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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-14767

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 6 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what work it is doing with Social Security Scotland to develop contingency measures for the redeployment of any staff who face redundancy following the Department for Work and Pensions’ (DWP) closure of the Radnor House site in Clydebank.

Question reference: S6W-14768

Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 6 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what communication it has had with the UK Government regarding the decision taken by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to close Radnor House site in Clydebank.

Question reference: S6W-14701

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 6 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how much the redevelopment of Troon railway station will cost; by what date the work will be completed, and whether it will retain a staffed ticket office.

Question reference: S6W-14855

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 6 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has any plans to abolish return fares on ScotRail services.

Question reference: S6W-14847

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 6 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will seek a commitment from bus companies to reinstate or establish routes from towns in (a) Dumfries and Galloway and (b) the Scottish Borders Council areas to improve connectivity between these areas and the rest of the UK.

Most bus services across Scotland operate in an open de-regulated market and have done so since the 1980s. Scottish Ministers do not have the power to intervene directly in the provision of local services. This is solely a matter for individual bus operators who use their own commercial judgement on service routes, frequencies, and vehicle types. However, where there is a social need for bus services which are not provided commercially, local authorities, such as Dumfries & Galloway or Scottish Borders Councils can subsidise these at their discretion.

The Scottish Government is committed, in partnership with operators and local authorities, to looking at ways of ensuring that everyone has accessible public transport regardless of where they live. We have established a taskforce with stakeholders from across the bus sector and local government to explore what practical solutions we can deliver to help improve bus services across the country.

Question reference: S6W-14629

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 6 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that businesses seeking detailed information about how to comply with the Deposit Return Scheme consider that engagement activity by Circularity Scotland is insufficient, with requests for clarification reportedly going unanswered.

Circularity Scotland Ltd (CSL) has set up a dedicated support team which is accessible via a helpline to assist with inquiries from businesses to help them prepare for the launch of Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme (DRS).

Furthermore, in February CSL hosted a series of information events around the country so that businesses could learn more, and ask questions about their DRS obligations.

I recommend that producers contact Circularity Scotland, either by way of this dedicated telephone help line, or via their website to remain up to date with the latest information regarding DRS.

Question reference: S6W-14822

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 6 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will instruct Transport Scotland to repair any existing defective lighting installations and generally improve the lighting of the public realm underneath the Kingston Bridge approach viaducts on the M8 at Anderston Cross, at the intersection point with Argyle Street and the Clydeside Expressway.

Question reference: S6W-15210

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 6 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the progress of its discussions with the UK Government regarding the enactment of secondary legislation made under section 4 of the Civil Partnership (Scotland) Act 2020, which would enable pre-existing marriages to become civil partnerships.

The Scottish Government remain committed to making regulations which will enable marriages to change to civil partnerships. As part of this work, we need to ensure that as well as providing mechanisms so marriages can change to civil partnerships, provision is made to protect couples’ rights and responsibilities. Some of these rights and responsibilities are reserved which is why we need consequential legislation at Westminster. The UK Government is considering our proposal for an Order under section 104 of the Scotland Act 1998.

Question reference: S6W-14564

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 30 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 6 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether the proposed reduction in the Major Public Transport Projects budget for 2023-24 will have any impact on the delivery of the rail projects outlined in Transport Scotland’s Control Period 6 plans.

Rail enhancement projects successfully completed in Control Period 6 include Queen Street station redevelopment, new stations at Robroyston, Reston and Inverness Airport and Far North Enhancements. The Glasgow to Barrhead electrification project and the new East Linton station remain on schedule to be completed within Control Period 6.

As a result of the proposed reduction on the Major Public Transport Projects budget for 2023-24 there is limited impact on Transport Scotland’s Control Period 6 plans. There are rail projects that commenced in Control Period 6 and have been planned to span into Control Period 7. These projects that will be delivered in Control Period 7 include the reopening of the railway to Levenmouth, including two new stations at Leven and Cameron Bridge, works to electrify the railway from Haymarket to Dalmeny and the electrification of the East Kilbride route.

Question reference: S6W-14360

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 30 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 6 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in light if the reported commitment made by Alex Salmond in 2006 that if he were to become Scotland's First Minister in 2007 the first decision he would make, within 100 days, would be to dual the road between Ellon and Peterhead, whether it still plans to dual this section of the A90, and, if this is not the case, when it formally decided not to proceed with this commitment in the north east.