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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-40209

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 01 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 16 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many breaches of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 have been recorded in each year since the Act came into force.

The Scottish Government does not have records relating to breaches of the Marine Scotland Act earlier than 2017.

There were 21 Marine Licensing offences detected under the 2010 Act, these were by year, 2017 X1, 2018 X5, 2019 X1, 2020 X2, 2021 X2, 2022 X5, 2024 X5.

Additionally, there were 50 breaches of Nature Conservation Orders which are enabled by the 2010 Act. These were by year, 2017 X3, 2018 X4, 2019 X7, 2020 X5, 2021 X11, 2022 X9, 2023 X5, 2024 X6, 2025 none as yet.

Question reference: S6W-40183

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Monday, 01 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 16 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what action it plans to take to manage the reported increasing impact of water scarcity on producers.

The Scottish Government recognises the increasing impact of water scarcity on producers and is implementing Scotland’s National Water Scarcity Plan with SEPA and Scottish Water to support those affected.

Scotland has seen several areas reach Significant Scarcity this year. SEPA is working closely with affected abstractors, the National Farmers Union Scotland, Scotch Whisky Association, and others to minimise impacts on producers where possible.

Research through our Strategic Research Programme is modelling future drought risks and Scotland’s Centre of Expertise for Waters (CREW) is conducting a project to produce guidance for farmers to increase their resilience to water scarcity.

Support for producers is also available through the Agri-Environment Climate Scheme, which funds water-efficient infrastructure like irrigation lagoons. Resilience remains central to our climate strategy, and we continue to encourage responsible water use across all sectors.

Question reference: S6W-40167

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 16 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care last met with the Chief (a) Executive of NHS Grampian and (b) Officer of Health and Social Care Moray.

Question reference: S6W-40041

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 22 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 16 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-25279 by Kaukab Stewart on 4 March 2024, what information it has on which organisations received funding from its financial contribution to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency; how much funding each organisation received, and what it was spent on.

We provided £750,000 to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency’s Flash Appeal for Gaza in November 2023. The funding was spent on food and non-food items, shelters, primary health care, fuel for water and health services, and mental health and psychosocial support.

As is standard practice for UN Appeals, UNRWA is not required to submit tailored financial information to each contributor. Instead, they publish an Annual Operational Report which provides details on all funding raised and dispersed by the appeal. The 2023 Annual Report which the covers the £750k contribution from Scottish Government can be found on the UNRWA website.

Question reference: S6W-40211

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 16 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many vessels have been found to be in breach of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 in each of the last five years, also broken down by whether the vessel was (a) UK-flagged, (b) EU-flagged and (c) non-EU-flagged.

There were fifteen Marine Licensing offences detected under the 2010 Act, these were by year, 2019 X1, 2020 X2, 2021 X2, 2022 X5, 2024 X5. Marine licensing offences are not fishery offences.

Additionally, there were forty-three breaches of Nature Conservation Orders which are enabled by the 2010 Act. These were by year, 2019 7, 2020 5, 2021 11, 2022 9, 2023 5, 2024 6, 2025 none as yet. These were all committed by UK vessels.

Question reference: S6W-40100

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Monday, 25 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 16 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether NatureScot produced an environmental impact assessment prior to its recent decision to grant licences for the release of six beaver families at two sites in the River Beauly catchment, and, if so, whether it will provide details of this.

NatureScot consulted on and produced an Environmental Report on the principle of beaver translocation to the river Beauly catchment in 2022. A copy of the report can be found on NatureScot’s website at

https://www.nature.scot/doc/beaver-translocation-consultation-river-beauly-catchment-environmental-report

NatureScot also carried out a Habitats Regulations Assessment for the River Beauly catchment area. A copy of the assessment can be found on NatureScot’s website at

https://www.nature.scot/doc/beaver-translocation-consultation-river-beauly-catchment-habitats-regulation-appraisal-hra-possible

The licence application was assessed against the Scottish Code for Conservation Translocations which also assesses environmental benefits and risks. NatureScot’s decision documents on Glen Affric and Abriachan sets out how the licence applications were assessed. Copies of these documents can be found on Naturescot's website at

https://www.nature.scot/doc/beaver-decision-document-licence-application-283801 and

https://www.nature.scot/doc/beaver-decision-document-licence-application-296282

Question reference: S6W-40212

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 16 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many breaches of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 that were recorded in each of the last five years related to (a) a prohibited fishing activity, (b) a marine protected area infringement, (c) a licensing offence and (d) any other category.

Question reference: S6W-40045

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 22 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don-Innes on 11 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what the total cost of any expenses for members of The Promise Oversight Board has been in each year since it was founded.

Question reference: S6W-39909

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 15 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 11 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-34581 by Angus Robertson on 6 March 2025, whether it can provide the total costs associated with its preparations for opening an international office in Warsaw, broken down by (a) year and (b) expenditure type.

Question reference: S6W-39908

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 15 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 11 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-34581 by Angus Robertson on 6 March 2025, whether it will provide an update on whether it still plans to open an international office in Warsaw.