Seòmar agus comataidhean

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

Criathragan Hide all filters

Displaying 401 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S6W-39576

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 19 August 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its plans are for the Agri-Environment Climate Scheme (AECS) and its evolution, in light of the four-tier model, and what consideration it has given to improving the accessibility of these schemes to crofters and small farmers.

Agricultural businesses, including crofters and small farmers, which are registered on the Scottish Government’s Rural Payments and Services website may apply to the Agri-Environment Climate Scheme (AECS). The scheme has now closed for applications in 2025, and detail of the 2026 round will be shared in late 2025.

An important feature of the scheme is a scoring system designed to avoid discrimination against smaller businesses, including crofters. This aims to promote applications by small businesses by awarding three additional points where the application value is less than £20,000.

Where an applicant’s business has less than 30 hectares, some beneficiaries are able to access small unit supplementary payments across many of the options over and above the income foregone payments for AECS options. This enables some businesses of less than 30 hectares to access important socio-economic options like native breed cattle introduction and retention.

An additional scoring uplift is also offered where two or more applicants intend to deliver an option collaboratively. This is available to all eligible applicants, including smaller businesses, crofters and common grazing committees.

As set out in the Agricultural Reform Route Map, AECS is expected to continue up to at least 2026 to deliver elements of Tier 3 until the new Elective support is implemented.

Opportunities to improve the equity of access to future support across all business sizes and types will be considered as part of the Agricultural Reform Programme. As part of this, a review of the AECS scoring system will be undertaken. We remain committed to co-designing the development of future support structures and delivery with rural partners, and this includes how existing schemes will transition to the four-tier model. It is right that we take the time necessary to develop the detail of our policies with the people directly affected by them, which is important if we are to deliver on our commitment to a just transition for our farmers and crofters. Following this process, further detail will be shared in due course.

Question reference: S6W-39578

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 28 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 19 August 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the commitment made in the Agriculture and Rural Communities (Scotland) Act 2024 to provide financial support to the wool sector, what it is doing to fund crofter wool production and manufacturing businesses.

We continue to provide Scotland’s farmers, crofters and land managers with the most generous package of direct support in the UK, investing over £660 million in support to agriculture. Support schemes such as the Crofting Agricultural Grant Scheme, the Scottish Upland Sheep Support Scheme and the Less Favoured Area Support Scheme all help to support our sheep producers.

The Agriculture and Rural Communities (Scotland) Act 2024 provides the powers to create a new future payment framework and this approach provides future flexibility to respond to geopolitical, economic, climate and nature challenges which will enable rural communities to thrive. The purposes for which support can be provided are specified within Schedule 1 of the Act, which includes wool, and is aimed at providing the flexibility to support all our producers.

Question reference: S6W-39577

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 28 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 19 August 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what work and actions it has undertaken to reform the Crofting Agricultural Grant Scheme, and how it is transitioning the fund to support crofters to move towards sustainable and regenerative agriculture.

Currently, grants are available to bring about distinct and durable improvement in the quality of permanent pasture. Soil analysis is also eligible for grant aid as part of an acceptable scheme.

Throughout 2024, officials worked with stakeholders on the CAGS Stakeholder Group to discuss changes to the operation of the scheme. These changes, implemented in 2025, included the introduction of standard costs for the likes of fencing and agricultural buildings. The next stage will focus on the type of projects supported, to ensure the CAGS aligns with the future support framework and the Scottish Government’s Vision for Agriculture.

Question reference: S6W-39574

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 28 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 19 August 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to ensure that farmers and land managers are being rewarded for delivering public goods.

We are supporting farmers and crofters to realise the vision for agriculture and the 2025-26 budget allocates more than £665 million for the purpose of supporting farmers, land managers, rural communities and rural businesses . We are continuing to co-develop the future support with stakeholders to ensure conditions fit appropriately to work for the industry and deliver to the Vision for Agriculture.

We have to date made a number of relevant announcements including the launch of the Whole Farm Plan, changes to SSBSS and changes to Greening which all contribute to delivery of the Vision for Agriculture. The future iterative progression of the Vision and its associated timeline can be found detailed within the Agricultural Routemap which is updated regularly to ensure people know what changes are coming and when those changes will happen.

Question reference: S6W-39411

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 July 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 19 August 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-38478 by Mairi Gougeon on 23 June 2025, and the statement that Seafood Scotland is the “national trade and marketing body for the Scottish seafood industry”, how Seafood Scotland contributes to its goals and duties towards prioritising sustainability within Scotland’s food sector, and what requirements it places on Seafood Scotland regarding engagement with stakeholders across Scotland’s seafood value chain.

Seafood Scotland plays a pivotal part in the portrait of Scottish success. It offers invaluable support to businesses across the entire seafood supply chain - from wild caught fisheries to aquaculture producers, processors to retailers. It is also vital in supporting and promoting Scotland's world-class seafood industry. Of course, sustainability is key, and a healthy marine environment is the foundation upon which this prosperity is built.

Seafood Scotland is at the forefront of Sustainability in Scotland, through various schemes, projects and attending major industry trade shows. Just last year Seafood Scotland partnered with the Global Seafood Alliance to host the Responsible Seafood Summit, and this year launched the Scottish Ocean Cluster, representing a bold new approach to maximising the value and sustainability of our seafood industry. They also provide crucial outreach, such as the education and training for chefs globally to foster a deeper appreciation for the quality and sustainability of Scotland's seafood, and in Scotland they have revived their impactful Seafood in Schools program.

Scottish Government funding investment through Marine Fund Scotland (MFS) is a signal of the importance we place in their role delivering for industry, supporting a wide range of initiatives that drive innovation, enhance sustainability, and build greater prosperity in our marine industries. The MFS application contains Key Performance Indicators and Seafood Scotland are required to submit reports commenting on progress towards & achievement of these.

Question reference: S6W-39917

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 15 August 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 12 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on what the recorded landings were, by weight, of (a) haddock, (b) whiting, (c) cod and (d) saithe at west coast fishing harbours in (i) 1986, (ii) 1996, and (iii) 2006, and what the recorded returns were for wild salmon for the same harbours and years.

Question reference: S6W-39832

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 08 August 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 5 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what processes are in place to ensure that farmed salmon producers comply with Scottish Government Guidance on Welfare at the Time of Killing in Salmon Farming.

Question reference: S6W-39809

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 07 August 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 4 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made regarding removing the three hectare condition from the eligibility requirements for farm income support payments, as legislated for in the Agriculture and Rural Communities (Scotland) Act 2024, and how else it is supporting small-scale food growers.

Question reference: S6W-39740

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 August 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 2 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the recent introduction of mandatory remote electronic monitoring (REM) for scallop fishing vessels, what the current levels of compliance are among these vessels.

Question reference: S6W-39742

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 August 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 2 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made on the roll-out of (a) Fisheries Management Plans and (b) fisheries management measures for Marine Protected Areas.