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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-09902

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 July 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 16 August 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on when the Project Neptune review of ferry governance will be published.

Question reference: S6W-09901

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 July 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 15 August 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the Islands Connectivity Plan, when the (a) full plan and (b) section on ferries will be published.

Question reference: S6W-09445

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 June 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 27 July 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the ministerial statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero, Energy and Transport on 4 February 2021, during which he stated that “progress will now be made in moving to the procurement phase for construction of [the A737 Improvements at Beith] scheme...I expect to see good progress being made with that in the months ahead”, for what reason the project has not moved into the procurement phase 16 months after this statement was made.

Question reference: S6W-09447

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 June 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 27 July 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will take steps to ensure that the A737 Improvements at Beith scheme and future major roads projects that it commissions are progressed in a timely and efficient manner, including through the introduction of general timescales, in order to increase accountability and transparency in the way that Transport Scotland progresses and delivers such projects.

Question reference: S6W-09446

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 June 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 27 July 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the A737 Improvements at Beith scheme, how much longer the “necessary governance procedures” cited by Transport Scotland as a reason for non-completion of the Outline Business Case are expected to take; how “necessary governance procedures” are defined, and for what reasons the process to make the Outline Business Case for the A737 Improvements at Beith is taking the length of time that it is, in light of reported concerns by local residents that it is taking too long.

Question reference: S6W-09444

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 June 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 27 July 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when plans for the A737 Improvements at Beith will be approved in order for the project to move to the procurement stage; when the project is expected to go out to tender, and, in line with the details set out in its Infrastructure Investment Plan 2021-2022 to 2025-2026, whether (a) construction is expected to start onsite by 30 January 2023 and (b) the roundabout, flyover and road will be operational by 29 July 2024.

Transport Scotland is currently progressing through the necessary governance procedures and whilst the Scottish Government remains committed to taking the project forward, procurement will commence when sufficient funding is available to support its construction.

It is standard practice for projects of this scale and nature to follow necessary and robust governance approval procedures and I refer the member to the letter issued by Transport Scotland dated 17 November 2021 confirming details of these procedures.

Question reference: S6W-09671

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 July 2022
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Dorothy Bain on 5 July 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide further information regarding the Lord Advocate’s reference to the Supreme Court on whether the question for a referendum on Scottish independence relates to reserved matters.

Question reference: S6O-01315

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 June 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 30 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what progress is being made in developing Scotland’s biotechnology sector.

Scotland’s biotechnology sector is developing at a remarkable rate. In fact, last year the Industrial Biotechnology Innovation Centre reported that we were on track to meet the targets in the 2019 National Plan for Industrial Biotechnology ahead of 2025.

As such, the final refresh of the National Plan, launched on 6 June 2022, increased the 2025 targets even further to: over 220 active companies, increasing associated turnover to £1.2 billion and over 4,000 direct employees in Industrial Biotechnology in Scotland.

The sector, and its strength, is also recognised in our National Strategy for Economic Transformation as a current and future key industry for Scotland, that will contribute to us delivering our Net Zero targets by 2045.

Question reference: S6W-08699

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 7 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what the impact will be on Scotland of UK Government plans to cut the number of civil servants by 91,000.

There are around 25,000 Civil Servants who are part of the reserved Public Sector in Scotland [1] . The UK Government has not provided details on how their planned Civil Service reduction will affect their staff working in Scotland.

The UK Government’s plans to reduce Civil Service headcount will not have a direct impact on civil servants who serve the Scottish Government, as the responsibility lies with Scottish Ministers and the Permanent Secretary when it comes to determining our workforce size. We continually engage with our trade unions on matters impacting our workforce, in line with our partnership agreement, and remain committed to making the best and most efficient use of our resources.

The UK Government spending review in November 2021 sets out the multi-year funding envelopes for devolved administrations. The Scottish Government is continuing to plan on this basis. The UK Government reviews its spending plans at each fiscal event and amends UK Government department and devolved administration budgets accordingly.

[1] Source: Public Sector Employment In Scotland Statistics For 4th Quarter 2021 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) .

Question reference: S6O-01205

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 June 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what its priorities are for the Clyde islands.