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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-39121

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 July 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 30 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that patients in towns such as Gretna, Langholm, and Canonbie are not excluded from accessing contingency care staffing systems, such as Staffscanner, due to geographic location, and what steps are being taken to address any resulting disparity in care provision in border communities.

Question reference: S6W-39097

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 July 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 29 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-38278 by Neil Gray on 10 June 2025, what support, in the form of guidance and process delivery, it is providing to clinicians to prioritise any urgent non-cancer colonoscopy requests.

Question reference: S6W-38761

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 23 June 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 21 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answers to questions S6W-30076, S6W-30077 and S6W-30078 by Mairi Gougeon on 7 October 2024, whether it can provide an update on its consideration of the issues regarding any funding that it provided to TN Trawlers or associated companies over the periods of time covered in the BBC’s reporting.

Question reference: S6W-38740

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 June 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 15 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what compliance monitoring by NatureScot in relation to grouse shooting licences (a) took place during the 2024 and (b) is planned for the 2025 shooting season.

Question reference: S6W-38760

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 June 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 15 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of recent media coverage of a video showing discarded fish on the Scottish seabed, what due diligence it carries out regarding any fines or convictions for illegal discard prior to it providing any funding to any fishing companies or vessels.

Question reference: S6W-38435

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 06 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 12 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many species-specific licences, issued by NatureScot, Forestry and Land Scotland currently holds; for which species, and for what purposes.

Forestry and Land Scotland currently holds three species licences. The details of which are as follows:

Licence number	Species	Purpose
280737	Wildlife and Countryside Act (as amended) Schedule 1 (breeding and lekking) and 5 (Great crested newts, Otters, and Wildcats	For science, research or education.
275762	Eurasian beavers	For the possession, control, transportation of live animals taken by live capture trapping under Licence 248144 to and from locations approved by NatureScot under that licence.
280378	Red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris)	To permit Contractors or Operators as agents of Forestry and Land Scotland to disturb Red Squirrels and damage or destroy their dreys during the course of forestry operations where the actions are licensable, there are no satisfactory alternatives, and actions will not be detrimental to Favourable Conservation Status.

Question reference: S6W-38437

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 06 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 12 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether Forestry and Land Scotland has allowed external organisations to work under its own species-specific killing, disturbance or shelter destruction licences when carrying out forestry operations on the national forest estate; if so, how often, and which species are involved in any instances of such a licence transfer.

Question reference: S6W-38438

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 06 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 12 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government which external organisations or type of organisations have undertaken operations under any Forestry and Land Scotland species-specific licence.

Question reference: S6W-38436

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 06 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 12 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether any species licences issued to Forestry and Land Scotland by NatureScot can be transferred to third parties without the prior approval of NatureScot, and whether any such formal consent is in place at present for third party use.

Any changes, including transferring the licence or modifying its scope, must be agreed upon in writing with NatureScot.

The current years red squirrel licence granted to Forestry and Land Scotland contains a condition (i.e. four) stating that, this licence can only be used by agents if prior permission has been granted by a FLS Decision Maker.

The current beaver licence states in condition seven that, the licence holder may permit agents or assistants to work under the terms of this licence.

The research licence states in condition two that, this licence only covers work carried out for FLS, by FLS employees and registered volunteers.

Question reference: S6O-04811

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 June 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that nearly 40% of adults in Dumfries and Galloway are not registered with an NHS dentist.