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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: S5O-04774

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 November 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 November 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what the impact of Brexit will be on the road haulage and logistics sector.

Question reference: S5W-32754

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 26 October 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 6 November 2020

To ask the Scottish Government, to help alleviate the reported parking problems in the town, what consideration it has given to the feasibility of building a new railway station with park and ride facilities at Largs Yacht Haven as part of its £24 billion infrastructure investment plan.

Investment decisions must be founded on robust evidence. There is an ongoing process to identify future transport investment, that is the second Strategic Transport Projects Review. During the option generation process, an option for a new station at Largs Marina has been proposed. This will now be subject to consideration and appraisal, along with other options for the Ayrshire and Arran Region. STPR2 is due to be concluded in Autumn 2021.

Question reference: S5W-33019

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 November 2020
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Michael Matheson on 5 November 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether it still plans to return Glasgow Prestwick Airport to the private sector.

Since the Scottish Government bought Glasgow Prestwick Airport (GPA) in 2013, we have been clear that it is our intention to return the business to the private sector when the time is right. The senior management team at GPA has continued to engage with potential buyers and investors to discuss proposals for developing the business under new ownership.

Good progress continues to be made by GPA to increase revenue; deliver operating efficiencies; and pursue exciting opportunities for the future. In light of that progress, GPA will shortly place a notice in the Official Journal of the European Union inviting expressions of interest in GPA. Any proposals submitted as a result of the notice would be considered carefully before any decision was taken to divest our shareholding in GPA or any part of it. We will provide an update to Parliament should any credible expressions of interest be received, while respecting the need to maintain confidentiality for commercial reasons.

Question reference: S5O-04708

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 October 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 November 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that flu vaccines are available for those who need them.

Question reference: S5F-04496

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 26 October 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 October 2020

To ask the First Minister what her response is to the report by the Scottish Children's Reporter Administration and Barnardo's Scotland, which confirms that child sexual exploitation is happening in island, rural and urban communities across the country, with cases being reported in 27 out of 32 local authority areas.

Question reference: S5W-32456

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 09 October 2020
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 26 October 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will ban electric shock collars, and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

Question reference: S5W-32455

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 09 October 2020
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 26 October 2020

To ask the Scottish Government when the review of the guidance on dog training aids will be completed.

Question reference: S5W-32293

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 05 October 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 20 October 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking in response to recent research, which confirmed that only 52% of invoices sent by businesses in Scotland are paid on time.

The Scottish Government recognises the negative impact that late payment can have on the cash flow of small businesses and we work closely with the office of the Small Business Commissioner, including to help promote the Prompt Payment Code.

We encourage businesses to commit to prompt payment through the Scottish Business Pledge. Scottish Government public contracts include a standard clause requiring prompt payment within 30 days of valid invoices down the supply chain. More than that, we aspire to a 10 day target for paying bills to Scottish businesses as an important expression of our commitment to support them.

In the financial year 2019-20 we paid 99.7% of valid invoices in 30 days or less and 98.7% within 10 days.

Question reference: S5W-31989

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 September 2020
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 7 October 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken to progress Article 17 of the common fisheries policy.

In line with Article 17 of the Common Fisheries Policy, the Scottish Government is committed to managing our fisheries to ensure sustainability, promote inclusive economic growth and protect biological diversity and marine ecosystems.

Article 17 states that Member states shall use “transparent and objective criteria including those of an environmental, social and economic nature ” when allocating fishing opportunities. It goes on to set out the criteria Member States may include: “the impact of fishing on the environment, the history of compliance, the contribution to the local economy and historic catch levels.”

In Scotland, fishing opportunities for vessels targeting stocks allocated via Total Allowable Catch are largely allocated based on historical catch levels (through the number of Fixed Quota Allocation units for each species associated with fishing licences). Information on who holds Scottish FQAs can be found in the FQA Register .

There are occasions where we do allocate quota differently, particularly to allow additional opportunities for small scale fishermen such as the Scottish under 10 handline mackerel fishery. In this instance, Marine Scotland centrally manages quota opportunities available to all Scottish under 10 metre vessels. This opportunity is particularly important for vessels based on our east coast and Northern Isles, during the summer and autumn months.

Quota is not the only type of fishing right. Many important stocks targeted by small scale fishers are non-quota stocks, such as: scallops, crabs and lobsters. We have in recent years strengthened management arrangements for these key fisheries. For example, suspending the right of certain vessels over 10 metres in length to fish for king scallops by mechanical dredge and introducing new restrictions on dredge use in Scottish waters.

Question reference: S5W-31990

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 September 2020
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 7 October 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers that the UK Fisheries Bill as currently drafted will provide sufficient powers to Scottish ministers to allow the redistribution of fishing opportunities to those who deliver best social, economic and environmental benefit.

I am confident that the powers granted through the UK Fisheries Bill, in combination with the Scottish Government's existing powers in this area, will allow it to consider the distribution of fishing opportunities.

As part of the development of our Future Fisheries Management Strategy we remain committed to the current system of Fixed Quota Allocations for existing quota opportunities. In relation to new and additional quota opportunities, as part of our future strategy we will work with stakeholders to consider options for allocating additional quota opportunities differently, including providing support for community quota, new entrants and incentivising best practice.