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-02171

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 26 August 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 20 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether someone boarding a train at (a) an unstaffed station or (b) a station without a ticket machine can be fined for pre-meditated fraud.

This is not pre-meditated fraud and would not be treated as such by ScotRail. Where there are no ticket issuing facilities at the station, tickets will be available for sale during or at the end of the journey. This is in accordance with the National Rail Conditions of Carriage, which apply to all train operating companies in the UK, and Byelaw 18 (Ticketless travel in a non-compulsory ticket area).

I refer the Member to the answer to question S5W-02167 on 20 September 2016. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at:

Question reference: S5W-02586

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 12 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 20 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-01687 by Humza Yousaf on 23 August 2016, when it expects Abellio ScotRail and Transport Scotland to reach agreement on more detailed reporting and monitoring of the contractual obligation to maintain a minimum staffing level for every train service of two members of staff.

ScotRail will be providing details of its resource plans to provide evidence that all services are scheduled to be fully staffed; where any service is not covered, a summary of their plans to reduce instances of those services operating without a second staff member for all or part of their journey; and details of the local decision-making process when short notice absences occur. Once received, these plans will be reviewed to assess compliance with the franchise agreement.

ScotRail has recently confirmed that an additional ten ticket examiners have now been recruited to improve coverage of staff on electric service routes.

Question reference: S5W-02595

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 12 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 20 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will list the (a) vehicles and (b) routes that brought Abellio ScotRail below the performance benchmark in SQUIRE Service Schedule (i) 19 (train seats, tables, racks and other passenger facilities), (ii) 20 (train lighting), (iii) 21 (train toilets), (iv) 22 (train graffiti), (v) 24 (train destination boards, passenger info display boards), (vi) 26 (train posters/on-train info), (vii) 27 (train public address), (viii) 28 (train doors) for the first quarter of 2016-17 and (ix) 30 (train seat reservations) and whether the franchisee has incurred penalties for this performance level.

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Supporting documentation is contained within SPICe - BIB number 58191

The reports provide details of every fault recorded during the first Quarter of 2016-17 for Service Schedules, the sub component fail, the train audited and a brief description of the actual fail.

Schedule 19 – Train seats, tables etc – (fails per carriage)

Schedule 20 – Train lights – per carriage

Schedule 21 – Train toilets – per facility

Schedule 22 – Train graffiti – per carriage

Schedule 24 – Train PIS – per carriage

Schedule 26 – Posters – per carriage

Schedule 27 – Train PA – per carriage

Schedule 28 – Train doors – per carriage

Schedule 30 – Seat reservations – per carriage

Fails are recorded against different inventories for each service schedule, these are provided above in brackets.

Question reference: S5W-02589

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 12 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 20 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the SQUIRE audit of Abellio ScotRail’s performance in the first quarter of 2016-17.

The SQUIRE audits has shown the ScotRail has performed well in several areas over the first quarter of 2016-17. Where performance has fallen below floor level Transport Scotland have requested formal Remedial Action Plans from ScotRail which are intended to identify specific issues where they are failing to meet required benchmarks and for them to provide plans to ensure performance improves to an acceptable level.

Question reference: S5W-02590

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 12 September 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 20 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will list the (a) stations and (b) routes that brought Abellio ScotRail below the performance benchmark in SQUIRE Service Schedule (i) 2 (station shelters and waiting areas) (ii) 5 (station CCTV) and security), (iii) 7 (station litter and contamination), (iv) 12 (station toilets) and (v) 16 (ticket machines, help points etc) for the first quarter of 2016-17, and whether the franchisee has incurred penalties for this performance level.

The supporting documentation is contained within SPICE BIB number 58192

The reports provide details of every fault recorded during the first Quarter of 2016/17 for Service Schedules, the sub-component fail, the station audited and a brief description of the actual fault.

Schedule 2 – Shelters – (fails per shelter)

Schedule 5 – CCTV and Security – (fail per station and at the control centre)

Schedule 7 – Station litter and Contamination – (fails per platform)

Schedule 12 – Station toilets – (fails per facility)

Schedule 16 – Help Points, Telephones and TVMs. – (fails per station)

Fails are recorded against different inventories for each Service Schedule, these are provided above in brackets.

Question reference: S5W-02071

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 19 August 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 16 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government in what circumstances local bus services could be transferred to community control under the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015.

Question reference: S5W-02121

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 August 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 15 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what progress is being made with its plans to extend cycling training (bikeability) schemes.

Cycling Scotland manages the national Bikeability Scotland cycle training programme on behalf of the Scottish Government, funded through Transport Scotland and the Directorate for Learning. The following table contains the latest data available and outlines progress for levels one and two. Level three training take place in secondary schools, however Cycling Scotland does not currently have data on delivery of Level three.

��	2012-13	2013-14	2014-15
Percentage of schools offering level one	15.5% (273 schools)	21.2% (398 schools)	25.2% (470 schools)
Percentage of schools offering level two	35.2% (662 schools)	37.4% (701 schools)	40.1% (749 schools)

Question reference: S5W-02075

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 19 August 2016
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 15 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what powers it has to ensure that service reductions recently proposed by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde are not implemented.

The planning and provision of local healthcare services are for NHS boards and their planning partners, in line with national policies, guidelines and frameworks.

Whilst Ministers are conferred with over-arching powers of direction, there is nothing in statute which specifically gives Ministers authorising powers in relation to NHS service change. The legal basis used to underpin the current authorisation regime and guidance on service change is founded in NHS boards’ statutory duties of participation, i.e. the public involvement duties given to them in the NHS Reform (Scotland) Act 2004. The Scottish Health Council (part of Healthcare Improvement Scotland) was established in statute to support and advise NHS boards’ practice and to quality assure the public involvement process.

Within this context, NHS boards adhere to national guidance (CEL (2010) 4) which can be accessed at: . This guidance details expectations around appropriate public engagement in potential service change. Such potential changes are designated either major or non-major. Cases designated as major must be informed by formal public consultation (usually no less than three months) and are ultimately subject to Ministerial approval.

Question reference: S5O-00175

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 September 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve performance on Scotland's railways.

Question reference: S5W-02123

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 August 2016
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 14 September 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what progress is being made with the implementation of the national walking strategy.

The National Walking Strategy Action Plan was launched on 3 March 2016, along with a website () and supporting infographic. This action plan is a high level plan that has been developed to assist in the delivery of National Walking Strategy. A National Walking Strategy Delivery Forum is overseeing the delivery of the action plan and has met three times to date, most recently on 23 August 2016.

The forum is seeing strong progress against the strategy’s overarching aim to create a culture where everyone walks more often as we look to build on the increase in the proportion of adults walking for recreational purposes as evidenced in the Scottish Household Survey (from 56% in 2008 to 64% in 2014).