Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-37888

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 3 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any potential cultural impacts of livestock reductions on rural communities.

The Scottish Government recognises the vital cultural, social, and economic role that livestock farming plays in Scotland’s rural and island communities which is why we remain fully committed to supporting livestock production and rural communities through our vision for sustainable and regenerative farming. While livestock numbers have declined over time, this reflects long-standing structural and economic challenges—such as profitability, labour shortages, and confidence—rather than any policy to reduce numbers. We are aware of recent reports highlighting the unique role that agriculture plays in sustaining rural life, including its contribution to community identity, cultural heritage, and local economies. These findings reinforce the importance of maintaining active farming across all parts of Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-37890

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 3 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what financial support will be available to farmers adopting (a) methane suppressing feed additives and (b) improved manure management practices.

The Scottish Government is exploring the potential role of methane suppressing feed products (MSFPs) in reducing agricultural emissions, including how appropriate uptake could be recognised in future. Any future support would be and aligned with wider agricultural reform and climate policy objectives. There is currently no financial support available to farmers adopting MSFPs.

In relation to improved manure management practices, over £13 million of capital budget has been allocated in recent years to fund low emission spreading equipment, slurry store covers, slurry stores and irrigation lagoons in order to improve water quality and manure management. Directing support specifically at the slurry options was intended to help the sector comply with the new regulatory requirements introduced by the ‘The Water Environment (Controlled Activities) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2021’. As these regulations will come into effect from 1 January 2026, it is no longer appropriate to offer further support for slurry storage options or to prioritise other manure management support.

Question reference: S6W-37905

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 3 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to monitor the uptake of low-carbon farming technologies and practices across different regions.

The Agricultural and Rural Communities (Scotland) Act 2024 requires Scottish Ministers to publish reports on the implementation of the Rural Support Plan and the schemes delivered under it. These schemes constitute the Scottish Government’s primary mechanism for promoting the adoption of low-carbon technologies and sustainable practices in agriculture. A monitoring and evaluation (M&E) framework to support this work is currently under development.

The framework will adopt a hierarchical structure, with programme-level monitoring and evaluation informed by tier- and intervention/scheme-level assessments. At the programme level, indicators are being developed to track progress against the strategic outcomes framework, with a baseline set for 2025 and reporting scheduled every five years. Strategic Outcome 3—Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation—aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture in line with the Climate Change Plan (CCP) envelope and to enhance the sector’s capacity to adapt to climate change. This outcome is supported by sub-outcomes related to carbon storage, livestock and soil emissions, machinery and slurry emissions, and adaptation measures.

Analysts are currently identifying and quality-assuring indicators to measure progress in these areas, including uptake of sustainable and regenerative farming technologies and practices. Additional monitoring will be conducted at the tier and scheme levels, with appropriate baselines and reporting schedules established for each. As part of the M&E framework, analysts will consider how the uptake of schemes or measures may differ across different regions, communities or business types.

Question reference: S6O-04720

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 May 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the improvements to the A75.

Question reference: S6O-04627

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 April 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the net zero secretary has had with the rural affairs secretary regarding the potential environmental and biodiversity impact of the proposed Galloway National Park.

Question reference: S6O-04580

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 April 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what funding will be available to help infrastructure projects in south west Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-36182

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 8 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-30074 by Mairi Gougeon on 27 September 2024, and in light of recent media coverage, including a video showing discarded fish on the seabed, how the suite of measures in place to manage fisheries and safeguard fish stocks are tackling illegal discarding.

The fishing industry is heavily regulated, with many rules in place designed to limit unwanted catch. The Scottish Government is tackling illegal discarding primarily through the enforcement of the Landing Obligation, which mandates that all catches of quota species must be landed. This is supported by monitoring and enforcement, including sea patrols, as well as technical and spatial management measures such as selective fishing gear and area closures, with the combined aim to reduce instances of unwanted catches.

Question reference: S6W-35636

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 7 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the farmed fish sector has a non-binding industry code of good practice regarding the legal obligations for keepers and industry stakeholders under the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 and the Welfare of Animals at the Time of Killing (Scotland) Regulations 2012, and whether it will introduce official guidance to help ensure clarity.

Although not formally adopted under the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 nor the Welfare of Animals at the Time of Killing (Scotland) Regulations 2012, the finfish sector’s Code of Good Practice supports producers to deliver on their welfare obligations.

The Scottish Government, in its response to the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee (13 March 2025), has committed to exploring options for how to best to set welfare standards for production going forward and will update the Committee in September 2025 on progress and next steps.

We are currently developing guidance for the welfare of farmed fish at the time of slaughter taking into account the recommendations made in the UK Animal Welfare Committee report of 2014 and its updated opinion of 2023. We will engage with the industry and other stakeholders, including animal welfare organisations, for their views at the appropriate stage.

Question reference: S6W-35637

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 7 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what measures are in place or planned to ensure that enforcement bodies and the fish farming industry fully understand and comply with legal welfare requirements for farmed fish across their entire lifecycle.

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) are responsible for considering welfare complaints and investigating potential breaches in welfare legislation.

APHA veterinarians have the professional knowledge and training to assess against the welfare needs set out in Section 24 (3) of The Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006.

The Code of Good Practice for Scottish Finfish Aquaculture is a sector developed code which supports producers in understanding and delivering their obligations around welfare and other matters. Compliance with the code may form part of the range evidence used by APHA in considering whether obligations have been breached.

Question reference: S6W-35638

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 7 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to review or update the current farmed fish industry-developed code of good practice by replacing or supplementing it with official guidance that provides prescriptive detail on meeting welfare obligations, and, if so, what consultation process will be carried out with stakeholders.

The Code of Good Practice for Scottish Finfish Aquaculture is independent of Scottish Government which is not responsible for any review or updates made to the Code.

The Scottish Government, in its response to the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee (13 March 2025), has committed to exploring options for how to best to set welfare standards for production going forward and will update the Committee in September 2025 on progress and next steps.

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