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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: S4W-19411

Asked by: John Mason, MSP for Glasgow Shettleston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 January 2014
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Keith Brown on 29 January 2014

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the progress of the M8 M73 M74 Motorway Improvements Project.

I can confirm that this government intends to award this NPD contract to Scot Roads Partnership Project Ltd (SRP). The value of the contract is approximately £500 million in Net Present Value (NPV) terms, and includes the cost of the construction of the new road, its operation and maintenance over 30 years and the financing costs.

The NPV of £500 million represents a construction cost of approximately £310 million; significantly below the pre tender estimate of £415 million, which reflects the robustness of the competitive dialogue process, challenging bidders to provide the optimal value-for-money solution. It also demonstrates the very strong competition for this contract and is indicative of the prevailing market conditions in the construction industry more generally.

This important milestone heralds a strong statement from the international investor community that Scotland’s infrastructure is seen as a viable and desirable long-term investment. Following a significant level of international investor interest, funding from the project will come from the European Investment Bank (EIB) and a group of investors managed by Allianz Global Investors, one of the world’s leading integrated financial services providers.

The employment benefits of this project will be of a similar scale to the M74 completion which directly supported 900 construction jobs at its peak, the large majority of which were filled by workers from the local area. We expect that the M8 M73 M74 Motorway Improvements Project will deliver similar benefits to the local economy. Businesses will also benefit from economic savings while more generally the project will improve road safety, accessibility and reduce the number of accidents.

We will also see considerable community benefits delivered as a result of this project, including opportunities for on the job training for apprentices and local employment.

Delivery of this project will take us another step towards realising our vision of a modern and efficient transport system fit for a 21st Century Scotland, connecting our cities by fast and safe road and rail networks and making Scotland an attractive place to do business both now and in the future.

Question reference: S4W-18919

Asked by: John Mason, MSP for Glasgow Shettleston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 13 December 2013
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 9 January 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with (a) the Scottish Football Association and (b) Police Scotland regarding recent reports of vandalism at football grounds.

Question reference: S4W-18918

Asked by: John Mason, MSP for Glasgow Shettleston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 13 December 2013
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 8 January 2014

To ask the Scottish Government how many incidents of pyrotechnics being illegally used in football grounds were reported in (a) 2003, (b) 2004, (c) 2005, (d) 2006, (e) 2007, (f) 2008, (g) 2009, (h) 2010, (i) 2011 and (j) 2012 and have been reported in 2013.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information centrally.

We are aware however of the increasing concerns over the illegal use of pyrotechnic devices at football grounds. The Scottish Government are continuing to work with Police Scotland, the Crown Office and other stakeholders on the best way to highlight the potential dangers of the misuse of such devices.

I have asked Police Scotland to contact the member directly to ascertain whether they hold the information requested.

Question reference: S4W-18920

Asked by: John Mason, MSP for Glasgow Shettleston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 13 December 2013
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 6 January 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with (a) Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT), (b) Transport Scotland and (c) other agencies regarding the (i) roll-out and (ii) further usage of the SPT smartcard.

The Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) smart card is part of SPT's overall project to modernise the Glasgow Subway, for which the Scottish Government is providing up to £246 million in capital funding. Transport Scotland has had discussions with SPT over a number of years on the scope and progress of the project, including the new smart card based ticketing system. The SPT Subway smart card, or ‘bramble card’, is also one of the projects within Transport Scotland's overall Smart and Integrated Ticketing Programme. SPT is represented on the programme board which receives periodic updates on progress. The details of implementation, and any further use of the bramble card beyond subway, are matters for SPT, subject to any essential inter-operability requirements, for example with the National Entitlement Card.

Question reference: S4O-02754

Asked by: John Mason, MSP for Glasgow Shettleston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 December 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 January 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with independent theological colleges regarding tuition fees for students from Scotland.

Question reference: S4F-01767

Asked by: John Mason, MSP for Glasgow Shettleston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 09 December 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 12 December 2013

To ask the First Minister what the implications are of the Autumn Statement for Scotland's budget.

Question reference: S4O-02565

Asked by: John Mason, MSP for Glasgow Shettleston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 November 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 13 November 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how many passengers there have been on the Glasgow to Edinburgh line via Airdrie since it reopened.

Question reference: S4W-17607

Asked by: John Mason, MSP for Glasgow Shettleston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 October 2013
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 28 October 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how it responds to the finding in the Scottish Health Survey that Scotland has more than 30,000 problem gamblers.

Whilst problem gambling levels are relatively low at 0.7% of the population we recognise the serious impacts on those involved and their families.

Gambling is a reserved matter. The Scottish Government has corresponded with the UK Government regarding our concerns about the impact of the introduction of new technologies and the liberalisation of gambling laws upon problem gambling. We welcome steps that have now been taken to fully evaluate the impact of new gambling developments such as fixed odds betting terminals.

The Scottish Government would welcome further powers to alleviate the impact of problem gambling.

Question reference: S4W-17641

Asked by: John Mason, MSP for Glasgow Shettleston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 October 2013
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 22 October 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on fuel poverty in the Glasgow (a) parliamentary region and (b) Shettleston constituency.

The Scottish Government does not hold information on the number of households in fuel poverty for individual parliamentary constituencies.

Information is available at local authority level from the Scottish House Conditions Survey. The most recent available figures show that there were on average 62,000 households in fuel poverty in Glasgow City between 2009 and 2011, representing 22% of households.

Figures for the 2010 to 2012 period will be published in December 2013.

Fuel poverty estimates for local authorities are only available for three year aggregated periods, as the sample sizes in the Scottish House Conditions Survey are too small to produce reliable annual estimates.

Glasgow City Council has received an offer of grant under the Scottish Government HEEPS: Area-Based Schemes funding programme. The council has indicated it will use the funding to assist delivery of energy efficiency measures to 6,220 homes in the Glasgow City Council area.

Question reference: S4W-16535

Asked by: John Mason, MSP for Glasgow Shettleston, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 29 July 2013
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 23 August 2013

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the role that junior football clubs have in communities, what recent contact it has had with the Scottish Junior Football Association regarding the future of such clubs and (a) protecting and (b) developing junior football.

The Scottish Government recognises the important role Junior football clubs play in communities across Scotland and I wrote to the Scottish Junior Football Association on 9 April 2013.

The Scottish Junior Football Association are an affiliated national association member of the overall governing body for football, the Scottish Football Association.

As such the Scottish Government has regular meetings with the Scottish Football Association to help ensure that the game in Scotland, at all levels, is supported and we are investing record levels of investment into football with almost £8.5m invested during 2011-12 which has supported the development of youth and grassroots football across Scotland.