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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: S6O-00703

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 January 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to improve bus services in the west of Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-05363

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 24 December 2021
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 24 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the offer by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, during General Question Time on 18 November 2021, to visit the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley, when he plans to do so.

On 18 November, I confirmed with Mr Bibby that I will visit the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley when it is the appropriate time to do so. This continues to be my intention.

Ministerial visits are being carefully considered at present in light of the implications for Health and Social Care services from the Omicron variant. I continue to maintain strong communication with Trade Union representatives and Health Boards to understand the experiences of our Frontline Health and Social Care staff.

Question reference: S6W-05585

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 10 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 24 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what the annual staffing numbers for ScotRail have been in each year since 2011, broken down by (a) full-time equivalent positions, (b) head count and (c) seasonal workers.

Question reference: S6W-05586

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 10 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 24 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what the annual staffing numbers for Transport Scotland have been in each year since 2011, broken down by (a) full-time equivalent positions, (b) head count and (c) seasonal workers.

Transport Scotland Staff Numbers Since 2011
Year	(a) FTE	(b) Head Count	(c)Seasonal Worker
2011	*	403	0
2012	*	382	0
2013	*	380	0
2014	*	401	0
2015	*	404	0
2016	375.7	389	0
2017	379.8	394	0
2018	385.8	398	0
2019	427.5	443	0
2020	462.2	479	0
2021	482	497	0

Please see information in regards to reference S6W-05586 . Attached is the figures as requested since 2011 and broken down by (A) FTE (B) Headcount and (C) Seasonal workers. Transport Scotland as an organisation do not have Seasonal Workers and this is the reason for the nil response. Please note , in relation to the Q for (A) FTE, we can only provide FTE figures for the period 2016-2021. FTE figures prior to 2016 are not available, hence why the “ * ” response shows in some parts of that section. This is due to the way that FTE information was collated at that time, as it has been cleansed as per our data retention policy.

Question reference: S6W-05583

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 10 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 24 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what the annual staffing numbers for CalMac have been in each year since 2011, broken down by (a) full-time equivalent positions, (b) head count and (c) seasonal workers.

Question reference: S6W-05364

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 24 December 2021
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 21 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government by what date it plans to reduce the number of miles travelled by car by 20%.

The commitment to reduce car kms by 20% by 2030 (against a 2019 baseline) as set out in the Scottish Government’s Climate Change Plan update (CCPu) published in December 2020 remains unchanged, either in terms of measurement or time scale.

https://www.gov.scot/publications/securing-green-recovery-path-net-zero-update-climate-change-plan-20182032/documents/

The 20% Reduction in Car Km Route Map published on 13 January 2022 outlines the approach to meeting this commitment.

https://www.transport.gov.scot/publication/a-route-map-to-achieve-a-20-per-cent-reduction-in-car-kilometres-by-2030/ .

Question reference: S6W-05584

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 10 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 21 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what the annual staffing numbers for Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd have been in each year since 2011, broken down by (a) full-time equivalent positions, (b) head count and (c) seasonal workers.

In response to the three questions regarding staffing number (a) Full-time equivalent (b) headcount (C) Seasonal workers at Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd I can confirm as follows.

BASELINE LIST - bodies	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021
Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd FTE (a)	13	14.53	17.5	21.8	20.8	22.4	25.6	27.6	28.6	33.08	37
Headcount (b)	13	15	18	22	21	23	26	28	29	34	39

In regards to question (C) they have confirmed that have never employed any seasonal workers.

CMAL, advise resource numbers have increased annually as additional roles and responsibilities have been taken on across this period. This has been in part due to covering the full Repair & Maintenance for the 26 ports and an increase to the fleet size to include all 5 lifeline service vessels for the Northern Isles.

Question reference: S6W-05589

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 10 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 21 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will simplify rail ticketing for end-to-end journeys under the new ScotRail operator and, if so, what steps it will take to achieve this.

Our priority is for a seamless transition for passengers and staff throughout the transition to ScotRail Trains Ltd from 1 April and during the business’ first year of operation. We have empowered ScotRail to review its range of fares offerings to respond to changing travel behaviours due to the impacts of the Covid pandemic, and as part of this work to seek to simplify fares where possible as part of an improved service to passengers.

In addition, the Fair Fares Review, which is currently in its planning stages, is being undertaken by Transport Scotland to ensure a sustainable and integrated approach to public transport fares in the future.

Question reference: S6W-05588

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 10 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 21 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to address shortages in (a) HGV drivers, (b) bus drivers and (c) taxi and private hire drivers.

The Scottish Government is working closely with business organisations to develop an action plan to identify actions to mitigate the impact of labour shortages on businesses across affected sectors. Longer term interventions will include consideration of the current skills system, specifically how this links with the wider education landscape and careers guidance services.

With the exception of skills and training, most of the levers available to mitigate the acute HGV driver shortages we have seen in the last 6 months are reserved to the UK Government. Our Modern Apprenticeships continue to support individuals to enter the logistics sector. The Freight Logistics Apprenticeship Framework encompasses the planning, routing and movement of freight across all transport modes as well as associated activities such as warehousing and storage.

Collectively there were 1107 starts on these frameworks in 2020-21 and up to the end of Quarter 2 of 2021-22, there have been 770 Modern Apprenticeship starts in freight logistics with 1456 individuals in training in total. In addition, as of September 2021, 95 individuals have been supported through the Employability Fund to train as HGV drivers.

Skills Development Scotland is also developing a small pilot with the Road Haulage Association to support up to 30 drivers with an HGV licence to undertake Driver Certificate of Professional Competence training allowing them to re-enter the sector. The pilot will help establish the demand for this type of training.

We are also monitoring the impact of bus driver vacancies and on bus service levels. My officials are in regular contact with the Department for Transport regarding issues such as delays in processing licence applications and driver testing. In addition, officials are also working with the bus sector to facilitate solutions to workforce issues through the Labour and Skills Shortages Action Plan, and connecting Local Employability Partnerships (LEPs) who are aware of opportunities in their areas with bus service operators through the Confederation of Passenger Transport (CPT). This includes sharing examples of good practice across the network of both LEPs and members of the CPT to encourage more local level collaboration to meet the needs of each area.

The Scottish Government has provided £79.3 million directly to taxi and private hire drivers and operators in response to the Covid-19 Pandemic. Further support of up to £28 million was announced on 5 January 2022 from within the £375 million package of funding announced on 21 December 2021, bringing total support for the sector to over £107 million.

Question reference: S6W-05477

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 10 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 21 January 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how its estimate that applying no increase to rail fares, or applying an increase below the retail prices index, would cost between £6.5 million and £9.1 million was calculated.

As is normal practice, a number of projected scenarios using various estimated levels of ScotRail’s patronage and revenue were analysed in respect of different fares options.

Therefore, the range of £6.5m to £9.1m reflects the potential, estimated cost of a fares freeze across varying patronage and revenue scenarios. If a partial freeze was to be implemented there would be a proportionate reduction to those costs.

The cost of any fares freeze or below-RPI fares increase would also have a cumulative effect, recurring annually.