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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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

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Question reference: S5W-00628

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 23 June 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with train companies regarding upgrades for the west coast main line.

As part of numerous industry forums, both current (Rutherglen junction) and planned (Carstairs junction) enhancements to the west coast main line are regularly discussed with operators.

Indeed, the working group and board of the Scotland route study, at which both transport Scotland and cross-border train operating companies are represented, has regularly looked at future demand projections and potential investment for each of the main corridors in Scotland, including the west coast main line.

Question reference: S5W-00744

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 22 June 2016

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5T-00012 by Michael Matheson on 14 June 2016, whether (a) ministers and (b) officials were made aware that the Scottish Recording Centre received metadata from the GCHQ programme, Milkwhite, and, if so, when.

Question reference: S5W-00747

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 22 June 2016

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5T-00012 by Michael Matheson on 14 June 2016, which Police Scotland ranks can access the information held by the Scottish Recording Centre.

Question reference: S5W-00739

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 22 June 2016

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5T-00012 by Michael Matheson on 14 June 2016, what access restrictions are in place on the data held by the Scottish Recording Centre.

Question reference: S5W-00745

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 22 June 2016

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5T-00012 by Michael Matheson on 14 June 2016, whether the (a) Cabinet, (b) Cabinet Secretary for Justice and (c) Cabinet's resilience sub-committee receives reports from the Scottish Recording Centre and, if so, how often.

Question reference: S5W-00740

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 22 June 2016

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5T-00012 by Michael Matheson on 14 June 2016, what the (a) role and (b) remit is of the Scottish Recording Centre; whether it will provide a breakdown of the nature of its work; how many staff it employs, and how many offices it has, broken down by location.

Question reference: S5W-00629

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 22 June 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure parity for travellers on the west coast main line with the four hour journey time on east coast services.

Question reference: S5W-00627

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 22 June 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the timetable change adding 22 minutes to the published timetable on west coast main line rail services.

The Scottish Government’s aspiration for Inter City West Coast cross-border rail services is clear: safe, fast, frequent, reliable, punctual services connecting Scotland to London and intermediate locations with on board facilities and fares that attract passengers.

Transport Scotland met with Virgin Trains to make clear the Scottish Government's preference to maintain shorter journey times.

The Scottish Government is therefore disappointed that the previous 4 hour 8 minute fast Virgin Trains service between London Euston and Glasgow now makes five extra stops before it reaches Scotland, and takes an additional 22 minutes.

Question reference: S5W-00643

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 16 June 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what the criteria are to be eligible for a school clothing grant.

The Education (Scotland) Act introduced a provision to allow Scottish Ministers to make regulations to require local authorities to pay a minimum amount of school clothing grants to families or young people. The detail of the amount of grant and the eligibility criteria would be set out in regulations. We plan to agree this in partnership with COSLA and discussions between COSLA and the Scottish Government on this issue are continuing to this effect.

Question reference: S5W-00644

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 16 June 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how much can be awarded in school clothing grants, and what the average award is (a) nationally and (b) broken down by local authority.

The Education (Scotland) Act introduced a provision to allow Scottish Ministers to make regulations to require local authorities to pay a minimum amount of school clothing grants to families or young people. The detail of the amount of grant and the eligibility criteria would be set out in regulations. We plan to agree the criteria and amount in partnership with COSLA and discussions between COSLA and the Scottish Government on this issue are continuing to this effect.

Crucially, this policy will also provide consistency of approach across Scotland. While local authorities currently have a general duty to make provision, it is clear from our discussions with a number of organisations that there is inconsistency across Scotland and it is unacceptable that any child loses out. Detail on the level of grant currently awarded by individual local authorities is not collated centrally.