- Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 July 2025
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Current Status:
Answer expected on 12 August 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how much NHS Dumfries and Galloway has saved as a result of any reduction in publicly funded dental services, and how any such savings are being accounted for within the region’s financial recovery plans.
Answer
Answer expected on 12 August 2025
- Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 July 2025
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Current Status:
Answer expected on 12 August 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports of a significant number of people in Dumfries and Galloway moving from NHS dental services to paying privately for dental services, whether any funding that was previously used for NHS dental services has been ring-fenced for future reinvestment in NHS dental provision in the region.
Answer
Answer expected on 12 August 2025
- Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 July 2025
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Current Status:
Answer expected on 12 August 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports of a significant number of people in Dumfries and Galloway moving from NHS dental services to paying privately for dental services, where any funding that was previously used for NHS dental services has been reallocated.
Answer
Answer expected on 12 August 2025
- Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 30 June 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 10 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish the Rural Support Plan.
Answer
The Agriculture and Rural Communities (Scotland) Act 2024 requires the Scottish Ministers to publish a five-year Rural Support Plan and have regard to it when exercising functions under the 2024 Act. The Agriculture and Rural Communities (Scotland) Act 2024 (Commencement No. 1) Regulations 2025 came into force on 16 June 2025. In the first instance it provides the legal basis for the introduction of the Rural Support Plan, which will set out how support over each five-year period will deliver to 2024 Act objectives and wider Scottish Government priorities.
It will build upon for the Vision for Scottish Agriculture and the Agricultural Reform Route Map and outline the phased transition from legacy EU Common Agricultural Policy support to the new four-tier framework. It will reflect the on-going engagement and co-development taking place within the Agriculture Reform Programme. The Rural Support Plan will collate this information into a single strategic and coherent package, add programme level input and ensure the totality of measures is considered. This work is part of normal duties within the Agricultural Reform Programme and any costs will be met within existing budgets.
The initial Rural Support Plan is intended to be drafted through the remainder of 2025 and laid in Winter 2025, to reflect the Route Map, the on-going work of the Agricultural Reform Programme and published ahead of the first plan period of 2026-2030.
- Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 26 June 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Fairlie on 8 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that the eligibility criteria for tier 3 of the Agri-Environment Climate Scheme support a range of actions, such as managing species-rich pastures, and do not only support tree planting.
Answer
Since it was launched in 2015, the Agri-Environment Climate Scheme (AECS) has supported land managers to undertake a wide range of actions to benefit the environment. Support is provided for the management of species-rich grassland and small-scale tree planting, alongside options spanning nature restoration, climate change mitigation and adaptation, improving water quality and mitigating flood risk. The scheme offers both capital and resource funding to enable the uptake of options which complement existing farming systems and support both productive agriculture and nature and climate outcomes. Full scheme guidance is available on the Rural Payments website.
As stated in the Agricultural Reform Route Map, AECS is expected to continue until at least 2026 to deliver elements of Elective support ahead of Tier 3 launching in 2027.
Tier 3 Elective will support action that protects habitats or species or improves business sustainability. It will focus on funding a range of targeted actions for climate change and nature restoration. This could be specific to a particular species or habitat, support conversion to alternative forms of agriculture such as organic production, encourage innovation and provide supply chain support.
- Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 June 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Fairlie on 3 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to prevent carbon leakage from agricultural imports as a result of any reduction in domestic agricultural production.
Answer
The Scottish Government does not accept the premise of the question. As the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands set out at the Royal Highland Show on 19 June, while we have accepted the Climate Change Committee’s proposed carbon budget levels to reach net zero, we will not be accepting their policy recommendations which would have had a detrimental impact on our agriculture sector and wider rural economy.
We have been crystal clear: this government has no policy, and will have no policy, to cut livestock numbers. We will reach net zero, and we intend to do that in a way which works for rural Scotland without simply offshoring our emissions and environmental responsibilities.
In terms of trade, I would highlight the impact of UK Trade Deals in terms of their impact on domestic production/offshoring as outlined in the answer to question S6W-37892 on 4 June 2025. Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanisms are also an important policy tool; however, the trade-related powers that could be used to protect Scotland’s livestock industry are held in Westminster under the current constitutional settlement.
All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.
- Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 June 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 26 June 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what contingency plans are in place in the event that emissions reductions from agriculture and land use do not progress in line with its net zero targets.
Answer
The Scottish Government expects that all policies and proposals set out in the forthcoming Climate Change Plan will be delivered. Progress of these policies and proposals will be monitored closely throughout the plan period through a robust Monitoring and Evaluation Framework. Regular monitoring will establish progress and allow Ministers to consider appropriate action to support any off track indicators on a case to case basis.
- Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 02 June 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 16 June 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde to move towards surgery for ovarian cancer patients being undertaken after three cycles of chemotherapy, for those being treated with neoadjuvant regime, in light of its previously reported commitment to achieve this by April-June 2024.
Answer
Jenni Minto: NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde have and are continuing to take action to simplify scheduling of these complex cases. They have advised that achieving surgery within three cycles of chemotherapy for this patient group remains a Board priority. There is an improvement plan in place to achieve this, with actions being closely monitored.
Ongoing improvement work includes:
- Early access to radiology scanning
- Multi-disciplinary team (MDT) meeting one week after scan results
- Efficient scheduling of colorectal input for joint surgery cases
- Additional colorectal surgical time being allocated to work with gynaecology oncology team
- Maximum use of protected 14 weekly theatre sessions
NHSGGC has advised that the number of patients receiving more than three cycles of chemotherapy while waiting surgery has significantly decreased.
- Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 06 June 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Fairlie on 16 June 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-37894 by Jim Fairlie on 3 June 2025, whether it will provide the information requested, specifically regarding what its position is on what role precision agriculture has in reducing nitrous oxide emissions from fertiliser use, and for what reason it did not provide this information in its answer.
Answer
The answer to question S6W-37894 referred to a range of economic and environmental benefits that the Scottish Government believes can be delivered through the use of precision agriculture. These are understood to include the reduction of nitrous oxide emissions through more targeted use of fertiliser. An example of this in practice can be found on the website of the SG funded Farm Advisory Service at Optimise your Nutrient Management with Precision Manure Spreading Technology | Information helping farmers in Scotland | Farm Advisory Service
- Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 02 June 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 13 June 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what steps are being taken to reduce ovarian cancer surgery waiting lists in the south of Scotland.
Answer
The South East Scotland Cancer Network (SCAN) continue to focus on reducing waiting times and improving outcomes for people diagnosed with ovarian cancer. They have made recent innovations in both the pre-diagnosis and post-diagnosis parts of the pathway:
- Pre diagnosis: patients referred with suspected ovarian cancer automatically receive a CT scan appointment and should the scan show any suspicious features, the multi-disciplinary team will review and an action plan will be formalised. They report that this has significantly decreased waiting times.
- Post diagnosis: 10 dedicated advanced ovarian cancer surgery lists are offered each week supported by the specialist gynae-oncology team and the colorectal and hepato-biliary surgery teams, as appropriate, aiming to improve post-surgery outcomes including survival rates.
