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-31750

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 September 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 23 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will at least maintain in real terms its current spending on active travel over the next five years.

The Scottish Government's commitment of over £500 million pounds over five years announced in the recent Programme for Government is the highest ever investment in active travel. This record level of funding was warmly welcomed by our active travel partners and will provide confidence for long term investment in large scale, transformational active travel infrastructure projects many of which span several years.

The Scottish Government will, as a matter of course, consider the case for additional support for active travel as part of the annual budget process.

Question reference: S5W-31749

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 September 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 23 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what criteria was used to award funding through the Bus Emission Abatement Retrofit programme, and for what reason funding per bus reportedly varies significantly.

Bids into Phase 3 of the Bus Emission Abatement Retrofit scheme were assessed against four criterion; project fit and rationale, deliverability, emissions reduction and value for money. Scoring for each criterion enabled an average score to be calculated per bid, with bids then being ranked according to the scores.

Funding per bus varied across bidders for several reasons. Firstly, the largest orders for retrofitting kit typically achieved the lowest average costs, in tandem with price variations between exhaust equipment suppliers who were chosen by individual operators. Secondly, some operators did not include a funding request for technologies such as eFans which are complimentary to exhaust retrofitting, which also contributed to some bids having a lower average grant per bus/coach.

Question reference: S5W-31740

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 September 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 23 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what its plans are for the (a) ScotRail and (b) Caledonia Sleeper franchise following the end of the Emergency Measures Agreements on 20 September 2020.

Question reference: S5W-31610

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 07 September 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 22 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government when it expects all Spaces for People schemes to be completed.

Question reference: S5W-31608

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 07 September 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 22 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government which (a) local authorities and (b) other public bodies have not yet completed the implementation of Spaces for People schemes.

Question reference: S5W-31609

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 07 September 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 22 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it has taken against councils and other public bodies that have delayed the implementation of Spaces for People schemes.

Question reference: S5W-31607

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 07 September 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 22 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance has been given to local authorities for monitoring Spaces for People schemes and the criteria for assessing whether measures can be made permanent.

Sustrans Scotland, who administer the Spaces for People programme, is providing guidance on monitoring as part of a package of support offered to local authorities. Guidance, which is bespoke and based on need, typically includes advice on developing monitoring plans, undertaking data collection, analysing data and reporting.

A national monitoring and evaluation framework for Spaces for People has been developed by Sustrans in partnership with Society of Chief Officers of Transportation in Scotland and distributed to local authorities.

It is for local authorities to determine, through evaluation of projects, whether or not they merit being made permanent. The Scottish Government provides support to local authorities for the creation of permanent walking and cycling infrastructure through the Places for Everyone programme.

Question reference: S5W-31748

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 September 2020
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 22 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the work being undertaken by the Scottish National Investment Bank regarding ultra-low emission buses.

Question reference: S5W-31746

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 September 2020
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 22 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a list of all air quality management areas currently in Scotland.

Question reference: S5W-31754

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 September 2020
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 22 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how much of the Agricultural Transformation Fund (a) has been and (b) remains to be allocated in 2020-21; what this will fund, and whether it plans to continue providing this funding in 2021-22 and future years.

Funding announced for the Agricultural Transformation Fund in the 2020-21 Scottish Budget was £20m capital and £20m Financial transactions. A total of £11.5m of capital expenditure has been announced so far this financial year which is made of £1.5m for forestry machinery and small farm and croft woodland planting and £10m for the Sustainable Agriculture Capital Grant Scheme.

None of the Financial transactions funding has yet been allocated. Opportunities to utilise this funding have been limited due to Covid restrictions on business earlier in the year.

Other options for funding are being investigated and further announcements on those will be made in future. Allocations of funding for future years will be dependent on the outcome of the Capital Spending Review and the forthcoming Comprehensive Spending Review.