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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: S5W-31751

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 September 2020
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 25 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how the £275 million regeneration fund announced in the Programme for Government will be allocated; when this funding will become available, and over how many years it will be spent.

Question reference: S5W-31744

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 September 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 24 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it is giving to more stringent low emission zone standards; when any increased standards will be announced, and how much notice will be given prior to the implementation of any new standards.

Vehicle emission standards for low emission zones will be set within Regulations in early 2021. Stakeholder views on more stringent future low emission zone standards were offered via the Low Emission Zones Regulations and Guidance consultation, and based on this feedback, we will not be setting future emission standards in the forthcoming Regulations. We will however undertake further research on this issue in 2021.

Question reference: S5W-31745

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 September 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 24 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether it still aims to have zero or ultra-low emission city centres by 2030.

Scottish Ministers are steadfastly committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions across the economy. In light of the COVID pandemic the focus on emissions in cities shifted from consultation to delivery of the £39 million Spaces for People Programme, and in the Programme for Government we have committed to working with local government to take forward ambitions for 20 minute neighbourhoods where people can live, work and learn in communities close to home. We will take forward engagement on city centre emission reduction with stakeholders in this context.

We also remain committed to introducing Low Emission Zones in order to improve air quality and protect public health. In light of the COVID pandemic, the new indicative timeline is for Low Emission Zones to be introduced into Scotland's four biggest cities between February and May 2022.

Question reference: S5O-04644

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 September 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the Autumn Budget Revision.

Question reference: S5W-31749

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 September 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 23 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what criteria was used to award funding through the Bus Emission Abatement Retrofit programme, and for what reason funding per bus reportedly varies significantly.

Bids into Phase 3 of the Bus Emission Abatement Retrofit scheme were assessed against four criterion; project fit and rationale, deliverability, emissions reduction and value for money. Scoring for each criterion enabled an average score to be calculated per bid, with bids then being ranked according to the scores.

Funding per bus varied across bidders for several reasons. Firstly, the largest orders for retrofitting kit typically achieved the lowest average costs, in tandem with price variations between exhaust equipment suppliers who were chosen by individual operators. Secondly, some operators did not include a funding request for technologies such as eFans which are complimentary to exhaust retrofitting, which also contributed to some bids having a lower average grant per bus/coach.

Question reference: S5W-31742

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 September 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 23 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether a free bus travel scheme for under-26s is still being considered as part of the review of discounts available on public transport to people under the age of 26.

We are progressing our work with stakeholders to review the extension of discounts available on all public transport to those under the age of 26. This looks at a range of options, including free bus travel for those under the age of 26 through a cost and benefits appraisal in order to fully consider financial sustainability. We committed within the Programme for Government to report on the review by the end of December 2020.

Question reference: S5W-31750

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 September 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 23 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will at least maintain in real terms its current spending on active travel over the next five years.

The Scottish Government's commitment of over £500 million pounds over five years announced in the recent Programme for Government is the highest ever investment in active travel. This record level of funding was warmly welcomed by our active travel partners and will provide confidence for long term investment in large scale, transformational active travel infrastructure projects many of which span several years.

The Scottish Government will, as a matter of course, consider the case for additional support for active travel as part of the annual budget process.

Question reference: S5W-31740

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 September 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 23 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what its plans are for the (a) ScotRail and (b) Caledonia Sleeper franchise following the end of the Emergency Measures Agreements on 20 September 2020.

Question reference: S5W-31747

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 September 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 23 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 will be implemented in full by the end of the current parliamentary session.

Question reference: S5W-31743

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 September 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 23 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government when the Bus Partnership Fund will launch, and what budget it will have for 2020-21.

We are currently consulting on the best time to launch the Bus Partnership Fund, as we recognise that local authorities and bus operators have ongoing pressures, due to the pandemic. However, we expect the Fund to be launched by the end of the financial year so that local authorities can begin to access funds in 2021-22.

The allocated budget for this year of £10 million was repurposed for the Bus Priority Rapid Deployment Fund, which has already made awards to local authorities for temporary bus priority infrastructure to reduce the negative impacts of congestion on bus services, and is currently being administered.