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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-28281

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 June 2024
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 10 July 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how it will consult with employers to assess any impact of the ScotRail peak fares removal trial on businesses, including on business costs associated with any employee travel in the course of their work.

Question reference: S6W-28246

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 June 2024
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 10 July 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) total and (b) annual cost is of its contract with Trainline to run the ScotRail ticketing app and website.

Question reference: S6W-28501

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 08 July 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 5 August 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many contracts it has awarded to supported businesses in Scotland in each of the last five calendar years.

Question reference: S6W-28500

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 08 July 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 5 August 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many contracts have been awarded to supported businesses by public bodies in each of the last five calendar years.

Question reference: S6W-28278

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 June 2024
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 2 July 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what recommendation has been made regarding the peak fares removal trial, following the ScotRail board meeting on 18 April 2024.

Question reference: S6W-28280

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 June 2024
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 2 July 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how the ScotRail peak fares removal trial contributes to supporting its commitment to (a) flexible working and (b) supporting family-friendly policies with a range of employers.

Question reference: S6W-28279

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 June 2024
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 2 July 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how it has consulted trade unions representing the workers in the rail industry during the ScotRail peak fares removal trial.

Question reference: S6W-28094

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 07 June 2024
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 20 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what communication it has had with Avanti West Coast regarding the current dispute with the RMT union, in which catering staff have reportedly highlighted concerns regarding the disruption to work-life balance as a result of rosters being frequently amended at very short notice.

Whilst we expect public bodies to implement and promote Fair Work First in all relevant procurement processes, (and suppliers delivering public contracts) Avanti West Coast is contracted by, and reports directly to, the UK Government and the Scottish Government does not have the details of Avanti West Coast’s employment practices. The Scottish Government has not had any communication with Avanti West Coast on this matter, it is an operational matter for Avanti West Coast as employer.

Question reference: S6W-28092

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 07 June 2024
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 20 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the employment practices for caterers at Avanti West Coast are compliant with the Fair Work Framework.

Our vision is for Scotland to be a leading Fair Work Nation by 2025, where fair work drives success, wellbeing and prosperity for individuals, businesses, organisations and society. Whilst the Scottish Government expects public bodies to implement and promote Fair Work First in all relevant procurement processes (and suppliers delivering public contracts) Avanti West Coast is contracted by, and reports directly to the UK Government and the Scottish Government does not have the details of Avanti West Coast’s employment practices.

Question reference: S6W-28093

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 07 June 2024
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 20 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how it engages with rail companies that employ staff in Scotland, and in what ways it expects the Fair Work Framework principles to be applied.

Our vision is for Scotland to be a leading Fair Work Nation by 2025, where fair work drives success, wellbeing and prosperity for individuals, businesses, organisations and society. In the absence of powers over employment legislation, the Scottish Government encourages all employers in Scotland to adopt Fair Work practices and play their part in making Scotland a leading Fair Work Nation.

The Scottish Government expects public bodies to show leadership in that regard, and implement and promote Fair Work First in all relevant procurement processes (and suppliers delivering public contracts).

Scottish Rail Holdings (SRH) oversees the delivery of rail operations by ScotRail Train Limited and Caledonian Sleeper Limited, which moved into the public sector in April 2022 and June 2023 respectively. SRH has responsibility for engaging with its subsidiaries to promote fair work practices . In addition, the Scottish Ministers set out in their High Level Output Specification for the current 5 year railway funding period (2024 -2029) that they expect Network Rail in Scotland to follow the Scottish Government’s Fair Work principles.

Most cross-border passenger railway operators are the responsibility of the UK Government and this level of operational detail is not covered through Scottish Government engagement. The Scottish Government does not engage to this level either with ‘open-access’ operators which include all rail freight operators and rail charter operators.