Chamber and committees

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: S6W-26515

Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Falkirk West, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 23 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the reported collapse of McClure Solicitors, what action it can take to (a) support the firm's clients and (b) prevent similar situations occurring in the future.

The Scottish Government is aware of this matter and appreciates the distress this will have caused to those affected.

The Scottish Government encourages those with concerns to seek advice from the Law Society of Scotland or the Scottish Legal Complaints Commission. If a client is dissatisfied with the service or conduct of a Scottish solicitor, they have the right to complain. The Scottish Legal Complaints Commission (SLCC) is the gateway for all complaints about solicitors in Scotland.

The Law Society of Scotland have published an information page on their website to assist those affected. McClures Jones Whyte FAQs | Law Society of Scotland (lawscot.org.uk)

The Scottish Government has taken proactive steps to mitigate against such a situation in future. The Regulation of Legal Services (Scotland) Bill introduces the authorisation of legal businesses, bringing benefits such as greater consistency in regulating legal firms, enabling the Law Society of Scotland as the regulator to identify and address deficiencies early.

The Trusts and Succession (Scotland) Act made a number of important changes to how trusts are administered and how trustees are appointed or removed, to respond to the practical difficulties that co-trustees may have in removing a trustee who was appointed as a trustee in their professional capacity, and is no longer a member of their profession.

Question reference: S6W-26524

Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Falkirk West, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 23 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to engage with the UK Government regarding any implications for Scottish social security payments to women in Scotland of the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman report on changes to the state pension age, affecting women born in the 1950s, which states that those affected should receive an apology and compensation.

The First Minister wrote to the UK Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition on 18 April to make the Scottish Government’s position clear, the UK Government must respond in a timely manner to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman’s recommendations, by committing to a fair compensation package for the women born in the 1950’s affected by the changes to state pension age.

State pensions remain reserved to the UK Government. Should the UK Government decide to accept the recommendations from the PHSO report and pay compensation we will work closely with the UK Government to understand if there are any implications for the payment of Scottish social security benefits.

Question reference: S6W-26516

Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Falkirk West, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 18 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to the electricity transmission networks in Scotland to build infrastructure to meet its net zero targets.

The Scottish Government established a Transmission Network short life working group with Transmission Owners in Scotland to consider the challenges around the consenting of electricity network developments. The group made recommendations for both industry and government, including steps to enable the determination of applications within 12 months. As part of this, we are working closely with the UK Government as they consider the scope of the review of Scottish consenting processes under the UK Electricity Act 1989.

We have also laid a statutory instrument in the Scottish Parliament which introduces new measures to simplify the planning process and extend the existing Permitted Development Rights (PDR) for electricity undertakings.

Question reference: S6W-26882

Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Falkirk West, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 April 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 1 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is considering any further legislation to tackle street litter.

Question reference: S6W-26883

Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Falkirk West, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 April 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 1 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-26518 by Gillian Martin on 15 April 2024, whether it will detail the proposals and timeline for the delivery of the recommendations of the Transmission Network Short Life Working Group.

Question reference: S6W-26521

Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Falkirk West, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 17 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what further support it can provide to the bus building industry in Scotland to help it compete in a global market.

Scottish Enterprise has supported companies in the bus manufacturing supply chain, awarding Alexander Dennis Limited with funding to develop their zero emission bus technology including £13m in 2023 in addition to substantial grants in 2019 and 2015.

In addition, Scottish Enterprise is working with Alexander Dennis Limited to explore opportunities for export and access grant funding opportunities such as the UK Automotive Transition Fund.

The Scottish Government continues to support manufacturing in Scotland via the work on the Green Industrial Strategy and our ten-year National Strategy for Economic Transformation (NSET).

The forthcoming Transport Just Transition Plan we will set out, among other things, how the Scottish Government will support businesses to benefit from the opportunities and deal with the challenges arising from the move to a sustainable transport system.

Question reference: S6W-26555

Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Falkirk West, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 17 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what further steps it is taking to ensure that bus operators improve the (a) punctuality and (b) reliability of services for bus users.

The responsibility for licensing and regulating operators of public service vehicles (PSVs) and local bus services sits with the Office of the Traffic Commissioner. It is for their office to take action against a vehicle operator, bus service operator or driver of a bus or minibus and they can impose financial penalties on registered bus service operators who are unable to maintain the conditions of the licence of the registered route including punctuality of services.

Transport Scotland also provides funding for Bus Users Scotland (BUS) to support this. BUS conduct compliance monitoring to check bus services are running where and when they should be. They also focus on working with government, local authorities, special interest groups, and bus companies to make sure the views and interests of passengers are properly represented.

Additionally, the Scottish Government’s recently published Bus Taskforce report outlines the positive steps taken by operators to address bus driver shortages which can be a factor impacting the reliability of services. The report can be found at https://www.transport.gov.scot/publication/bus-taskforce-summary-report/

Question reference: S6W-26520

Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Falkirk West, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 17 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what recent engagement it has had with the UK Government regarding support for the bus building industry in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-26523

Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Falkirk West, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 17 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider implementing national regulations for electric vehicle charging tariffs for (a) pence per kilowatt hour and (b) overstay fees that are applied by local authorities and other public bodies through ChargePlace Scotland.

The Scottish Government do not currently have any plans to introduce national regulations for electric vehicle (EV) charging.

In November 2023 UK-wide regulations were implemented to improve consumer experience of public charging. This includes improving pricing transparency so that all costs are presented in pence per kilowatt hour. All public EV charging networks in Scotland must comply with these new regulations including ChargePlace Scotland (CPS).

Overstay charges are applied at the discretion of the charge point owner or operator in order to encourage fair usage of public charging infrastructure. Overstay charges are most commonly applied to rapid and ultra-rapid charge points where a full or nearly full charge can be achieved quickly and therefore there is no need for a vehicle to dwell longer than 45-60 minutes.

Question reference: S6W-26513

Asked by: Michael Matheson, MSP for Falkirk West, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 17 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to further support local authorities to address any antisocial behaviour in social housing.

The Scottish Government is committed to tackling the problem of antisocial behaviour in our communities. Local authorities (as landlords) and Registered Social Landlords have a wide range of powers to deal with antisocial behaviour by their tenants that occurs in, or in the vicinity of the tenancy. A breach of tenancy conditions could ultimately lead to eviction as a last resort where the circumstances are sufficiently serious.

Social landlords as part of their requirement to meet the estate management and antisocial behaviour related outcome in the Scottish Social Housing Charter work in partnership with other agencies, to help to ensure as far as reasonably possible that tenants and other customers live in well-maintained neighbourhoods where they feel safe.

We recognise that no single approach will tackle all antisocial behaviour. Our national strategy is based on prevention, early intervention and positive diversionary activities. Police Scotland and local authorities lead on responses, using powers and options available to them to prevent and tackle antisocial behaviour. We are committed to ensuring all agencies have the powers and resources needed to tackle antisocial behaviour and crime.