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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-24973

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 August 2019
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 20 September 2019

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will list the snagging works on the Queensferry Crossing that have been identified since its opening, broken down by the date that each (a) was identified and (b) (i) resolved or (ii) is scheduled to be resolved.

The Scottish Government provides periodic updates on the progress of completion of the snagging works on the Queensferry Crossing to the Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee, copies of which can be found at:

https://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/CurrentCommittees/rural-economy-committee.aspx

The snagging works listed in these updates were identified at the time of opening of the Queensferry Crossing, and at present an estimated 85% of those works have been progressively completed since that date. The contractor for the project continues to work towards completing all snagging works by the end of 2019, subject to not being disrupted by adverse weather conditions.

Question reference: S5O-03575

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 September 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 September 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the new CBI Scotland and KPMG Scottish Productivity Index, which reportedly shows productivity as starting "a lap behind" competitors.

Question reference: S5W-24884

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 August 2019
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 17 September 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of mechanical issues with the Gourock linkspan, what alternative arrangements are in place for travel between Gourock and Dunoon for people with reduced mobility, and what the cost of these arrangements are.

Question reference: S5W-24975

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 August 2019
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 17 September 2019

To ask the Scottish Government when it expects to allocate funding to support the implementation of LGBTI inclusive education.

The LGBT inclusive education recommendations are being implemented through the use of innovative partnership approaches, which draw on the expertise of the members of the LGBT Inclusive Education Implementation Group to deliver improved learning environments for young people. As such, not all of the recommendations require budget from the Scottish Government, or other members of the Implementation Group, for their delivery.

As the Implementation Group has yet to agree the method for implementing the recommendations that have been identified for delivery in 2020-21, any Scottish Government budgetary requirements are currently unknown. Nevertheless, any budgetary decisions regarding the delivery of the recommendations will be recorded in the notes of the Implementation Group’s meetings, which will be published on the Scottish Government’s website: https://www.gov.scot/groups/lgbt-inclusive-education-implementation-group/ .

Question reference: S5W-24996

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 August 2019
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 17 September 2019

To ask the Scottish Government how much money has been allocated in each year since 2014 to service the (a) A78 and (b) the A8.

The following table provides spend figures by financial year for Trunk Road Operating Company expenditure, including structural maintenance, minor improvements, routine maintenance, strategic road safety, bridges and structures and winter service.

Route	2014-15	2015-16	2016-17	2017-18	2018-19
A78	2,906,333	3,096,194	4,815,271	3,779,817	8,184,594
A8	679,417	415,616	846,199	476,309	2,168,435

The Scottish Government has also contributed significant investment to improve the A8 between Baillieston and Newhouse as part of the £500 million M8 M73 M74 Motorway Improvements project, which fully opened to traffic in June 2017. The cost of those works on the A8 cannot be disaggregated from the total investment amount and therefore has not been included in the above table.

Question reference: S5W-24831

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 August 2019
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 10 September 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-24346 by Michael Matheson on 20 August 2019, how many ultra-low-emission vehicles (ULEV) the Low Carbon Transport Loan Fund has supported, and how much of the loan fund remains.

According to our most recent statistics dated 27 August, the Low Carbon Transport Loan has paid out £10.8 million since the start of the 2019-20 financial year, which has allowed consumers, businesses and taxi drivers to purchase 340 vehicles this year.

We have just announced a further £17M of funding to the loan fund as part of this year’s Programme for Government. The full year loan fund budget is now set at £37.8 million. This funding will further incentivise drivers to experience the benefits of electric vehicles without the typically high upfront cost attached to the cost of purchase creating a barrier.

We intend to introduce used electric vehicles and range extended models into the eligibility criteria for the loan fund in the coming months, which will further support a wider range of people to purchase a ULEV.

Question reference: S5W-24883

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 August 2019
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 3 September 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what the installation cost of the Gourock passenger steps was, and for what reason they are reportedly not DDA compliant in respect of full access for people with reduced mobility travelling between Gourock and Dunoon.

The Gourock passenger steps were installed in 2015 at a cost of £2,300,000.

They were built as a "like for like" replacement of the Old Kilcreggan Steps. Due to their condition, repairs to the Old Kilcreggan Steps was not possible. The steps were designed to accommodate all passenger ferries operating to / from Gourock, whilst maintaining vessel and passenger access to all other berths at the port.

It is accepted that the steps are not compliant with the Equalities Act at all tidal levels. However, they are essentially a backup to the linkspan should this be unavailable. The linkspan is the main berth for the Gourock to Dunoon ferry services, and is Equalities Act compliant.

Whilst accessibility is not ideal when using the Gourock passenger steps at all states of tide, CalMac staff are available to assist passengers with reduced mobility, or passengers with large luggage or prams to access and egress the vessels via the steps.

CalMac also have a passenger assistance process. available via the CalMac Contact Centre, to enable passengers on the Gourock-Dunoon ferry service to request taxis if the option of CalMac staff assistance is not sufficient. That allows passengers to travel via Western Ferries.

Question reference: S5W-24885

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 August 2019
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 3 September 2019

To ask the Scottish Government when the Gourock linkspan will be repaired and back in full operation.

Question reference: S5W-24626

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 09 August 2019
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 28 August 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of the 90% target of obligated drinks put on the market and collected as part of its proposed deposit return scheme will be recycled.

Question reference: S5W-24625

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 09 August 2019
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 28 August 2019

To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that all single-use glass drinks containers returned via its proposed deposit return scheme will be recycled as part of a Scottish domestic circular economy and not exported elsewhere.