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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-12024

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 21 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when the report of the independent review group regarding the establishment of a Peace Institute will be published, and, if it is already published, when it will respond to its findings.

Question reference: S6O-01603

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 November 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to address high private sector rents.

Question reference: S6W-11279

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 30 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 21 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with Orkney Islands Council regarding the future (a) budget and (b) procurement process for replacing the large and small ferry fleet at Orkney Ferries.

Scottish Ministers continue to engage with Orkney Islands Council on a regular basis with regard to ferries, including my visit to Orkney in August to meet with the council on these matters.

We have made an offer to all 4 ferry operating local authorities to share learning and explore efficiencies from CMAL’s Small Vessel Replacement Programme.

We have provided more than £56m to Orkney Islands Council for internal ferry services over the last 5 years.

Question reference: S6W-11280

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 30 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 21 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the delivery of ferry services for island communities in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-11276

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 30 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 13 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-10495 by Tom Arthur on 20 September 2022, what information it holds on whether transfers of land over 1,000 hectares not involving a payment include transfers into Trusts, and how many such transfers occurred in each of the last 10 years.

This is a question for the Keeper of the Registers of Scotland. She advises me that transfers of interest relating to properties over 1000 hectares were counted where:

at least one applicant in the application for registration was designated as acting in the capacity of trustee
the transfer of interest is not classified as a full market sale according to the Registers of Scotland property market report methodology

Year	Transfers
2012	1
2013	2
2014	1
2015	8
2016	3
2017	7
2018	18
2019	9
2020	4
2021	9
2022	4

Figures are current on 05 October 2022.

Question reference: S6W-11275

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 30 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 13 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-10496 by Tom Arthur on 20 September 2022, what information it holds on whether transfers of land over 2,000 hectares not involving a payment include transfers into Trusts, and how many such transfers occurred in each of the last 10 years.

This is a question for the Keeper of the Registers of Scotland. She advises me that transfers of interest relating to properties over 2000 hectares were counted where:

at least one applicant in the application for registration was designated as acting in the capacity of trustee
the transfer of interest is not classified as a full market sale according to the Registers of Scotland property market report methodology

Year	Transfers
2012	1
2013	1
2014	0
2015	5
2016	3
2017	5
2018	10
2019	5
2020	3
2021	1
2022	1

Figures were current on 05 October 2022.

Question reference: S6W-11277

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 30 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 13 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-10575 by Tom Arthur on 20 September 2022, what information it holds on whether transfers of land over 3,000 hectares not involving a payment include transfers into Trusts, and how many such transfers occurred in each of the last 10 years.

This is a question for the Keeper of the Registers of Scotland. She advises me that transfers of interest relating to properties over 3000 hectares are counted where:

at least one applicant in the application for registration was designated as acting in the capacity of trustee
the transfer of interest is not classified as a full market sale according to the Registers of Scotland property market report methodology.

Year	Transfers
2012	0
2013	0
2014	0
2015	0
2016	0
2017	1
2018	8
2019	2
2020	3
2021	0
2022	0

Figures were current on 05 October 2022.

Question reference: S6W-11281

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 30 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 5 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact that Green Freeport status would have on the provision of inter-island ferry services in Orkney.

As set out in the joint Bidding Prospectus, all green port bidders were required to ensure that their proposal embedded the second National Transport Strategy vision, priorities and outcomes for the transport system with in it as well as ensuring alignment with regional and local transport strategies.

Following selection there will of course be intensive discussions with each of the successful designations on all aspects of their proposals.

Question reference: S6W-11278

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 30 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 5 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact that Green Freeport status in Aberdeen Harbour would have on the contract for Northern Isles Ferry Services.

Following selection there will of course be intensive discussions with each of the successful designations on all aspects of their proposals.

Question reference: S6O-01393

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 September 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the findings of the survey of participants in 4 Day Week Global’s pilot.