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: S4W-26122

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 15 June 2015
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 24 June 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to update the rolling stock serving the (a) Far North Line and (b) Highland Mainline.

The Far North line will be served by a refurbished class 158 fleet which Abellio ScotRail is obliged to deliver through the franchise agreement. These trains will be used on great scenic rail journeys routes (The Borders, West Highlands and North Highlands) offering an improved passenger experience, enhanced on board-facilities and a range of services aimed at attracting more visitors onto Scotland rural services.

This work will see improvements delivered such as new carpets, table-top maps, seating aligned with windows, power/USB sockets, wheelchair spaces, luggage storage, tourist information and external re-livery. The first unit is due to be released in September 2015 with all of the retained fleet of 40 c158s completed by December 2018.

Highland Mainline services will continue to be served by class 170 trains for now, with Abellio ScotRail due to introduce 27 High Speed Trains HSTs from mid-2018 onwards. This freshly-enhanced fleet will deliver significant improvements in passenger facilities such as more seating capacity, Wi-Fi, on train catering, new seating, lighting, wheelchair access and compliant toilets.

Question reference: S4W-26120

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 15 June 2015
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 24 June 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to reduce the number of class 158 trains on Inverness services.

Question reference: S4O-04495

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 June 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 June 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to ensure that secondary school pupils in the Highlands and Islands can study the subjects that they need to meet their career ambitions.

Question reference: S4W-26023

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 June 2015
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 17 June 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what the timescale is for the independent academic research that it has commissioned on the impact of the criminalisation of the purchase of sex; how the research will be conducted, and whether it will be carried out (a) in conjunction with a consultation and (b) from a gender analysis perspective.

It is planned that research findings will be submitted to the Scottish Government and Scottish Parliament in early 2016.

The research will review the evidence on the impacts of a policy of criminalisation of the purchase of sex. It will also include an assessment of the impact on wider Scottish Government policy to address violence against women and gather evidence on the sex work industry in Scotland. The most appropriate research methodology will be established as part of the development process to ensure that relevant issues are included.

Any decisions on consulting on this issue will be taken after the research has been published.

Question reference: S4W-25964

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 04 June 2015
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 11 June 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what financial support it will provide to Highland Council to help meet the costs of building a safer route to replace the Stromeferry bypass.

Question reference: S4O-04460

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 June 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 June 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to promote and support Gaelic culture.

Question reference: S4W-25350

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 April 2015
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 7 May 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing or plans to do to ensure that people with hearing loss have access to lipreading classes or tutors, particularly in the Highlands and Islands.

A Scottish Lipreading Strategy Group, chaired by Action on Hearing Loss and funded by Scottish Government, recently produced a report, Lipreading Classes in Scotland – the way forward which is currently being considered by Scottish Government officials.

One of the recommendations of the report is that a Scottish Lipreading Working Group should be established which will, among other things, improve access to lipreading services in the remote and rural areas by trying out, and evaluating, new technology-based ways.

Question reference: S4W-25298

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 April 2015
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 30 April 2015

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4F-02714 by Nicola Sturgeon on 2 April 2015 (Official Report, c.17), how much of the money will be allocated to (a) judicial, (b) frontline and (c) other services.

Decisions about the allocation of the additional £20 million will be taken in discussion with key statutory and third sector partners, with a clear focus on improving support and protection for victims, prevention and reducing the risk of harm. Decisions about the final allocation of money to (a) judicial, (b) frontline and (c) other services have not been finalised.

As set out by the First Minister, the additional funding will help to: support additional fiscals, court staff and judiciary to assist the efficient processing of cases through the courts; widen access to advocacy, support and legal services for the victims of crime, including domestic abuse and sexual offences; explore an expansion to innovative initiatives such as the Caledonian System, which work with men convicted of domestic abuse, and improve education and information resources to help increase public understanding of these crimes.

Question reference: S4O-04286

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 April 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 6 May 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what support it provides to the film and arts sectors in Shetland.

Question reference: S4W-25222

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 April 2015
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 29 April 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what arrangements it has made for prenatal screening in Argyll and Bute until Autumn 2016, and what plans it has for staff to travel to patients to conduct scans.

It is of paramount importance that women receive safe and effective services during pregnancy. The Scottish Government welcomes NHS Highland’s announcement that the antenatal screening services in Argyll and Bute, which provide women with routine scans, will be implemented from the autumn of 2016. NHS Highland has looked at the feasibility of providing interim locum cover and has had discussions with neighbouring boards about temporary support for the local service, but these options have not been possible to date due to pressures on the availability of trained sonographers that are currently being experienced across Scotland.