- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 23 January 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 28 January 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) patrol vessels and (b) patrol planes the Marine Directorate has access to.
Answer
The Marine Directorate owns/operates a fleet of three Marine Protection Vessels (MPVs), and two small inshore craft.
- MPV Minna since 2003 (42 metres in length)
- MPV Jura since 2006 (84 metres in length)
- MPV Hirta since 2008 (84 metres in length)
- Small craft Ailsa and Iona since 2022 (7.8 metres in length)
Marine Directorate owns two surveillance aircraft, Reims Cessna Caravan II F-406 (Watchdog Alpha and Watchdog Bravo) since 2008.
https://www.gov.scot/publications/marine-and-fisheries-compliance-fleet-and-aircraft/
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 23 January 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 28 January 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it can provide details of what progress it has made to “continue to prioritise safety across the sector to minimise the occurrence of accidents at work, and develop alternative safe, fair, and sustainable opportunities for employment in fishing communities”, as referenced in the June 2022 publication, Women in Scottish Fisheries: A literature review on experiences, challenges and opportunities for women working in the Scottish fishing industry.
Answer
Commercial sea fishing is one of the most dangerous jobs in the world. We need to do all we can to make fishing as safe as possible, and encourage more people to see fishing as a desirable career, which will help to ensure the sustainability of the industry in the long term. The Scottish Fishing Safety Group, established in May 2019 aims to do just that. This industry led group works alongside established safety bodies such as the Marine and Coastguard Agency (MCA) and the Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) - on how we can improve health, safety and wellbeing on Scottish vessels. The group supports fishing industry efforts to achieve zero deaths annually and the reduction in accidents across the whole Scottish fishing industry.
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 23 January 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 28 January 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how it supports domestic seafood producers to get their products into supermarkets.
Answer
The Scottish Government has committed £10m over 2023–2025 to support delivery of Scotland's food and drink strategy, Sustaining Scotland, Supplying the World. This funding facilitates a range of activities and direct engagement with grocery retailers to help increase the volume of Scottish food and drink on retail shelves, including Scottish seafood. Activity includes: hosting regional Sourcing Scotland Meet The Buyer events to connect retailers and producers; participating in various sales exhibitions; placing graduates within retail and wholesale buying teams to drive sales; and working with the Scottish Wholesale Association and Scottish Grocers’ Federation to increase sales through wholesale and convenience channels.
Furthermore, the Scottish Government is providing Marine Fund Scotland funding towards Seafood Scotland’s Market Development Project, which involves work to ensure Scottish seafood’s profile grows in UK markets. This includes specific activity with various stakeholders throughout the supply chain to look at ways of increasing the amount of Scottish seafood within retail settings.
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Date lodged: Friday, 17 January 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 27 January 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential impact on the rural economy in Scotland of the UK Firearms (Variation of Fees) Order 2025, which comes into effect on 5 February 2025.
Answer
Whilst Firearms fees is a reserved matter, the Scottish Government is supportive of this recent increase in contributing towards full cost recovery for Firearms Licensing in Scotland. Police Scotland and stakeholders representing Scottish certificate holders were engaged in the 2022 consultation on the Firearms Fee review.
This is the first increase in Firearms Licensing Fees since 2015 and although these increases will cost those in rural communities more than urban areas due to the nature of rural life in Scotland, the impact on the rural economy is still uncertain. I understand the UK Government have committed to reviewing the licensing fees annually with comprehensive reviews every 3 years. These reviews will involve the Fees Working Group which consists of key stakeholders such as Police Scotland and shooting organisations representing Scottish interests.
I would suggest if people or organisations have concerns, these should be raised at the UKG Fees Working Group, to ensure the voices of all those affected are heard.
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 10 January 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Kaukab Stewart on 23 January 2025
To ask the Scottish Government which ideas suggested by the Young Islanders Network in relation to the Addressing Depopulation Action Plan were included in the final report.
Answer
The Addressing Depopulation Action Plan includes an action for Scottish Government to engage with Youth Scotland and the Young Islanders Network (YIN) to co-develop ideas to encourage young people to move to, or remain within our island communities.
Since publication, as part of this engagement the Scottish Government’s independent Expert Advisory Group on Migration and Population have met with a cohort from the YIN, to gather their input into a forthcoming report on the mobilities of young working age people in rural and island areas. It is envisaged that recommendations from this report will be considered by Scottish Ministers after publication, and where appropriate these will inform the development of future interventions to support population attraction and retention in rural and island areas.
Additionally, engagement with the YIN around the development of the next National Islands Plan (NIP) has already been conducted by Scottish Government officials, highlighting that the next NIP plans to have an overarching focus on population attraction and retention. This engagement will continue prior to publication and delivery of the next NIP, planned for later this year.
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 10 January 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Graeme Dey on 23 January 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has committed to maintaining the £8 million of funding for Scottish Innovation Centres that it announced on 17 January 2024, into the 2025-26 financial year.
Answer
Higher Education Capital Funding, which includes the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) core funding for research and knowledge exchange has increased by £11.4m (3.2%) to £368.3m for 2025-26. This will enable us to continue to protect our core grant funding and portfolio of research, knowledge exchange and innovation investments, including Innovation Centres, delivered via the SFC
Scottish Government continue to work with the SFC and the sector on implications and allocation of this budget in line with the usual process. Final allocations are expected to be announced in late May.
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 January 2025
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 29 January 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what support it gives to Police Scotland to increase visibility in remote and rural communities and deliver the community policing model, as outlined in the Chief Constable's 2030 vision for safer communities, less crime, supported victims, and a thriving workforce.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 29 January 2025
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Date lodged: Friday, 10 January 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Fairlie on 22 January 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-28686 by Jim Fairlie on 19 August 2024, whether it will provide an update on when NatureScot will make a bracken map available.
Answer
As noted in the response to question S6W-28686, the Scottish Government is progressing work to develop a bracken mapping layer for Scotland. Officials are liaising with NatureScot and Natural England. The intention is that the map will complement a wider Bracken Strategic Framework, which is being developed for the UK, to aid decision making. There are a number of limitations to be worked through and therefore I am unable to give an indication of timing at this stage. I would be happy to provide an update to the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee in due course.
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 06 January 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Dorothy Bain on 22 January 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how much was spent on (a) foreign travel, (b) foreign accommodation and (c) other expenses associated with official overseas visits for the (i) Lord Advocate and (ii) Solicitor General in the calendar year, 2024.
Answer
All costs associated with overseas visits undertaken by the Lord Advocate and Solicitor General in their roles as heads of the systems of prosecution and deaths investigation are paid by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service budget.
In the calendar year 2024 the costs associated with overseas travel for the Lord Advocate, all of which are associated with ongoing criminal investigations and casework, are as follows:
Flights | Accommodation |
£4,427.40 | £434.67 |
The Lord Advocate did not undertake any overseas trips in her capacity as a Scottish Minister.
The Solicitor General made no overseas trips in the calendar year 2024.
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 10 January 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 21 January 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has allocated to each local authority through its Coastal Change Adaptation Fund in each year since 2022-23.
Answer
The direct distribution funding is targeted using the risk profile developed through Dynamic Coast research. Since year two, all coastal local authorities can apply for case study funding. The distribution methodology is discussed and agreed through COSLA’s formal financial governance process including recommendations from the jointly attended Settlement and Distribution Group and approval from COSLA Leaders.
The information is available at: Dynamic Coast - Coastal Change Adaptation
