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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: S6W-15853

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 27 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many electric vehicle chargers currently make up the (a) public and (b) private network, in light of its commitment to increase the public charging network to at least 6,000 charging points over the next four years, as announced in its Programme for Government 2022-23.

There are currently 3,758 electric vehicle charging devices which make up the public charging network in Scotland. There are no publicly available statistics on the number of private charging devices in Scotland, such as those in workplaces, fleet depots and at residential properties.

The latest statistics quoted above are taken from Department for Transport’s ‘Electric vehicle charging device statistics’ published in January 2023. The next statistical release is due to be published in April this year.

Question reference: S6W-15858

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 24 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the dualling of the A1 in its entirety.

The Scottish Government recognises the important role the A1 plays in providing access to key markets, jobs and services between the south east of Scotland and the north east of England, and beyond. The Borders Transport Corridors Study , identified interventions on the A1 within its recommendations, these were subsequently considered in more detail as part of the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2).

The section of the A1 between Edinburgh and the border with England is a trunk road and therefore it’s under Scottish Minister’s remit to decide on further investment and development of the projects.

There has been no recent engagement with the UK Government on the dualling the A1.

Question reference: S6W-15849

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 24 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made towards achieving its commitment to roll out its national strategy for expanding 20 mph zones, as announced in its Programme for Government 2022-23.

A multi-stakeholder task group has been established to progress the most effective route for implementation of the strategy. As well as a subgroup of experts to investigate and a define place criteria for roads that are appropriate for 20 mph speed limits.

Recognising the need to identify the number of roads affected and the financial implications, the Scottish Government has supported local authorities with an additional £1.4 million in funding to undertake the necessary roads assessments. This work is scheduled to conclude in Spring 2023 and will enable the multi-partner 20 mph Task Group to then scope the next steps and options for implementation.

Communication plans are being developed, with research underway to shape a national campaign that will focus on promoting the benefits of lower speeds and encourage behaviour change pre and post implementation.

Question reference: S6W-15857

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 24 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has undertaken of the impact of ScotRail’s current fare freeze on the bus industry.

As part of the Scottish Government’s response to the ongoing cost of living crisis, ScotRail fares were frozen until the end of March 2023 to support rail users.

The ScotRail fares freeze has been implemented alongside the extended support for the bus industry through the Network Support Grant Plus (NSG+). The recent extension of NSG+ included a fares freeze for participating bus operators until the end of March 2023. This was part of a cross-modal package of support, which includes the freeze on ferry fares on the Northern Isles and Clyde & Hebrides ferry networks until October, to keep public transport fares stable both in level and relative to each other.

Given this and the continuing uncertainty around recovery paths following the pandemic, we have not specifically examined the impact on the bus sector of the ScotRail fares freeze. Transport Scotland has, however, kept regular track of demand across modes. Throughout 2022-23, bus and rail demand have moved closely in step with each other, other than where rail demand was impacted by industrial action.

This situation will change with the introduction of the removal of peak rail fares trial during the next financial year. Transport Scotland is putting steps in place to include the impact of the pilot on the bus system as part of the evaluation of the trial.

Question reference: S6W-15850

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 24 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has undertaken on the financial impact of extending 20 mph speed limits.

The Scottish Government has provided local authorities with an additional £1.4 million in funding to undertake the necessary road assessments to identify the number of communities where a speed limit reduction is appropriate and the financial costs for implementation. This work is scheduled to conclude in Spring 2023 and will enable the multi-partner 20 mph Task Group to then scope the next steps, options for implementation and understand the financial impact of extending 20 mph speed limits in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-15851

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 24 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what impact the expansion of 20 mph speed limits will have on the police force, in light of reports that police in the Scottish Borders are not carrying out regular speed checks in the area’s new 20 mph zones.

Police Scotland is a member of the multi stakeholder task group for 20 mph speed limits and work closely with road authorities in determining, or considering, any changes to speed limits, reflecting the function of the road and the impacts on the local community and the needs of vulnerable road users.

Roads that meet the place criteria with an appropriate speed limit of 20 mph should aim to be understood by the majority of motorists and therefore self-enforcing. However, roads authorities also have the option to install a number of speed reduction measures to support compliance of the reduced speed limit.

Question reference: S6W-15848

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 24 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Network Support Grant Plus coming to an end in March 2023, how it plans to keep bus fares “at more affordable levels and networks more extensive”, as committed to in its Programme for Government 2022-23.

The Network Support Grant Plus was always a temporary fund to support operators to recover from the effects of the Covid 19 pandemic. It has been extended on two occasions since June 2022. Scotland, like the rest of the UK, operates a de-regulated bus market due to decisions taken by the UK Government in the 1980s. This means that bus operators must return to a commercially sustainable model, and adapt their networks to account for the new travel patterns.

Notwithstanding, the Scottish Government continues to provide support through the Network Support Grant, which keeps fares more affordable and networks more extensive than would otherwise be the case. I have committed to review all funding to bus operators to ensure it is delivering best value to the taxpayer. This review will include an exploration of further conditionality being applied to Government subsidy in future.

Question reference: S6W-15856

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 22 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Network Rail regarding the use of any spare capacity on passenger trains to freight goods into Scotland's cities.

Question reference: S6W-15653

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 21 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is on track to meet its commitment to reduce car km by 20% by 2030.

The Scottish Government agrees with the recommendations of the Climate Change Committee that we need plans to deter car use, to accompany current plans to encourage active travel and the use of public transport, the need for both is set out in the route map on 20% reduction in car kilometres by 2030.

That is why we have set out our future transport infrastructure priorities in the second Strategic Transport Projects Review published on 8 December 2022 that includes a focus on active travel, mass transit and bus priority for mode shift away from the predominance of cars.

However, the evidence is clear that incentivising sustainable alternatives alone will not be sufficient to bring about the behaviour change to deliver the scale of 20% car KM reduction. Therefore As outlined in our route map to achieving a 20% reduction in car kilometres by 2030 jointly developed with COSLA, we have commissioned research exploring equitable options for demand management to discourage car use.

The most direct levers on the cost of buying or running a petrol or diesel car – fuel duty and vehicle excise duty – are reserved. The recent rises in the cost of motoring underline the unfairness of the current, regressive motoring tax regime.

We will continue to press the UK Government for a fair and progressive future transport tax system that better incentivises the transition to zero-emission vehicles, reduces unnecessary journeys and raises revenues to fund policies to support a shift to more sustainable travel.

Question reference: S6O-01996

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 March 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the rural affairs secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding an assessment of the impact of short-term let licencing on the rural economy.