Parliamentary questions
Graham Simpson
867 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
26 Mar 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to work with the UK Government to develop "an infrastructure strategy for deploying the required charging and refuelling infrastructure for zero-emission HGVs", in light of the Climate Change Committee’s recommendation in its 2023 Report to Parliament.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: In May 2022 Transport Scotland convened the Zero Emission Truck Taskforce comprising senior leaders from haulage operators, the manufacturing, energy and financial sectors, government, and unions with the purpose of co-designing an ambitious pathway to HGV de…
26 Mar 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to support the market for electric (a) car and (b) van sales to move more quickly than is set out in the UK-wide zero-emission vehicle mandate, in light of the Climate Change Committee’s recommendation in its 2023 Report to Parliament.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Since 2011 the Scottish Government has supported individuals and businesses across Scotland with over £220 million of interest free loans to support the transition to zero emission vehicles. In addition, the Plugged-in Communities grant fund has provided co…
26 Mar 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to provide an implementation plan outlining how it will deliver approximately 24,000 electric vehicle (EV) charging points by 2030, in light of the Climate Change Committee’s recommendation in its 2023 Report to Parliament.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government will develop implementing actions to deliver our Vision for Scotland’s Public Electric Vehicle Charging Network in response to the UK Climate Change Committee (CCC) recommendation. The implementing actions will be developed in coll…
26 Mar 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to meet the Climate Change Committee’s reported recommendation that the reliability of electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure must improve.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Since 2011, Transport Scotland has invested over £65 million, on behalf of Scottish Ministers, to support the installation of over 2,800 public EV charge points across Scotland as part of the ChargePlace Scotland (CPS) EV charging network. These public EV cha…
26 Mar 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to meet the Climate Change Committee’s reported recommendation that the deployment rate of charging infrastructure will need to nearly treble by 2030.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government has invested over £65 million to support the installation of over 2,800 public EV charge points across Scotland as part of the ChargePlace Scotland(CPS) EV charging network. As a direct result, Scotland has over 4,880 public EV charge …
26 Mar 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to meet the Climate Change Committee’s reported recommendation that the annual rate of transport emissions reduction will need to be almost four times higher from 2021-30 than it was from 2012-21, in order to meet the sector’s contribution to the Scottish Government’s 2020 C…
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government is grateful for the latest advice from the Climate Change Committee. We have always been clear that meeting the legislated 2030 target – agreed by Parliament on a cross party basis - will be extremely challenging, and may not be feasib…
26 Mar 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it monitors the condition of roads across Scotland.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Transport Scotland, through its four Trunk Road Operating Companies and five Design Build Finance Operate (DBFO) Concessionaires, is responsible for the management and maintenance of the strategic trunk road network, including motorways. Transport Scotland sp…
19 Mar 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-26010 by Fiona Hyslop on 18 March 2024, what the nature of the other sundry payments, which amounted to £48,792.82, was in (a) 2021-22 and (b) 2022-23.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The amount of £48,792.82 is in relation to 2022-23 only. In 2021-22 the equivalent amount was £49,383.28. 2021-22 Description Amount - £ Council Tax/ Insurance 17,680.27 Digital Subscription 15,255.57 Licence Fees 789.00 Marketing Campaign 10,27…
19 Mar 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-26010 by Fiona Hyslop on 18 March 2024, how many employees were involved in job-related and professional training courses, which amounted to £58,408.55, in (a) 2021-22 and (b) 2022-23.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Costs reported are for a range of training and development activities, attended by individuals, groups or whole teams. The specific information requested is not held centrally. Teams identify training needs and appropriate attendance at seminars relevant to w…
19 Mar 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-26010 by Fiona Hyslop on 18 March 2024, how many job-related and professional training courses, which amounted to £58,408.55, were completed in (a) 2021-22 and (b) 2022-23.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: In 2021-22 there were twenty-four (24) separate job-related and professional training courses undertaken at a total cost of £31,663.82. In 2022-23 there were thirty-two (32) separate job-related and professional training courses undertaken at a total cost of…
19 Mar 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-26010 by Fiona Hyslop on 18 March 2024, which job-related and professional training courses, which amounted to £58,408.55, were completed in (a) 2021-22 and (b) 2022-23.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The amount of £58,408.55 is in relation to 2022-23 only. In 2021-22 the equivalent amount was £31,663.82.2021-22 – a total of £31,663.82 related to job-related and professional training courses. These included: 1. Health &Safety Training Courses (including …
13 Mar 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when capital funding for the Community Bus Fund will be made available to local authorities.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: Officials are working with stakeholders on the design and implementation of the Community Bus Fund for financial year 2024 - 2025. Arrangements for accessing capital funding will be published on the Transport Scotland website once the work has been completed.
13 Mar 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when bids will open for the 2024-25 Community Bus Fund resource funding.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: Officials are working with stakeholders on the design and implementation of the Community Bus Fund for financial year 2024 - 2025. Arrangements for accessing resource funding will be published on the Transport Scotland website once the work has been completed.
13 Mar 2024 · SPCB Oral Question
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will give further consideration to allowing events to start in the Parliament building while Members' Business debates are ongoing.
6 Mar 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government which (a) job-related and professional training course costs, (b) professional subscription fees and (c) purchases of small equipment made up the £146,366.43 of electronic purchasing card (ePC) transactions by Transport Scotland in 2022-23.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Under the Public Sector Reform (Scotland) Act 2010 Government bodies are required to publish details of information relating to: public relations; overseas travel; hospitality and entertainment; external consultancy; details of all items of expenditure over £…
3 Mar 2024 · Topical Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the reported claims by the director of Shelter Scotland that it is "gaslighting" the country on housing when its budget "condemns 10,000 children to lives trapped in the homelessness system".
26 Feb 2024 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it is on course to achieve its 2030 target for reducing emissions.
7 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-24652 by Mairi McAllan on 7 February 2024, whether it will provide the information requested regarding whether an impact assessment was conducted regarding the £37.8 million, or 75.6%, reduction to the Just Transition Fund in its Budget 2024-25, and…
Answer · Mairi McAllan: A response to this question was provided in S6W-24652 issued on 7 February 2024.
7 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-24661 by Graeme Dey on 6 February 2024, whether it will confirm whether a specific impact assessment was conducted regarding the £1 million reduction to the “Community Learning & Development” budget.
Answer · Graeme Dey: The impact assessments for the E&S portfolio were prepared collectively and reflected in the Education and Skills portfolio analysis section in Annex B of the Equality and Fairer Scotland statement available at this link: Scottish Budget - gov.scot (www.gov.…
7 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-24660 by Jenny Gilruth on 6 February 2024, whether it will confirm whether a specific impact assessment was conducted regarding the £4.3 million reduction to the “Education Maintenance Allowance” budget.
Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The impact assessments for the E&S portfolio were prepared collectively and reflected in the Education and Skills portfolio analysis section in Annex B of the Equality and Fairer Scotland statement available at this link Scottish Budget - gov.scot (www.gov.s…
7 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-24659 by Graeme Dey on 6 February 2024, whether it will confirm whether a specific impact assessment was conducted regarding the £9.3 million reduction to the “Skills Programmes” budget.
Answer · Graeme Dey: The impact assessments for the E&S portfolio were prepared collectively and reflected in the Education and Skills portfolio analysis section in Annex B of the Equality and Fairer Scotland statement available at this link Scottish Budget - gov.scot (www.gov.s…
7 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-24658 by Graeme Dey on 6 February 2024, whether it will confirm whether a specific impact assessment was conducted regarding the £4.1 million reduction to Skills Development Scotland’s budget.
Answer · Graeme Dey: The impact assessments for the E&S portfolio were prepared collectively and reflected in the Education and Skills portfolio analysis section in Annex B of the Equality and Fairer Scotland statement available at this link Scottish Budget - gov.scot (www.gov.s…
7 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-24657 by Graeme Dey on 6 February 2024, whether it will confirm whether a specific impact assessment was conducted regarding the £23.5 million reduction to the “Lifelong Learning and Skills” budget.
Answer · Graeme Dey: The impact assessments for the E&S portfolio were prepared collectively and reflected in the Education and Skills portfolio analysis section in Annex B of the Equality and Fairer Scotland statement available at this link Scottish Budget - gov.scot (www.gov.s…
7 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-24665 by Fiona Hyslop on 1 February 2024, whether any impact assessment was conducted regarding the £12.9 million reduction to the “Travel Strategy and Innovation” budget.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The UK Autumn Statement was a worst-case scenario for Scotland and confirmed that the Scottish Government Capital Block Grant is forecast to contract by almost 10% in real terms over 5 years (2023-24 to 2027-28). Capital spending pressures across the Scottish…
7 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-24655 by Mairi McAllan on 5 February 2024, whether it will provide the information requested regarding whether an impact assessment was conducted regarding the £63.4 million reduction to the “Future Transport Fund – Low Carbon” budget, and for what …
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Further to the response given by Miri McAllan MSP, in a particularly challenging fiscal landscape, the Scottish Government has had to take difficult decisions to deliver balanced and sustainable spending plans for the 2024-25 financial year. The UK Autumn St…
7 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-24654 by Mairi McAllan on 6 February 2024, whether it will provide the information requested regarding whether an impact assessment was conducted regarding the £2.8 million reduction to the “Support for sustainable travel” budget, and for what reaso…
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Further to the response given by Miri McAllan MSP, in a particularly challenging fiscal landscape, the Scottish Government has had to take difficult decisions to deliver balanced and sustainable spending plans for the 2024-25 financial year. The UK Autumn St…
7 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-24651 by Mairi McAllan on 2 February 2024, whether it will provide the information requested regarding whether an impact assessment was conducted regarding the removal of all funding from the "Regional Transport Partnership" budget, and for what rea…
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Further to the response given by Miri McAllan MSP, in a particularly challenging fiscal landscape, the Scottish Government has had to take difficult decisions to deliver balanced and sustainable spending plans for the 2024-25 financial year. The UK Autumn St…
7 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-24650 by Mairi McAllan on 2 February 2024, whether it will provide the information requested regarding whether an impact assessment was conducted regarding the £6.7 million reduction to the "Central Government Grants to Local Authorities" budget, an…
Answer · Shona Robison: Further to the response given by Miri McAllan MSP, in a particularly challenging fiscal landscape, the Scottish Government has had to take difficult decisions to deliver balanced and sustainable spending plans for the 2024-25 financial year. The UK Autumn St…
7 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-24645 by Mairi McAllan on 2 February 2024, whether it will provide the information requested regarding whether an impact assessment was conducted regarding the removal of all funding from the "Green Economy" budget, and for what reason it did not pr…
Answer · Mairi McAllan: Further to the response I gave on 2 February, in a particularly challenging fiscal landscape, the Scottish Government has had to take difficult decisions to deliver balanced and sustainable spending plans for the 2024-25 financial year. The UK Autumn Stateme…
7 Feb 2024 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-24647 by Mairi McAllan on 2 February 2024, whether it will provide the information requested regarding whether an impact assessment was conducted regarding the £38.7 million reduction to the "Climate Change and Land Managers Renewables Fund" budget,…
Answer · Mairi McAllan: I refer the member to my response to question S6W-24647.