Colin Smyth

13 Sep 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions regarding the reshaping of stroke services in Scotland it has had with NHS England.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: The Scottish Government has not had any formal discussions with NHS England regarding reshaping stroke services. The Scottish Government continues to implement our Stroke Improvement Plan (2014) as key to informing and driving improvement across stroke care.…

6 Sep 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the delivery of the stability plan for CAP payments in 2017, whether it will provide an update on the schedule for CAP payments, and when balance payments will be made.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: Pillar One payments commenced in April and we achieved the target of making 95% of Pillar One payments by 30 June deadline. As in any year there are a number of complex cases that take longer than anticipated to resolve and may require additional confirmation…

6 Sep 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the New Entrants Capital Grant Scheme will reopen before 2020, and whether new entrants starting up or undertaking projects from 2017 will be allowed to apply to any future scheme.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The New Entrants Capital Grant Scheme (NECGS) is part of the Scottish Rural Development Programme (SRDP) 2014-20, which assumed £22 million of support for Young Farmers and New Entrants across the programme life. Such has been the level of demand that this bu…

6 Sep 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the closure of the New Entrants Capital Grant Scheme, whether applications from people who were in the process of making a submission and awaiting necessary paperwork, such as planning permission and building warrants, will be accepted with the accompanying paperwork once it…

Answer · Fergus Ewing: If an application was received on, or prior to, the scheme closing date (31 August 2018) a small amount of additional time, 10 working days, is allowed to give the applicant the opportunity to submit the final pieces of supporting documentation. However, if t…

5 Sep 2018 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government by what date it will respond to the results of its consultation on improving the protection of wild mammals.

4 Sep 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what ScotRail's (a) overall and (b) moving annual average performance with regard to (i) capacity and (ii) cancellations has been in each reporting period since April 2015.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The member will wish to be aware that the information on ScotRail’s performance related to capacity and cancellation in each reporting period since April 2015 is available from the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib number 60003).

4 Sep 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what targets in its franchise regarding (a) capacity and (b) cancellations ScotRail is expected to meet, and what progress it is making toward achieving these.

Answer · Michael Matheson: ScotRail continues to achieve the franchise contractual target for capacity and is mid threshold between Target Performance Level and Improvement Plan Level for Cancellations. This is due to the reported decline in performance experienced last autumn and the …

3 Sep 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the approval of the renegotiated job evaluation and harmonisation terms at Scottish Canals, and what the reason is for the reported delay in approving this.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Transport Scotland have been in informal discussions with Scottish Canals around the job evaluation and the harmonisation they are undertaking. Further discussions are scheduled to take place before a formal approach will be made to Scottish Government.

27 Aug 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what account NHS workforce planning takes of the need for trained health professionals who can deliver thrombectomy.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Our national health and social care workforce plan details the commitments we are taking to promote the long term sustainability of health and social care services in Scotland. This includes explicit commitments to expand both undergraduate and specialist med…

13 Aug 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the commitment in its Programme for Government 2017-18, what progress it has made in developing an action plan for Dumfries and Galloway, similar to the Tweed Valley action plan in the Borders.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government is currently undertaking a range of actions to support the development of tourism in Dumfries and Galloway, including the establishment a South of Scotland enterprise agency which will focus on supporting and developing the economy of …

26 Jul 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the submissions to its Consultation on Free Bus Travel for Older and Disabled People and Modern Apprentices have not been published, and when it will publish its analysis of and response to the submissions.

Answer · Michael Matheson: We have today published the analysis of responses and, where permission was received, the responses themselves. They can be found on the Transport Scotland website at https://www.transport.gov.scot/consultation/consultation-on-free-bus-travel-for-older-and-d…

25 Jul 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its progress in implementing each of the recommendations of the Wildlife Crime Penalties Review Group.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-06079 on 25 January 2017. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at  http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusines…

24 Jul 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its discussions with the UK Government regarding the (a) crew welfare and (b) pollution prevention measures in place following the grounding of the MV Priscilla cargo vessel on the Pentland Skerries off the coast at Caithness.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government’s discussion with the UK government has been through liaison with the UK government’s Secretary of State’s representative (SOSREP) who was in overall charge of the incident response to the grounding of MV Priscilla. The SOSREP also iss…

23 Jul 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government where the 18 turbines proposed for the Benbrack Wind Farm near Carsphairn in Dumfries and Galloway will be manufactured.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The development of the Benbrack Wind Farm will be tied to its grid connection date, meaning that we would expect construction to commence during 2022. This means that it is too early at this stage to establish details concerning the manufacture and supply of …

23 Jul 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what official Ministerial visits have taken place in the South Scotland region in the last 12 months that were notified to (a) all South Scotland region MSPs and (b) only SNP South Scotland region MSPs.

Answer · Graeme Dey: The Scottish Government does not have the information you have asked for because Ministerial Offices routinely destroy records after 3 months, in accordance with our standard records management practice. Providing this information for the last 3 months could …

23 Jul 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-15117 by Humza Yousaf on 21 March 2018, which trains stations are (a) fully, (b) partly and (c) not accessible.

Answer · Michael Matheson: A list showing the extent of accessibility at each of Scotland’s railway stations is available from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib number (59936).

20 Jul 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-17561 by Fergus Ewing on 20 July 2018, whether it remains committed to bringing forward a Good Food Nation Bill.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government remains fully committed to achieving our ambition for Scotland to continue to develop and grow as a Good Food Nation. We are considering legislative and policy options to deliver this ambition.

19 Jul 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-16299 on 10 May 2018 by Humza Yousaf, whether it will publish the financial modelling that was completed at the end of May 2018 and any further modelling of road equivalent tariff options on Pentland Firth routes.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Financial Model that was being developed to underpin a Grant Agreement with commercial ferry operators has not yet been completed and therefore cannot be published at this time.

19 Jul 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it last discussed cross-border rail services with the UK Government and what issues were raised.

Answer · Michael Matheson: On 18 May 2018 the former Minister of Transport and the Islands, Humza Yousaf MSP, wrote to the Secretary of State for Transport, the Right Honourable Chris Grayling MP, regarding the restructuring of the East Coast Franchise.

11 Jul 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has requested details of the annual number of passengers and vehicles carried by Pentland Ferries on the Gills Bay to St Margaret’s Hope route in each of the last five years for which there are records.

Answer · Michael Matheson: In developing the proposed mechanism to deliver reduced passenger and car fares on ferry services to Orkney and Shetland, there have been a number of discussions between Scottish Ministers, Transport Scotland officials and Pentland Ferries. This included requ…

11 Jul 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of access to trade union representation for staff at Pentland Ferries.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government has made no assessment of access to trade union representation for staff at Pentland Ferries.

11 Jul 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason there is a delay in introducing the Road Equivalent Tariff scheme on the publicly subsidised ferry route between Scrabster and Stromness in the Pentland Firth.

Answer · Michael Matheson: On routes to Orkney, it has been necessary to engage with commercial operators in respect of introducing the Road Equivalent Tariff scheme on the Pentland Firth routes. To date it has not as yet been possible to reach an agreement. I am determined to work th…

11 Jul 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what impact the delay in introducing the Road Equivalent Tariff scheme on public ferry routes to the Orkney Isles is having on the tendering of the next contract for Northern Isles Ferry Services.

Answer · Michael Matheson: There is no direct impact. As is currently the case, future changes to fare tariffs brought about by the introduction of the Road Equivalent Tariff scheme would lead to an adjustment in the subsidy payable to the operator of the ferry services under the terms…

11 Jul 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has requested details of Pentland Ferries’ annual fares revenue from the Gills Bay to St Margaret’s Hope route in each of the last five years for which there are records.

Answer · Michael Matheson: In developing the proposed mechanism to deliver reduced passenger and car fares on ferry services to Orkney and Shetland, there have been a number of discussions between Scottish Ministers, Transport Scotland officials and Pentland Ferries. This included requ…

11 Jul 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact that the extension of the Road Equivalent Tariff to private ferry companies will have on compliance with its Fair Work Convention.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government has made no assessment of compliance with its Fair Work Convention for staff at private companies operating commercial ferry services across the Pentland Firth. As employment law is currently a reserved matter, the Fair Work Framework…

28 Jun 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on when the Scottish Food Commission's recommendations for a Good Food Nation Bill will be progressed.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government remains committed to achieving our ambition for Scotland to continue to develop and grow as a Good Food Nation. We are considering how best to achieve this, including through full consideration of the Scottish Food Commission’s recomme…

26 Jun 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on the position of the operators on the Scrabster-Stromness route with regard to the introduction of Road Equivalent Tariff (RET), and whether it will confirm whether RET fares will not be introduced within the first six months of 2018.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Following a 2016 manifesto commitment to reduce ferry fares to Orkney and Shetland, the then Minister for Transport and the Islands, Humza Yousaf MSP, previously announced plans to introduce reduced fares on services to the Northern Isles in the first half of…

26 Jun 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-17159 by Humza Yousaf on 26 June 2018, which public sector transport providers the Minister met, and when the public sector bidder stakeholder reference group will next meet.

Answer · Michael Matheson: There have been no meetings at Ministerial level with public transport providers other than David MacBrayne Limited about a public sector bid for the ScotRail franchise. Discussions have been held at Transport Scotland official level, with organisations such …

25 Jun 2018 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that ScotRail missed its punctuality targets for every reporting period in the last year.

20 Jun 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the two dual-fuel ferries ordered by Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd from Ferguson Marine will enter service on Clyde and Hebrides routes operated by Caledonian MacBrayne.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Ferguson Marine Engineering Ltd (FMEL) have notified Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL) of delays to the construction of these new vessels. A revised delivery programme is currently being discussed by FMEL and CMAL. We will inform Parliament when revised t…