Chamber and committees

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-35466

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 February 2021
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 10 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what action is being taken to limit future closures of the Queensferry Crossing due to adverse weather conditions, and what the cost of any such actions will be.

In common with the vast majority of similar cable-stayed bridges world-wide, management of ice-related problems is by weather forecasting, monitoring, visual inspection, and carriageway closures when necessary to safeguard the public. Nevertheless, our long term goal is to develop a solution, which will help to prevent ice from forming on the cables. Transport Scotland has appointed experts in this field to study the problem and a considerable body of work has been undertaken in the last two years.

For the Queensferry Crossing, potential options identified as meriting further additional research and development work include: cable sheath surface modifications to retain and control the accreted ice, mechanical vibration systems, ultrasonic de-icing systems, hydrophobic coatings, de-icer systems and robotics. The most appropriate options will be considered for further investigations, testing and development. Other factors such as the associated cost, success of the Forth Road Bridge as a diversion route, frequency of ice events and safety of road users will be considered as part of the decision making process prior to any installation of a viable option for ice accretion prevention.

Question reference: S5W-35468

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 February 2021
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 10 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how (a) much funding has been provided through, (b) many applications have been made to and (c) many applicants were granted funding from the Cycle Friendly programme.

Question reference: S5W-35474

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 February 2021
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 10 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how (a) much funding has been provided through, (b) many applications have been made to and (c) many applicants have been granted funding from the Spaces for People scheme.

Question reference: S5W-35469

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 February 2021
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 10 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how much of the £51 million for active travel infrastructure that was announced in July 2019 has been allocated to local authorities.

£33.8 million has been allocated to local authorities from the 2019-20 Places for Everyone fund. The remaining balance was allocated as follows:

£8.5 million to non-local authorities (e.g. Scottish Canals);
£3.5 million to National Cycle Network projects;
£0.3 million to Transport Scotland Roads Directorate for road safety projects; and
£4.9 for Sustrans ancillary costs (e.g. monitoring, behaviour change support, management costs).

Question reference: S5W-35471

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 February 2021
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 10 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how much of the £700,000 investment fund from Transport Scotland, which gives people the opportunity to use ultra-low emission vehicles (ULEVs), was distributed to housing associations.

Transport Scotland provides funding to our delivery partner Energy Savings Trust to deliver the Plugged-in Communities (PiC) grant (formerly known as Plugged-in Households) which provides access to ZEV's (Zero Emission Vehicles) as a viable alternative to car ownership. The grant is aimed at housing associations, housing cooperatives and, in the most recent of round of applications, not-for-profit organisations. The grant allowed these organisations to procure electric car club services for their tenants/customers/staff.

In 2018-2019, £579.098.28 was distributed to housing associations from an available fund of £700,000.

In 2019-2020, £241,387.20 was distributed to housing associations from an available fund of £500,000.

For 2020-2021 funding is still available for top up grants to qualifying housing associations.

Question reference: S5W-35465

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 February 2021
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 9 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the electrification projects on the (a) East Kilbride and (b) Barrhead railway line.

The recently published Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2 Phase 1) sets out our ambitions for accelerating economic recovery and lays the groundwork for placing inclusive, greener transport options at the heart of future investment. It specifically refers to the prioritisation of the East Kilbride and Barrhead projects.

In preparation for construction Network Rail has completed vegetation management works along the line of the route and the majority of ground and site investigations required is almost complete.

Design and development work is already well advanced and contractors, SPL, will shortly begin on-site activities in the south Glasgow area (between Muirhouse South Junction and Busby Junction). This will include piling and the construction of steelwork foundations to support the future electrification works.

These enhancements will have a transformative effect on the railway and will deliver wide-ranging passenger benefits.

Question reference: S5W-35462

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 February 2021
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 9 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many electrical charging points there are on the A9.

Question reference: S5W-35463

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 February 2021
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 4 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its consultation on free bus travel for under-19s who are resident in Scotland.

The consultation on free bus travel for people resident in Scotland aged under 19 was carried out between 26 October and 7 December 2020, attracting over 3,000 responses.

An analysis of these responses was published on 21 January 2021 together with the responses themselves where consent had been given. Both the analysis and the responses are available on the Scottish Government’s Consultation Hub at Consultation on free bus travel for people resident in Scotland aged under 19 - Scottish Government - Citizen Space .

The responses to the consultation informed the draft National Bus Travel Concession Scheme for Young Persons (Scotland) Order 2021, which was laid in Parliament on 21 January 2021. If approved, this will enable the creation of a new scheme to provide free bus travel to all Scottish residents aged under 19. The scheme is intended to become operational as soon as practicable during the financial year 2021-22.

Question reference: S5W-35464

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 February 2021
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 3 March 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-34432 by Fiona Hyslop on 20 January 2021, whether it is now in a position to provide an update on the cost estimate for the two vessels under construction at Ferguson Marine in Port Glasgow.

Question reference: S5O-05044

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 February 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 February 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures value for money when investing in private companies.