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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-30298

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 22 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether its policy of opposition to unconventional oil and gas extraction, or fracking, continues to apply in Green Freeports.

Scottish Ministers announced their finalised position of no support for unconventional oil and gas, commonly known as fracking, in 2019 having concluded that it is incompatible with our policies on climate change, energy transition and the decarbonisation of our economy. This means that no unconventional oil and gas activity, including fracking, can take place in Scotland, including within Green Freeports.

Question reference: S6W-30307

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 17 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what support is available to those living in residential properties for which a right of lease in land is registered and granted for a period of more than 175 years and were not converted to ownership under the Long Leases (Scotland) Act 2012.

The Scottish Government does not offer support for individuals whose lease did not meet the criteria to convert under the Long Leases (Scotland) Act 2012.

Individuals with leases which did not convert should consider making contact with their landlord to establish whether they would be willing to consider ending the lease. Tenants should be aware that the landlord will be seeking compensation and the level will be dependent of the circumstances of the lease. Any such discussions will be a private matter which the Scottish Government will not be able to intervene or assist with. Advice from a legal adviser may be required.

Question reference: S6W-30373

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 17 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many journeys have been taken by young people under the age of 22 in (a) Inverclyde, (b) North Ayrshire, (c) West Dunbartonshire and (d) East Dunbartonshire using the concessionary bus travel scheme since its launch.

As of the end of day 30 September 2024, the amount of journeys made by young people under the Young Persons’ (under 22) Free Bus Travel Scheme since its launch, was (a) Inverclyde – 2,578,637, (b) North Ayrshire – 4,719,775, (c) West Dunbartonshire – 2,986,088 and (d) East Dunbartonshire – 2,251,144.

Journeys are based on the local authority in which the card was issued, therefore some journeys will have been undertaken outwith the local authority area.

Question reference: S6W-30624

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 11 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 17 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to bring forward legislation in relation to any future Commonwealth Games to be held in Scotland and, if so, (a) when and (b) what matters will be covered.

The Scottish Government will not bring forward any legislation in relation to the 2026 Commonwealth Games.

For the 2014 Games, the Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2008 Act was passed to support Government Guarantees in relation to street trading, advertising, ticket touting, and transport and provide for the acquisition of land for facilities and the funding of the Organising Committee. However, a key condition of the Scottish Government’s support for the 2026 Commonwealth Games is that Scotland will only act within its existing legal framework. This condition has been clearly communicated to both Commonwealth Games Scotland and the Commonwealth Games Federation and is accepted by all parties.

Question reference: S6W-30372

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 17 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-27244 by Jim Fairlie on 13 May 2024, whether it will provide an update on how many concessionary bus passes have been issued to young people under the age of 22 since the launch of the scheme in (a) Inverclyde, (b) North Ayrshire, (c) West Dunbartonshire and (d) East Dunbartonshire.

Question reference: S6W-30305

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 17 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to bring forward legislation or regulation in respect of the legal status of residential properties for which a right of lease in land is registered and granted for a period of more than 175 years and were not converted to ownership under the Long Leases (Scotland) Act 2012.

The Scottish Government has no plans to bring forward legislation on long leases at this time.

The Long Leases (Scotland) Act 2012 converted certain ultra-long leases (over 175 years long) with an unexpired duration of 100 years (on the appointed day) into outright ownership. These periods were chosen based on research carried out by the Scottish Law Commission and is set out in its Report on Conversion of Long Leases (2006). Report on Conversion of Long Leases (Scot Law Com No 204)

The Scottish Government requires to ensure that any legislation that is put before the Scottish Parliament is compatible with the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). These provisions were considered to be consistent with Article 14 and Article 1, Protocol 1 of the ECHR.

Question reference: S6W-30306

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 17 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many residential properties for which a right of lease in land is registered and granted for a period of more than 175 years were not converted to ownership under the Long Leases (Scotland) Act 2012.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information.

The Scottish Law Commission (SLC) Report on Conversion of Long Leases (2006). Report on Conversion of Long Leases (Scot Law Com No 204) provides several tables on the number of leases and the variations of length and duration. A survey of long leases was undertaken by the SLC see paragraph 1.14 and Appendix C for the results broken down into various categories.

Question reference: S6W-30376

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 16 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-25444 by Lorna Slater on 22 February 2024, whether it will provide an updated breakdown of how much funding has been allocated through the Recycling Improvement Fund to each local authority to date.

To date, over £63 million of funding has been allocated through the Recycling Improvement Fund (RIF) and the Fund’s Small Grant Scheme.

As noted in the answer to S6W-25444, a list of local authority projects allocated funding from the RIF is available on the Zero Waste Scotland website: www.zerowastescotland.org.uk/resources/recycling-improvement-fund

Additionally, a list of local authority projects allocated funding through the RIF Small Grant Scheme is available on the Zero Waste Scotland website: www.zerowastescotland.org.uk/resources/recycling-improvement-fund-small-grant-scheme

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

Question reference: S6O-03838

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 October 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what would be required for the frequency of service on the Milngavie rail line to return to quarter-hourly throughout the day, as was the case before the COVID-19 pandemic.

Question reference: S6W-29886

Asked by: Ross Greer, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 25 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government further to the answer to question S6W-27753 by Mairi McAllan on 3 June 2024, by what date it expects to (a) receive and (b) publish the full report from Petroineos regarding the ground investigation into the pipeline leak in Glen Fruin in January 2024.

The ground investigation report is being prepared by Petroineos for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA). The Scottish Government would not expect to receive it formally and has no plans to publish it, as this is an operational matter for SEPA.

We are advised that the ground investigation work has concluded that the contamination is localised and SEPA continue to work with Petroineos and their consultant Adler and Allan to ensure the physical remediation works, which have commenced, can be delivered timeously. Once the remediation has concluded SEPA will be in a position to publish a statement regarding the environmental condition of the site.