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: S5W-28125

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 27 March 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 9 April 2020

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on its legislative programme, when it now expects to introduce the Continuity (Scotland) Bill, and what impact any delay will have on whether the necessary EU exit preparations relating to environmental principles and governance will be completed by the end of the transition period in December 2020.

The Scottish Government’s priority is responding to the current global and national crisis. We expect our response to the coronavirus outbreak will be sustained over an extended period. For that reason, careful consideration of a date for introduction of the Continuity Bill will take place as part of the wider work being carried out to prioritise essential non-coronavirus related legislation in the government's legislative programme. As part of this consideration, we will assess the impact on future domestic arrangements for environmental principles and governance.

A decision by the UK Government to take sensible steps to negotiate an extension to the implementation period would, of course, have an important bearing on those considerations.

Question reference: S5W-28045

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 23 March 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 7 April 2020

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-27450 by Michael Matheson on 5 March 2020, how it calculated the 10-minute figure.

Question reference: S5W-27994

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 March 2020
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 31 March 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the development of the new aluminium factory in Fort William, including how much financial assistance (a) it and (b) Highlands and Islands Enterprise has contributed to the project to date.

In 2016 the Scottish Government supported the GFG Alliance with their acquisition of the Lochaber aluminium smelter. We underwrote this transaction as part of a clear commitment to Scotland’s industrial infrastructure and rural economy and to inclusive and sustainable growth in the West Highlands.

The GFG Alliance remain fully committed to investing in future downstream manufacturing at Fort William. Before making a final decision with regards to the timing of their investment, the GFG Alliance continue to monitor the instability in the UK automotive market and issues relating to Brexit and now the developing COVID19 pandemic.

The financial package extended was provided after seeking and securing the agreement of the Finance Committee.

In relation to the proposed future downstream manufacturing at Fort William, the company have not received financial assistance from the Scottish Government or Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

Question reference: S5O-04315

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 March 2020
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 25 March 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what training it is putting in place to enable additional staff to support the social care sector during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Staff coming into the sector to provide frontline care will get immediate job-based training from employers, in line with the responsibility employers have to ensure staff have the skills and knowledge they need for the role they are being asked to do. The Scottish Social Services Council, the workforce regulator, is already working with COSLA and NHS Education Scotland to produce a specific Training Development Pack to support those moving to or across care services at this crucial time. This will clarify the minimum training requirements for social services staff and enable the redeployment of staff to other roles if required, so that we maximise the flexibility of the workforce. The intention is to publish the pack this week.

Question reference: S5W-27447

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 14 February 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 6 March 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to prevent flooding of the railway between Kingussie and Aviemore from heavy rain, which affects the operation of LNER and ScotRail services.

The Scottish Government has recently invested £57 million in the Highland Mainline to improve services and performance along the length of the route. This includes improvements works at and around Aviemore station.

Network Rail Scotland is also working closely with Highland Council to take steps to mitigate the risk of flooding on the Highland Mainline in the vicinity of the Gynack river bed, which has flooded in the past.

Question reference: S5W-27448

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 14 February 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 5 March 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Network Rail regarding the impact of flooding on the Highland mainline.

Question reference: S5W-27449

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 14 February 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 5 March 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what studies it has undertaken into the resilience of the Highland mainline.

Network Rail’s performance requirements and funding for its day to day activities are set by the Office of Rail and Road. This is done on a five year cycle called a Control Period, and is based on performance requirements for rail services set by the Scottish Government.

In preparing for Control Period 6 (2019-2024), Network Rail undertook a thorough and detailed assessment of the performance and resilience requirements across the Scottish network, with support from Transport Scotland, including the Highland Mainline. This has been supported by a 21% increase in Scottish Government funding over Control Period 6.

Question reference: S5W-27450

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 14 February 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 5 March 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has invested in the Highland mainline in each of the last five years.

The Scottish Government has invested £57 million on major projects on the Highland Mainline over the last 5 years. This investment will contribute to our aspiration of a ten minute average journey time reduction between Inverness and the Central Belt.

The Scottish Government has also invested £2.2 million in other works along the route, including improving accessibility at both Aviemore and Pitlochry Stations.

A breakdown of the £57 million project spend is as follows:-

Financial Year	HML Project Spend
2015/2016	£4 million
2016/2017	£2 million
2017/2018	£5 million
2018/2019	£36 million
2019/2020	£10 million
Total	£57 million

These improvements to the Highland Mainline are in addition to Scottish Government investment in Network Rail’s day to day running (operations, maintenance and renewal) of the route. Network Rail’s performance and funding requirements are set and monitored by the Office of Rail and Road.

Financial Year	Network Rail HML OM&R Spend
2014/2015	£ 8 million
2015/2016	£ 15 million
2016/2017	£ 11 million
2017/2018	£ 13 million
2018/2019	£ 14 million
Total	£ 61 million

Question reference: S5O-04263

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 March 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 12 March 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had regarding the proposed privatisation of the new merged college on Shetland.

Question reference: S5W-27590

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 24 February 2020
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 4 March 2020

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish its conclusions on the Scottish Natural Heritage and Joint Nature Conservation Committee report, Final advice and recommendations on a network of proposed marine Special Protection Areas, which was published on 6 December 2018.

Following publication of the final advice and recommendations on a network of proposed marine Special Protection Areas by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) the Scottish Government undertook further public consultation in summer of 2019 in order to complete the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) of the proposed plan. The updated SEA proposed that the Scottish Government should follow the final advice from SNH and JNCC. Ministers are considering all of the scientific evidence underpinning the proposals and will make a decision in due course.