

Asked by: Fiona Hyslop, MSP for Linlithgow, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 11 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when it last spoke with COSLA regarding what action local authorities are taking to improve bus service provision.

The Scottish Government is committed, in conjunction with bus operators and local authorities, to looking at ways of improving services to ensure that everyone has accessible public transport. We have increased the tools available to local authorities to revitalise bus networks, through Transport (Scotland) Act 2019, in addition to their existing powers to subsidise services that are not provided on a commercial basis. Transport Scotland discuss bus matters with COSLA on a monthly basis at regular bus stakeholder meetings. In addition, COSLA are members of the Bus Taskforce.

Question reference: S6W-17634

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Emma Roddick on 11 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what communication it has had with Hourglass regarding the hosting of a Safer Ageing forum at the Scottish Parliament later in 2023.

Question reference: S6W-17646

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 11 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with taxi driver union representatives in Dundee to discuss grants and funding for the purchasing of electric vehicles, in order to help them meet their obligations in relation to the new Low Emission Zone (LEZ) in the city.

The Scottish Government has not held specific discussions with taxi driver union representatives in Dundee to discuss loan funding for the purchase of electric vehicles in relation to compliance with the Low Emission Zone.

The Scottish Government provide annual funding to Energy Saving Trust (EST), an independent organisation working to address the climate emergency, which delivers a range of schemes on behalf of Scottish Ministers, including the Switched-on Taxi loan.

EST on behalf of Scottish Ministers has engaged directly with taxi owners and operators. This includes providing impartial and independent advice including information on the Switched-on Taxi loan, and vehicle reports comparing running costs of petrol/diesel taxis with Ultra Low Emission Vehicles. Last year EST ran several taxi forums bringing together taxi owners/operators and licensing authorities to discuss best practice approaches to decarbonisation across the industry.

Question reference: S6W-17644

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 11 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-17345 by Kevin Stewart on 25 April 2023, in relation to the public local inquiry into the grade separation of Sheriffhall roundabout, what timescale the independent reporter is working to, and when it expects that the reporter's recommendations to the Scottish Ministers for a decision will be made.

Question reference: S6W-17613

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 11 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with COSLA about incorporating community wealth building into its vision and priorities for local government and communities across Scotland.

Representatives of The Convention Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) participate in the Community Wealth Building (CWB) Bill Steering Group, which I chair. This Group has met three times.

In addition, I met with Cllr Gail McGregor, COSLA Environment and Economy Spokesperson on 08 February 2023 regarding CWB and other matters.

Scottish Government officials regularly engage with COSLA officers regarding the development of CWB legislation.

Question reference: S6W-17611

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 11 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish any summaries of its findings from piloting implementation of community wealth building in Clackmannanshire, Fife, the Glasgow City Region, the South of Scotland and the Western Isles.

In collaboration with local and regional partners, the Scottish Government supported the development of Community Wealth Building (CWB) action plans for each area that set out practical actions to maximise the economic benefit realised for local communities, businesses and people.

Clackmannanshire, Glasgow City Region and Tay City region plans have been published on the Scottish Hub for Regional Economic Development website. Western Isles’ plan can be found here . South of Scotland Enterprise published their report on the potential for a CWB approach to adding energy efficient measures to Registered Social Landlord (RSL) housing stock in the South of Scotland, which concluded that 2,200 jobs could be created by 2023. The analysis can be found here: A roadmap to decarbonisation ,

A summary of all learnings from the pilots informed the Economic Development Associations Scotland (EDAs) practical CWB guide, available here: Community Wealth Building Scotland | EDAS

Question reference: S6W-17696

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 11 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on how many households have received a council tax reduction in each year since 1999, also broken down by local authority area.

Monthly statistics on the number of Council Tax Reduction recipients since the scheme’s commencement in April 2013 are available at Council Tax Reduction: local authority tables and charts - April 2013 to February 2023 - (www.gov.scot) . March 2023 data will be published on 16 May 2023.

Prior to April 2013, the UK Government was responsible for Council Tax Benefit with associated data available at Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit statistics - (www.gov.uk) .

Question reference: S6W-17590

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 11 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many staff are employed in ScotRail’s customer service centres in (a) Paisley and (b) Dunfermline, and how many full-time equivalent staff are directly involved in CCTV monitoring.

ScotRail advises that in Paisley there are 34 positions with 27 monitoring CCTV as part of their duties. 4 Managers and 3 Announcers who can monitor CCTV but it is not their primary role. In Dunfermline there are 20 positions with 13 monitoring CCTV as part of their duties. 4 Managers and 3 Announcers who can monitor CCTV but it is not their primary role. ScotRail has 1 additional position which covers both centres and ScotRail now has 24/7 coverage between the centres. Each centre has the capability to monitor sites across the ScotRail network.

Question reference: S6W-17593

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 11 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on how many customer complaints ScotRail has received since it was brought into public ownership.