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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-03904

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 December 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 11 December 2019

To ask the Scottish Government how it safeguards environmental standards, workplace rights and ethical factors when seeking to attract major events to Scotland.

Question reference: S5F-03759

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 02 December 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 December 2019

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S5W-25985

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 25 October 2019
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 21 November 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how many lineside trees have been cleared by Network Rail across the Scottish network in each of the last three years.

Question reference: S5W-25984

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 25 October 2019
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 21 November 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its responsibilities for Scotland's railway, what consideration it has given to the Network Rail vegetation management review led by John Varley OBE.

Question reference: S5W-25982

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 25 October 2019
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 21 November 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its responsibilities for Scotland's railway, what steps it expects Network Rail to take whenever rare or protected species are identified in ecological assessments carried out for lineside tree and vegetation removal.

Question reference: S5W-25986

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 25 October 2019
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 19 November 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what powers it has to require ecological assessments to be carried out for all lineside tree and vegetation removal by Network Rail.

The Scottish Government has no powers of direction but notes that Network Rail’s current practice, as a responsible landowner, is to undertake a baseline survey of the ecology of the area prior to vegetation management. In respect of trees, Network Rail seeks advice from the Tree Council on ways it can manage its trees to create ecological corridors whilst it carries out the management of vegetation needed to keep the railways safe.

Question reference: S5W-25983

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 25 October 2019
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 19 November 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its responsibilities for Scotland's railway, what its position is on Network Rail’s current approach to lineside tree and vegetation removal, and whether it considers this is consistent with the climate and ecological emergency.

The Scottish Government recognises that Network Rail has to remove vegetation to install assets on its land or when vegetation impinges on the safe operation of the railway. The Scottish Government is mindful of the guidance from Her Majesty’s Railway Inspectorate concerning the significant safety and performance risks which can arise from unmanaged lineside vegetation. The expectation is that Network Rail acts in a reasoned and proportionate manner at all times in relation to undertaking any lineside tree and vegetation management.

Question reference: S5F-03708

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 11 November 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 November 2019

Question to be taken in the Chamber.

Question reference: S5O-03727

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 October 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 November 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the Referendums (Scotland) Bill adequately meets the objective stated by the constitutional relations secretary for "electronic means of communication to be subject to the same restrictions as print materials".

Question reference: S5F-03627

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 07 October 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 October 2019

Question to be taken in Chamber.