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Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

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Question reference: S6W-39091

Asked by: Carol Mochan, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 24 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-36002 by Jenni Minto on 1 April 2025, whether it or Public Health Scotland can provide an update on the timeline for the introduction and delivery of the Fracture Liaison Service audit.

Public Health Scotland (PHS), is responsible for implementing and delivering the Fracture Liaison Service (FLS) audit. While they identified some initial recruitment-related delays, these have been addressed and completed.

Scottish Government is satisfied that the FLS audit is on track as expected, and within the guidance set out by Scottish National Audit Programme (SNAP).

More details on the SNAP guidance and governance process can be found here - Scottish National Audit Programme (SNAP).

Question reference: S6W-39278

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 24 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reported calls from the RSPB for a moratorium on gamebird and Mallard releases in 2025 due to the risk of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in wild birds in Britain being formally classed as "high".

The SG has no plans to bring forward a moratorium on gamebird and Mallard releases in 2025.

Where release of gamebirds may adversely affect the natural features of a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) (and so is listed as an Operation Requiring Consent), the owners or the occupiers of the site must apply for consent from NatureScot. NatureScot can then give consent with or without conditions, refuse, modify or withdraw a consent as appropriate. The prevalence of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in the local area can be a reason for consent to be withheld/withdrawn.

Due to the frequency of wild bird findings in the current outbreak season, an Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ) has been in place in Scotland (and across GB) since January 2025 to mitigate the risk of the disease spreading amongst poultry (which includes gamebirds) and other captive birds. This introduced a legal requirement for all bird keepers, including gamekeepers, to follow strict biosecurity measures to help protect their flocks from the threat of avian flu and protect the environment from onward spread.

The measures also include a requirement that that birds taken from the wild for the purpose of restocking supplies of game must not be moved from the premises into which they are taken until a period of 21 days from the date of taking of the last bird has elapsed, unless the movement is direct and licensed by a veterinary inspector or by an inspector under the direction of a veterinary inspector.

It is a legal requirement for suspicion of a notifiable avian disease to be reported to the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA).

Question reference: S6W-39301

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 24 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the effectiveness of the enforcement of the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (Scotland) Regulations 2021.

Question reference: S6W-39300

Asked by: Craig Hoy, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 24 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to review the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (Scotland) Regulations 2021.

Question reference: S6W-39297

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 24 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on what proportion of new cars registered in Scotland in 2024 were acquired through the Accessible Vehicles and Equipment Scheme.

As of year-end 2024 there were 36,884 new cars registered in Scotland through the Accessible Vehicles and Equipment (AVE) Scheme, representing 22% of all cars registered in Scotland throughout the year. We are proud to have delivered vital mobility support to disabled people through the AVE Scheme.

The AVE Scheme offers disabled people a range of vehicles on affordable leasing terms, including vehicles with no advanced payment required, a comprehensive package of care and maintenance for no more than the weekly cost of the mobility component of their qualifying benefit.

Question reference: S6W-39334

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 11 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 24 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish its consultation on the use of electric shock collars for training dogs.

We are continuing to give the SAWC reports on remote control static pulse devices and other aversive training devices careful consideration, along with the findings of our review into whether further provisions for wearable static pulse training devices are required, which was undertaken as part of the review of the Animals and Wildlife (Penalties, Protections and Powers) (Scotland) Act 2020. Once we have finished our deliberations, we will announce our timeline for a further consultation.

Question reference: S6W-39335

Asked by: Maurice Golden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 11 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 24 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met with representatives of the independent Scottish Animal Welfare Commission regarding the Commission's recommendation that the use of electric shock collars to train dogs should be banned.

Question reference: S6W-39467

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 18 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 24 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many full-time equivalent (FTE) staff it estimates there are in each relevant agency and central government who are currently involved in the regulation of salmon farming and smolt production, including fish health, human safety, food standards, planning, environmental, fisheries interactions, licensing and leasing.

Question reference: S6W-39466

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 18 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 24 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what the estimated annual cost to the public purse is of governing the salmon farming industry, including smolt production, in Scotland.

We are unable to provide the information requested. The aquaculture sector is governed by multiple agencies in both Scotland and the UK, for example APHA (Animal and Plant Health Agency). These agencies provide different legislative functions and charging schemes. The agencies and their respective employees who work on aquaculture undertake a wide range of duties relating to the governance of aquaculture in the round, not only to the salmon sector.

Question reference: S6W-39112

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 24 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what mechanisms it has in place to monitor any potential impact of the Scottish National Investment Bank’s investments on housing supply, including the number of homes delivered as a result of those investments.