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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-33931

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 24 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 6 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many people were prosecuted on the suspicion of committing an offence listed in the Freshwater Fish Conservative (Prohibition on Fishing for Eels) (Scotland) Regulations 2008 in each year since 2021.

Question reference: S6W-34023

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 27 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 6 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has cost to maintain the national flags that it owns in each of the last 10 years.

Question reference: S6W-33952

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 24 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 6 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many VisitScotland development managers were in post each December since 2018, and where each was located.

The following table captures current roles and locations and indicates whether the role has been in place since 2018:

Job Title	Contracted work base (current role-holder)	Role in place since 2018
Destination Development Director - Central/North-East – Including Tay Cities	Perth	Yes
Destination Development Director – Highlands & Islands	Inverness	Yes
Destination Development Director – South	Glasgow	Yes
Regional Director - Argyll & the Isles	Oban	Yes
Regional Director - Glasgow City	Glasgow	Yes
Regional Director - Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire & Moray Speyside	Aberdeen	Yes
Regional Director - Edinburgh & Lothians	Perth	Yes
Regional Director - Ayrshire & Forth Valley	Glasgow	Yes
Island Manager – Shetland	Lerwick	Yes
Island Manager - Orkney	Kirkwall	Yes
Island Manager – Outer Hebrides	Stornoway	Yes

Over time exact job titles and responsibilities have evolved. VisitScotland’s system does not allow point in time reporting required to share information for each December since 2018.

Question reference: S6W-33968

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 24 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 6 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether mobile or other IT devices used by its ministers, that are not corporate devices, are covered by the revised policy on retention of information.

In accordance with the Scottish Ministerial Code paragraph 6.42, Ministers should use Government systems for all Government business. Any communication on Government business engages Ministers’ obligations to ensure accurate public records are kept.

The Scottish Government policy on use of mobile messaging apps can only be enforced using technical means on corporate devices connected to the Scottish Government.

Question reference: S6W-33996

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 24 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 6 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the Verity House Agreement, whether it plans to introduce (a) legislation on the principles and (b) an annual review to ensure adherence to its core principles.

(a) It was never envisaged that the Verity House Agreement principles themselves would be introduced in legislation. However, much of the language used in the Verity House Agreement was heavily drawn upon from the European Charter of Local Self-Government. The Scottish Government remains fully committed to supporting Mark Ruskell MSP to progress his Member’s Bill to incorporate the Charter into domestic law as soon as practical.

(b) A commitment was made within the Verity House Agreement to jointly considered the first year of implementation, not to complete annual reviews. This was fulfilled through the stocktake report published on the 21 November 2024. We are in the process of creating Accountability and Assurance arrangements and a monitoring framework and have committed to regular engagement with COSLA. These will ensure the delivery of our joint priorities and that VHA principles are being adhered to.

Question reference: S6W-33964

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 24 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 6 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many patients were on waiting lists for an echocardiogram (a) in total and (b) for over a year, in each of the last five years.

Question reference: S6W-33932

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 24 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 6 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many people were prosecuted on the suspicion of committing an offence listed in the Conservation of Salmon (Prohibition of Sale) (Scotland) Regulations 2002 in each year since 2021.

Question reference: S6W-33950

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 24 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 6 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what experience each VisitScotland board member has in relation to their role in the organisation, and where each is located.

Question reference: S6W-33969

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 24 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 6 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether the revised policy on the use of WhatsApp for government business applies to ministers who may communicate with each other on non-corporate devices.

The Scottish Government policy on use of mobile messaging apps can only be enforced using technical means on corporate devices connected to the Scottish Government network.

Question reference: S6W-33951

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 24 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 6 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many VisitScotland destination development directors were in post each December since 2018, and where each was located.

The following table captures current roles and locations and indicates whether the role has been in place since 2018:

Job Title	Contracted work base (current role-holder)	Role in place since 2018
Destination Development Director - Central/North-East – Including Tay Cities	Perth	Yes
Destination Development Director – Highlands & Islands	Inverness	Yes
Destination Development Director – South	Glasgow	Yes
Regional Director - Argyll & the Isles	Oban	Yes
Regional Director - Glasgow City	Glasgow	Yes
Regional Director - Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire & Moray Speyside	Aberdeen	Yes
Regional Director - Edinburgh & Lothians	Perth	Yes
Regional Director - Ayrshire & Forth Valley	Glasgow	Yes
Island Manager – Shetland	Lerwick	Yes
Island Manager - Orkney	Kirkwall	Yes
Island Manager – Outer Hebrides	Stornoway	Yes

Over time exact job titles and responsibilities have evolved. VisitScotland’s system does not allow point in time reporting required to share information for each December since 2018.