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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: S6W-32222

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 8 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6T-02170 by Fiona Hyslop on 5 November 2024, what its response is to reported concerns that the "redeployment of some ScotRail staff to provide more and better assistance for passengers" might lead to staff sometimes being moved from the station at which they are usually based, which could result in uncertainty for passengers regarding the hours at which a staff presence can be expected.

Question reference: S6W-32221

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 8 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the publication of the report, Dignity for Drivers, by ASLEF, what steps it is taking in Scotland to address the issue raised suggesting that there is a lack of satisfactory toilet facilities for train drivers.

Question reference: S6W-32415

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 23 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how the terms of reference of the Retail Industry Leadership Group are being reviewed to better incorporate smaller businesses, and when any revised terms of reference will be published.

The Retail Industry Leadership Group, co-chaired by myself and Polly Jones, Senior Manager, Corporate Affairs, Asda, is in the process of finalising a refreshed Terms of Reference (ToR) to better reflect the ongoing work of the Group. All members have had the opportunity to provide their views on this process, including a discussion on the ToR at an ILG meeting on 06 November 2024. The revised ToR, which now includes a redrafted line highlighting that the Group will promote the interests of businesses in all their sizes and formats, is expected to be published on the ILG gov.scot page in early 2025.

Question reference: S6W-32416

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 23 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what progress the Retail Industry Leadership Group has made on delivering its priority objectives, including a (a) Fair Work Agreement, (b) Just Transition Plan and (c) skills audit and action plan for the sector.

The priorities of the ILG will flex and take account of changing economic and policy circumstances, but will continue to develop actions in the Retail Strategy on:

(a) Fair Work -The Industry Leadership Group will take forward the action on Fair Work, working with members to produce a Fair Work document which will showcase good examples of Fair Work in the sector and contain useful resources for organisations, using the valuable insight gained from the Fair Work Working Group (FWWG).

(b) Just Transition - The ILG will work across industry to share expertise and promote best practice.

(c) Retail skills - An audit has been completed, and an action plan has been drafted, with priority areas identified. Discussions are currently taking place with Skills Development Scotland, Scottish Government Employability Division and other stakeholders, including Local Employability Partnerships, to implement and evaluate a pilot approach to developing a pipeline of trained, informed and motivated individuals to compete for available jobs in the retail sector.

Question reference: S6O-04136

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 December 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to increase active patient registrations with NHS dentists.

Question reference: S6W-31709

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 22 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 4 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government by what date it will reach a decision regarding extending the terms of reference for the inquiry into the death of Sheku Bayoh.

Question reference: S6O-04078

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 November 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to improve rail services for passengers in the Mid Scotland and Fife region.

Question reference: S6W-31169

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 11 November 2024
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 19 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made with its consultation regarding the legal age of marriage.

We continue to make progress on this consultation. As well as the minimum age of marriage and civil partnership, it will cover a wide range of areas: extending simplified divorce and dissolution procedures; qualifying requirements for religious and belief bodies when they solemnise marriage or register civil partnership; a Scottish Law Commission report on cohabitant's rights following separation; and some points arising on financial provision when one cohabitant dies.

We are also preparing impact assessments in relation to this consultation. We are planning to issue it within the next few months.

Question reference: S6O-03907

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 October 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how it is ensuring adequate provision of enterprise support to businesses in the Mid Scotland and Fife region.

Question reference: S6W-29339

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 August 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 19 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to monitor changes in rail passenger activity following the end of the ScotRail peak fares removal pilot on 27 September 2024.

ScotRail Trains Ltd routinely monitors patronage on its services to identify trends, opportunities and to best match its resources with the passenger demand. Following the Ministerial decision to end the 12 month trial removing peak fares, the Scottish Government intends to repeat the analysis undertaken to assess the pilot, as detailed in the published report, after an appropriate period has elapsed.