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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-05950

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 January 2017
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 24 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the average age of the ScotRail rolling stock.

Over £475 million is being invested over the next few years in ScotRail's rolling stock which will lower the average age of the fleet. This funding, provided through the ScotRail franchise budget, will deliver 234 new carriages when the Hitachi electric class 385 fleet will be gradually introduced over the next 24 months.

It is always important to note that the quality of the train fleet is important, not its age. Good, high quality refurbishment can deliver a passenger experience comparable with new rolling stock.

Question reference: S5W-06073

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 January 2017
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 24 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to Flybe's decision to cancel its Dundee to Amsterdam service, and when it was first made aware of this decision.

The Scottish Government is very disappointed by Flybe’s decision to withdraw the Dundee-Amsterdam air service. Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd has worked closely with Flybe to seek to resolve the Airline’s operational issues and will continue to work with Flybe and other interested parties in the interests of returning this successful service to Dundee. The Scottish Government was made aware of Flybe’s intention to withdraw the service on 22 December 2016.

Question reference: S5W-05985

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 09 January 2017
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 18 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on plans to dual the Usan-Montrose section of the East Coast Main Line, given that it is the only piece of single track left on the line.

Question reference: S5W-05986

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 09 January 2017
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 18 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the timetable for improvements to the road junction at Laurencekirk.

Question reference: S5W-05843

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 December 2016
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 17 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve cancer survival rates, in light of reports that Scotland's are the worst in western Europe.

Our ‘Beating Cancer: Ambition and Action’ strategy and the accompanying £100 million investment over five years, serves as a blueprint for the future of cancer services in Scotland, improving the prevention, detection, diagnosis, treatment, aftercare and ultimately the survival, of people affected by all cancers. The strategy contains a specific aim to close the gap in survival rates between Scotland and the best performing countries in Europe.

Question reference: S5W-05693

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 19 December 2016
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 10 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its progress in delivering superfast broadband in the north east, broken down by local authority area.

The Scottish Government and our partners are investing over £400 million in the Digital Scotland Superfast Broadband Programme to deliver superfast broadband coverage to at least 95% of all premises across Scotland. Progress in the North East Region, to 30 November 2016, is outlined in the following table:

	Anticipated number of premises connected to fibre broadband without DSSB intervention	Current number of premises connected to fibre broadband by DSSB plus commercial deployment
Aberdeen City	72.40%	92.80%
Aberdeenshire	25.10%	75.80%
Angus	69.70%	79.50%
Dundee City	95.00%	97.60%
Moray	28.00%	87.70%

Question reference: S5W-05494

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 December 2016
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 10 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the reported shortage of GPs in north east Scotland that has resulted in waiting times of up to four weeks for a routine appointment, when extra GPs will be recruited in the region.

Question reference: S5W-05495

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 December 2016
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 22 December 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how long an appointment with a GP should take.

GP appointment and consultation arrangements are not regulated and are for each individual practice to determine but in general most practices book patients at 10 minute intervals. The actual length of a consultation will vary depending on the healthcare needs of the individual patient and will be a matter of professional judgement for the GP. Where patients are required to have a longer consultation the GP may request that the patient attend for a double appointment.

Question reference: S5W-04937

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Mark McDonald on 1 December 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has carried out of the impact of the named person scheme in (a) Aberdeen City, (b) Angus and (c) Dundee.

Question reference: S5W-04871

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 21 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Mark McDonald on 1 December 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has carried out of the impact of the named person scheme in Aberdeenshire.

Under Part 4 (Provision of Named Persons) of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 (the Act), the duty to provide a Named Person service sits with health boards, local authorities, independent or grant-aided schools, secure accommodation services and the Scottish Prison Service, depending on the circumstances of the child. Part 4 (Provision of Named Persons) of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 (the Act) has not yet commenced.

The Getting It Right For Every Child (GIRFEC) approach has been national policy since 2010 and as part of their existing work, public authorities in many parts of Scotland already operate a “named person” approach on a non-statutory basis. As part of their local decision making, this may include public authorities considering the impact of the GIRFEC approach in their local area.

As the Scottish Government works towards commencement of Part 4 of the Act, named person service providers, including local authorities, health boards, and partners, will continue to progress the GIRFEC approach and to develop and deliver named person services.