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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: S6W-21964

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 October 2023
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 23 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a list of new train stations that opened in the parliamentary session (a) from 12 May 1999 to 6 May 2003, (b) 7 May 2003 to 8 May 2003, (c) 9 May 2007 to 10 May 2011, (d) 11 May 2011 to 11 May 2016, (e) 12 May 2016 to 12 May 2021 and (f) 13 May 2021 to date, broken down by those that include (i) staffed booking office facilities and (ii) ticket machines.

Question reference: S6W-21961

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 October 2023
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 23 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether (a) reduced and (b) extended opening hours are under consideration for any booking offices on the ScotRail network.

There are no plans to close any ScotRail booking offices, unlike plans from UK Government to close ticket offices operated by its train operators. The importance of staff being deployed appropriately across the network to enhance passenger safety and control of antisocial behaviour is clear.

It is important to consider how best to continue to offer services that support those customers who need staff assistance, while also taking into account the substantial increase in ticket purchases made across digital platforms.

Question reference: S6W-21960

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 October 2023
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 23 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what steps have been taken to increase station and booking office staffing levels, including filling all current vacancies, to meet any anticipated increase in passenger usage during the ScotRail peak fares removal pilot.

ScotRail officials advise that, independently from ScotRail Peak Fares Removal pilot, it is working to reduce the number of current vacancies by introducing a new recruitment method to advertise externally with more general adverts now being used rather than advertising for specific roles. This will enable ScotRail to recruit for various roles simultaneously to speed up the process of filling vacancies.

ScotRail has also secured additional external support to work alongside its internal recruitment team, which is now in place.

Question reference: S6W-21965

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 October 2023
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 23 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what plans there are for a public consultation to be undertaken regarding staffing requirements at ScotRail (a) train stations and (b) booking offices, now that ScotRail is in public ownership.

Question reference: S6W-21963

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 06 October 2023
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 19 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what representations it has made to train operating companies that are proposing to close ticket offices regarding the reported concerns of train passengers, including those travelling to and from Scotland.

Question reference: S6O-02619

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 October 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on public interest journalism.

Question reference: S6W-21967

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 October 2023
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 18 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on how the ScotRail peak fares removal pilot will be monitored and evaluated.

The purpose of the ScotRail Peak Fares Removal pilot is to identify if it helps reduce car use and will make rail travel more affordable and accessible during its six month period and to assess, using standard techniques whether it represents value for money (VfM).

The Value for Money will be formally assessed by comparing the initial forecasts and associated monetarised benefits and costs with the actual outcomes in terms of demand across all modes. This will include data from ScotRail and Transport Scotland. This is a key benefit of the change being a pilot rather than permanent.

The ScotRail Peak Fares Pilot will end on 29 March 2024 and the evaluation findings (including the assessment for Value for Money) will inform further decisions setting future fares.

Question reference: S6W-21966

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 October 2023
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 13 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on progress made in relation to each of the 10 recommendations in the report, Women and girls’ safety on public transport, which was published in March 2023.

Transport Scotland officials have been instructed to take forward plans for engaging with stakeholders on the 10 recommendations from Scottish Government research report ‘Women's and girls' views and experiences of personal safety when using public transport’, published in March 2023.

A wide range of organisations will be approached to participate including police authorities, transport operators and unions representing those who work on the transport network, and Violence Against Women and Girls stakeholders. Further details of this engagement will be made available as soon as they are finalised.

Question reference: S6W-21299

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 September 2023
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 28 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what ScotRail’s policy is for dealing with disciplinary matters while employees are absent from work due to mental health conditions.

Question reference: S6W-21300

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 September 2023
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 28 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what support ScotRail offers to staff who are absent from work due to mental health conditions.

ScotRail confirmed that support for staff members is available from its in-house Occupational Health team and Mental Health Volunteers.

Additional support is available to employees through the following:

Employee confidential assistance helpline which gives 24-hour, 365-day access for counselling, information, and support on mental health matters.
Specialist healthcare case management support for a range of conditions, such as depression and anxiety.