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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-02398

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 June 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will introduce compulsory sales orders through its proposed Land Reform Bill, in light of its plans to address the need for effective, efficient and fair land assembly powers for public bodies, as referred to in the Bute House Agreement.

Question reference: S6O-02376

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 June 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to encourage other local authorities to roll out 20 mph speed limits in built-up areas, in light of Highland Council’s early adoption of such a policy.

Question reference: S6W-18379

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 6 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its timescale is for reviewing the recommendations contained in the Animal Welfare Committee's updated Opinion on the Welfare of Farmed Fish at the Time of Killing, and whether it will provide an update on when it anticipates the recommendations will be made publicly available.

The Scottish Government is aware of the importance of protecting the welfare of fish at the time of slaughter and takes this very seriously.

We will carefully consider any recommendations made by the Animal Welfare Committee concerning the welfare of fish at the time of slaughter. However, due to a lack of clear communication from the UK Government, we do not yet have a timescale for when the report will be published.

Question reference: S6W-18168

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 22 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 6 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what (a) total area in km2 and (b) percentage of the continental shelf area adjacent to Scotland, as designated in the Continental Shelf (Designation of Areas) Order 2013, is covered by the Marine Protected Area network, after all overlapping designations have been taken into account.

The total area of the Marine Protected Area network designated in the Scottish continental shelf area adjacent to Scotland, as designated in the Continental Shelf (Designation of Areas) Order 2013 is (a) 228,118 square kilometres and (b) 37%.

These figures take into account all overlapping designations and capture:

Special Areas of Conservation
Special Protection Areas
Nature Conservation Marine Protected Areas
Ramsar sites for wetlands of international importance.
Sites of Special Scientific Interest.

These figures do not include Historic Marine Protected Areas, Other Area Based Measures, or the Demonstration and Research Marine Protected Area.

Question reference: S6W-18380

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 6 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its timescale is for launching a consultation to examine the use of cages for laying hens.

The Scottish Government takes the improvement of welfare for all animals in Scotland very seriously and is keen to progress a consultation on the cage use for laying hens, alongside other animal welfare commitments

Consultation on phasing out cage use for laying hens was originally intended to be delivered jointly across the UK. However, progress on a number of important pieces of animal welfare legislation have been significantly delayed due to UK Government timetabling.

I have repeatedly expressed the Scottish Government’s disappointment and the need for urgency on a number important animal welfare issues, where joint working across GB has been previously agreed. Sadly no further clarity has been provided by UK Ministers.

While Scottish Ministers remain committed to introducing joint legislation where it is sensible and logical to do so in the interests of animal welfare, further consideration will be given to how we can best deliver our commitments going forward.

Question reference: S6F-02180

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 May 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 June 2023

To ask the First Minister what priority the Scottish Government gives to protecting Scotland's environment.

Question reference: S6O-02294

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 May 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 31 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the letter from the Scottish Creel Fishermen's Federation, offering to assist with progressing fisheries management issues, including Highly Protected Marine Areas.

Question reference: S6W-18244

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 May 2023
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 19 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will be implementing management measures for the sandeel fishery in Scottish waters for the protection of the marine environment.

We recognise that biologically diverse seas and healthy, functioning marine ecosystems are vital to underpin a wide variety of marine industries and interests. It is important that we manage our marine environment in such a way as to ensure sustainable use, allowing future generations to enjoy and benefit from a healthy resource. Therefore, I am pleased to announce that we will be undertaking a public consultation on potential measures to manage fishing for sandeel in Scottish waters, bearing in mind our environmental protection objectives.

Sandeels aid the long-term sustainability and resilience of the marine ecosystem and are an important food source for many species, including marine mammals, seabirds and predatory fish.

Measures to restrict fishing for sandeels in Scottish waters could also deliver benefits to seabirds which have been impacted by Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza as well as providing greater resilience to seabird populations, some of which have faced declines in recent decades.

Launching in summer 2023, this consultation will seek the public’s views on potential measures for the sandeel fishery in Scottish waters, to help achieve the Scottish Government’s vision for clean, healthy, safe, productive and diverse seas which are managed to meet the long term needs of nature and people. This consultation will also seek the public’s views on a number of key documents including environmental and business regulatory impact assessments.

This consultation aligns with the overarching Scottish Government position, which is reflected in Scotland’s Fisheries Management Strategy, not to support fishing for sandeel in our waters. For this reason, sandeel quota has not been allocated to UK vessels since 2021.

Question reference: S6O-02268

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 May 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the STUC's proposals for a local wealth tax.

Question reference: S6W-17547

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 15 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of Scotland’s sea beds have been degraded by human activities, including fishing, and what economic impact it anticipates Highly Protected Marine Areas could have on coastal communities, including fishing businesses.

Human activities have had a considerable impact in Scotland’s seas. Of the 21 marine regions reported in the Scottish Marine Assessment 2020 , where physical disturbance was assessed, 18 were predicted to have more than 15% of their area classified as highly disturbed and are considered to be in “poor condition”.

Our proposals to introduce Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs) are intended to contribute to addressing this situation and improving the state of our sea bed across Scotland’s seas. However, enhanced marine protection is about more than tackling biodiversity loss and climate change – it is also about delivering societal benefits which must include benefits for coastal and island communities.

We are proposing that HPMAs protect ecosystems and the services they provide, including essential fish and shellfish habitats, which will deliver societal benefits, including for island and coastal communities. By being properly designed and located we believe these areas would provide long term and sustainable benefits for island and coastal communities.

Scientific studies indicate that fish stocks can increase in HPMAs, providing spill over benefits for fishers and making sure there are sustainable levels of fish and other marine products to be derived and benefitted from our seas. For example, a study by Lenihan et al in California has shown spill over benefits with increased stocks of spiny lobster.

We have conducted a range of initial impact assessments, including an initial Sustainability Appraisal (composed of a Strategic Environmental Report and a Socio-Economic Impact Assessment); a partial Island Communities Impact Assessment (ICIA) Screening Report; and a partial Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment (BRIA). We sought views on these as part of our initial consultation, which closed on 17 April. However, as was noted in the consultation, any specific potential impacts can only be considered in full once specific site proposals have been developed, following close stakeholder and community engagement.