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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: S5W-32324

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 05 October 2020
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 26 October 2020

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the response by the Minister for Energy, Connectivity and the Islands on 20 August 2020 (Official Report, c.41) on the introduction of road equivalent tariff (RET) on ferry routes across the Pentland Firth, when further work on fares to establish an agreed mechanism for delivering RET for Orkney and Shetland will be completed.

Further to my answer to your previous question S5O-04489 on 20 August 2020, I can confirm that we have been able to restart work to consider fares on ferry routes across the Pentland Firth. However, this work is at an early stage and is subject to the continued resource pressures of COVID-19. I therefore do not have a material update to provide at this time, nor am I in a position to provide a completion date.

I reiterate my undertaking to keep you updated as this work progresses.

All answers to oral Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's Official Report website, the link for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/report.aspx?r=12750&i=115321

Question reference: S5W-31864

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 September 2020
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 26 October 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what targets it has set for the electrification of ferry services; what progress has been made since 2016, and what contribution the electrification of ferries can make to achieving the plan for net-zero carbon emissions by 2045.

The Scottish Government’s Climate Change Plan states that we will increase the number of low emission ferries in the Scottish Government fleet by 30% by 2032 and we remain committed to achieving this target. Investigations have begun into the electrification of ferries via both the ‘Vessel Replacement and Deployment Plan’ and the ‘Island Connectivity Plan’. This builds on the successful introduction of three world leading hybrid diesel/electric vessels through which we have been able to accrue considerable experience and data concerning the use of battery power in the marine environment and the supply of electricity for recharging in remote locations.

Question reference: S5W-32366

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 October 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 23 October 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what rate of cycles Scotland’s polymerase chain reaction tests for COVID-19 are being run at, and for what reason they are being run at this rate.

Question reference: S5W-32189

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 September 2020
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 23 October 2020

To ask the Scottish Government when it expects the next publication of statistics relating to drugs deaths.

Question reference: S5W-32190

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 September 2020
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 23 October 2020

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-30135 by Joe Fitzpatrick on 20 July 2020, which indicated that it was awaiting details from the National Records of Scotland (NRS) regarding the date of publication of the 2019 drug death statistics, whether it will provide an update on what action it has taken to press NRS for these, and whether it will place copies of any correspondence or details of meetings held in this regard in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe).

NRS are responsible for publishing the drug death statistics every year. They have indicated on their website that the 2019 bulletin will be published in December 2020. Scottish Government officials have been in contact with officials from NRS around the next publication of the drug death statistics, in particular to ascertain the precise date of publication.

There has been no ministerial correspondence, or meetings, with the Keeper of National Records of Scotland on this topic.

Question reference: S5O-04687

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 October 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 October 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how it supports island-based veterans.

Question reference: S5W-32186

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 September 2020
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 8 October 2020

To ask the Scottish Government when the refit period for the MV Hamnavoe will take place; how long it will last, and what plans are in place to ensure that a passenger vessel will be allocated to the Stromness-Scrabster route as replacement cover during the refit period.

The MV Hamnavoe will be unavailable for five days in January 2021 and the dry docking will coincide with the forecast period of least demand identified from both a passenger and freight perspective.

Serco NorthLink continue to use their best endeavours to search for suitable tonnage available on the charter market taking account of the specific requirements of both Stromness and Scrabster.

At present, no final decision has been taken by the operator. In the absence of replacement tonnage either MV Helliar or MV Hildasay will be utilised on the Pentland Firth crossing during this short period as has been the case in recent years.

Question reference: S5W-32187

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 September 2020
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 8 October 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Transport Scotland and SERCO Northlink Ferries to find a suitable replacement vessel for when the MV Hamnavoe is on refit.

The subject continues to be discussed between the Scottish Government, through Transport Scotland officials and Serco NorthLink during regular contract management engagement.

The MV Hamnavoe will be unavailable for five days in January 2021 and the dry docking will coincide with the forecast period of least demand identified from both a passenger and freight perspective.

Serco NorthLink continue to use their best endeavours to search for suitable tonnage available on the charter market taking account of the specific requirements of both Stromness and Scrabster.

Serco NorthLink’s plans for the MV Hamnavoe refit will also be discussed at the next scheduled six monthly Ministerial meeting with the operator on 15 December 2020.

Question reference: S5W-31973

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 September 2020
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 6 October 2020

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-31492 by Fergus Ewing on 18 September 2020, whether the full £65 million budget for the Less Favoured Area Support Scheme (LFASS) will be reinstated for 2021, and how it plans to continue funding LFASS in future years.

Question reference: S5W-32068

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 25 September 2020
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 2 October 2020

To ask the Scottish Government when it will provide updated COVID-19 guidance for livestock keepers.

The Scottish Government has published three sets of guidance that refer to livestock. The latest guidance "Farmers and Crofters" is published on the Rural Payments website and was last updated on 22 September 2020. The document provides guidance for working safely on farms and crofts during COVID-19. It provides links to more detailed industry guidance on sheep shearing, animal health, inspections, attending livestock marts, and tests for livestock. The latest revisions to both the "Coronavirus Advice for Animal Owners", and "Coronavirus Advice for Livestock Keepers on Statutory Testing" were updated on gov.scot on 02 October 2020. All documents are kept under constant review.