Parliamentary questions
Richard Leonard
963 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
22 Dec 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will outline the potential impact of its 2024-25 Budget on (a) projects in and (b) future expenditure on its Rail Services Decarbonisation Action Plan.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: (A) Specific allocations for the Rail Enhancement programmes and projects in 2024/25 continue to be considered. The 2024-25 budget allocations for the portfolio of enhancements projects will be made in the coming months. (B) The Rail Decarbonisation Action P…
22 Dec 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what recent assessment it has made of the scale of fare evasion on ScotRail services.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: This is an operational matter for ScotRail. The information requested is not held centrally by the Scottish Government.
22 Dec 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what recent assessment it has made of the relationship between staffing levels at railway stations on the ScotRail network and the accessibility of public transport.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Our vision is that all disabled people can travel with the same freedom, choice, dignity and opportunity as other citizens. Whilst staffing levels are an operational matter for ScotRail, the importance of staff being deployed appropriately in stations and on…
22 Dec 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will list all engagement that it has had with external stakeholders, including trade unions, on the Fair Ferries Review since April 2022 to date.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: We have engaged with a range of stakeholders during the development of the Fair Fares Review which includes transport operators, delivery partners, passenger groups, campaigning groups and trade unions. This includes; ScotRail Holdings, ScotRail, the Associat…
22 Dec 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with ScotRail regarding the (a) safety and (b) accessibility of rail (i) services and (ii) stations in Scotland.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Officials at Transport Scotland meet regularly with Scottish Rail Holdings, who manages and oversees ScotRail services on behalf of the Ministers, to discuss various matters, including safety. The Member may wish to note that accessibility is a matter reser…
21 Dec 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the Little Minch Routes Infrastructure Programme.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Little Minch Infrastructure Programme includes works at three ports; Tarbert (Harris), Lochmaddy (North Uist) and Uig (Skye). The programme of works is essential in replacing life expired infrastructure and improving the capacity, reliability and resilien…
29 Nov 2023 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the vote on motion S6M-11342 on the Situation in the Middle East, on 21 November, whether it will provide an update on what action it has taken with the UK Government and international bodies to support the humanitarian response.
22 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government where it anticipates oil extracted from the North Sea will be refined if this process ceases at the Petroineos site in Grangemouth.
Answer · Neil Gray: As outlined in the Scottish Government’s Draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan, oil extracted from the North Sea is predominantly exported to international markets. The Scottish Government anticipates that this arrangement will continue and North Sea…
22 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assurances it has (a) requested and (b) received from Petroineos regarding the retention of all of the highly-skilled jobs based at the Grangemouth complex.
Answer · Neil Gray: The First Minister and I met Senior Management at the Petroineos refinery on 23 November 2023, during which we both expressed the criticality of continuing refining for as long as possible as a means to safeguarding both energy resilience and employment at th…
22 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assurances it has (a) requested and (b) received regarding energy supplies via the Forties Pipeline System.
Answer · Neil Gray: Scottish Government officials raised this question with INEOS on 29 November 2023 and have since received confirmation that the refinery does not currently process significant volumes of FPS derived crude, with the majority of the asset’s feedstock being impo…
22 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a list of all engagements that (a) cabinet secretaries, (b) ministers and (c) civil servants have had with representatives of Ineos and/or Petroineos in 2023 to date.
Answer · Neil Gray: Ministers and civil servants engage regularly with INEOS and Petroineos as a matter of course, given the strategic importance of the assets at Grangemouth. Recent engagements include two site visits in at Grangemouth to discuss INEOS’ net zero roadmap, which…
22 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it first became aware of Petroineos’s proposal to cease oil refinery operations at its Grangemouth site.
Answer · Neil Gray: Given the importance of this strategic asset to Grangemouth and Scotland, the Scottish Government has been working closely with the business as it explores future options to transition the site, such as bio-refining. Petroineos notified the Scottish Governme…
8 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to ensure that Scottish Water adheres to its commitment to “collectively bargain changes to pay and terms and conditions with our trade unions”, as set out in its Fair Work First Statement.
Answer · Mairi McAllan: Pay negotiations are a matter for Scottish Water as the employer and the Trade Unions. They remain underway, with progress being made.
8 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the income differential between the lowest and the highest paid workers in Scottish Water has been in each of the last five financial years.
Answer · Mairi McAllan: In line with the Government Financial Reporting Manual, Scottish Water publishes the pay ratio of the Chief Executive against the pay received by other employees in the company in its Annual Reports, available at www.scottishwater.co.uk/Help-and-Resources/Do…
8 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will make representations to Scottish Water urging it to restart the job evaluation and regrading process with the full involvement of trade unions.
Answer · Mairi McAllan: Pay negotiations are a matter for Scottish Water as the employer and the Trade Unions. They remain underway, with progress being made.
8 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the full-time equivalent staffing levels in Scottish Water have been in each of the last five years.
Answer · Mairi McAllan: Scottish Water publishes information on staffing levels in its Annual Reports, available at www.scottishwater.co.uk/Help-and-Resources/Document-Hub/Key-Publications/Annual-Reports .
8 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the reported increasing use of private contractors to deliver services that had previously been undertaken in-house by Scottish Water employees.
Answer · Mairi McAllan: Over the last 5 years, Scottish Water’s workforce has remained broadly stable at around 4,500 employees. It supports thousands of additional jobs through its supply chain and provides information on this in its Annual Reports, available at www.scottishwater.…
8 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that publicly owned Scottish Water is proposing to implement a regrading structure that will see a decrease in income to the lowest paid and an increase in income to the higher paid employees.
Answer · Mairi McAllan: Pay negotiations are a matter for Scottish Water as the employer and the Trade Unions. They remain underway, with progress being made.
8 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to protect the lowest paid workers in Scottish Water who may face losing income due to the regrading exercise.
Answer · Mairi McAllan: Pay negotiations are a matter for Scottish Water as the employer and the Trade Unions. They remain underway, with progress being made.
8 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what contingency plans are in place to ensure that the 2.62 million households and 159,219 business premises that are supplied by Scottish Water will be safe during the current industrial action.
Answer · Mairi McAllan: Scottish Water is responsible for providing services, including during periods of industrial action. Scottish Water successfully ensured there were no service interruptions for their customers during recent strikes.
6 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what input it has made to the Infected Blood Inquiry to date.
Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government continues to fully cooperate with the UK Infected Blood Inquiry and has provided significant input to the Inquiry to date, including by providing hundreds of relevant files as evidence, through provision of written statements and oral …
6 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the total cost was of the public inquiry into hepatitis C and HIV infection acquired from NHS treatment in Scotland with contaminated blood and blood products, and what percentage of this was spent on legal fees.
Answer · Jenni Minto: The total cost of the public inquiry into hepatitis C and HIV infection acquired from NHS treatment in Scotland (the Penrose Inquiry) was £12,123,754. Approximately 42.5% of these costs were spent on legal fees, including legal representation for patients and…
6 Nov 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it anticipates the Scottish Hospitals Inquiry, which is investigating the construction of the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, Glasgow, and the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People, and Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Edinburgh, is likely to deliver its findings.
Answer · Michael Matheson: In a meeting between myself and Lord Brodie on 15 November 2023, Lord Brodie provided an update on the Inquiry’s progress and the forthcoming hearings on both Edinburgh and Glasgow hospitals. Whilst no date for presenting recommendations has been publis…
31 Oct 2023 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that notice of industrial action has been served on Scottish Water.
31 Oct 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has tabled any formal proposals to the recognised trade unions regarding an extension of driver-only operation on the ScotRail network.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: This is an operational matter for ScotRail and we understand that discussions between ScotRail and RMT on this matter are on-going. We fully expect all parties to engage constructively on this matter. The Scottish Government does not support Driver Only Oper…
31 Oct 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to fulfil the 2016 agreement between ScotRail and the RMT union that there would be a guaranteed safety critical conductor on every new electrified train.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: This is an operational matter for ScotRail, noting that in 2016 any agreement was with the private company, Abellio ScotRail, but ScotRail is now operated by a new, publicly owned company.
31 Oct 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to introduce driver-only or driver-controlled operation on any newly electrified routes, including the (a) Barrhead, (b) East Kilbride and (c) Kilmarnock routes.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: This is an operational matter for ScotRail.
31 Oct 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the RMT union about a further extension of driver-only operation on the ScotRail network.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: This is an operational matter for ScotRail, though we can advise that the Scottish Government does not support Driver Only Operation and continues to specify a requirement for a second member of staff to assist passengers on every ScotRail train.
18 Oct 2023 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on public interest journalism.
17 Oct 2023 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the waiting time is for knee replacement surgery in each NHS board area as of October 2023.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government does not hold this information. Data at procedure level is held by Health Boards individually.