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: S6W-03835

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 16 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what the total (a) rolling stock and (b) seating capacity is on the ScotRail network, and how this will be impacted by the proposed timetable changes from May 2022.

The total rolling stock (a) is currently 350 trains, made up of 1,039 carriages, leased by Abellio ScotRail. These operate around 2,000 weekday services, providing capacity (b) of 551,000 seats across the ScotRail network on a weekday basis. Saturday capacity is approximately 507,000 seats; Sunday capacity is approximately 295,000 seats.

The proposed May 2022 timetable, which is subject to review of consultation responses, would require approximately 593,000 seats per weekday, around a 17% increase on the current timetable. Sufficient rolling stock will be provided to deliver this.

Question reference: S6W-03841

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 16 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to the findings in the report, Nothing To See Here?, regarding disparities between Sheriffdoms in making findings relating to fatal accident inquiries into deaths in custody, and what its position is on what this means for the current system’s ability to scrutinise deaths in custody.

Determinations by Sheriffs are a matter of judicial independence and it would not be appropriate for Scottish Government to comment on specific determinations or the approach of the judiciary in general. The Sheriff has heard the evidence and is the only one in a position to decide if recommendations are necessary. In individual cases, the Sheriff may conclude, given the particular circumstances, that no recommendation should be made.

Whilst statistical data in this report points to differences between Sheriffdoms in the rate of making findings, the report noted that ‘The numbers here are too small to assess statistical significance and therefore qualitative investigation will be a priority of future research.’

We welcome this future research and will give consideration to the findings.

As a Government, we take deaths in custody very seriously, which is why the former Cabinet Secretary for Justice asked the HM Chief Inspector of Prisons for Scotland to undertake two independent reviews on deaths in custody.

Fatal Accident Inquiries play a significant role in ensuring there are systems to safeguard and protect those held in legal custody. However, they are just one part of the system for scrutinising deaths in custody. In addition, the prison service, with the NHS and other relevant organisations, carry out a Death in Prison Learning Audit and Review meeting normally within 12 weeks of all deaths in custody. This provides a system for recording any learning and identified actions from individual incidents.

Question reference: S6W-03823

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 16 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL) regarding tendering of the contract for new ferries for the Isles of Islay and Jura, and on which dates (a) Ministers and (b) Transport Scotland officials have met CMAL officials to discuss the tendering process for this contract since 1 January 2019 to date.

Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL) is a public body and, as such, are bound by the Scottish public procurement regulations and must competitively tender projects of this value. CMAL ensured they followed the procurement regulations; considering quality, value for money and the timely delivery of vessels to serve our island communities.

In line with normal procurement practice, Scottish Government Ministers had no role in the process or in assessing the bids. No meetings between CMAL and Ministers have taken place specifically to discuss the tender process for the new ferries earmarked to replace current vessels serving Islay.

Transport Scotland officials hold regular working group meetings with CMAL along with CalMac and have done so from January 2019 when the project was initiated. These regular meetings are still ongoing.

Question reference: S6W-03849

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 16 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to ensure that owners of electric vehicles can easily charge them in Scotland.

Since 2013 we have invested over £50 million in Chargeplace Scotland (CPS), Scotland’s public charging network, which now has more than 2000 publicly available chargepoints. Figures show that Scotland is leading the way on electric vehicle charging infrastructure. The latest figures show that Scottish electric vehicle drivers benefit from almost 40 public charge points per one hundred thousand people, compared to fewer than 30 in England, Just over 20 in Wales and less than 20 in Northern Ireland.

We also provide funding for the Domestic Chargepoint fund which supports the people of Scotland by providing grant funding of £250 (£350 for those in remote parts of Scotland) to install a Domestic Chargepoint at their home. To date this fund has supported the installation of almost 12,000 Domestic Chargepoints to a value of just over £4m.

Our Business (non-Public) Chargepoint fund has helped almost 1300 businesses to install chargepoints for the sole use of occupiers, staff and visitors to a value of just under £10m.

We are currently consulting on draft policy options for the installation of electric vehicle charge points in a number of different buildings types, including an option that sets out a minimum requirement for all new residential buildings with parking spaces.

Transport Scotland are working with Scottish Futures Trust and industry to consider the most appropriate structures and approach to growing and developing charging infrastructure, lever commercial investment and engaging commercial operators to develop the public electric vehicle charge point network at scale and at speed across all of Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-03826

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 16 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what estimate it has made of the number of jobs that will be supported by the Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL) contract for two new ferries for the Isle of Islay.

The responses to the invitation to tender (ITT) for the two new ferries are expected in December 2021. The responses to the ITT will be evaluated with the preferred bidder identified by February 2022, numbers of jobs that will be supported can be advised when the preferred bidder and the programme is finalised. The investment in these vessels does of course support the communities served by the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Service and the jobs associated with the economies on these islands.

Question reference: S6W-03852

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 16 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the system operator for electric vehicle charging was changed in July 2021.

Question reference: S6T-00293

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 15 November 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports of a legal opinion stating that local authorities cannot use their byelaw powers to implement buffer zones at NHS reproductive health facilities, how it will ensure that women have access to these services free from harassment.

Question reference: S6T-00284

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 15 November 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government which victim support organisations it consulted with ahead of drafting the paper, Consultation on Bail and Release from Custody Arrangements in Scotland.

Question reference: S6F-00472

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 15 November 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 November 2021

To ask the First Minister what assessment the Scottish Government has made of the impact of reduced face-to-face advocacy services on vulnerable people, such as victims of domestic abuse.

Question reference: S6F-00470

Asked by: Kaukab Stewart, MSP for Glasgow Kelvin, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 15 November 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 November 2021

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government anticipates the lasting impact of COP26 will be for the people of Glasgow and Scotland.