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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-06371

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 20 January 2017
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 26 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how many computer science/computing/ICT teachers there are in post in secondary schools, and how many vacant positions there are.

In September 2016, there were 594 teachers (FTE) recorded with Computing Studies as their main subject taught. There were 855 teachers recorded with Computing Studies as either their main subject taught or other subject taught (FTE).

The Scottish Government does not collect information on teacher vacancies. Vacancy information is available from individual local authorities or at www.myjobscotland.gov.uk

Question reference: S5W-06001

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 January 2017
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 26 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to mitigate jobs losses in the public sector arising from any increases in automation.

We are committed to ensuring the public sector workforce is fit-for-purpose and can deliver on our digital transformation ambitions. This includes ensuring the resources we have are invested in front-line services.

Furthermore, digital transformation in itself requires the employment of a range of professions as we design digital services, standardise our processes across the public sector and simplify processes for the user.

We are committed to ensuring the Scottish public sector has access to the digital skills required to succeed in a digital world. Our actions are focused on increasing the talent pool, building early talent and supporting the upskilling of existing staff.

Question reference: S5O-00633

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 January 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 February 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the recent figures suggesting that Scottish exports to the rest of the UK were four times that of exports to the EU.

Question reference: S5W-06013

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 January 2017
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 25 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the impact of the common fisheries policy on Scotland.

The Scottish Government is and has been committed to working through international organisations, including the European Union, to manage sustainably the important fish stocks in the waters around Scotland, and to support fishing as an industry. The Government does also consider however that the EU's Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) has had some very significant flaws that have brought about substantial and at times unnecessary costs for fishermen in Scotland. In particular, the CFP has sometimes sought to impose on fishermen detailed technical controls on fishing vessels and their operations directly through EU legislation that applies across the EU Member States, in a way that has not taken necessary account of the need for local variation and flexibility.

Question reference: S5W-06123

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 January 2017
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 25 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take in response to the concerns raised by wedding car operators regarding the impact on their sector of the Air Weapons and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2015.

The responses to the 2012 Scottish Government consultation on reforms to the licensing of taxis and private hire cars, raised concerns about the potential impact of removing the exemption for vehicles while being used for carrying passengers under a contract for its exclusive hire for a period of not less than 24 hours. The Scottish Government has been clear that further work will be undertaken prior to removing this exemption.

Question reference: S5W-06121

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 January 2017
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 25 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has carried out on the effects of the Air Weapons and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2015 on wedding car operators.

The Air Weapons and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2015 will not remove the current exemption from taxi and private hire car licensing for vehicles while being used in connection with a funeral or wedding. It does however allow the Scottish Government to remove the current exemption for vehicles while being used for carrying passengers under a contract for its exclusive hire for a period of not less than 24 hours. Further work will be undertaken before making any amendment to the exemption for vehicles under contract.

Question reference: S5W-06120

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 January 2017
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 24 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has carried out on the effects of the Air Weapons and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2015 on the taxi and private car hire industry.

There are three provisions in the Air Weapons and Licensing (Scotland) Act 2015 relating to taxis and private hire cars. The provision in relation to testing of private hire car drivers came into effect in November 2016; the provision to allow licensing authorities to refuse to grant private hire licences on grounds of overprovision will not come into effect until May 2017, and the provision in relation to exemptions from requirements of sections 10 to 21 of the 1982 Act is still to come into full effect. As such no assessment of the effects of these provisions has been undertaken.

Question reference: S5W-06005

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West 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 reports that the Edinburgh tram service is running at 25% capacity.

Question reference: S5W-06009

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West 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 action it can take to address unprofitable bus services being reduced or withdrawn by private operators, including when considering future route contracts and tenders.

As you will be aware, bus services are a matter for individual bus operators who use their commercial judgement on service routes and frequencies. Local authorities have a duty to identify where there is a social need for particular bus services and to subsidise these at their discretion. The Scottish Government provides block funding through the local government finance settlement which for 2016-17 amounted to over £10.3 billion.

The Scottish Government is committed to working in partnership with bus operators and local authorities. We will be bringing forward a Transport Bill in this Parliament with measures to improve bus services.

The Scottish Government provides the annual Bus Service Operators Grant to the bus industry, currently £50m but planned to increase to £53.5m in 2017-18, the aim of which is to keep fares at affordable levels and enables bus operators to run services that might not otherwise be commercially viable.

Question reference: S5W-06004

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West 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 position is on magnetic levitation (maglev) rail services, and whether it plans to explore their potential use.