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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: S6W-30470

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 07 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 29 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with CalMac regarding whether it would benefit from having at least one spare ferry available in the event of a breakdown of an operating ferry.

Question reference: S6W-30476

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 07 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 29 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the existing capacity of the CalMac ferry fleet for island communities in relation to the (a) current and (b) future needs of island communities.

Our Islands Connectivity Plan draft Strategic Approach paper, published 1 February 2024, noted feedback that the space for vehicles on busy ferry routes fills up quickly at popular times, especially in summer. At other times, and on other routes, there is space available for more vehicles to be carried and there is almost always space for people on any sailing at any time.

With the introduction of larger vessels and increased services, vehicle deck capacity has already increased and planned vessel deployments and service enhancements will bring further increases during the current decade.

The draft Strategic Approach set out our proposal to publish key baseline data, including on capacity, and that work is coming to its conclusion. Transport Scotland will use this information as the starting point for refreshed community needs assessments. This will support our proposed identification of key “pinch points” on the Clyde & Hebrides and Northern Isles networks and consider options for additional vehicle capacity where this is practical, beneficial and affordable.

Question reference: S6W-30456

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 04 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 28 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when it anticipates that it will have completed the new Scottish Government Gateway Review on the proposed Gasay ferry terminal development for Lochboisdale.

Question reference: S6W-30455

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 04 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 28 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when it anticipates that it will receive the revised outline business case from CMAL for the proposed Gasay ferry terminal development for Lochboisdale.

Additional technical and economic studies, including ground investigation scoping, are now underway by CMAL and these will lead to an update of the draft Outline Business Case report.

The Outline Business Case is expected to be completed by CMAL by early 2025. It would then be subject to consideration by Transport Scotland and Scottish Ministers. Work continues on the project to develop the business case and once this work is complete, availability of funding and value for money will need to be considered

Question reference: S6W-30457

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 04 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 28 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to present its new Scottish Government Gateway Review on the proposed Gasay ferry terminal development for Lochboisdale to the CMAL board and Transport Scotland investment decision-making board for funding.

Question reference: S6W-30237

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 30 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 28 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve mental health support for people who experience migraines.

Our Mental Health & Wellbeing Strategy lays out our vision for improving mental health so people can get the right help, in the right place, at the right time for any aspect of their mental health. This includes people whose mental health has been affected as a result of migraines.

I acknowledge the recent report by the Migraine Trust, which highlighted the links between migraines and mental health.

Question reference: S6O-03865

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 October 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 31 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to improve public consultation on renewable energy projects by energy companies.

Question reference: S6W-30450

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 04 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 22 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-21202 by Tom Arthur on 22 September 2023, whether it will provide an update on how much revenue raised by the business rates incentivisation scheme was retained by each local authority in (a) 2022-23, (b) 2023-24 and (c) 2024-25.

The business rates incentivisation scheme (BRIS) was suspended in 2020-21, 2021-22 and 2022-23 due to the disruptive impact of COVID on NDR revenues, as confirmed in Local government finance circular 8/2021: business rates incentivisation scheme 2019-2022 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)there was therefore no revenue retained by any council in 2022-23, retentions generally affecting the following year’s non-domestic rates income.

Non-domestic rates incentivisation scheme (NDRIS, formerly BRIS) retention amounts relating to 2023-24 will be made available at the earliest opportunity, these amounts will be reported in councils provisional NDR outturn returns following the end of the current financial year.

Local government finance circular 1/2024: Non Domestic Rates Incentivisation Scheme 2023 to 2026 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) details final NDRIS targets for 2023-24 and provisional targets for 2024-25 and 2025-26.

Question reference: S6W-30449

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 04 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 22 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-21203 by Tom Arthur on 19 September 2023, whether it will provide an update on which local authorities have used or are seeking to use their powers under the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 to reduce business rates in (a) 2022-23 and (b) 2023-24.

Local authorities are independent bodies, and it is for them to consider whether to use the powers under the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 to deliver local reliefs. The Scottish Government includes information on these powers in its Local government finance circular 5/2024: non-domestic rates relief guidance - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) issued to local authorities annually.

There were no awards of local relief in 2022-23.

Empty Property Relief was devolved to local authorities since 1 April 2023 and councils can now deliver relief for empty properties via the powers under the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015. As at 1 July 2023, all councils had awarded local Empty Property Reliefs to an estimated 17,000 properties, worth a total of £81 million in 2023-24.

Green Freeport relief is available for properties within the tax sites of Green Freeports in Scotland from the date of tax site designation, which was in 2024-25 for both Green Freeports. Local authorities will deliver this relief under the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 powers and will be reimbursed by Scottish Government for any awards of this relief.

Question reference: S6W-30453

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 04 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 22 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-21203 by Tom Arthur on 19 September 2023, whether it will provide details of which local authorities it anticipates will use or are considering using their powers under the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 to reduce business rates in (a) 2024-25 and (b) 2025-26.