- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 June 2025
-
Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 3 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-38218 by Maree Todd on 17 June 2025, what analysis it has undertaken to explore to what extent the reported reduction in the number of people detained in police stations under a place of safety order may simply reflect missing data, rather than an actual reduction.
Answer
The Scottish Government does not hold data on the number of individuals detained in police custody under place of safety orders. This data is collected and held by Police Scotland.
The Scottish Government is taking steps to strengthen data collection and evaluation within the mental health and policing space. The development of a proportionate performance framework will support ongoing monitoring and help distinguish between actual improvements and issues related to data completeness. This reflects the broader commitments set out in the Framework for Collaboration and Collaborative Commitments to ensure that data is robust and suitable to support informed decision-making, and to improve pathways for people in mental health crisis.
- Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 June 2025
-
Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 3 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how much has been allocated from the Just Transition Fund in each financial year since the fund was established.
Answer
Since its inception in 2022, the Scottish Government has allocated Just Transition Fund support to the North East and Moray as follows:
- 2022 - 2023: £10 million
- 2023 - 2024: £50 million
- 2024 - 2025: £12.172 million
- 2025 - 2026: £15.9 million
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 June 2025
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 3 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what monitoring is in place to ensure consistency and quality in school-based counselling services across local authority areas.
Answer
Our national guidance for local authorities sets out expectations for monitoring and reviewing the service. The guidance also makes clear that the operation of the counselling service within the school should be reviewed annually and any necessary improvements made.
The Scottish Government facilitates a quarterly Counsellors Network to provide a forum for local authority representatives co-ordinating the school counselling service to discuss practice and delivery.
Local authorities also provide annual reports to the Scottish Government on counselling services. These returns provide national oversight and inform ongoing engagement with local authorities. A summary of these reports can be accessed here: Access to counsellors in secondary schools and children and young people’s community mental health services – summary reports - gov.scot.
- Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 June 2025
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jim Fairlie on 3 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to prevent carbon leakage from agricultural imports as a result of any reduction in domestic agricultural production.
Answer
The Scottish Government does not accept the premise of the question. As the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands set out at the Royal Highland Show on 19 June, while we have accepted the Climate Change Committee’s proposed carbon budget levels to reach net zero, we will not be accepting their policy recommendations which would have had a detrimental impact on our agriculture sector and wider rural economy.
We have been crystal clear: this government has no policy, and will have no policy, to cut livestock numbers. We will reach net zero, and we intend to do that in a way which works for rural Scotland without simply offshoring our emissions and environmental responsibilities.
In terms of trade, I would highlight the impact of UK Trade Deals in terms of their impact on domestic production/offshoring as outlined in the answer to question S6W-37892 on 4 June 2025. Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanisms are also an important policy tool; however, the trade-related powers that could be used to protect Scotland’s livestock industry are held in Westminster under the current constitutional settlement.
All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 June 2025
-
Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 3 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish details of any financial agreements and pay arrangements involving Ferguson Marine’s (a) recent interim chief executive, (b) most recent permanent chief executive and (c) current senior personnel.
Answer
Details of the remuneration and pension benefits of Board members of Ferguson Marine are published annually in the Remuneration and Staff Report section of the Annual Report and Financial Statements of Ferguson Marine (Port Glasgow) Holdings Ltd, which is available from the Companies House website.
- Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 June 2025
-
Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 3 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve the (a) management and (b) tracking of marine traffic in Scotland's coastal waters.
Answer
Shipping safety and marine traffic management are matters largely reserved to the UK Government. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency is responsible for shipping regulations and safety in UK waters, including tracking marine traffic in UK waters.
The Marine Directorate of the Scottish Government uses a range of tools and technologies to support the integrated management of Scotland’s seas. This includes the use of Vessel Monitoring Systems and Remote Electronic Monitoring on fishing vessels. Data generated from such technology can be used for fisheries management, environmental protection and marine planning purposes.
Later this year, the Marine Directorate will be taking forward the outcomes of a consultation on requiring tracking and monitoring technology on all under 12 metre fishing vessels in Scottish waters.
Whilst wider shipping policy is reserved, the Scottish Government is committed to working with the UK Government and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency to ensure that shipping safety and marine traffic management is given the highest priority for vessels accessing Scotland’s waters.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 June 2025
-
Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 3 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how many prisoners convicted of violent offences were released under the early release scheme between February and March 2025.
Answer
I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:
SPS have proactively shared the data analysis for those released under the early release scheme between February and March 2025, and the full breakdown can be accessed on our website here Data, Research and Evidence | Scottish Prison Service.
The offence categories analysed were in line with Scottish Governments official Index Offence statistics. There were 152 individuals released during this process with offences within the Nonsexual crimes of violence category.
- Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 June 2025
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jim Fairlie on 3 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the development of the final code of practice for regenerative agriculture, and when it expects it to be laid before the Scottish Parliament.
Answer
The Agriculture and Rural Communities (Scotland) Act 2024 introduces new requirements including the publication of a Rural Support Plan and a Code of Practice on Sustainable and Regenerative Agriculture. The Code must be published within 1 year of section 29 being commenced and will follow the launch of the Rural Support Plan. A preliminary version of the Code of Practice on Sustainable and Regenerative Agriculture which has been co-developed with the industry was launched on 19th June at the Royal Highland Show.
This is an opportunity to gather real world feedback from the industry which will be taken into consideration for the next iteration.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 June 2025
-
Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 3 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-38218 by Maree Todd on 17 June 2025, whether it has attempted to estimate the "true" proportion of people detained in police stations under a place of safety order, adjusting for any missing data and data collection practices, and, if so, what estimates it has made.
Answer
The Scottish Government does not hold data on the number of individuals detained in police custody under place of safety orders. This data is collected and held by Police Scotland.
The Scottish Government is taking steps to strengthen data collection and evaluation within the mental health and policing space. The development of a proportionate performance framework will support ongoing monitoring and help distinguish between actual improvements and issues related to data completeness. This reflects the broader commitments set out in the Framework for Collaboration and Collaborative Commitments to ensure that data is robust and suitable to support informed decision-making, and to improve pathways for people in mental health crisis.
- Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 June 2025
-
Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 3 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will call in planning application 24/01680/FUL for the "erection of purpose-built student accommodation with ground floor food hall (Class 1A), food and drink (Class 3), public house and hot food takeaway (Sui generis), and assembly and leisure uses (Class 11) with associated landscaping, amenity, access and other ancillary works", which was reportedly granted by Glasgow City Council's Planning Applications Committee on 17 June 2025, in light of the objection raised by a statutory consultee, namely Historic Environment Scotland, due to the proposed development having a "significant adverse impact on the setting of A-listed Glasgow School of Art".
Answer
This application was notified to Scottish Ministers on 18 June 2025, as Glasgow City Council is minded to approve it against the advice of Historic Environment Scotland. Ministers have an initial 28-day period from the date of notification to consider whether to clear the application back to the Council or to call it in for their own determination. It would not be appropriate to comment further, while this matter is under consideration.
