Parliamentary questions
Rhoda Grant
2,396 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
15 Jul 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action is being taken to reduce the number of fire stations assessed as being of "bad" or "poor" suitability.
Answer · Siobhian Brown: The Scottish Government increased the capital budget from £32.5 million in 2023-24 to £43 million in 2024-25 and £47 million in 2025-26. Decisions on how this budget is spent between fleet, equipment and buildings is a matter for the SFRS Bo…
15 Jul 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many of the retained duty system fire stations in the Highland Council area currently have full staffing complements.
Answer · Siobhian Brown: There are challenges in recruiting and retaining on-call firefighters in some rural areas of Scotland and there are currently no on-call fire stations in the Highland Council area with a full staffing complement. However, a full staffing complement is not req…
7 Jul 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-38840 by Jim Fairlie on 3 July 2025, whether it anticipates it will incur any contingent liability in either capital or resource commitment as a result of the carbon contracts pilot.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: The £1m allocated to the project is to cover liabilities if awardees exercise their option to redeem their Peatland Carbon Units with Scottish Government rather than selling them on the open market.
7 Jul 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-38841 by Jim Fairlie on 3 July 2025, what the items of expenditure are that capital expenditure is expected to cover within the pilot, and what level of capital spending the pilot expenditure of up to £1 million is expected to lever by way of …
Answer · Jim Fairlie: Capital expenditure is solely for the purchase of Peatland Carbon Units at a set rate as they mature within each project. However, awardees may sell their units on the open market where they can achieve an improved price.A key aim of the pilot is to assess wh…
7 Jul 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether any contingent liabilities becoming due for any purpose are (a) met by departmental or central budgets and (b) more likely to be charged to capital or resource budgets.
Answer · Ivan McKee: The Scottish Government has a number of contingent liabilities, which are disclosed in its consolidated accounts each year. The Scottish Government seeks the prior approval of Parliament, via the Finance and Public Administration Committee, before entering in…
7 Jul 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answers to questions S6W-38838 and S6W-38841 by Jim Fairlie on 3 July 2025, whether there is any capital or resource budget implication for the Peatland ACTION budget in 2026-27 and subsequent years as a result of the carbon contracts pilot.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: There are no implications for the Peatland ACTION budget in the year 2026-2027 as a result of the carbon contracts pilot.At this point in time, it is not possible to say how future costs of the pilot will impact on specific budgets. Budgets in respect of 2026…
18 Jun 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to improve the (a) accessibility and (b) affordability of inter-island ferry travel for disabled passengers.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: The recently published Strategic Approach of the Islands Connectivity Plan sets Accessibility as one of four priorities for future ferry services and identifies a number of actions to support the delivery of this priority, including development of a Ferries A…
18 Jun 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will list the current fare concessions available to disabled passengers on the public ferry network.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Both NorthLink Ferries and CalMac Ferries offer concessionary fares for disabled passengers who hold a National Entitlement Card or equivalent. Disabled passengers living in the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport region are eligible for discounted ferry tr…
18 Jun 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to extending free ferry travel for passengers aged 22 and under on all routes on the public contract for (a) Northern Isles Ferry Services and (b) Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: We have already implemented a substantial element of what is being asked, for those aged under 22, and this was announced at the time with extensive media coverage and announced to Parliament. These measures have been developed after careful consideration fro…
18 Jun 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many projects have registered an interest in carbon contracts since the launch of the call for interest in the carbon contracts pilot.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: Scottish Government and NatureScot have engaged with a range of parties interested in taking part in the pilot. However, Scottish Government and NatureScot have not at this stage sought formal expressions of interest.
18 Jun 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what (a) steps it has taken and (b) plans it has to report any contingent liability arising from the carbon contracts pilot.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: I refer the member to the answer to questions S6W-35362 and S6W-35361 on 24 June 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/c…
18 Jun 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has set an upper limit on the (a) annual and (b) cumulative amount of any contingent liability associated with the carbon contracts pilot.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: As a part of the Carbon Contracts pilot, Scottish Government intends to spend up to a total of £1m in capital.
18 Jun 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the reported call for the registration of peatland restoration projects for carbon contracts, how many hectares of degraded peatland it anticipates the carbon contracts pilot will restore, and how many tonnes of CO2e reductions it estimates this restoration will deliver.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: Carbon Contracts are to be piloted as part of the Peatland ACTON programme. All projects will be required to meet Peatland ACTION quality criteria. Scottish Government has not undertaken modelling to estimate the exact impact of the Carbon Contracts pilot on …
18 Jun 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of it adopting a mechanism for the carbon contracts pilot to offer to buy a portion of carbon credits at an agreed price, what other options to support investment were considered; for what reasons they were rejected, and whether it will publish its latest assessment of these re…
Answer · Jim Fairlie: Scottish Government undertook a robust process to assess a total of 14 different possible blended finance mechanisms for peatland restoration. Officials used Green Book appraisal methods to filter this list and employed a wide range of evidence to select a pr…
18 Jun 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government which of its departmental budgets will be used to pay for any contingent liability from carbon contracts, and whether the Peatland ACTION budget will be affected.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: The capital costs associated with Carbon Contracts will be paid for from the Environment and Forestry Directorate’s budget. It will not impact upon the Peatland Action budget in this financial year.
18 Jun 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what criteria it will use to determine which projects that register an interest will be offered a carbon contract under the carbon contracts pilot; whether it will utilise the services of consultants to help assess projects for acceptance, and, if so, which consultants.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: Guidance on the criteria for use in determining which projects will be awarded a Carbon Contract as part of the Carbon Contract pilot will be published on the NatureScot website in July.Applications will be assessed by NatureScot and will align with processes…
18 Jun 2025 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to tackle violence against women.
13 Jun 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to any recent discussions by members of the Ferry Replacement Task Force, whether it will list the scheduled replacement dates for the nine vessels in the Orkney Ferries fleet.
Answer · Shona Robison: This is a matter for Orkney Islands Council.However, through the work of the Orkney Ferry Replacement Task Force, the Scottish Government has been supporting the Orkney Islands Council in the preparation of its business case for fleet replacement.
13 Jun 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it anticipates that the new zero-emission ferry that it has part funded will begin transporting passengers on Orkney Ferries routes.
Answer · Shona Robison: This is a matter for Orkney Islands Council.However, through the work of the Orkney Ferry Replacement Task Force, the Scottish Government has been pleased to support this trial and welcomes the recent arrival of Orkney’s first zero emission ferry.
13 Jun 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the Transport Scotland publication, Islands Connectivity Plan The Vessels and Ports Plan for the Clyde and Hebrides and Northern Isles networks (2025 – 2045), whether it will list the fleet and port enhancement projects that it anticipates will be completed by 31 March 2…
Answer · Jim Fairlie: The Island Connectivity and Vessel and Ports Plan outlines our investment in new vessels and port and harbour projects that have been delivered within Phase 1 period of 2021-2026 reference to pages 11, 12 and 22 of the VPP.Whilst we would have liked to have m…
12 Jun 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what guarantees it can provide that the proposed debris flow shelter on the A83 Rest and Be Thankful section will withstand future landslides and protect the road and users.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government is committed to an infrastructure solution to address the A83 Rest and Be Thankful landslip risks. Delivery of a permanent and resilient solution is a priority and we will continue to seek ways to achieve that as quickly as possible.Th…
12 Jun 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the alternative green route, along the other side of the glen, for the A83 Rest and Be Thankful section should be re-evaluated to assess whether it would be a more proportionate or cheaper alternative route for the road to take.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government is committed to delivering a long-term solution to the landslip risks at the A83 Rest and Be Thankful and in December we made further progress by publishing draft Orders for the long-term solution and also for future phases of the medi…
12 Jun 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the long-term solution for the A83 Rest and Be Thankful section is the quickest and most economical solution, and, if it considers this to be the case, what the reasons are for it not being progressed.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government is committed to an infrastructure solution to address the A83 Rest and Be Thankful landslip risks. Delivery of a permanent and resilient solution is a priority and we will continue to seek ways to achieve that as quickly as possible.Th…
12 Jun 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the current proposal for the A83 Rest and Be Thankful section is (a) deliverable and (b) affordable, and what assessment has been made of the potential impact on the economy of Argyll while it is being constructed.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government is committed to an infrastructure solution to address the A83 Rest and Be Thankful landslip risks. Delivery of a permanent and resilient solution is a priority and we continue to seek ways to achieve that as quickly as possible.Funding…
10 Jun 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to hold property factors accountable and to remove them from the Scottish Property Factor Register if they have breached the Code of Conduct.
Answer · Mairi McAllan: The Scottish Government revised the Code of Conduct, in August 2021, to make it clearer, to drive up standards and to improve transparency and consistency, supporting homeowners to challenge poor performance, using the Tribunal as necessary.In considering the…
2 Jun 2025 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made on ensuring that 10% of frontline NHS spending is on mental health services.
21 May 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide copies of all technical reports and test results in full from the investigation into the presence of radon at Inverness Justice Centre.
Answer · Angela Constance: This question relates to operational matters that are the responsibility of the Scottish Court and Tribunals Service (SCTS) corporate body. The question has been passed to the Chief Executive of the SCTS who reply in writing within 20 days.
13 May 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the reported £4.4 million ferries "resilience fund", whether applications will be backdated, and, if not, from what date applications will be eligible.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The way in which the resilience fund will operate is being finalised. Information on the routes and/or islands that will be covered, eligibility criteria, application process and payment rates will be shared soon, including with eligible communities.
13 May 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the reported £4.4 million ferries "resilience fund", how information on the (a) fund, (b) eligibility criteria and (c) application process will be conveyed to eligible communities.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The way in which the resilience fund will operate is being finalised. Information on the routes and/or islands that will be covered, eligibility criteria, application process and payment rates will be shared soon, including with eligible communities.
13 May 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the reported £4.4 million ferries "resilience fund", which routes will be covered and what the (a) eligibility criteria, (b) application process and (c) rates of compensation payable will be.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The way in which the resilience fund will operate is being finalised. Information on the routes and/or islands that will be covered, eligibility criteria, application process and payment rates will be shared soon, including with eligible communities.