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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.

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Question reference: S5W-27635

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 February 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 10 March 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Caledonian Sleeper has met the passenger satisfaction targets set out in the franchise agreement since the contract began; what enforcement action has been taken in response to any failures to meet the targets, and what variations, adjustments or waivers have been made in relation to these targets.

Caledonian Sleeper has received much positive feedback from passengers, which is reflected in record levels of passenger bookings.

Notwithstanding this positive customer reaction, Caledonian Sleeper has not yet met the targets set for all aspects of the National Rail Passenger Satisfaction (NRPS) survey. In discussion with the independent body, Transport Focus, which runs the NRPS survey, it has become clear this is in part due to the mismatch of standard NRPS methodology with Sleeper operations. This has been compounded by the late delivery of new trains for the Franchise.

Caledonian Sleeper is working in partnership with Transport Focus to develop new survey metrics which will more accurately reflect the needs and expectations of passengers using sleeper services.

Question reference: S5W-27414

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 February 2020
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 9 March 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how much its Draft Budget 2020-21 allocates to the Strategic Timber Transport Fund.

Question reference: S5W-27599

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 February 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 9 March 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on taking account of the distance of care homes from people's registered addresses when allocating places, and what guidance it issues to local authorities on this matter.

The Scottish Government issued updated guidance on choosing a care home on discharge from hospital in December 2013 (CEL 32 (2013). The guidance recommends that people identify up to three preferred homes of choice, suitable to meet the assessed needs of the individual. Where a choice is not readily available then an interim move to a suitable, available home should be arranged.

The guidance does not provide explicit advice on how far care home placements should be from the person’s home address, however, the Scottish Government expects placements to be as close as is reasonably possible. There will be occasions when the person’s assessed need, and availability of local services, will affect the choice of suitable care homes.

Question reference: S5W-27508

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 February 2020
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 6 March 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what the budget for the Strategic Timber Transport Fund has been in each of the last five years.

Question reference: S5W-27406

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 February 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 5 March 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of Abellio ScotRail’s claim for damages from Network Rail for disruption during upgrade works at Glasgow Queen Street station.

Question reference: S5W-27546

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 February 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 5 March 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what the total amount set aside for active travel is in its draft budget, broken down by level 4 budget line, and how this compares with (a) 2018-19 and (b) 2019-20.

The total amounts set aside in the draft budget for 2020-21 to support active travel, by level 4 budget line, is summarised in the following table along with the totals for 2018-19 and 2019-20.

Active Travel Budget (£m)	2018-19	2019-20	2020-21
From Sustainable and Active Travel Capital	55.4	55.4	59.4
From Sustainable and Active Travel Resource	6.3	6.3	6.3
From Future Transport Fund - Cycling infrastructure	10.9	10.9	10.9
LG Capital Grant - Cycling Walking Safer Streets	7.4	8.9	23.9
Total	80.0	81.5	100.5

Question reference: S5W-27545

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 21 February 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 5 March 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how much of the £103.2 million increase in the rail franchise budget for 2020-21 is for (a) revenue and (b) profit support adjustments, and whether it will provide a breakdown of how much it has paid out in these adjustments under the current (i) ScotRail and (ii) Caledonian Sleeper franchise.

The Abellio ScotRail and Serco Caledonian Sleeper forecasted payments for next year are in line with both current franchise agreements, these are contracted amounts between the Scottish Government and franchisees. The amounts are in line with the contract and are commercially sensitive.

Details of payments made to date to ScotRail and Caledonian that can be made public can be found via Companies House.

Question reference: S5W-27404

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 February 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 2 March 2020

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the number of station staff employed by Abellio ScotRail reportedly decreased by over 380, or 25%, between December 2015 and March 2019.

While staffing is an operational matter for ScotRail, Transport Scotland holds them to account within the terms of the Franchise Agreement. Financial penalties can and do apply where the impact of reduced staffing means ScotRail fall below the service levels set out in the franchise agreement, for example station opening hours.

Following a robust challenge from Transport Scotland, through the SQUIRE regime, staffing recruitment and retention issues were identified as a recurrent issue and it was demanded ScotRail addresses this. A subsequent recruitment drive for additional staff has delivered significant improvements both at stations and on trains.

Question reference: S5W-27547

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 February 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 2 March 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how much of the £500 million fund to improve bus priority infrastructure will be allocated before May 2021.

Question reference: S5W-27548

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 February 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 2 March 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how much of the £500 million fund to improve bus priority infrastructure is dedicated to the Bus Partnership Fund, and whether it will provide a breakdown of how the remaining money will be allocated.

Year	Strategic Timber Transport Scheme Budget £m
2015-16	3.00
2016-17	2.85
2017-18	7.85
2018-19	7.85
2019-20	7.00
2020-21 (draft)	7.00