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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-34984

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 17 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 26 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, what discussions it has had with the Eskdalemuir Working Group, in light of the publication of the Ministry of Defence report, Consultation on the Ministry of Defence's approach to safeguarding the Eskdalemuir Seismological Array, and when the group will next meet.

The Ministry of Defence’s (MOD) consultation on its proposals regarding its approach to safeguarding the Eskdalemuir Seismological Array closed on 20 December 2024. The MOD is currently reviewing the consultation responses.

The Eskdalemuir Working Group (EWG) receive a verbal update from the MOD on the timescales for completion of the review process at each EWG meeting. The next EWG meeting is scheduled for 1 April 2025.

Question reference: S6W-35070

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 17 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Dorothy Bain on 26 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on the reasons for the Lord Advocate and Solicitor General having recused themselves from any role in relation to consideration of possible proceedings resulting from Operation Branchform.

Question reference: S6W-34870

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kaukab Stewart on 26 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has provided to Intercultural Youth Scotland in each year since 2021, and what the objectives of that funding were.

Since 2021, the Scottish Government has provided £1,672,922 of funding to Intercultural Youth Scotland (IYS) across various funding streams.

IYS receive funding from the Equality and Human Rights Fund (EHRF) to enable and support participation and representation of young Black and People of Colour (BPoC), ensuring they are represented in decision-making that affect their lives in a range of areas.

IYS also receive funding from the Employability and Advancement Project (formerly the Restless Natives Project). This funding is to ensure equitable support for young BPoC school leavers as they prepare for and take their first steps into the world of work.

The Curriculum and Qualifications Division has provided funding to IYS to support schools with embedding anti-racism and to ensure they are better equipped to respond to racist incidents, and that curriculums are decolonised.

During 2021-22, IYS received funding for a programme to expand the quality and quantity of support to marginalised BPoC children and young people, tackling social isolation and loneliness.

During 2023-24, IYS received funding to conduct a series of workshops over a nine-month period with children and young people. This was to scrutinise the Anti-Racism in Education Programme’s (AREP) four workstreams and provide recommendations for each of them.

Question reference: S6W-34846

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 26 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many non-departmental public bodies there are, and how this compares with May 1999.

Question reference: S6W-34877

Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 26 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider establishing a new executive agency responsible for cutting wasteful spending, similar to the Department of Government Efficiency in the United States of America, and, if not, how it plans to reduce any wasteful spending in the public sector.

The Scottish Government is committed to maintaining public finances on a sustainable trajectory. Improving the efficiency and effectiveness of public services is a key strand of the Public Service Reform programme, which reports to Parliament on a regular basis.

Accountable Officers for all public bodies or portfolio within the Scottish Government have a personal responsibility for the propriety and regularity of the finances under their stewardship and for the economic, efficient and effective use of all related resources. This includes being personally answerable to Parliament for the exercise of their functions. This is set out in the Public Finance and Accountability (Scotland) Act 2000 and the Scottish Public Finance Manual.

The Scottish Government has no plans to incur the costs associated with the establishment of a new executive agency to duplicate the work already being undertaken by Accountable Officers and Ministers.

Question reference: S6W-34032

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 26 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-33090 by Ivan McKee on 16 January 2025, what other equipment has been purchased in each of the last five years for use in net zero messaging, including non-conventional means of transport such as scooters and skateboards.

Question reference: S6W-34031

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 26 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-33090 by Ivan McKee on 16 January 2025, what procurement process was followed to buy each bicycle, and whether it will confirm each bicycle's (a) make, (b) model, (c) cost and (d) country of origin.

The bicycles were not purchased by the Scottish Government, but by the Energy Saving Trust. Details of the two bicycles are:

Bicycle 1: a) Make: Urban Arrow b) Model: Flatbed XL Cargo Line 500Wh with Flight Case c) Cost: No cost to Scottish Government, as it was gifted. d) Country of origin: the Netherlands.

Bicycle 2: a) Make: Butcher and Bicycles b) Model: Mk1 Vario c) Cost: No cost to Scottish Government, as it was gifted d) Country of origin: Denmark.

Question reference: S6W-32664

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 26 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding its work on international development, whether it has had any official or unofficial contact with any representatives in relation to infrastructure or financial projects in Bangladesh.

Our International Development work focuses on three partner countries in Africa. The Scottish Government has not had official or unofficial contact with representatives from Bangladesh in relation to International Development, for either infrastructure or financial projects in Bangladesh. Our International Development overseas investment partner countries are Malawi, Rwanda, and Zambia. More information on our International Development work can be found online at <https://www.gov.scot/policies/international-development/>

Question reference: S6W-34633

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 07 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 26 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what revenue it has received from deer culling activities on land that it owns in each of the last five years.

Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) is the executive agency which manages Scotland’s national forests and land. The majority of deer management on land owned by the Scottish Government is undertaken by FLS. Alongside land owned by the Scottish Government, public bodies also manage deer on public land they are responsible for. This includes NatureScot and Scottish Water. Further detail on the revenue these organisations have received from deer management activities is as follows.

Forestry and Land Scotland

FLS income from deer carcasses, the associated bye-products and fees from leases/permissions for recreational stalking, has amounted to:

Year	Amount
2019-20	£1750000
2020-21*	£835000
2021-22	£1280000
2022-23	£1440000
2023-24	£1700000

*(reduced culling activity due to Covid-19)

NatureScot

NatureScot revenue is approximately £55,000 in each of the last five years except from in 2020-21 when there was reduced culling activity due to Covid-19. This is includes revenue from stalking leases and venison sales.

Scottish Water

Scottish Water's income from deer management comes from the rent for sporting rights at Backwater and Lintrathen, the total rental income over the last five years comes to £77,000. However, at Backwater this income includes grouse as well as deer, so the total income from deer culling activities will be lower. In addition, there is a lease for shooting at Little Ballo which includes for red deer in the sum of £500 per annum over the last five years.

Question reference: S6W-34616

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 07 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 26 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what revenue it has received from rental payments for wind turbines located on land that it owns in each of the last five years.