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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-35944

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 17 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish the scope and terms of reference that it agreed with AMEY to investigate what safety improvements are required to the trunk road at Toll of Birness; by what date the study will be (a) completed and (b) published; how the reported £10,000 fee for the study was arrived at, and what design and/or construction funding and resources will be committed to any outputs arising from the report.

Each year Transport Scotland, through its Operating Companies, undertakes a review of collisions on the trunk road network to identify cluster sites, or routes with recorded personal injury collisions that may be worthwhile of further investigation.

Whilst the Toll of Birness junction was not, itself, identified for further investigation through the 2023 annual assessment, it was agreed, following a request from the Council, to include the A90 Toll of Birness junction within an investigation being undertaken by Transport Scotland’s Operating Company for the North East, Amey.

The scope of Amey’s investigation covers an accident, investigation and prevention study of the A90 from its junction with the A952 at the Toll of Birness to the junction to the A975 south of Longhaven.

An Accident Investigation and Prevention Report shall set out;

(a) Nature and cause of accidents, and

(b) Propose remedial work to help remove identified causes of and prevent accidents occurring again.

The proposed remedial work shall be backed by relevant evidence showing an expected accident reduction factor for that type of mitigation measure.

The report is currently in draft and will be completed by Amey in April/May 2025. There are no plans to publish the study.

The process for agreeing fees for undertaking such works are set out within the NMC Contract where Ordered works are submitted and agreed between the two parties at pre-agreed rates. The relevant rates and prices shall be used with estimated quantities to develop the Estimated Bid Value.

Any further design or construction work recommended within the report will be included in Transport Scotland’s Trunk Road Casualty Reduction programme of works and will be subject to available funding and competing priorities.

Transport Scotland is a statutory consultee in the planning process and continues to engage constructively with both developers and/or their agents around developments allocated in Aberdeenshire Council’s 2017 Local Development Plan, and the necessary mitigation measures required to offset any potential traffic impacts on the trunk road network.

The Council’s Plan allocated approximately 1,200 houses within Mintlaw, as well as a number of smaller allocations. The Plan also allocates land for over 1,400 houses plus extensive employment in Peterhead, with a further 1,000 houses allocated in Fraserburgh, again with areas of employment land. All of these planned developments have the potential to impact on the operation of the A90(T) and A952 corridors, and significantly affect the performance of the Toll of Birness junction.

At this time, through existing planning conditions, Aberdeenshire Council has effectively imposed an infrastructure capacity of 200 houses across the allocated sites within Mintlaw until such a time as the Toll of Birness Junction has been upgraded.

Transport Scotland has been clear and consistent in its engagement with all parties, in that Aberdeenshire Council and/or developers will be required to fund and deliver improvements to the Toll of Birness Junction as a result of development.

Nestrans commissioned a separate appraisal of the A90(N) / A952 Road Corridor. This study includes identifying issues and opportunities within the transport infrastructure system and evaluating potential short to medium term road improvements on the A90 north of Ellon.

Question reference: S6W-36161

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 17 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that Scotland will remain at net zero emissions, should it achieve its legal target by 2045, in light of reports of inefficient heating measures in traditionally built homes.

My recent statement to Parliament confirmed that we intend to introduce a Heat in Buildings Bill in Year 5 of this Parliamentary session. This will create a target for decarbonising heating systems by 2045, and send a strong signal to homeowners, landlords and other building owners on the need to prepare for change.

We know that certain types of buildings might be more challenging to decarbonise, such as traditional and protected properties, for example. We will therefore ensure that any regulations we bring forward will provide suitable flexibility to account for this.

We continue to work with key partners, including Historic Environment Scotland, to support the best solutions to transition Scotland’s traditional buildings to be more energy efficient and to use clean heating systems while being sympathetic to their character and features.

We are investing over £300m in heat and energy efficiency programmes in 2025-26, including support for traditional properties.

We are also considering how we could provide for a more bespoke assessment of the technically-suitable energy efficiency and clean heating measures available for owners of traditional buildings.

Question reference: S6O-04562

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 April 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment has been done of any impact on CAMHS waiting times targets, in light of reports of autism assessment services being cancelled leaving more children in distress and unable to access support that requires a diagnosis.

Question reference: S6O-04560

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 April 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports that gulls can cause serious human injury, whether it will direct NatureScot to issue licences to control the birds and help prevent such injuries.

Question reference: S6O-04566

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 April 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on when it will publish the outcome of the latest A96 corridor review.

Question reference: S6O-04563

Asked by: Clare Haughey, MSP for Rutherglen, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 April 2025
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting the uptake of childhood immunisations in NHS Lanarkshire.

Question reference: S6O-04565

Asked by: Foysol Choudhury, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 April 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it is encouraging the growth of community energy projects.

Question reference: S6O-04564

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S6O-04561

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 April 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what dialogue it has had with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde regarding shared care agreements for adults with private ADHD and autism diagnoses.

Question reference: S6O-04550

Asked by: Karen Adam, MSP for Banffshire and Buchan Coast, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 April 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its strategy to further the case for Scottish independence, in light of recent reported polling indicating a majority in support.