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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: S6W-27736

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 3 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what consequences a dog might face where it attacks and physically injures a pedestrian.

There are powers available under a range of legislation that can be used depending on the specific situation. This is ultimately a matter for those involved in enforcing the law to decide based on the facts and circumstances of each individual case.

However, a dog that attacks and injures someone faces being seized, and could ultimately be destroyed. For example, where a dog owner has been found guilty of possessing a dangerously out of control dog under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, the court has a range of options available to it when sentencing. This includes imposing a destruction order in relation to the dog in question. These are matters for the independent court to decide upon in any given case.

Question reference: S6W-27756

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 3 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what the recorded causes of road traffic incidents at the Toll of Birness have been in the last 10 years.

The two most common contributory factors for accidents within half-mile radius of A90 Toll of Birness junction between 1 January 2014 and 5 March 2024 junction include: 'Failed To Look Properly' (indicated for 55% of accidents) and 'Failed To Judge Other Person's Path or Speed' (indicated for 45% of accidents).

Contributory factors also included 'Careless/Reckless/In A Hurry' (27%), 'Loss Of Control' (27%), 'Poor Turn Or Manoeuvre' (18%), 'Slippery Road (due to weather)' (18%), ‘Swerved’ (9%), ‘Vehicle Blind Spot’ (9%) and ‘Other’ (9%).

Please note that more than one contributory factor can be attributed to an accident.

Question reference: S6W-27644

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 3 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on (a) what the outcomes were of the Lifting the Spirit trial at Elgin in 2013 and (b) whether it was operationally successful, and what it did to build on that trial.

The movement of freight is a commercial matter and the Scottish Government’s leadership in support for rail freight is outlined in our 2016 rail freight strategy, and put into practice with significant investment, a freight-first approach, and through our regulatory rail freight growth targets. The Lifting the Spirit Trial at Elgin in 2013 was led by regional transport partnership HITRANS, in partnership with the Scotch Whisky Association, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Moray Council and the EU Food Port. Their report is publicly available with lessons learnt. It is for the industry to lead on any follow up activities and Network Rail remains engaged with the industry through the Scotland Freight Joint Board and works with Freight Operating Companies and Freight End Users to enable modal shift to rail.

Question reference: S6W-27645

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 3 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the trial in 2020 of bringing timber out of Caithness by rail has not been meaningfully followed up, in light of it reportedly being successful.

The movement of freight is a commercial matter and the Scottish Government’s leadership in support for rail freight is outlined in our 2016 rail freight strategy, and put into practice with significant investment, a freight-first approach, and through our regulatory rail freight growth targets. The 2020 timber by rail trial in the Far North of Scotland proved the concept and provided lessons for the industry on the Scottish timber market, rolling stock/wagon capability and availability, operational considerations and the finances/economics of moving timber by rail. It is for the industry to lead on any follow up activities and Network Rail remains engaged with the industry through the Scotland Freight Joint Board and works with Freight Operating Companies and Freight End Users to enable modal shift to rail.

Question reference: S6W-27662

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 17 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 3 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what the current size of the ScotRail Class 43 fleet is; how many are required to be operational on a normal working day; how many are operational on average on any given day; how any shortfalls are covered; whether diesel multiple units (DMUs) are substituted in from other services, and what impact such action has on those other scheduled services.

Question reference: S6W-27667

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 17 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 3 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is considering adopting the European Train Control System (ETCS) on Scotland's Railway, and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

Question reference: S6W-27643

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 31 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on freight movements commencing or ending at (a) Craiginches Down and (b) Raith’s Farm, and what it is doing to increase the use of these facilities.

The movement of freight is a commercial matter and the Scottish Government’s leadership in support for rail freight is outlined in our 2016 rail freight strategy, and put into practice with significant investment, a freight-first approach, and through our regulatory rail freight growth targets. The Scottish Government does not hold detailed information on day to day rail freight movements but is aware that for both sites there is currently no traffic. Network Rail remains engaged with the industry through the Scotland Freight Joint Board and works with Freight Operating Companies and Freight End Users to enable modal shift to rail.

Question reference: S6O-03534

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 May 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 6 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has reconsidered collating information on the number of children who are “missing from education”, in light of its reported failure to do so to date.

Question reference: S6W-27685

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 20 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 29 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what the total cost was of the transfer of operations of ScotRail services from Abellio to public ownership.

Question reference: S6W-27661

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 17 May 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 29 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Aberdeen Route Upgrade contractors framework agreements have been awarded, and, if not, for what reason, and when they will be.

No contractor has yet been appointed for the Aberdeen – Central Belt Service Improvement Project as the project is still in the design stage. The programme for implementation, and therefore contracting, of the scheme remains under consideration. I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-26336 on 11 April 2024.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers .