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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: S4F-03144

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 January 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 January 2016

To ask the First Minister what impact the introduction of an upper band of the minimum wage for workers over 25 will have on pay inequality and in-work poverty in Scotland.

Question reference: S4O-05177

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 December 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 December 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what the implications are for skills and training of its proposed national infrastructure priority on energy efficiency.

Question reference: S4W-28433

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 November 2015
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 25 November 2015

To ask the Scottish Government when it expects ScotRail to begin services using Hitachi AT200 commuter trains and what contingencies are in place to improve the current rolling stock should the introduction be delayed.

ScotRail will be introducing the Hitachi AT200 (class 385) trains into passenger service from autumn 2017 with full operation on the Edinburgh to Glasgow route by the December 2017 timetable change. The Hitachi AT200 trains are currently on programme for delivery for 2017.

All of the current ScotRail fleet plus the rolling stock planned to be introduced into service in the coming years by ScotRail will undergo a full refurbishment programme to deliver significant improvements to reliability and passenger facilities. This is due to be complete by December 2018 and includes fitment of Wi-Fi, power/USB sockets, accessible toilets, wheelchairs spaces, luggage storage, cycle spaces, seating, lighting and new interior/ exterior livery.

Question reference: S4O-04873

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 November 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 November 2015

To ask the Scottish Government whether it anticipates any public order issues arising from so-called Black Friday events being run by retailers.

Question reference: S4W-28211

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 October 2015
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 12 November 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what impact the closure of Longannet power station will have on the (a) operation and (b) future development of the Stirling-Alloa-Kincardine rail line.

Question reference: S4W-28203

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 October 2015
Current Status: Answered by Aileen McLeod on 12 November 2015

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the comments by the Minister for Environment, Climate and Land Reform on 27 October 2015 (Official Report, c. 31), how it plans to work with the Committee on Climate Change to continue to investigate further abatement from measures that go beyond current policies.

We are working closely with the Committee on Climate Change, who will be providing advice on the next set of greenhouse gas emission annual targets under the Climate Change (Scotland) Act for 2028-32 by the end of March 2016. This advice, together with the committee’s recommendations in the annual Scottish progress reports, will help to inform the scope for further abatement in Scotland and will be part of the evidence base that informs development of the third report on proposals and policies.

Question reference: S4W-28209

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 October 2015
Current Status: Answered by Aileen McLeod on 12 November 2015

To ask the Scottish Government whether the First Minister will be attending the 2015 UN conference in Paris on climate change.

Climate change is an important issue for the First Minister. She has recently signed the Climate Change Leader’s Pledge with the other party leaders and provided a video address for the Climate Group during Climate Week NYC on Scotland’s commitment to tackling climate change and transitioning to a low carbon economy. The First Minister has championed climate justice issues in her speech to the Chinese Friendship Association and her commitment to the international Sustainable Development Goals. She has recorded a video message for Stop Climate Chaos Scotland's film promoting Scotland's climate action. The First Minister is committed to support efforts to secure an ambitious international climate agreement and officials are working on suitable opportunities for her involvement at COP21.

Question reference: S4O-04789

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 November 2015
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 12 November 2015

To ask the Scottish Government how much it plans to spend in 2016-17 on its national infrastructure priority on energy efficiency.

Question reference: S4W-28207

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 October 2015
Current Status: Answered by Aileen McLeod on 10 November 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what meetings with UK ministers regarding the 2015 UN conference in Paris on climate change the Minister for the Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform (a) has had and (b) plans, and what (i) activities and (ii) meetings the minister plans when attending the conference.

I have met with UK ministers and discussed the upcoming UN Climate Conference in Paris, including a meeting during the EU Environment Council where the EU's formal negotiating position was adopted. I have confirmed that I will attend the UN climate conference in Paris, and during my visit will undertake a series of bilateral meetings, speaking engagements and events related to key Scottish themes promoting high ambition, the role of subnational governments and climate justice.

Question reference: S4W-28202

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 October 2015
Current Status: Answered by Margaret Burgess on 10 November 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what action it (a) is taking and (b) plans to take in 2016-17 regarding the national infrastructure priority on energy efficiency.

Scotland’s Energy Efficiency Programme will integrate action on domestic and non-domestic energy efficiency and will lie at the heart of the National Infrastructure Priority. We will work closely with stakeholders over the next two years to develop the programme, to ensure that it makes best use of the new powers set to be devolved and is tailored to the needs of householders, businesses and other property owners in Scotland.

Over the next two years we will work with local authorities and other stakeholders to pilot and test integrated delivery approaches and expect to issue a call for pilots in 2016.

It is important that the new programme’s objectives are linked to the delivery of our climate change ambitions as well as tackling fuel poverty and supporting sustainable economic growth. We will be undertaking further analysis and assessment during the development of the third report on policies and proposals as required by the Climate Change (Scotland) Act in 2016.