Sue Webber

9 Sep 2025 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what actions it is taking to address the illegal use of off-road bikes, e-bikes and e-scooters.

26 Aug 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what equality impact assessments have been carried out regarding bus stop bypass designs funded through active travel programmes, and what issues these have raised in relation to disabled pedestrians.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government funds active travel infrastructure through delivery partners such as Local Authorities, Regional Transport Partnerships and National Park Authorities. As such, Equality Impact Assessments (EQIAs) related to specific design elements, su…

26 Aug 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that the views of people with sight loss are considered when reaching decisions regarding the design and approval of cycling infrastructure such as bus stop bypasses, which are also known as "floating" bus stops.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that the opinions of disabled people, including those with sight loss, are fully considered in the design and approval of active travel infrastructure. The second National Transport Strategy sets out key priori…

26 Aug 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will issue updated guidance regarding the requirement for physically separated cycling infrastructure to avoid conflicts at bus stops.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The current guidance for Scotland in ‘Cycling by Design’ emphasises the importance of physically separated cycling infrastructure, to avoid or minimise interaction with live motor traffic and with pedestrians at bus stops. Transport Scotland, comm…

26 Aug 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to follow in Scotland, or take action in response to, the forthcoming guidance from Active Travel England on the accessibility of bus stop bypasses, which are also known as "floating" bus stops.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The current guidance for Scotland was published in 2021 in the ‘Cycling by Design’ document and includes recommendations for incorporating cycling facilities where these interact with bus stops.The Scottish Government recognises the challenges tha…

26 Aug 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will pause the roll-out of bus stop bypasses, which are also known as "floating" bus stops, pending the development of updated accessibility guidance, in light of the UK Government doing so.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Bus stop bypasses are a specific type of layout which divert the protected cycle track around the back of the bus stop waiting area, ensuring that bus passengers are not affected by cycle traffic as they board and alight the bus. The Scottish Government is no…

26 Aug 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding how many bus stop bypasses, which are also known as "floating" bus stops, are being constructed or planned, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government does not hold centralised data on the number of bus stop bypasses, also known as floating bus stops, currently under construction or planned across Scotland. Responsibility for the planning, design and delivery of bus and active travel…

17 Jun 2025 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to undertake a regulatory check of existing Transport (Scotland) Act 2001 powers to allow local authorities and regional transport partnerships to implement local road user charging schemes.

4 Jun 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to its announcement on 30 May 2025 regarding the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Fund, which local authorities received funding, and how much each received.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Since 2011, the Scottish Government has provided over £65 million to support the development of public EV charging across Scotland. As a direct result of this funding, and increasing private sector investment, Scotland now has over 6,900 public charge p…

3 Jun 2025 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the finance secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding the allocation of any additional funding to meet the cost increases for MV Glen Rosa that were recently announced by Ferguson Marine.

20 May 2025 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with cardiology patients, clinicians and other relevant stakeholders as part of the development of the recently published Long Term Conditions Framework consultation.

15 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to the urgent question by Kate Forbes on 14 May 2025, whether it will provide an outline of the work of the small review team that will now meet weekly to discuss the completion of the MV Glen Rosa.

Answer · Kate Forbes: The purpose of the Glen Rosa review group is to interrogate the revised delivery plan to ensure it is realistic, efficient and focused on value for money.

15 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to the urgent question by Kate Forbes on 14 May 2025, when it established the small review team to have oversight on the completion of the MV Glen Rosa.

Answer · Kate Forbes: The first meeting of the Glen Rosa review group was held on 10 April 2025.

15 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which budget the additional funds, which Ferguson Marine has reportedly requested to complete the MV Glen Rosa by Q2 2026, will be drawn from. 

Answer · Kate Forbes: The Scottish Government is working with Ferguson Marine and CMAL to understand fully the basis of the revised delivery plan for MV Glen Rosa. All requests for an additional budget for capital projects require detailed scrutiny processes before they can be app…

15 May 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it was first informed that the MV Glen Rosa would be delayed until Q2 2026.

Answer · Kate Forbes: Scottish Government officials informed Ministers on the content of Ferguson Marine’s board papers relating to the recommended operational plan for MV Glen Rosa on 26 March 2025.Following a Board meeting, the Chair of Ferguson Marine briefed the Deputy F…

13 May 2025 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it decided to make a direct award of the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services contract to CalMac.

6 May 2025 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that shoplifting crimes have increased by 89% since 2020.

30 Apr 2025 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve performance and close any treatment gap for prostate cancer, in light of reports that a lower proportion of patients in Scotland are treated within the 62-day target, at 49%, compared with higher rates reported in England.

22 Apr 2025 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with the City of Edinburgh Council regarding its allocated budget.

25 Mar 2025 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it monitors the effectiveness of Social Security Scotland.

21 Mar 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government on what date it was notified by CMAL regarding its decision to award the contract for the Small Vessel Replacement Programme to Remontowa Shipbuilding SA in Poland.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Scottish Ministers were made aware on 14 March 2025 that CMAL had selected Remontowa Shipbuilding SA in Poland as the lead bidder for the Small Vessel Replacement Programme phase one vessels contract.CMAL informed all bidders of the outcome of the procurement…

18 Mar 2025 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the University of Edinburgh’s reported announcement that it is seeking to make around £140 million of cuts to its budget.

Answer · Graeme Dey: The Scottish Government fully appreciates the financial sustainability challenges being faced by many universities due to a range of factors, including inflation, the impact of UK Government immigration policies on international student recruitment, and the i…

11 Mar 2025 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it is working with the heritage sector to conserve historic sites.

3 Mar 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many applications to prescribe medicines have been granted under the Peer Approved Clinical System (PACS) Tier Two process in each NHS board in each year since the accompanying guidance was issued in March 2018.

Answer · Jenni Minto: There is a requirement for Health Boards to maintain accurate and up to date information on PACS Tier Two requests and their outcomes. The Scottish Government does not hold validated data on the number of PACS applications that Health Boards have granted. Thi…

3 Mar 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many applications to prescribe medicines have been made under the Peer Approved Clinical System (PACS) Tier Two process in each NHS board in each year since the accompanying guidance was issued in March 2018.

Answer · Jenni Minto: There is a requirement for Health Boards to maintain accurate and up to date information on PACS Tier Two requests. The Scottish Government does not hold validated data on the number of PACS applications that Health Boards have received from clinicians. This …

3 Mar 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what (a) oversight is exercised and (b) data collection is undertaken by ministers regarding the Peer Approved Clinical System (PACS).

Answer · Jenni Minto: The Peer Approved Clinical System (PACS) decisions are clinical decisions taken independently of Ministers and Parliament and remain a matter for Health Boards.There is a requirement for Health Boards to maintain accurate and up to date information on PACS Ti…

3 Mar 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government under what circumstances an application can be made to prescribe a medicine under the Peer Approved Clinical System (PACS) Tier (a) One and (b) Two process.

Answer · Jenni Minto: The Peer Approved Clinical System (PACS) Tier One process is designed to provide an opportunity for clinicians, on a case by case basis for individual patients, to request the use of a licensed ultra-orphan medicine that is not recommended by the Scottish Med…

3 Mar 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether its guidance on the Peer Approved Clinical System (PACS) issued to NHS boards in March 2018 remains valid, and what modifications to the guidance have been issued since that date.

Answer · Jenni Minto: Guidance on the Peer Approved Clinical System (PACS) Tier Two process was published on 29 March 2018. This guidance remains valid for all Health Boards in Scotland.

26 Feb 2025 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions economy ministers have had with ministerial colleagues regarding what steps it is taking to improve regulatory clarity and reduce compliance costs for self-catering accommodation businesses.

20 Feb 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, of the reported 513 residential rehabilitation beds in Scotland, how many are designated for (a) alcohol detoxification and (b) drug rehabilitation; also broken down by how many are currently occupied, and what the lowest occupancy rate was in the calendar year, 2024.

Answer · Jenni Minto: The residential rehabilitation bed capacity survey, published in November 2024, received responses from 25 residential rehabilitation facilities with bed capacity currently in operation that met the definition of residential rehabilitation developed by the Re…