Portfolio Question Time – in the Scottish Parliament at 2:30 pm on 2 May 2024.
Karen Adam
Scottish National Party
2:30,
2 May 2024
To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to support the improvement of transport links in the north-east of Scotland. (S6O-03374)
Fiona Hyslop
Scottish National Party
The Government is taking significant action to progress transport projects in the north-east of Scotland even in the face of unprecedented financial challenges. We remain absolutely committed to improving the A96, including by dualling the section from Inverness to Nairn and creating the Nairn bypass. Since 2007, we have spent more than £1 billion on road infrastructure in the north-east, as well as opening two new railway stations and making other investments in sustainable transport infrastructure. My officials continue to support local authorities and regional partners to help them to deliver on the priorities for transport.
Karen Adam
Scottish National Party
The Campaign for North East Rail’s feasibility study on rerailing Peterhead and Fraserburgh is due to be submitted to the Scottish Government this week. Should that study give us the positive result that we are all hoping for, will the Cabinet secretary consider funding a detailed options appraisal to reconnect the significant population of the area to the railway?
Fiona Hyslop
Scottish National Party
The Government remains committed to investing in our railways, including in the opening of new railway lines and stations, where there are strong business cases for doing so. We are committed to the north-east and we have demonstrated that commitment, not least through our contribution in respect of the rail line work that Karen Adam is pursuing. Any decision to extend funding will depend on the conclusions that emerge from the study, which my officials are yet to receive.
Douglas Lumsden
Conservative
New figures show that just £67,000 has been spent on improvements to the A90 north of Ellon at the Toll of Birness since 2017. Three flashing signs are not enough to prevent the daily accidents and near misses that occur at one of the north east’s most dangerous junctions.
Now that the coalition of chaos with the Greens has been relegated to the scrap heap, will the Cabinet secretary finally commit to installing a roundabout at the junction and dualling that deadly road once and for all?
Fiona Hyslop
Scottish National Party
I note that members, including Douglas Lumsden and others, have continually raised issues around the A90 in particular areas. In my correspondence with a number of people, I have set out the improvements and assessments that are intended at different points.
I am acutely aware of concerns around the area of the A90 that Douglas Lumsden talked about—he should please take that as my consideration. We will continue to look closely at what further improvements can be made.
Road safety is absolutely imperative. I have concerns about some of the issues around road safety statistics. Those are concerns not just here in Scotland; I know from a recent visit to Ireland that there are also concerns about the road safety aspect there. The issue is not only about how we consider improvements to the road itself, but other aspects of road safety that we need to consider, including how people are driving in some of these areas.
Question Time is an opportunity for MPs and Members of the House of Lords to ask Government Ministers questions. These questions are asked in the Chamber itself and are known as Oral Questions. Members may also put down Written Questions. In the House of Commons, Question Time takes place for an hour on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays after Prayers. The different Government Departments answer questions according to a rota and the questions asked must relate to the responsibilities of the Government Department concerned. In the House of Lords up to four questions may be asked of the Government at the beginning of each day's business. They are known as 'starred questions' because they are marked with a star on the Order Paper. Questions may also be asked at the end of each day's business and these may include a short debate. They are known as 'unstarred questions' and are less frequent. Questions in both Houses must be written down in advance and put on the agenda and both Houses have methods for selecting the questions that will be asked. Further information can be obtained from factsheet P1 at the UK Parliament site.
The cabinet is the group of twenty or so (and no more than 22) senior government ministers who are responsible for running the departments of state and deciding government policy.
It is chaired by the prime minister.
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Cabinet ministers are appointed by the prime minister and chosen from MPs or peers of the governing party.
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War cabinets have sometimes been formed with a much smaller membership than the full cabinet.
From time to time the prime minister will reorganise the cabinet in order to bring in new members, or to move existing members around. This reorganisation is known as a cabinet re-shuffle.
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