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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.

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Question reference: S6O-02173

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 April 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what financial assessment has been made of any impact on the capital budget of delays in delivering infrastructure projects.

Question reference: S6O-02184

Asked by: Sue Webber, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 April 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what criteria are used to determine how much funding should be spent on active travel projects.

Question reference: S6O-02182

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 April 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support the development of sustainable aviation fuel in Scotland.

Question reference: S6O-02164

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 April 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made on the Energy Skills Passport for offshore energy workers.

Question reference: S6O-02179

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S6O-02186

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 April 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with industry bodies and colleges regarding the provision of green skills training for green jobs of the future.

Question reference: S6O-02181

Asked by: Pauline McNeill, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 April 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to introduce financial incentives to encourage households to install low-carbon heating in their homes, to help reach net zero by 2045.

Question reference: S6O-02187

Asked by: Jeremy Balfour, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 April 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to address antisocial behaviour on public transport.

Question reference: S6O-02165

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S6W-16172

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 27 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 26 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the recommendations in the Scottish Animal Welfare Commission Report on the Welfare of Beavers in Scotland.

The Scottish Animal Welfare Commission (SAWC) Report on the Welfare of Beavers in Scotland made a number of recommendations including:

The urgent need for comprehensive guidance for landowners etc for non-lethal control which does not require licensing;
No licences should be issued in the kit dependency period:
Banning the shooting of beavers in the water would eliminate the problem of poor or difficult marksmanship, which can significantly affect the welfare of beavers;
While translocations are welcome as an alternative to lethal control, where possible, it is important that robust protocols are followed by trained operators, release areas are assessed properly, to ensure that high standards of welfare are maintained during and after the translocations of individuals.

NatureScot responded directly to SAWC on behalf of the Scottish Government, and that response is summarised below:

Mitigation is a key theme of Scotland’s Beaver Strategy with a view to minimising negative impacts. The Strategy includes a range of actions to update guidance, raise awareness, help support and innovate around beaver mitigation techniques. NatureScot currently provides specialist advice to land managers through the Beaver Mitigation Scheme and is actively working on a programme of work on the actions outlined above. The guidance is being reviewed in line with the strategy and advice is available on the NatureScot website.
Currently only exceptional licences may be issued during the kit dependency period (1st April to 16th August). Exceptional circumstances include situations where either serious damage or a threat to public health or public interest is occurring at that time or is imminent and where lethal control is the only means of addressing that issue.
The examples of poor shooting practice pre-date the introduction of accredited controller training developed when European Protected Species (EPS) status was given to beavers and the introduction of minimum calibre and bullet weights. The examples given cannot be assumed to reflect current practice. NatureScot also noted that the Commission did not base these recommendations on any practical field work following beaver becoming EPS and the introduction of a licensing scheme. NatureScot are also looking at the conditioning of licences with requirement to provide carcass for post mortem.
In relation to robust protocols being in place in relation to translocations, there are actions relating to all of these points in Scotland’s Beaver Strategy. NatureScot has produced protocols to accompany the recent release licence issued to RSPB Scotland at Loch Lomond. NatureScot will share and invite comment on these from the Scottish Animal Welfare Commission with a view to agreeing standard protocols going forward.

Further discussions on the recommendations are currently ongoing between NatureScot and SAWC. Any resulting changes to protocols or licensing arrangements will be published on the NatureScot website.