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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-38249

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 June 2025
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answer expected on 18 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of Scottish Upland Sheep Support Scheme payments were made to new entrant farmers in each year since 2021-22.

Question reference: S6W-38251

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 June 2025
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answer expected on 18 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many applicants who applied for a Scottish Upland Sheep Support Scheme payment for 2025-26 have yet to receive their payment, and what the reasons were for any delay of payments.

Question reference: S6W-38254

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 June 2025
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answer expected on 18 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is considering introducing a multi-year funding model for future Scottish Upland Sheep Support Scheme payments, and, if so, whether it is able to provide any details of this.

Question reference: S6W-38252

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 June 2025
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answer expected on 18 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of the number of applicants that were (a) successful and (b) unsuccessful in applying for a Scottish Upland Sheep Support Scheme payment for 2025-26, broken down by local authority area.

Question reference: S6W-38253

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 June 2025
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answer expected on 18 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will confirm the exact amount of funding that has been allocated to the Scottish Upland Sheep Support Scheme in each financial year since 2021-22.

Question reference: S6W-37677

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 16 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 28 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many public sector sites it anticipates will receive funding from Great British Energy to install solar panels, and how much funding it expects each site will receive.

The Scottish Government has secured £4.85m in funding from Great British Energy’s Local Power Plan in 2025-26. The Scottish Government will primarily deliver this funding directly through our Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES), providing support through the ‘Community Energy Generation Growth Fund’ to boost community owned renewable energy across Scotland. The £8 million fund, including £4 million from GB Energy’s Local Power Plan, will support community groups to develop their own renewable energy projects, including wind and solar PV projects.

Last year’s £1.5 million pilot fund supported 23 community energy projects – including solar PV installations on public buildings – at various stages of project development.

Question reference: S6W-37678

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 16 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 28 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what arrangements it has in place with Great British Energy to secure funding to install solar panels on (a) schools and (b) hospitals.

The Scottish Government has secured £4.85m in funding from Great British Energy’s (GBE) Local Power Plan in 2025-26. The Scottish Government will primarily deliver this funding directly through our Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES), providing support through the ‘Community Energy Generation Growth Fund’ to boost community owned renewable energy across Scotland. The £8 million fund, including £4 million from GB Energy’s Local Power Plan, will support community groups to develop their own renewable energy projects, including wind and solar PV projects.

Last year’s £1.5 million pilot fund supported 23 community energy projects – including solar PV installations on public buildings – at various stages of project development.

Question reference: S6W-37463

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 22 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what total area has been burnt by wildfires in (a) Scotland and (b) each local authority area in each year since 2015.

Question reference: S6W-37461

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 22 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what (a) support and (b) compensation is available to people affected by wildfires.

The Scottish Government does not operate a compensation scheme for those affected by wildfires. Standard UK home insurance policies generally cover fire damage to both the building and its contents. Coverage can include structural repairs, personal belongings, damage caused by emergency services, and temporary accommodation if required.

During a large multi agency incident a local Emergency Liaison, Local or Regional Resilience Partnership (RRP) may be stood up by any agency. These are established by multi-agency partnerships comprising representatives from local public services, including emergency services, local authorities, the NHS, and others. These partners, known as Category 1 Responders, are mandated by the Civil Contingencies Act. RRPs also collaborate with Category 2 responders, such as utility companies and the Highways Agency, to ensure comprehensive preparedness, response and recovery to emergencies.

Question reference: S6W-37462

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 22 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what public information campaigns are run when an extreme wildfire warning is issued.

Efficient and effective dissemination of wildfire prevention information to the public is key to preventing wildfires. Before igniting any flames in a rural or outdoor setting, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) encourage everyone to check which area of Scotland may be at threat of wildfires. If a threat is in place, the key prevention advice from SFRS is that people should refrain from igniting any flames.

When Scotland is at a high threat of wildfires, SFRS works in partnership with the Scottish Wildfire Forum (SWF), to alert the public and partners to the threat of wildfires by issuing Wildfire Danger Assessments. SFRS issues alerts through its social media channels, its website and local media outlets, and requests assistance from Local Authorities across Scotland to share safety messaging to seek engagement with as many members of public as possible. These warnings detail which areas across Scotland are most likely to be affected. SFRS also alerts the Scottish Government who proactively re-issue these warnings across digital and social media platforms.

The Scottish Government’s Ready Scotland marketing campaign can be activated at any time, using geographically targeted digital and local radio channels to inform the public about forecast extreme weather. In 2023, digital assets were developed for the campaign so that it can also be deployed in any area of Scotland at times of heightened risk of wildfires.

When areas are at risk from severe weather or severe wildfires, the Scottish Government, responder organisations and other resilience partners all work closely to share public safety advice through a variety of channels. Well-established processes are in place to consider the most appropriate methods of communication based on the specific circumstances.