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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-30795

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 4 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-12859 by Jenny Gilruth on 20 December 2022, what further progress has been made regarding the reform of the Traffic Regulation Orders system.

There are currently no imminent plans to make any further amendments to the Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) system, following the amended Experimental Traffic Regulation Order (ETRO) regulations which were introduced in November 2021.

The Scottish Government will continue to engage with a range of stakeholders including the local authority sector, Police Scotland and business and active travel representatives to understand any issues that arise from the various road order processes.

Question reference: S6W-30575

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 4 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what the recorded causes of road traffic incidents at the Toll of Birness have been since January 2024.

The Scottish Government has reviewed the personal injury accident information provided by Police Scotland and can confirm that there has been one personal injury accident at the Toll of Birness junction between 1 January 2024 and 30 September 2024, the date for which data is currently available. As this road traffic collision is subject to ongoing Police enquiries no further information can be provided on its cause at the present time.

Question reference: S6W-30568

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 4 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met Police Scotland to discuss road safety at the Toll of Birness.

Question reference: S6W-30838

Asked by: Lorna Slater, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 1 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government by what date it will publish its response to the report, Developing Scotland's Economy: Increasing The Role Of Inclusive And Democratic Business Models, and whether this will include a commitment and timeline to establish an economic democracy group, as recommended by the report.

Question reference: S6W-30673

Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 1 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the community that is purported to benefit from a flood protection scheme must always be consulted on the options long list in the early stages of a proposal, which is then used to produce an options short list.

It is a local authority responsibility to develop and deliver flood protection schemes and we would expect them to engage with their local communities on relevant design considerations throughout the development process.

The Scottish Government will publish a Flood Resilience Strategy by the end of this year, which will set out our vision on creating flood resilient places and recognise the important contribution people and communities make to their own flood resilience.

Question reference: S6W-30668

Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 1 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether it is appropriate that all new and, as yet, unbuilt flood protection schemes should incorporate a component of natural flood management as a requirement for receiving public funding.

The Flood Risk Management Act promotes a catchment wide approach to managing flood risk. The Scottish Government recognise that Natural Flood Management (NFM) can provide multiple benefits, including reducing flood risks, enhancing biodiversity, and contributing to climate resilience.

The Scottish Government does not require the use of NFM as a funding condition, as each community and catchment are different and require a bespoke solution. Local Authorities are best placed to carry out the assessment of options to improve flood risk as they understand their local areas and project goals best.

Question reference: S6W-30674

Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 1 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the potential impact of schemes and actions to prevent flood risks in conservation areas must be carried out in equivalence to that of historic and scheduled monuments, in light of these being covered by the Listed Buildings and Conservation Area (Scotland) Act 1997.

Question reference: S6W-30447

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 04 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 1 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that entertainment venues provide (a) visual impairment awareness and (b) sighted guide training for all staff members.

Question reference: S6W-30445

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 04 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 1 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to introduce a standardised booking system for accessible seats at entertainment venues.

Question reference: S6W-30663

Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 1 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether Flood Risk Management Plans submitted to it by local authorities, under the provisions of the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009, have been scrutinised and signed-off by experts with relevant expertise in all aspects of a scheme, including hydrology and civil and structural engineering, and who are fully independent and therefore not employed by the project proponents or by its appointed consultants, and, if this is not the case, whether it will undertake such scrutiny itself.

Flood Risk Management Plans are developed by SEPA, which has the expertise to do so as Scotland’s Strategic Flood Risk Management Authority.

It is a local authority responsibility to develop and deliver flood protection schemes. However, the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act sets out a specific set of circumstances where the Scottish Ministers may consider a scheme if they receive notice from a local authority under Schedule 2 of the Act.

Should Ministers decide that they wish to consider a scheme, a Public Local Inquiry would be held by a Reporter. The Reporter would hear evidence on all relevant considerations, including from relevant experts, before making a recommendation. Ministers would then consider the recommendation of the Reporter before making their decision.