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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: S6O-03432

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 May 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that police officer numbers have fallen to their lowest level since the establishment of Police Scotland.

Question reference: S6T-01965

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 May 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that a large volume of data has been published onto the dark web, following the recent cyber attack on NHS Dumfries and Galloway.

Question reference: S6O-03385

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 April 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to prevent the closure of care homes in South Lanarkshire.

Question reference: S6W-26376

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 22 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 19 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding Port of Cairnryan Ltd’s submission of company accounts for the year to 31 December 2022.

Question reference: S6O-03327

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 April 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support festivals in Dumfries and Galloway.

Question reference: S6W-26606

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 11 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government in what month it will publish (a) its annual report in relation to the incentivisation of selective fishing gear and low impact techniques and (b) its response to the consultation on additional quota that closed on 11 January 2024.

Question reference: S6W-26374

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 11 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the South West Scotland Regional Transport Partnership regarding P&O Ferries’ (a) passenger and (b) freight operations from Cairnryan Port since March 2022.

Question reference: S6O-03314

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 April 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what work it is undertaking to give greater representation to older people.

Question reference: S6W-26375

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 9 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with (a) Port of Cairnryan, (b) P&O Ferries and (c) Clyde Marine Recruitment regarding the application of the Fair Work Convention to ferry services between Cairnryan and Larne.

The Scottish Government has not held recent discussions with the Port of Cairnryan, P&O Ferries or Clyde Marine Recruitment regarding the Fair Work Convention and ferry services between Cairnryan and Larne.

While employment law remains reserved to the UK Government, we will use our Fair Work policy to promote fairer work practices across the labour market in Scotland. In December 2022, we announced the strengthening of our conditionality approach, and now recipients of public sector grants awarded on or after 1 July 2023 are required to pay at least the real Living Wage and provide appropriate channels for effective employee voice.

Both shipping and employment law remains reserved to the UK Government and we would expect all ferry operators to ensure compliance with UK regulations on employees’ pay and conditions.

Question reference: S6W-26377

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 9 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will list any payments that it has made to P&O Ferries since 17 March 2022 to date.