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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-21248

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 11 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 26 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the implementation of a four-tiered agricultural payment structure, as consulted on in relation to the Agriculture Bill, would require the appointment of external consultants in order to administrate such a system.

Question reference: S6W-21397

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 25 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to respond to concerns raised in the consultation on the proposed Agriculture Bill that payments in Tier 1 would be conditional on the production of a Whole Farm Plan.

Question reference: S6W-21400

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 25 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what it means by “efficiencies” when it refers to Tier 3 payments, as stated in the consultation on the proposed Agriculture Bill.

Question reference: S6W-21398

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 25 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how it will encourage food production under Tier 2 payments in the proposed Agriculture Bill.

Question reference: S6W-21169

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 11 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 22 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many deer there are in Scotland.

The review of deer management by the independent Deer Working Group (DWG) found that deer populations in Scotland have grown significantly since 1990, when the population estimate was approximately 512,000 wild deer. The DWG estimated the current deer population to be in excess of one million animals through analysis of data published by NatureScot in recent years. We have no reason to doubt the credibility of this estimate.

Question reference: S6O-02580

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 September 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether equivalent measures in Scotland are needed to those introduced in England and Wales by the Equipment Theft (Prevention) Act 2023, in light of reports of a recent spate of thefts in the Scottish Borders.

Question reference: S6W-21250

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 11 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 20 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that the payments structure under the Agriculture Bill will be clear regarding (a) the conditionality attached to each proposed tier of support and (b) how funding would be delivered to each tier.

Question reference: S6W-20921

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 August 2023
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 19 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government on what grounds the Energy Consents Unit would reject an application to build a battery storage site.

Question reference: S6W-21032

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 19 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to hold more public workshops on its proposed Agriculture Bill in 2023.

Ministers have no plans at present for further bill workshops. The Agriculture reform programme is currently hosting engagement sessions across Scotland to hear from farmers and crofters, and increase awareness of Agricultural Reform.

The Agricultural Reform Roadshow started in June 2023, visiting 25 agricultural shows and marts across Scotland.

A full list of the roadshow dates can be found at Agriculture Reform Programme (ARP) roadshow dates 2023 (ruralpayments.org)

Question reference: S6W-21033

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 19 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what the total level of attendance was at the online events for its proposed Agriculture Bill that were held on 29 September, 27 October and 9, 15 and 16 November 2022.