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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-26979

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 January 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 30 January 2020

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-26672 by Michael Matheson on 7 January 2020, whether it will provide a list of all train stations in Scotland, broken down by the three categories.

Question reference: S5W-27094

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 January 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 30 January 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how many meetings its officials have had with Abellio ScotRail since the commencement of the franchise to monitor performance regarding the operator's committed obligations and franchise targets.

Question reference: S5O-04067

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 January 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 January 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the decision by Dumfries and Galloway Housing Partnership to enter into partnership with the Wheatley Group.

Question reference: S5W-26965

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 January 2020
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 22 January 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding each national park has been awarded in each of the last five years, broken down by agency.

Question reference: S5W-26745

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 December 2019
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 22 January 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the regulation of crewing practices of companies contracted to work from ports in Scotland on the Neart na Gaoithe offshore wind farm project.

Scottish Ministers have not had discussions with the UK Government on this specific issue. If the member has any further details he would like to provide, I would happy to consider raising these with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, or other relevant UK Government Departments However, it is important to remember that both Employment and Health & Safety law are reserved to the UK Parliament it is vital therefore that the UK Government takes appropriate action to enforce these matters to protect workers.

Question reference: S5W-26743

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 December 2019
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 16 January 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what impact it expects the Neart na Gaoithe offshore wind farm will have over the next 10 years on (a) employment and (b) investment in (i) the Port of Dundee and (ii) Eyemouth Harbour.

Question reference: S5W-26744

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 December 2019
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 16 January 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how many seafarer jobs will be required for (a) installing, (b) operating and (c) maintaining the Neart na Gaoithe offshore wind farm.

Question reference: S5O-04046

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 January 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 January 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to allow NHS Dumfries and Galloway to change existing cancer pathways by aligning with the West of Scotland Cancer Network rather than the South East Scotland Network in order to reduce journey times for treatment for cancer patients in Wigtownshire.

Question reference: S5T-01953

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 13 January 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 January 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that complaints about Caledonian Sleeper services have increased by 221%.

Question reference: S5W-26734

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 16 December 2019
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 10 January 2020

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-26596 by Fergus Ewing on 16 December 2019, who will take on the role of Chief Forester when Jo O'Hara leaves her position as Chief Executive of Scottish Forestry.

We will shortly be beginning the selection process for a Chief Forester, with a view to making an appointment early in 2020.

This is an exciting and challenging time for forestry in Scotland, and this role will be an invaluable source of technical expertise and advice for Ministers. The appointee will also have key responsibilities to provide professional leadership across the public agencies, and to work with the wider sector to promote and grow the profession of forestry in Scotland.