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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-30519

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 October 2024
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 4 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether any decision to reduce ScotRail ticket office hours would be compatible with its Accessible Travel Framework.

Scottish Rail Holdings (SRH) recently submitted proposals for ScotRail (SRT) to redeploy staff to more passenger focussed duties across the Scottish rail network through changes to ticket office hours, and secured approval to this proposal from Transport Scotland. This acceptance was predicated on conditions that stipulate existing passenger assistance arrangements for disabled passengers will not be affected, and that additional help points are installed at stations where the ticket office is at a different level to the platforms. It should be made clear that these proposals continue to keep ticket offices open for passengers when they are needed and that no members of staff will lose their jobs as a result.

SRH and ScotRail have given assurances that reducing the opening hours at some stations will create opportunities for staff to offer enhanced face to face support for passengers, including those with disabilities.

Question reference: S6W-30523

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 October 2024
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 4 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made regarding the potential impact in Scotland of the wholesale objection by Transport Focus to plans by train operating companies to close the majority of their ticket offices in 2023.

Question reference: S6W-30524

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 October 2024
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 4 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has ruled out reducing any ScotRail ticket office opening hours in line with the proposed changes that were consulted on in 2021.

Question reference: S6W-30525

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 October 2024
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 4 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish the equalities impact assessment for the proposed reductions in ScotRail ticket office opening hours that were consulted on in 2021.

Question reference: S6W-30520

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 October 2024
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 4 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether its permission has been sought by ScotRail to proceed with reducing ticket office opening hours at ScotRail stations.

Question reference: S6W-30522

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 October 2024
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 4 November 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the data used during the 2021 ScotRail ticket office consultation is still valid and accurate.

Question reference: S6O-03850

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 October 2024
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the potential closure of the Grangemouth oil refinery and any economic impact that this may have.

Question reference: S6W-30280

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 23 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of section 315(2) of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987, which local authorities have (a) applied to the Scottish Ministers for the dispensation of the making of byelaws with respect to accommodation for seasonal workers and (b) been (i) granted and (ii) denied such a dispensation, in each year since 1999; whether it will provide the dates on which any such applications were made by local authorities, and what equivalent information it has on any such applications made to the Secretary of State prior to 1999.

Question reference: S6W-30269

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 30 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 23 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what the legal status is of seasonal agricultural workers housed in caravan accommodation on agricultural land, with regards to that accommodation.

The rights that a worker has in tied accommodation will depend on the type of tenancy or occupancy agreement in place. If an employer gives an employee accommodation as part of the job and the employee has to live there to be able to do the job, they may have a Service Occupancy agreement. Rights will depend on what is written in the employment contract and will depend on the individual circumstances of the case. However, if an employee has a Private Residential Tenancy, then they will have the same rights as a private tenant.

Question reference: S6W-30281

Asked by: Richard Leonard, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 17 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many control test inspections on farms have been conducted by Scottish Government Agricultural Wages Inspectors in 2024 to date.