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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: S5F-01695

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S5O-01412

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S5W-11885

Asked by: Maree Todd, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 09 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 31 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it will undertake with (a) Kishorn Port Limited and (b) the project developer in light of the reported delays to the development of the Kincardine Offshore Windfarm.

Question reference: S5O-01358

Asked by: Maree Todd, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 25 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the Scottish Parliament’s call to halt the rollout of universal credit.

On 28 September I wrote, jointly with CoSLA, to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to highlight further substantive evidence of the abject failures in the Universal Credit system and demand a halt to the full service roll-out until the fundamental flaws can be fixed. David Gauke has not responded directly to our joint letter, and the UK Government has not engaged with us in any meaningful way, in response to our previous calls to halt the roll out.

The UK Government also continues to ignore the many calls from the Scottish Government, this Parliament, councils, charities and housing associations and, indeed the UK Parliament, which voted overwhelming last Wednesday to pause Universal Credit.

The announcements by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions to refresh DWP guidance so advance payments of Universal Credit, loans, are offered upfront, and ending the Universal Credit helpline charges, does nothing to fix the many problems of Universal Credit including the 6 week delay in receiving a first payment.

Question reference: S5W-11198

Asked by: Maree Todd, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 22 September 2017
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 4 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to increase the number of electric vehicle charging points on the road network in Orkney.

Question reference: S5O-01328

Asked by: Maree Todd, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 September 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 4 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Law Society of Scotland’s report, The UK withdrawal from the EU and the potential impact on health related matters, and the possible challenges that it identifies for Scotland regarding access to new medicines.

The Scottish Government welcomes the Law Society of Scotland’s analysis paper which makes a number of important points and recommendations.

From a medicines perspective we share the view raised in the paper that a significant consequence of the potential loss of UK participation within the European Medicines Agency (EMA) could be delays to patients, both in Scotland and across the wider UK, being able to access the new medicines they need and we agree that this a major concern.

I have urged the UK Government to secure the UK’s continued place within the EMA as quickly as possible and we will continue to do all that we can to protect Scotland’s interests and play an active role in influencing the outcome of UK medicines regulation and safety.

Question reference: S5W-11200

Asked by: Maree Todd, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 11 September 2017
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 21 September 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that visitor attractions in Orkney that are of global importance are equipped to deal with the reported increased number of visitors to the islands.

Question reference: S5W-11199

Asked by: Maree Todd, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 11 September 2017
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 21 September 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports of a large increase in the number of visitors to Orkney.

The Scottish Government fully recognises the importance of sustaining a high quality tourism product to Orkney’s economic wellbeing. To this end, Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) jointly commissioned with Orkney Islands Council a study into the general impacts of volume tourism in Orkney.

The report has recently been published by Orkney Islands Council, and its outcomes will be used by HIE, the Council, Historic Environment Scotland (HES), VisitScotland and the local tourism industry (Orkney Tourism Group) to work collaboratively in putting in place a more long-term management strategy for tourism in Orkney.

HIE have also supported other initiatives to help spread visitors around Orkney and reduce some congestion, for example, support to a new £1m visitor centre for Shelia Fleet Jewellery in the East Mainland (opening 2018); and towards the Heritage Lottery Fund backed re-development of the Scapa Flow Visitor Centre at Lyness on Hoy (complete 2019).

HES and the Council have already put in place a number of short-term measures this season to try to alleviate some of the main issues at key sites.

Question reference: S5W-11202

Asked by: Maree Todd, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 11 September 2017
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 21 September 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the reported increase in the number of visitors to Scotland on cruise liners, and whether the existing infrastructure has the capacity to accommodate further increases.

Scotland continues to grow in popularity as a destination and CruiseScotland members expect to welcome 656,000 passengers from 810 ships during 2017. CruiseScotland estimated that ports and their hinterlands around mainland Scotland and the islands shared a market with an estimated value of almost £56 million in 2016.

Individual ports continue to review their facilities to meet demand from their various customers and invest to make improvements where possible as business grows. Lerwick has recently completed an upgrade to its Holmsgarth jetty and Orkney has upgraded Hatston pier to improve cruise capacity. Aberdeen harbour’s recently started expansion at Nigg Bay will provide additional infrastructure which could support cruise business, Peel Ports at Greenock are looking at extending the berth to improve capacity and Port of Cromarty Firth are also considering a new cruise berth to improve the facilities.

The Scottish Government also hosted the third Scottish Cruise Summit with representatives from the global cruise industry, UK Chamber of Shipping, Cruise Scotland and their members on 21 September 2017. This was in order to explore opportunities and challenges for continued investment and further growth in the Scottish cruise sector.

Question reference: S5W-11201

Asked by: Maree Todd, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 11 September 2017
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 21 September 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what the annual value of tourism is to Orkney, broken down by visitors from (a) overseas, (b) the rest of Scotland and (c) the rest of the UK.