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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: S6F-03694

Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 13 January 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 January 2025

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6F-03695

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 13 January 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 January 2025

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6W-32623

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 20 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 13 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how much was spent on staff (a) salaries and (b) travel expenses at each of its international offices in the last year.

The following table presents totals for (a) salaries, including overseas allowances, and (b) travel expenses for 2023-24.

International Office	(a) Salary Costs	(b) Travel Costs
China	£206,338	£10,500
United States	£281,144	£29,000
Canada	£195,802	£47,000
France	£239,456	£10,700
Nordics	£277,666	£8,900
Scotland House Brussels	£1,191,266	£30,300
Ireland	£228,481	£5,000
Germany	£260,067	£11,700
Scotland House London	£665,894	£13,200

The international network offices outside the UK comprise country-based staff (CBS) in addition to UK-Based diplomatic staff. These figures contains additional non-salary costs for CBS, who are employed by FCDO, which are not disaggregated when recharged to the Scottish Government.

Question reference: S6W-32691

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 20 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 13 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what the average estimated cost to Police Scotland is of seizing and processing an illegal e-bike.

Question reference: S6W-32436

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 13 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6T-02170 by Fiona Hyslop on 5 November 2024, what further details it can provide regarding what additional aid will be put in place to support people who may require assistance at railway stations, such as some older and disabled people, in the event that the proposed reduction in staffed hours at ScotRail station ticket offices is accepted.

The Scottish Government’s agreement to ScotRail proposals to adjust opening hours of some of its ticket offices is predicated on the condition that disabled travellers’ access to services will not be affected by these proposals.

Proposed adjustments to ticket office opening hours will enable a redeployment of some ScotRail staff not only to help deter anti-social behaviour, but also provide more and better assistance for passengers with ticket selection and purchase and enhance staff’s ability to provide assistance for disabled passengers. As part of the proposals, ScotRail will also install additional help points at stations where ticket offices are on a different level from the platforms, to assist passengers

ScotRail’s passenger assist service provides assistance to those who need help when travelling on the ScotRail network. Passengers who require assistance when travelling can turn up and use the help point to request assistance. For those who want peace of mind assistance can be booked in advance with one hour’s notice, which compares favourably with the 2 hours required by other GB Train Operating Companies.”

Question reference: S6W-32724

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 23 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 13 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many productions by the National Theatre of Scotland have taken place in (a) the Highlands and Islands region and (b) nationally in each year since 2021.

Since April 2021, the National Theatre of Scotland has undertaken the following number of productions in Scotland and in the Highlands and Islands region:

Financial year	No of productions in Scotland	No of productions within Highlands and Islands	Details of engagements in Highlands and Islands
2021-2022	11	3	The Enemy Theatre in Schools Scotland (TISS): Family Portrait TISS: Mixed Up Digital
2022-2023	18	10	Burn Exodus James IV Orphans TISS: Buff and Sheen TISS: Family Portrait TISS: Maya and the Whale TISS: Chalk TISS: KLC TISS: Wellies
2023-2024	18	8	Dear Billy Dracula Kidnapped Protest Thrown TISS: Cloud Man TISS: Going For Gold TISS: MESS
2024-2025	13	6	Dear Billy June Carter Cash: The Woman Her Music and Me Maggie & Me Sho and the Demons of the Deep TISS: Ginger TISS: One of Two

Question reference: S6W-32692

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 20 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 13 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what economic losses or costs to public services have been identified that are attributable to accidents involving illegal e-bikes.

Data on collisions which cause injury and take place on the road network, including adjacent pavements and cycle lanes, is collected by Police Scotland as part of the GB-wide dataset known as STATS19.

Within STATS19, vehicles involved in injury road collisions can be recorded as ‘bicycle’ or ‘electric motorcycle’. However, there is currently no systematic way of determining which of these vehicles would be described as illegal e-bikes.

The UK Government’s Department for Transport routinely produces estimates of the values assigned to the cost of road casualties and collisions in Great Britain for use in cost-benefit analysis of the prevention of road casualties and collisions in road schemes. However, as it is not possible to systematically identify collisions involving illegal e-bikes, it is not possible to use these figures to identify the costs of collisions involving illegal e-bikes.

Question reference: S6W-32696

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 20 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 13 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many complaints about illegal e-bikes Police Scotland has received from residents in Aberdeen in each of the last three years.

Question reference: S6W-32719

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 23 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 13 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will review its decision not to proceed with any of the fixed link options proposed in the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2), in light of its announcement that it will make specific funding available to support connectivity in the Northern Isles, as set out in its draft Budget 2025-26.

The Scottish Government remains committed to taking forward work on the three proposed fixed links identified as part of the second Strategic Transport Review (STPR2) under Recommendation 41. Noting that STPR2 is a long term plan, the next step is in determining whether there is a robust enough business case and local support to progress these options for more detailed consideration.

The business cases for a potential Sound of Harris, Sound of Barra fixed links and a fixed link between Mull and Scottish mainland would need to consider the benefits, costs and challenges associated with these interventions and would further consider the feasibility of improving island connectivity through additional fixed links.

The funding allocated in the draft Budget is for Orkney and Shetland Councils to improve inter-island connectivity in the way that best meets local needs, therefore distinct from the STPR2 recommendation.

Question reference: S6W-32728

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 23 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 13 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding Creative Scotland has distributed to organisations registered in (a) England, (b) Wales and (c) Northern Ireland in each each year since 2021-22.

Since 2021-22, Creative Scotland has distributed £19.1m to organisations registered in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Funding distributed to organisations with a base outside Scotland will either have an office in Scotland and/or the funded activity will be related to work in Scotland. Full breakdown as follows:

Financial Year	Number of Applications	Awarded Amount
2021-22	102	8,054,015.00*
England	94	7,986,035.00
Northern Ireland	4	20,480.00
Wales	4	47,500.00
2022-23	63	2,654,155.00
England	61	2,609,065.00
Wales	2	45,090.00
2023-24	87	5,891,529.50
England	82	5,851,986.50
Northern Ireland	4	32,543.00
Wales	1	7,000.00
2024-25	49	2,513,499.00
England	48	2,499,696.00
Northern Ireland	1	13,803.00
Grand Total	301	19,113,198.50

*Figure includes some COVID-19 Emergency Funding