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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: S6O-04260

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 January 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to prevent death by suicide in prison.

Question reference: S6O-04275

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 January 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the education secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding action to improve access to books for, and encourage reading by, children and young people.

Question reference: S6O-04278

Asked by: Roz McCall, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 January 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it is collaborating with third sector organisations regarding the provision of mental health, wellbeing and emotional support in schools.

Question reference: S6O-04258

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 January 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the public inquiry into the investigation of Emma Caldwell's murder.

Question reference: S6O-04256

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 January 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the culture secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding the potential impact on the provision of library services in Mid-Scotland and Fife of the proposed local government settlement for 2025-26.

Question reference: S6W-33166

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 22 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to upgrade or replace sections of the A90 to meet modern road infrastructure standards.

The Scottish Government published the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2) in December 2022. STPR2 prioritises maintaining and safely operating existing assets over targeted infrastructure improvements. STPR2 did not recommend any major upgrades to the A90 trunk road. Instead, Recommendation 30 noted that the A90 Perth to Aberdeen (excluding the A90 Kingsway through Dundee) as an example of locations for potential future road safety improvements. Separately, Recommendation 32, identified the proposal for an integrated transport plan to be developed for the A90 Kingsway through Dundee.

In addition, the Scottish Government remains committed to delivering a new grade-separated junction on the A90 at Laurencekirk as part of the package of additional investment alongside the Aberdeen City Region Deal.

Transport Scotland has been taking forward the necessary design and assessment work, and the project is currently going through the statutory authorisation process, having recently published supplementary draft Orders for formal comment.

As with all infrastructure projects, delivery of the Laurencekirk scheme can only commence when the relevant statutory authorisation powers to do so have been secured. Following completion of the statutory authorisation process we will then be in a position to set a timetable for delivery of the scheme in line with available budgets.

Question reference: S6W-33107

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 22 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of the Transport Scotland budget over the last five years has been allocated to projects with a primary focus on economic development.

All transport expenditure supports economic activity and development. This ranges from the maintenance and enhancement of the road, rail, air and ferry networks and our bridges, the impact of our sustainable travel and low carbon schemes, the support for public transport users through concessionary fares, the funding of rail services and bus grants to allow easier access to employment and support to local authorities.

Funds are allocated in line with the 4 priorities within the National Transport Strategy of which Inclusive Economic Growth is a key component and the vast majority of expenditure is around maintaining and running the existing system that is crucial for economic development. However, all transport interventions have impacts across all the 4 priorities and interact with each other and some projects are funded over multiple years and as such, there is no rigorous way of determining which expenditure in any given period has a primary focus on economic development.

Question reference: S6W-33168

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 22 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many bridges and overpasses are located along the A90, and what the current condition is of these structures.

There is a total of 140 overbridges and overpasses (including footbridges on the A90 trunk road and within the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Road / Balmeddie to Tipperty Project boundary. All are in an acceptable condition. They are subjected to regular inspections to determine the integrity of the structures and identify any necessary repairs. Transport Scotland's Operating Company, Amey, has ongoing prioritised works at the structures below:

A90 Glencarse overpass was struck by a vehicle in March 2023 and repairs were completed on 21 December.
A90 Finavon Bridge sustained storm damage during Storm Babet in October 2023, work has been ongoing to facilitate repairs

Question reference: S6W-33183

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 22 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how traffic volume on the A90 has changed over the last five years, and what impact this has had on the road’s condition.

As carriageways are designed for a specific period (a ‘design life’) based on the predicted numbers of vehicles passing over that section over a specific number of years, increased traffic volumes (particularly commercial vehicles) can accelerate their deterioration. Traffic volumes on the A90 have risen by 6% over the last five years. This change in traffic has been factored into our most recent calculation of the Road Condition Index which is used to identify where detailed engineering investigations should be focused in order to determine maintenance requirements.

Question reference: S6W-33181

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 22 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many road surface repairs have been conducted on the A90 in each of the last five years, broken down by location.

Financial Year	No. of Road Surface Repairs
2019-20	423
2020-21	674
2021-22	607
2022-23	693
2023-24	847