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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 MSPs 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-22325

Asked by: Jackie Dunbar, MSP for Aberdeen Donside, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 20 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 7 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how much has been spent on rail infrastructure in each local authority area in each of the last 10 years.

Network Rail is a wholly owned subsidiary company of the UK Government. The responsibility for determining and monitoring its operation, maintenance and renewal expenditure rests with the Office of Rail and Road (ORR).

Transport Scotland funds Network Rail in accordance with the ORR’s determination. Therefore, Scottish Government does not hold the full investment information broken down by local authority within Scotland.

Therefore, I recommend that the member contacts Network Rail or the ORR for the detailed information requested for how much has been spent on rail infrastructure in each local authority area in each of the last ten years.

Question reference: S6W-22775

Asked by: Jackie Dunbar, MSP for Aberdeen Donside, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 November 2023
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Mairi McAllan on 7 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it is making with the UK Government on climate policy, and whether there it will provide an update on the timing of its draft Climate Change Plan.

The unprecedented changes by the UK Government reneging on their net zero commitments, including the rolling back of policies already announced and accounted for, have repercussions on our ability to produce a draft Climate Change Plan that is just and fair by the end of November. I am meeting with the UK Government again on 15 November to urge them to reconsider their position, and to stop putting party politics ahead of planetary health.

This, tied with the uncertain economic outlook for the UK as a whole and the constraints of devolution placed upon us, make this challenging task ever more difficult.

The Scottish Government are continuing to develop climate policies and are fully committed to bringing forward a draft of the next Climate Change Plan, covering the period 2025 to 2040, which is fair and just for everyone. It is regrettably not possible to do this by our own November deadline, but will progress in line with statutory deadlines.

Question reference: S6O-02690

Asked by: Jackie Dunbar, MSP for Aberdeen Donside, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 November 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what steps are being taken to increase recruitment and retention of staff in the Scottish Ambulance Service this winter.

Question reference: S6O-02594

Asked by: Jackie Dunbar, MSP for Aberdeen Donside, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 September 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what steps it is taking to support community pharmacies.

Question reference: S6W-21293

Asked by: Jackie Dunbar, MSP for Aberdeen Donside, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 September 2023
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 13 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the peak fares pilot.

The Scottish Government is able to confirm that the ScotRail Peak Fares Removal Pilot will operate between 2 October 2023 and 29 March 2024 in a move which will make rail travel more affordable and accessible over the pilot period and encourage modal shift from private car to rail.

This trial is an exciting and unique opportunity to encourage more people to choose a safe, reliable, and green form of public transport. We know that there is much to be done in encouraging people back to rail if we are to achieve our net zero targets.

The Scottish Government will consider carefully the impact of the pilot and the long-term sustainability of such a proposition before committing to any reinstatement of the pilot after 29 March 2024.

During the pilot, ScotRail will ensure that all fares and products set and controlled by it which are valid in the off peak are valid to travel all day.

Question reference: S6F-02358

Asked by: Jackie Dunbar, MSP for Aberdeen Donside, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 11 September 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 September 2023

To ask the First Minister, in light of reports that no bids were received for offshore wind projects in the UK Government’s latest contract-for-difference round, what action the Scottish Government is taking to encourage investment in offshore wind and hydrogen power in Scotland.

Question reference: S6O-02509

Asked by: Jackie Dunbar, MSP for Aberdeen Donside, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 September 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has spent in the last five years, within the Aberdeen City Council area, to mitigate any effect of UK Government welfare policy.

Question reference: S6W-20582

Asked by: Jackie Dunbar, MSP for Aberdeen Donside, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 August 2023
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Neil Gray on 10 August 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has for further implementation of No One Left Behind.

Providing the support that people need to move towards, into and to sustain work is a key aspect of building a fairer and more equal society. I am pleased to confirm that from 1 April 2024, following the end of referrals to Fair Start Scotland in March 2024, employability support for disabled people and those at risk of long-term unemployment will be provided through No One Left Behind.

Learning and evaluation must continue to underpin our ambitions and I welcome today’s publication of the Implementation Evaluation of No One Left Behind and the Young Person’s Guarantee, which offers valuable insight on how we continue to build upon the strengths of local delivery and good practice.

Question reference: S6W-19594

Asked by: Jackie Dunbar, MSP for Aberdeen Donside, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 June 2023
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Gillian Martin on 30 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how it will protect the Firth of Clyde cod seasonal spawning in future.

The Scottish Government’s Fisheries Management Strategy sets out a clear approach for managing sea fisheries in partnership with our stakeholders in a way that balances environmental, social and economic interests.

Sustainability is at the heart of how we manage Scotland’s fisheries, and an important part of protecting spawning cod in the Firth of Clyde is through a targeted seasonal closure, in the same way as we protect spawning cod in other parts of our seas. We have authorised a full closure of the spawning grounds in the last two years, without exemptions, following a reassessment of the knowledge of these spawning grounds.

As this closure is implemented on a biennial basis, we are now undertaking a public consultation which will run for 12 weeks to gather views on the continuation of the closure for 2024 and 2025. The consultation will run from 30 June to 22 September 2023 on Citizen Space. The consultation is available at https://consult.gov.scot/marine-scotland/firth-of-clyde-cod-spawning-closure-for-2024-25/

A partial BRIA has been produced alongside the consultation document and we will be seeking further information from stakeholders to input into the final BRIA following the consultation period.

We have a strong record of engaging with stakeholders and I would encourage all to respond to this consultation.

The consultation reports can be found here:

https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781805259701

https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781805259718

Question reference: S6W-19290

Asked by: Jackie Dunbar, MSP for Aberdeen Donside, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 27 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on efforts to recommence operations at Stoneywood paper mill in Aberdeen.