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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-42535

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 23 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has modelled any possible consequences for local (a) hospitality and (b) retail sectors in the event of visitor numbers declining due to reduced accommodation capacity as a result of the draft 2026 revaluation of non-domestic rates for self-catering properties.

Draft rateable values for the 2026 revaluation were published on 30 November 2025 but may be subject to change. The final valuation roll will come into effect on 1 April 2026 and the Scottish Government will publish its report on changes in rateable values once final valuations are available.

In the meantime, ministers have received representations from the hospitality and retail sectors in the run-up to the Scottish Budget calling for non-domestic rates measures to support these sectors. Decisions on non-domestic rates policy for 2026-27 including reliefs are considered in the context of the Budget in line with other government priorities and will be set out in the budget on 13 January 2026.

Question reference: S6W-42536

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 23 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any potential effect of the draft 2026 revaluation of non-domestic rates on self-catering properties' accommodation availability during peak and shoulder seasons in (a) rural and (b) island areas.

In the meantime, ministers have received representations from the self-catering accommodation sector regarding in implications of changes in draft rateable values and I met with the Chief Executive of the Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers on 17 December 2025.

Decisions on non-domestic rates policy for 2026-27 including reliefs are considered in the context of the Budget in line with other government priorities and will be set out in the budget on 13 January 2026.

Question reference: S6W-42478

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 23 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to devolve consenting powers to local authorities for applications for the (a) construction, (b) extension and (c) operation of electricity generating stations with capacity in excess of 50 megawatts.

Question reference: S6W-42538

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 22 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will assess any potential knock-on effects on local supply chains, including (a) housekeeping, (b) tradespeople and (c) food producers, should a proportion of self-catering businesses become unviable as a result of the draft 2026 revaluation of non-domestic rates on self-catering properties.

Question reference: S6W-42537

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 22 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with (a) VisitScotland and (b) enterprise agencies regarding any potential impact of the draft 2026 revaluation of non-domestic rates for self-catering properties on farm diversification and crofting enterprises reliant on tourism income.

Question reference: S6W-42688

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 19 December 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 16 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how it will enable appropriate parliamentary scrutiny of changes to the mackerel and herring Economic Link arrangements, in light of these being announced one day prior to a parliamentary recess.

Question reference: S6W-42690

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 19 December 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 16 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the decision to amend the mackerel and herring Economic Link requirement was announced on 18 December 2025, in light of the change coming into force on 1 January 2026.

Question reference: S6W-42689

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 19 December 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 16 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact on smaller pelagic vessels of increasing the Economic Link landing requirement for mackerel and herring from 55% to 70% with effect from 1 January 2026.

Question reference: S6W-42692

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 19 December 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 16 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to the cumulative impact on the pelagic sector of quota reductions alongside the revised mackerel and herring Economic Link landing requirements.

Question reference: S6W-42691

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 19 December 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 16 January 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what consultation took place with pelagic catching sector representatives regarding the revised mackerel and herring Economic Link requirement, and when that consultation concluded.