Questions and answers

Chamber and committees

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 ��˿�� 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-29217

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 August 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 17 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on any ongoing repair work at Auchindoun Castle, and when it will reopen to the public.

Question reference: S6W-29194

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 August 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 17 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on any ongoing repair work at Glenbuchat Castle, and when it will reopen to the public.

Question reference: S6W-29210

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 August 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 17 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with Comhairle nan Eilean Siar regarding reported calls to upgrade the road leading into the Gearrannan Blackhouse Village.

Transport Scotland has had no engagement with Comhairle nan Eilean Siar regarding reported calls to upgrade the road leading into the Gearrannan Blackhouse Village. Transport Scotland has responsibility for the trunk road network, and as such has no responsibility for that road as it is not a trunk road.

Local authorities have a duty under the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984 to manage and maintain local roads in their area and duties under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 to secure the expeditious, convenient and safe movement of traffic.

Ultimately, it is for locally elected representatives to make local decisions on how best to deliver services to their local communities.

Question reference: S6W-29215

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 August 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 17 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on any ongoing repair work at Castle of Old Wick, and when it will reopen to the public.

Question reference: S6W-29213

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 August 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 17 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on any ongoing repair work at Scalloway Castle, and when it will reopen to the public.

Question reference: S6W-29365

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 September 2024
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 17 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to end the process of "salami-slicing" of energy infrastructure projects.

As part of the application process for energy infrastructure projects, the Scottish Government undertake a full and thorough consultation with stakeholders, including the relevant Local Planning Authorities, to ensure all aspects of the development are considered.

Where it is necessary to understand the environmental impact of an infrastructure project, a full Environment Impact Assessment is required to be undertaken which takes into account the cumulative impacts of the full development.

Question reference: S6W-29427

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 02 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 17 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will confirm the (a) number and (b) percentage of schools that have (i) been awarded Reading Schools accreditation and (ii) joined the Reading Schools programme, broken down by local authority area.

The Scottish Book Trust (SBT) has a dedicated page on their website providing information on the total number of accredited Reading Schools. The website can be accessed at: and includes a filter option which enables the total to be broken down by local authority.

That web page confirms that, as of 6 September 2024, there are 505 accredited Reading Schools, with 663 working towards accreditation. All 32 Local Authorities have schools working towards an accreditation and the total number of schools involved in the programme is 1,168.

The most recent Scottish Government statistics on the number of schools in Scotland confirms there are 2,456 schools. This means that approximately 21% of schools are currently accredited and 48% are involved in the programme.

Question reference: S6W-29412

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 02 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 17 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of locations along train routes in the Highlands and Islands region has access (a) 3G, (b) 4G and (c) 5G mobile phone signals.

Question reference: S6W-29355

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 August 2024
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 17 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason Marine Scotland is reportedly unable to conduct a further inspection of the partially deconstructed man-made causeway between the Isles of Luing and Torsa, as requested by members of the community in Luing.

Marine Directorate - Licensing Operations Team (MD-LOT), on behalf of Scottish Ministers, investigated the unlicensed construction of a causeway between Luing and Torsa between September 2021 and July 2022. During that time, several site visits were undertaken by authorised Marine Enforcement officers (MEOs) and remedial works were instructed under Section 44 of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010. Following a final visit to the site by MEOs, these works were completed to the satisfaction of MD-LOT on 26 July 2022. No further enforcement action is planned in this case.

Question reference: S6F-03373

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 16 September 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 September 2024

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to reports that Transport Scotland has spent more than £16 million on consultancy fees in relation to the A83 Rest and Be Thankful project.