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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.

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Question reference: S6W-24170

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 11 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many businesses and attractions were awarded a (a) one star, (b) two star, (c) three star, (d) four star and (e) five star rating through VisitScotland’s Quality Assurance scheme in each year since 2016.

VisitScotland has provided the following data:

YE Date	1 Star	1-3 Star	2 Star	2-3 Star
end Dec 2016	15	2	167	17
end Dec 2017	12	1	138	14
end Dec 2018	10	1	105	11
end Dec 2019	6	1	100	8
end Dec 2020	6	1	88	7
end Mar 2022	6	0	77	6
end Mar 2023	6	0	58	4

YE Date	2-4 Star	2-5 Star	3 Star	3-4 Star
end Dec 2016	6	1	1747	101
end Dec 2017	5	1	1524	90
end Dec 2018	4	1	1380	89
end Dec 2019	3	1	1221	79
end Dec 2020	3	1	1120	65
end Mar 2022	4	1	1053	65
end Mar 2023	2	1	735	48

YE Date	3-5 Star	4 Star	4-5 Star	5 Star
end Dec 2016	8	2479	56	513
end Dec 2017	7	2342	60	525
end Dec 2018	8	2244	59	549
end Dec 2019	11	2083	50	551
end Dec 2020	12	1952	47	531
end Mar 2022	12	1829	45	512
end Mar 2023	7	1444	34	457

YE Date	Pass	Await	Total
end Dec 2016	166	101	5379
end Dec 2017	171	77	4967
end Dec 2018	172	36	4669
end Dec 2019	174	52	4340
end Dec 2020	159	130	4122
end Mar 2022	149	308	4067
end Mar 2023	128	204	3128

It should be noted that:

The data is a snapshot of the number of sites in QA membership at the end of the membership year. A business may have multiple sites.
Increase in Awaiting Grading figures since 2020 are due to a two-year suspension of live visits due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Award ranges apply to some sectors where one site has a range of properties at different grades. Historic breakdown for these individual properties is not available.
Reporting period changed in 2021 from calendar to fiscal year.

Question reference: S6W-24201

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 11 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what impact it anticipates its proposed £17,496,000 reduction in funding for Ferguson Marine, as set out in the 2024-25 Scottish Budget, will have on its ability to deliver Hull (a) 801 and (b) 802 within its respective revised timescale.

Question reference: S6W-24176

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 11 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many registered GlobalScots there were in 2023.

Question reference: S6W-23967

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Christina McKelvie on 11 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will take steps to reopen the “Radical Road” in Holyrood Park.

The Scottish Government delegated the management of Holyrood Park to Historic Environment Scotland as a Property in Care. This delegation includes decision-making relating to the ‘Radical Road’ which was closed in 2018 following significant rockfall and it has remained closed to minimise the health and safety risk posed by the active threat of rockfall. Historic Environment Scotland advised that there have been a number of further rockfalls on to Radical Road since the closure.

While managing the Park, Historic Environment Scotland is legally obliged to comply with all relevant legislation, of which health and safety is particularly important. Historic Environment Scotland has to ensure the health and safety of its visitors, staff and contractors.

Historic Environment Scotland also has a duty of care to people entering the Park, under the Occupier’s Liability (Scotland) Act 1960, in relation to dangers caused by the state of the Park, as well as a general civil law duty of care. The Occupier’s Liability legislation and the general duty of care were central in the decision to close Radical Road.

The risks in relation to the ‘Radical Road’ and other areas of Holyrood Park will be routinely re-assessed by specialist geotechnical engineers, and potential mitigating measures considered to inform future plans.

Question reference: S6W-24102

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 11 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the announcement to delay the reopening of Uig Harbour was made less than 24 hours before the scheduled recommencement of ferry services, and for what reason berthing trials for the harbour were not held before 14 December 2023.

The Uig second outage period was scheduled from 30 October until 11 December 2023, a period of six weeks. The vessel berthing trial of 10 December 2023 was not undertaken as outage works were hampered by severe weather; with the berthing trial re-scheduled to 14 December 2023. The Highland Council worked closely with CalMac during the trial on 14 however an issue was highlighted with the new restraint bollards and the re-opening was delayed until 22 December 2023. A press release confirming the delay was published by the Highland Council on 15 December 2023 – link is aside for ease of reference:

Second planned closure of Uig Harbour – Update 15 December | The Highland Council

Question reference: S6W-23965

Asked by: Sarah Boyack, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Christina McKelvie on 11 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to potentially changing the legislative framework to increase flexibility in the management and operation of paths and roads in Holyrood Park.

The Scottish Government delegated the management of Holyrood Park to Historic Environment Scotland as a Property in Care. When considering potential changes to any Property in Care, Historic Environment Scotland ensures that the local community, as well as the relevant experts, are consulted. The Holyrood Park public consultation ran from 26 September to 19 December 2023, and once the results are analysed this will inform the development of any proposals for change. Health and safety remains paramount and I will continue my regular engagement with Historic Environment Scotland regarding the effective management of the Properties in Care.

Question reference: S6W-24083

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 11 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the recognition in its Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement, published in November 2023, of "behaviours which are particularly linked to human trafficking and exploitation, such as commercial sexual exploitation", what action it will propose to criminalise men who purchase women for sex.

The Scottish Government will publish a Framework to challenge men’s demand for prostitution and to support those with experience of it, early this year. The Framework will form part of Scotland’s collective approach to tackling commercial sexual exploitation and is cognisant of its links to Scotland’s Trafficking and Exploitation Strategy.

Once published, our focus will be on the delivery of the Framework, which will also improve access to support for women with experience of prostitution, with the implementation of it helping to inform any future legislative considerations.

Question reference: S6W-23943

Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Alba Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Emma Roddick on 11 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding any potential impact of the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill on the Act of Union of 1707 in relation to the jurisdiction of Scottish courts.

Question reference: S6W-24001

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 18 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 11 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential implications for its policies of the Climate Change Committee’s 2023 Progress Report to Parliament.

We welcomed the Climate Change Committee’s 2023 progress report to the UK Parliament and agree that much greater urgency and focus on delivery is required from the UK Government if climate goals across the UK are to be met.

Scotland continues to decarbonise faster than the UK average. As this progress report recognised, we are leading the way in key delivery areas such as industry and electricity supply, where – unlike the rest of the UK – emissions have continued to come down. However, Scottish and UK Government targets are inter-dependent and require significant collaboration between our governments in order to maximise impact given the wide range of powers that are reserved.

The Climate Change Committee has been clear that action by the UK Government is important for delivery of climate change targets around the UK, just as action under devolved powers is crucial to UK targets. That is why we continue to call on UKG to act in reserved areas of great importance to Scotland's climate ambitions and why we work through the Net Zero Inter-Ministerial Group and other fora in this regard.

Question reference: S6W-23755

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 11 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any impact of the reported 26% real-terms reduction to SEPA's funding since 2010-11 on the agency’s ability to carry out its statutory duties.

SEPA, along with other environment bodies, plays a pivotal role in protecting and maintaining a safe, healthy and sustainable environment for the people of Scotland. This is achieved through funding from Scottish Government alongside SEPA’s regulatory activities funded by cost recovery under the principle of polluter pays.

Since 2014-15 SEPA’s budget has increased. Even accounting for inflation, they are receiving an additional £3 million in 2024-25 than in 2014-15.

The budget settlement for 2024-25 announced on 19 December recognises the increasing level and quality of work being delivered by SEPA which is why despite such challenging financial circumstances, the organisation will benefit from a 5% uplift on the 23/24 budget allocation to its core funding, bringing its core budget to £52.6m in 2024-25.

More information on the budget announcement can be found here: Scottish Budget: 2024 to 2025 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Nonetheless, the Scottish Government continue to work with all public bodies to drive out efficiencies, finding new and better ways of working, creating best value for the Scottish taxpayer. In the case of SEPA, the Scottish Government work with them on the development of corporate and annual operating plans and Ministers meet regularly to discuss progress. This assessment process is therefore continual and SEPA is ultimately accountable to the Scottish Parliament.