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-27284

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 September 2015
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 16 September 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the establishment of a small business conciliation service.

Question reference: S4W-27307

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 September 2015
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 16 September 2015

To ask the Scottish Government which railway stations are not accessible to disabled people.

When referring to access to railway stations for disabled people, it normally relates to those with reduced mobility. When considering if a station is accessible it is usually put in the context of a wheelchair user and therefore stations are categorized according to the existence of step free access to all station platforms and facilities. The information below reflects this definition of an inaccessible station, but people with a range of other disabilities may still be able to use these stations.

Of Scotland’s 358 railway stations, 274 (76.6%) have step free access to all platforms.

42 stations (11.7%) have platforms that can only be accessed by steps. This makes it impossible for a wheelchair user to reach rail services from these stations. Table 1 provides a full list of these stations:

Table 1

Addiewell	Burnside	Gilschochill	Queen’s Park (Glasgow)
Alexandria	Carstairs	Greenock West	Rannoch for Kinloch
Anderston	Cathcart	High Street	Rannoch
Ardlui	Coatdyke	King’s Park	Roy bridge
Argyle Street	Corrour	Langside	Shawlands
Arrochar and Tarbet	Crianlarich	Maxwell Park	Slateford
Attadale	Croftfoot	Paisley St James	Springburn
Bellgrove	Crosshill	Pollokshaws East	Upper Tyndrum
Blairhill*	Dumbarton East	Pollokshaws West	Williamwood
Bridge of Orchy	Falls of Cruachan	Pollokshields East	��
Bridgeton	Garelochhead	Pollokshields West	��

*Network Rail is developing proposals to make Blairhill station step free and fully accessible through the Access for All Fund.

A further 42 stations (11.7%) have at least one platform that can only be accessed by steps and are therefore part accessible for a wheelchair user. Table 2 provides a full list of these stations:

Table 2

Achnasheen	Burntisland	Fauldhouse	Kingussie
Anniesland	Cardonald	Forsinard	Kirkconnel
Ardgay	Carrbridge	Fort Matilda	Lairg
Arisaig	Cleland	Garve	Lochgelly
Balmossie	Coatbridge	Girvan	Lochwinnoch
Barassie	Central	Glenfinnan	Pitlochry
Barhill	Curriehill	Helmsdale	Springfield
Barry Links	Dalreoch	Hyndland	Stirling
Bowling	Dalwhinnie	Insch	Tain
Breich	Drem	Kilmarnock**	��
Brora	Dunkeld and Birnam	Kinghorn	��

**Network Rail is developing proposals to make Kilmarnock station step free and fully accessible through the Access for All Fund.

ScotRail provides alternative accessible transport (normally a taxi) to any eligible disabled passenger who cannot access a station and who books this service in advance of travel. The passenger will be taken to the next nearest accessible station on that route and this service is provided free of charge to the passenger.

Question reference: S4W-27282

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 September 2015
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 16 September 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the names of companies to which it has awarded development contracts being displayed on site.

The Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (Scotland) Regulations 2013 require all major and national developments and those developments specified in Schedule 3 to the regulations (developments likely to have wider impacts on amenity), while in progress, to display a sign in a specified form, including the name and address of the developer. It must be: i) displayed in a prominent place at or in the vicinity of the site of the development; (ii) readily visible to the public; and (iii) printed on durable material. The aim is for the public to know more about what is being built, the permission and conditions, where to get more information and who is responsible for planning enforcement.

Question reference: S4W-27289

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 September 2015
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 15 September 2015

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will change pension rules in Scotland to provide pension parity for serving police officers who joined the force after 2006.

Question reference: S4W-27285

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 September 2015
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 10 September 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what support it provides to schools seeking funds to visit the UK Parliament.

Question reference: S4W-27283

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 September 2015
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 10 September 2015

To ask the Scottish Government how many sheriff court actions to settle disputes between small and large businesses there have been in each year since 1999.

Question reference: S4F-02934

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 07 September 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 September 2015

To ask the First Minister, in light of the proposed national system of standardised assessment in primary schools, whether the Scottish Government will reinstate the Progress in International Reading and Literacy and Trends in International Mathematics and Science studies for Scotland.

Question reference: S4W-27050

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 10 August 2015
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 27 August 2015

To ask the Scottish Government how many local planning committee decisions it has overturned in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority.

Question reference: S4W-27051

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 10 August 2015
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 24 August 2015

To ask the Scottish Government how many objections from families have been received by the Inspector of Crematoria for Scotland.

Question reference: S4W-27052

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 10 August 2015
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 24 August 2015

To ask the Scottish Government whether families concerned that planning applications might impact on graves or gardens of remembrance can raise objections with the Inspector of Crematoria for Scotland and, if so, what action the inspector can take.