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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-37666

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 16 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 29 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the reported £4.4 million ferries "resilience fund", which routes will be covered and what the (a) eligibility criteria, (b) application process and (c) rates of compensation payable will be.

Question reference: S6W-37658

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 16 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 28 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a list of end dates for any leases it has issued to operate (a) windfarms, (b) other forms of renewable energy production and (c) energy storage on Forestry and Land Scotland land.

Scotland's national forest estate, managed by Forestry and Land Scotland has 93 lease agreements in place covering renewable energy schemes. There are 29 windfarms, 25 of which are operational and 4 are under construction. There are 62 hydro schemes, 61 of which are operational and 1 is under construction. There are 2 battery storage schemes, 1 of which is operational and 1 is under construction.

The lease end dates vary depending on lease length, whether any variations are applied during the lease period and whether any lease extension rights are exercised.

Scheme	Type	Status	Lease End Date
Milton Glen Burn	Hydro	Operational	23-Feb-56
Inverlael	Hydro	Operational	04-May-51
Shenval - Allt Seannbhaile	Hydro	Operational	18-Sep-56
Maolachy	Hydro	Operational	31-Mar-29
Allt Phocachain	Hydro	Operational	09-Jan-55
Douglas Water	Hydro	Operational	31-Mar-48
Allt a' Chonais (Strathcarron)	Hydro	Operational	13-Oct-63
Glen Skiach	Hydro	Operational	16-Sep-39
Garbhaig 2	Hydro	Operational	26-Feb-90
Kames - Eas Mor	Hydro	Operational	31-Mar-55
Carie	Hydro	Operational	05-Mar-55
Allt Cheanna Mhuir	Hydro	Operational	14-Aug-54
Abhainn Gleann nam Fiadh	Hydro	Operational	31-Mar-56
Allt Choire a' Bhalachain	Hydro	Operational	17-Jul-54
Duror 1	Hydro	Operational	31-Oct-60
Eas a' Ghaill	Hydro	Operational	02-Nov-54
Coire Ealt Burn	Hydro	Operational	22-Jun-54
Abhainn Shalachain	Hydro	Operational	18-Dec-53
Allt Garbh	Hydro	Operational	15-May-56
Allt Ladaidh	Hydro	Operational	19-Mar-55
Allt Lararidh or Lairairidh	Hydro	Operational	05-Oct-54
Allt Luaidhe	Hydro	Operational	20-Jan-55
Inverliever (River Liever) including Cam Loch	Hydro	Operational	11-Jun-49
Allt a Mhuilinn	Hydro	Operational	23-Apr-58
Allt Garaidh Ghualaich (Garry Gualach)	Hydro	Operational	11-Sep-26
Braevallich (Allt Bheallach)	Hydro	Operational	12-Nov-33
Cia Aig	Hydro	Operational	03-Mar-53
Schoolhouse Burn, Loch Long	Hydro	Operational	30-Jun-60
Allt Coire Chaorach	Hydro	Operational	03-Aug-64
Donich Water	Hydro	Operational	02-Feb-56
Bruach Chaorainn Burn	Hydro	Operational	26-Apr-57
Leacann	Hydro	Operational	12-Sep-79
Allt Easach	Hydro	Operational	13-May-59
Balnacarn Burn	Hydro	Operational	08-May-51
Allt Stronyre	Hydro	Operational	21-Jun-51
Benmore Burn Benmore Home Farm	Hydro	Operational	27-Aug-55
River Lochy	Hydro	Operational	10-Feb-55
Allt Beochlich	Hydro	Operational	21-Jan-49
Invernoaden	Hydro	Operational	31-Dec-58
Lephincorrach Burn Torrisdale	Hydro	Operational	31-May-55
Duror Extension	Hydro	Operational	30-Jun-60
Allt na Fearna	Hydro	Operational	31-Aug-57
Glen Righ - Abhainn Righ - Allt Meurach	Hydro	Operational	29-Jan-58
Allt Dearg	Hydro	Operational	03-Sep-57
Cuil Burn, Loch long	Hydro	Operational	24-Oct-59
Feorline Burn	Hydro	Operational	07-Jul-60
Allt a' Chaitchinn or Achlain	Hydro	Operational	26-Mar-59
Allt Coire a'Bhainidh	Hydro	Operational	01-Nov-57
Allt an Laghain	Hydro	Operational	22-Apr-58
Allt nan Cnocan - Glen Finart	Hydro	Operational	17-May-56
Allt Garaidh Ghualaich - Upper	Hydro	Operational	08-Dec-59
Abhainn Achachoish, Corranbuie	Hydro	Operational	15-May-56
Greenfield Burn	Hydro	Operational	08-Dec-59
Burnmakiman Burn Dunoon	Hydro	Operational	02-Jul-57
Littleton Burn	Hydro	Operational	16-Oct-59
Glen Burn - Barbeth	Hydro	Operational	29-Apr-56
Allt Eilidh	Hydro	Operational	28-Oct-59
Allt an t-Sidhein	Hydro	Operational	01-Mar-60
Allt Mhuic	Hydro	Operational	19-Jan-60
Merkland Burn	Hydro	Under Construction	04-May-65
Little Clyde	Wind	Operational	28-Mar-38
An Suidhe	Wind	Operational	07-Dec-33
Whitelee 2	Wind	Operational	19-Sep-38
Mid Hill	Wind	Operational	25-Oct-37
Stroupster	Wind	Operational	30-Nov-37
Myres Hill	Wind	Operational	13-Dec-36
Whitelee 1	Wind	Operational	09-Aug-34
Rothes 2 (Cairn Uish Hill)	Wind	Operational	20-Jun-37
Burn of Whilk	Wind	Operational	25-Apr-38
Cruach Mhor	Wind	Operational	06-Mar-29
Kilgallioch	Wind	Operational	28-Jun-43
Blackcraig	Wind	Operational	29-Nov-43
Black Law	Wind	Operational	31-Mar-32
South Kyle	Wind	Operational	02-Aug-55
Halsary	Wind	Operational	29-Sep-49
Beinn An Tuirc 1	Wind	Operational	02-Jun-30
Beinn An Tuirc 2	Wind	Operational	28-Oct-37
Beinn An Tuirc 3	Wind	Operational	24-Oct-47
Harestanes	Wind	Operational	30-Apr-40
West Benhar	Wind	Operational	29-Feb-48
Camster	Wind	Operational	14-Nov-35
Arecleoch	Wind	Operational	01-Dec-36
A' Chruach	Wind	Operational	06-Nov-42
Clashindarroch	Wind	Operational	10-Jul-41
Deucheran Hill	Wind	Operational	18-Feb-26
North Kyle	Wind	Under Construction	30-May-63
Pencloe	Wind	Under Construction	28-Apr-52
Camster 2	Wind	Under Construction	12-Sep-53
Arecleoch Ext	Wind	Under Construction	14-Apr-55
Whitelee	Battery	Operational	09-Aug-34
Harestanes	Battery	Under Construction	03-Jul-40

Question reference: S6W-37517

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 16 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 22 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of the reported £801 million allocated to Scotland from European Structural and Investment Funds was claimed by 30 April 2025.

Question reference: S6W-37438

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 09 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 21 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many people were interviewed as part of the Pain Management Panel report, which was published in November 2022, broken down by NHS board area; what its position is on whether publishing the views of 16 people in the report presents a fair representation of the 800,000 people in Scotland who experience chronic pain; for what reason (a) the reported screening questionnaire used to produce the report did not directly ask participants about whether their condition had been diagnosed by a health professional and (b) respondents were reportedly paid £200 each to participate in the survey; whether known pain patient volunteers were asked to take part in the survey, and whether it sought guidance from NICE or any other body on the suitability of a "no impact" categorisation being used in the survey.

The Pain Management Panel consisted of 16 people with lived experience of chronic pain. A sampling framework was developed by The Lines Between to ensure diversity within the panel across participants’ experiences, circumstances, and characteristics. The sampling framework was designed to recruit 15 participants to the pain management panel with the intention to interview a group of 22-25 people to mitigate potential attrition during the project.

The Scottish Government does not hold information on how many people were interviewed.

The Scottish Government does not hold information on which NHS board area the volunteers lived in. More information on the demographics of the panel can be found in the report.

The Scottish Government does not hold any special category data, such as details of a medical diagnosis, for the participants of the pain management panel.

The Pain Management Panel is just one of the ways we engage with people with lived experience. The report was primarily intended to provide detailed qualitative information and illustrative examples of participants’ experience living with chronic pain, rather than being an exact representation of the prevalence of chronic pain in Scotland’s wider population.

Participants in the panel were reimbursed for their time in line with the Scottish Government’s guidelines.

This term ‘no impact’ was proposed by the Scottish Government as a contraction of ‘did not experience any limitation on life or work activities over the past three months’. This was designed to align with the questions in the Scottish Health Survey which showed that 22% of the more than 4000 adults surveyed did not experience any impact on their work or life activities.

Question reference: S6O-04687

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 May 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to allocate additional funding to Argyll and Bute Council, in light of reports of Argyll and Bute Health and Social Care Partnership’s funding deficit.

Question reference: S6W-36746

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 2 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many wind farms are on land owned by it, broken down by megawatts of wind capacity generated, and what proportion of these farms are community owned.

There are twenty-five operational windfarms on Scotland’s national forests and land, managed by Forestry and Land Scotland. None of the windfarms are community owned in whole or part.

Windfarm	Number of MW on Scotland’s National Forests and Land (*several projects are located largely on neighbouring private land)
Deucheran Hill	16
Cruach Mhor	26
Beinn An Tuirc 1	9*
Black Law	20
Rothes 2 (Cairn Uish Hill)	7*
Whitelee 1	163
An Suidhe	19
Camster	22
Arecleoch	106
Myres Hill	2*
Mid Hill	53
Stroupster	16
Little Clyde	25
Burn of Whilk	23
Beinn An Tuirc 2	44
Whitelee 2	193
Harestanes	136
Clashindarroch	37
A' Chruach	43
Kilgallioch	73
Blackcraig	5*
Beinn An Tuirc 3	50
West Benhar	30
Halsary	28
South Kyle	240

Question reference: S6W-36546

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 04 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 1 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with NatureScot regarding maintaining and growing native oyster populations in Marine Protected Areas, and what actions are being considered.

MPAs are managed in line with the conservation and management advice provided by NatureScot. Management measures are already in place to achieve the conservation objectives for native oysters where they are a protected feature, by reducing the pressures that affect them. Additional protection is being considered for native oysters through the proposed PMF management areas as part of development of the inshore fisheries management measures.

The Scottish Government, with support from NatureScot, is currently developing a Marine and Coastal Restoration Plan which will support the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy objective of accelerating restoration and regeneration.

Question reference: S6W-36545

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 04 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 29 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what actions are being considered to address any unregulated gathering of native oysters in Marine Protected Areas, in light of recent reports of functional extinction of native oysters.

In general, it is an offence to collect native oysters from any location in Scotland. Currently the Loch Sween MPA is the only marine protected area that lists native oysters as a protected feature, and there are specific management measures in place for the MPA which prohibit fishing with a demersal trawl, mechanical dredge or by hand. British sea-fishery officers from the Marine Directorate will investigate any alleged reports of illegal fishing activity wherever it occurs.

Question reference: S6W-36544

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 04 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 29 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is, in light of reports that native oyster numbers within the Loch Sween Marine Protected Area have significantly declined.

Question reference: S6W-36417

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kaukab Stewart on 25 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Scottish Human Rights Commission’s November 2024 report, Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in the Highlands and Islands.