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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-03253

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 2 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the debate on motion S6M-01293 (A Net Zero Nation) on 21 September 2021, whether it will provide a substantive response to the issues raised regarding alternative engineering solutions to the reconstruction of the Woodside viaducts on the M8 in Glasgow at the reported expense of introducing new active travel routes to the city, and what its position is on how this might be interpreted internationally ahead of COP26.

The M8 Woodside Viaducts are essential links in the M8 central Scotland urban motorway, vital for the economy and connectivity of Scotland. Therefore, the repair of the viaducts and removal of restrictions is high priority. A number of potential remedies were considered but the propping solution was assessed as the best option in terms of timescale and value for the public purse. The viaducts carry 150,000 vehicles per day in normal times, which would be difficult to accommodate by other routes or modes. Part of the Underline Project, an active travel corridor route from Cambridge Street to St George’s Road extending below the viaducts, has been deferred to allow the viaducts repair work to be completed. Several excavations are required in this area and it would be abortive to construct this part only for it to be disrupted by the repair works. This has been fully discussed and agreed with Glasgow City Council. On completion, the Underline project will deliver a key cross-Glasgow active travel corridor in line with the commitments given in the motion and contribute to the net zero aims of COP26.

Question reference: S6W-03559

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 2 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the debate on motion S6M-01293 (A Net Zero Nation) on 21 September 2021, whether it will provide a substantive response to the comments raised regarding for what reason no new railway lines have been constructed in Glasgow in the last 15 years.

Glasgow already benefits from an extensive rail network. With a total of 155 stations in the Glasgow City Region it is the busiest suburban rail network in Britain outside London. Therefore the focus of investment has very properly been on the development of that network, which has benefited from substantial improvements as part of the more than £9bn invested in rail infrastructure in Scotland since 2007.

These investments have included extensive electrification of routes into Glasgow and substantial new, emission free train fleets serving those routes. Glasgow Queen Street has been rebuilt and transformed, Glasgow Central capacity has benefited from an additional platform, and in 2019, a new station opened at Robroyston to provide local residents with a sustainable travel option.

Further rail enhancements, in Glasgow and more widely across the country, are planned as part of the Decarbonisation Action Plan ( Rail Services Decarbonisation Action Plan (transport.gov.scot) ) with our future transport investment decisions directed by the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2). That review will conclude this winter, with publication of recommendations for investment and will be followed by the appropriate statutory consultation period.

Question reference: S6W-03498

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 2 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of Ofgem's price cap increase, and the £500 million fund announced by the UK Government to support vulnerable households, whether it will provide a similar household support fund in order to alleviate fuel poverty.

The Scottish Government recognise that the recent rises in energy prices, and the increase in the price cap authorised by Ofgem, can only have a negative impact on fuel poor households.

While energy markets are a reserved matter, we are taking action, within our powers, to support people who are struggling with their heating bills through the winter. On Friday 29 October we announced a £10 million Fuel Insecurity Fund to provide direct support with fuel costs for low income households. This funding will be delivered through a range of organisations including registered social landlords, Advice Direct Scotland and the Fuel Bank Foundation. It is part of a wider £41 million package of funding designed to help people on low incomes who are facing financial insecurity over the winter.

Question reference: S6W-03520

Asked by: Dean Lockhart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 2 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to introduce legislation to put into effect the decision to move ScotRail into the public sector when the current ScotRail franchise ends in March 2022.

Further to the answers provided to S6W-00200 on 3 June 2021 and S6W-00776 on 1 July 2021, Scottish Ministers have to work within current UK rail legislation, principally the Railways Act 1993 (the 1993 Act), which neither the Scottish Ministers nor the Scottish Parliament have powers to change.

The Scottish Ministers already have a duty under section 30 of the 1993 Act to provide or secure the provision of passenger rail services where a franchise agreement comes to an end and no further franchise agreement had been entered into in respect of the services. It is this duty that will enable the Scottish Ministers to arrange for a company wholly owned by the Scottish Government (ScotRail Trains Ltd) to provide ScotRail services when the current ScotRail franchise expires. The Scottish Ministers do not need to introduce additional legislation to put this into effect.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

Question reference: S6W-03522

Asked by: Meghan Gallacher, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 2 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what work it has undertaken to assess how autism diagnosis waiting times could be routinely recorded and published.

The Scottish Government is committed to implementing the National Neurodevelopmental Specification: Principles and Standards of Care for Children and Young People, published in September 2021, which specifies service standards that all children’s services should follow, to ensure access to support is effective and consistent across Scotland. Scottish Government have also commissioned Directors of eHealth, working with others including Public Health Scotland, to work to improve digital infrastructure, applications and data to report on all standards within the National Neurodevelopmental Specification.

In addition to these actions, and to support this work, £3.06 million has been allocated to NHS Boards, for the remainder of this year, to build professional capacity within Boards to support children and young people with neurodevelopmental support needs.

The Scottish Government has also established the National Autism Implementation Team, in partnership with Queen Margaret University, to support Health and Social Care Partnerships to consider best practice and improve service in adult autism diagnostic services. The National Implementation Team is supporting NHS Boards to examine diagnostic pathways for autism and establish regional experts to assist with improving tiered autism specialisms across health boards.

Question reference: S6T-00241

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 01 November 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to businesses and residents affected by recent flooding.

Question reference: S6T-00245

Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 01 November 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that six prisoners overdosed on drugs in two days at HMP Shotts.

Question reference: S6F-00418

Asked by: Jackie Dunbar, MSP for Aberdeen Donside, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 01 November 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 November 2021

To ask the First Minister how the Scottish Government is working to ensure that, during COP26, it provides a platform for unheard voices, including citizens, young people and those from the Global South.

Question reference: S6F-00412

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 01 November 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 November 2021

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to Glasgow City Council cleansing workers taking strike action from 1 November and throughout COP26 due to low pay.

Question reference: S6F-00411

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 01 November 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 November 2021

To ask the First Minister what public advice the Scottish Government has issued regarding the discharge of fireworks, given that new regulations came into force on 30 June 2021.