Questions and answers

Question reference: S6O-03810

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 September 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its long-term ferry strategy to ensure reliability for communities.

Question reference: S6W-29802

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 23 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when it will conduct a review into the Highlands and Islands Patient Travel Scheme.

Regrettably, a start date for the review is not confirmed at this time. It is important that the review of the guidance on patient travel expenses reimbursement is considered within the context of wider reform on access to health care which is already in progress. This will inform both how and when the review is taken forward.

In 2023 we prepared the draft Transport to Health plan and have been engaging with Health Boards, Regional Transport Partnerships and other partners to take forward a range of commitments to improve joined up working on transport to health. The plan will be published this Autumn and a workplan has been agreed.

Question reference: S6W-29803

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 23 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it remains committed to reviewing the Highlands and Islands Patient Travel Scheme.

Regrettably, a start date for the review is not confirmed at this time. It is important that the review of the guidance on patient travel expenses reimbursement is considered within the context of wider reform on access to health care which is already in progress. This will inform both how and when the review is taken forward.

In 2023 we prepared the draft Transport to Health plan and have been engaging with Health Boards, Regional Transport Partnerships and other partners to take forward a range of commitments to improve joined up working on transport to health. The plan will be published this Autumn and a workplan has been agreed.

Question reference: S6W-29801

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 23 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when the environmental assessment of the dualling of the A96 will be published.

Question reference: S6W-29800

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 23 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether the environmental assessment of the dualling of the A96 has been completed.

Question reference: S6W-29632

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 06 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 20 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on whether it will introduce its proposed Human Rights Bill in the current parliamentary session.

Question reference: S6W-29545

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 18 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding its reported plans to require ScotRail to procure high-speed trains to replace the current fleet that operates on its InterCity routes between Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Inverness, what impact this will have on journey times, and whether this procurement covers improvements to rail track or is exclusive to train fleets.

Question reference: S6W-29525

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 17 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how much public funding it allocated to (a) Highland, (b) Argyll and Bute, (c) Orkney Islands and (d) Shetland Islands Council for ferry services in each year since 2017-18 to date.

The requested information is provided in the following table.

	2017-18	2018-19	2019-20	2020-21	2021-22	2022-23	2023-24	2024-25
Orkney Islands Council	4.745	10.184	9.460	10.138	12.847	13.402	15.829	15.829
Shetland Islands Council	6.801	11.807	12.259	11.763	17.289	17.496	23.082	23.082
Argyll & Bute Council	0.675	0.768	0.855	1.682	1.269	1.300	1.821	1.821
The Highland Council	0.726	0.695	0.867	0.839	0.690	0.897	1.000	1.000
Total (£Million)	12.947	23.453	23.442	24.422	32.095	33.095	41.732	41.732

Question reference: S6W-29461

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 02 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 17 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it remains committed to upgrading the Delmore passing loop.

Question reference: S6W-29460

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 02 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 17 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to upgrade train services north of Inverness.

As part of the Far North Line Enhancements project, the Scottish Government previously granted authority and funding for enhancements to the Radio Electronic Token Block signalling system on the Far North Line and for line speed improvements at various points on the Line. The majority of these enhancements are now completed.

Further options for development of services north of Inverness remain in consideration. However, given the extremely challenging financial climate, and following the UK Autumn Statement, Ministers have had to take difficult decisions in setting the budget for 2024-25. For the time being this affects the Scottish Government’s ability to fund any projects to which it is not already committed in the current investment programme.

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