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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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

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Question reference: S5W-01053

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 26 July 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how the introduction by ScotRail of class 385 trains configured for driver-only operation will impact on disabled people and whether these services will be compliant with the operator's obligation to make all reasonable endeavours to assist disabled people.

Question reference: S5W-01076

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 21 July 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the benefits of staffing on (a) ScotRail trains and (b) railway stations.

Question reference: S5W-01092

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 21 July 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on using the break clause in the ScotRail franchise agreement to allow for consideration to be given for a public sector bid to provide the service, and what (a) preparations and (b) discussions its officials have had regarding this.

<>The Scottish Government enters into all contracts in good faith and it will honour the terms of the existing ScotRail franchise contract, which commenced on 1 April 2015, a year before new powers were granted under the Scotland Act that enable a public sector operator to bid for a rail franchise. Preparatory work is underway by officials to enable a public sector body to be able to do so. ScotRail's programme in meeting its contracted obligations are kept under review and monitored closely.

Question reference: S5W-01086

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 21 July 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on ScotRail increasing the number of driver-only operated passenger services.

<>Scottish Ministers do not set ScotRail’s operational policy. We look to the railway, the operator and unions to arrive at a safe, efficient customer focused solution. The term ‘driver only operation’ is a misnomer in the Scottish context, A key requirement of the franchise agreement is that the franchisee uses all reasonable endeavours to have a second member of staff on board each service it operates.

Question reference: S5W-01064

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 19 July 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the ScotRail (a) disabled people’s protection policy and (b) operating licence obligations, and whether it considers that driver-only operated services are compliant with them.

Disabled access policy has not been devolved to Scottish Ministers and remains an issue that is reserved to the UK Government.

a) The responsibility for assessing Abellio ScotRail Ltd.’s Disabled People’s Protection Policy (DPPP) rests with the Office of Rail and Road (ORR). The ORR last reviewed Abellio ScotRail Ltd.’s DPPP on 18 May 2016 and published confirmation that it continued to be in compliance with their obligations.

b) Abellio ScotRail Ltd hold a current operating licence on the basis that the ORR continue to be content that that the conditions of their operating licence are being met.

The Scottish Government therefore considers that all services operated by Abellio ScotRail Ltd are compliant with their DPPP and licence obligations.

Question reference: S5W-01066

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 19 July 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what obligations the franchise agreement places on ScotRail to remove or minimise disadvantages faced by disabled people.

Question reference: S5W-01068

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 19 July 2016

To ask the Scottish Government on what basis Hitachi was awarded the contract to build the ScotRail class 385 passenger trains; who made the decision, and whether it will provide details of the other bidders.

Question reference: S5W-01069

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 19 July 2016

To ask the Scottish Government (a) where and (b) by what date the ScotRail class 385 passenger trains will be (i) manufactured and (ii) assembled, and up to what stage in the process modifications can be made to the design.

The design of the fleet has been agreed and the first tranche of class 385s are currently being built and tested in Japan. Work begins next month to assemble the remainder of the fleet at Hitachi’s new factory in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham. ScotRail plan to introduce them into service between autumn 2017 and early 2019 on various routes in the central belt.

The timing of modifications on the production schedule and related costs are a commercial matter for ScotRail and Hitachi.

Question reference: S5W-01058

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 19 July 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether (a) the ScotRail franchise agreement and (b) driver-only operated passenger ScotRail services are in breach of the Equality Act 2010.

(a) The franchise agreement is not in breach of the Equality Act 2010. Disabled access policy is a reserved matter for the UK Government and our franchisee is required to comply with the relevant legislation. The responsibility for regulating and enforcing the equality legislation rests with the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

(b) Disabled access policy is a reserved matter for the UK Government and our franchisee is required to comply with the relevant legislation. The responsibility for regulating and enforcing the equality legislation rests with the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

Question reference: S5W-01073

Asked by: Neil Bibby, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 19 July 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions its officials have had with the (a) UK Government, (b) train operating companies, (c) Rail Safety and Standards Board and (d) Rail Delivery Group regarding (i) driver-only operated and (ii) driver-control operated passenger trains on ScotRail services.