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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-17159

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 11 June 2018
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 26 June 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with representatives of David MacBrayne regarding a public sector bid for the ScotRail public transport franchise.

The Scottish Government has held a number of discussions about the rail franchising process in Scotland over the last 18 months with David MacBrayne Limited (DML) and with other existing public sector transport providers. The Minister for Transport and the Islands has updated the public sector bidder stakeholder reference group accordingly, and further updates will be provided to that group after the summer recess. The Scottish Government will also update the Scottish Parliament on this matter.

Question reference: S5W-17157

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 11 June 2018
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 26 June 2018

To ask the Scottish Government when it will next discuss the public sector bid for the ScotRail franchise with trade unions.

The Minister for Transport and the Islands will convene a further meeting of the stakeholder reference group after the summer recess to discuss the prospect of a public sector bidder for rail franchises in Scotland. Trade unions, opposition MSPs, and other stakeholders are represented on this group.

The Minister updates transport unions on this matter as part of routine meetings with the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC).

Question reference: S5T-01178

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 25 June 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 June 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that ScotRail missed its punctuality targets for every reporting period in the last year.

Question reference: S5W-17161

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 11 June 2018
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 21 June 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to improve the monitoring of public expenditure on harbour dues at harbours that are not owned by Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd.

Levying and payment of harbour dues is governed by the Harbours Act 1964 and is a commercial arrangement between harbour authorities and harbour users.

In relation to Scottish Government supported ferry services, the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services contract with CalMac Ferries Ltd places a requirement on the ferry operator to scrutinise and challenge any increases in harbour dues proposed by harbour authorities.

In addition, through Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd, we are progressively entering into long-term arrangements with harbour authorities which ensure that harbour dues paid in relation to Scottish Government supported ferry services are reasonable and reflect the costs of operations, maintenance and planned investment.

Question reference: S5W-17156

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 11 June 2018
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 21 June 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it takes to monitor the functioning of ferry user groups representing passengers on Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Service routes.

Ferry User Groups, now known as Ferry Stakeholder Groups, are administered by the Highlands & Islands Transport Partnership (HITRANS), who hold responsibility for monitoring the functioning of these groups. The Terms of Reference for each of the Groups were recently reviewed and updated by HITRANS. The Scottish Government does not monitor the functioning of the Ferry Stakeholder Groups, but attends and takes a participative role in the meetings.

Question reference: S5W-17013

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 01 June 2018
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 14 June 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has carried out of the level of compliance with the Environmental Protection (Restriction on the Use of Lead Shot) (Scotland) No. 2) Regulations 2004.

Question reference: S5W-17010

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 01 June 2018
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 14 June 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is considering changes to the system for regulating the use of lead firearm ammunition.

Question reference: S5W-17011

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 01 June 2018
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 14 June 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how it monitors the effectiveness of the Environmental Protection (Restriction on Use of Lead Shot) (Scotland) (No. 2) Regulations 2004.

The Scottish Government monitors the effectiveness of the Environmental Protection (Restriction on Use of Lead Shot) (Scotland) (No. 2) Regulations 2004 through reported crimes and prosecutions. In addition, informal monitoring is undertaken by local and National Nature Reserve wildfowling wardens and local authority rangers where wildfowling on the foreshore is controlled through a permit system.

Question reference: S5O-02243

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 June 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 June 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to fill vacancies at NHS Dumfries and Galloway.

Question reference: S5W-17012

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 01 June 2018
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 13 June 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) prosecutions and (b) convictions have there been each year for breaches of the Environmental Protection (Restriction on Use of Lead Shot) (Scotland) (No. 2) Regulations 2004.