Parliamentary questions
Douglas Lumsden
1,891 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
8 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what measures are being implemented to deter organised crime groups from targeting railway depots and infrastructure.
Answer · Angela Constance: Organised crime groups look to identify any opportunity to increase their wealth and the railway network is not immune from this threat. While it is for rail networks and British Transport Police to ensure that measures are in place to safeguard depots and th…
8 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it works with (a) railway operators, (b) local authorities and (c) Police Scotland to develop a coordinated strategy to reduce theft from railways.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Development of theft reduction strategies is a matter for Network Rail, Local Authorities ,and railway operators working in collaboration with Police Scotland and the British Transport Police.
8 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the average fee has been for (a) accessing and (b) updating information in the Registers of Scotland in each of the last five years.
Answer · Ivan McKee: Registers of Scotland is a non-Ministerial Public Body answerable to the Scottish Parliament.RoS charge a range of different fees for various types of application. The following table details the main application types. Further information on RoS fees and typ…
8 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the cost of theft from railway infrastructure has been in each of the last five years.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: This is a matter for Network Rail who are wholly owned subsidiary of the UK Government.
8 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider adopting a national strategy to address thefts from railways, and, if so, how it would ensure consistency across Scotland.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Strategies for theft prevention are a matter for Network Rail and railway operators in collaboration with the British Transport Police.
8 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with British Transport Police regarding improving enforcement measures to reduce theft from railway (a) stations, (b) depots and (c) lines in Scotland.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Enforcement measures are an operational matter for the British Transport Scotland police. British Transport Police regularly attend rail project meetings and provide expert advice as necessary.
8 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what funding it will provide to railway operators to install advanced security technologies, such as drones or motion detectors, to deter theft at remote railway sites.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Funding is provided to Network Rail, ScotRail Trains Limited, Scottish Rail Holdings Limited and Caledonian Sleeper to facilitate their ongoing operations. Investment in security measures is determined by the aforementioned parties, using their existing fundi…
8 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has conducted on the prevalence of cable theft from railway lines, and what action is being taken to prevent it.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Responsibility for the analysis of the impacts from cable theft and the implementation is a matter for Network Rail and its contractors.
8 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish an annual report on thefts from railways, detailing trends, financial impacts and mitigation measures.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: This information is not held by the Scottish Government. Responsibility for such information rests with Network Rail and rail operators.
8 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to involve local communities in efforts to reduce theft from railway stations and lines.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: I refer the member to the answer to the question S6W-33028 on 22 January 2025. 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-an…
8 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it is working with railway operators to explore innovative technologies for securing materials and equipment stored at railway depots.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: I refer the member to the answer to the question S6W-33028 on 22 January 2025. 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-an…
8 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to address theft from railway stations during operational hours.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: I refer the member to the answer to the question S6W-33028 on 22 January 2025. 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-an…
8 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with railway unions regarding the safety of workers at railway depots in areas affected by theft.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Discussions regarding rail safety are held between rail trade unions and relevant employers.
8 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much was spent on investigating the creation of a Scottish public energy company.
Answer · Gillian Martin: The Scottish Government have previously published in an FOI response that £519,842.13 inc VAT was spent on investigating the creation of a Scottish public energy company. This information is available in detail at Public money spent on state run energy …
8 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has undertaken of the resource requirements for Police Scotland in responding to public safety threats, including incidents involving unexploded ordnance.
Answer · Angela Constance: It is for the Chief Constable, working with the working with the Scottish Police Authority, to determine how to allocate resources to best respond to operational matters such as public safety threats, including incidents involving unexploded ordnance . The Sc…
8 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it collaborates with (a) Police Scotland, (b) the Ministry of Defence and (c) other agencies in responding to reports of unexploded wartime military ordnance.
Answer · Angela Constance: Incidents relating to unexploded wartime military ordnance are Police operational matters. Unless unexploded ordnance causes a civil contingencies emergency in Scotland that requires co-ordination on a national level, such incidents are not handled through an…
8 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how Police Scotland evaluates the potential risks of unexploded ordnance to critical infrastructure, and what measures are in place to mitigate these risks.
Answer · Angus Robertson: This is an operational matter for Police Scotland.
8 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action Police Scotland has taken to review historic military training sites for the presence of unexploded ordnance, and what progress has been made in decommissioning such sites.
Answer · Angela Constance: It is for the Chief Constable, working with the working with the Scottish Police Authority, to determine how to allocate its budget to meet policing priorities.You may wish to write directly to Police Scotland on this matter.. Alternatively, as this matter ma…
8 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures a coordinated multi-agency response to public safety threats, including those involving unexploded ordnance.
Answer · Angela Constance: The Civil Contingencies Act 2004 (the Act) and the Civil Contingencies Act 2004 (Contingency Planning) (Scotland) Regulations 2005 (as amended) (the Regulations) outline the key organisations responsible for responding to, and their duties to prepare for, civ…
8 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what contingency plans Police Scotland has in place for managing unexploded military ordnance discovered by marine or offshore energy development projects.
Answer · Angela Constance: Police Scotland’s contingency plans are an operational matter for Police Scotland. The information requested is not held centrally.
8 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what review it has carried out of the access that Police Scotland has to specialist equipment for handling unexploded ordnance.
Answer · Angela Constance: It is for the Chief Constable, working with the working with the Scottish Police Authority, to determine how to allocate its budget to meet policing priorities including incidences involving unexploded ordnance.You may wish to write directly to Police Scotlan…
8 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what protocols Police Scotland has in place to manage the discovery of unexploded wartime military ordnance near critical infrastructure, including ports and transport hubs.
Answer · Angus Robertson: This is an operational matter for Police Scotland.
8 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its policy is on the disposal by PoliceScotland of unexploded ordnance found in coastal waters, and what discussionsit has had with (a) SEPA, (b) the Ministry of Defence and (c) otherstakeholders on this matter.
Answer · Angela Constance: The disposal of unexploded ordnance is an operational matter for Police Scotland.Unless unexploded ordnance causes a civil contingencies emergency in Scotland that requires co-ordination on a national level, such incidents are not handled through any Scottish…
8 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it works with (a) the Ministry of Defence and (b) other UK Government departments in responding to unexploded ordnance.
Answer · Angela Constance: Incidents relating to unexploded ordnance are Police operational matters. Unless unexploded ordnance causes a civil contingencies emergency in Scotland that requires co-ordination on a national level, such incidents are not handled through any Scottish or UK …
8 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many incidents involving unexploded ordnance have been reported in each of the last five years, and what guidance it provides to Police Scotland on handling such incidents.
Answer · Angela Constance: The Scottish Government does not hold this information, operational decisions on matters such as this are for Police Scotland to consider working with the Scottish Police Authority and you may wish to contact them directly.
8 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding who has responsibility for the management and clearance of unexploded wartime military ordnance in Scotland's waters.
Answer · Angela Constance: The Marine Directorate (formally Marine Scotland) was involved in the development of the UK government’s 2022 policy paper “Marine environment: unexploded ordnance clearance joint interim position statement”. This sets out a coordinated posi…
8 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to review or update protocols for (a) Police Scotland and (b) other emergency services in managing unexploded ordnance incidents.
Answer · Angela Constance: Decisions on the effectiveness of operational protocols are for Police Scotland and other emergency services to consider and review as required. You may wish to contact them directly on this matter.
8 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what additional resources it has provided to Police Scotland to enhance its capacity to respond to incidences involving unexploded ordnance.
Answer · Angela Constance: It is for the Chief Constable, working with the working with the Scottish Police Authority, to determine how to allocate its budget to meet policing priorities including incidences involving unexploded ordnance. The Scottish Government is providing record pol…
8 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what role local authorities play in responding to unexploded ordnance incidents, and how they collaborate with Police Scotland.
Answer · Angela Constance: The role that Local Authorities play in responding to unexploded ordnance incidents is a matter for Local Authorities. The information requested is not held centrally.Unexploded ordnance incidents are an operational matter for Police Scotland.
8 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps Police Scotland is taking to raise public awareness of the procedures to follow when encountering unexploded ordnance.
Answer · Angela Constance: Operational decisions on matters such as this are for Police Scotland to consider working with the Scottish Police Authority.You may wish to write directly to Police Scotland on this matter.