Questions and answers

Question reference: S6O-04830

Asked by: Jackie Dunbar, MSP for Aberdeen Donside, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 June 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting tenants in Aberdeen to protect and enhance their rights to a safe, secure and affordable place to live.

Question reference: S6W-37937

Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Alba Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 11 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken in relation to issuing bonds to finance key infrastructure in Scotland since it announced its intention to do so in October 2023.

On the 4 December as part of the Budget, The Scottish Government published a borrowing memorandum (Scottish Budget 2025 to 2026: Scottish Government borrowing - gov.scot), which included the outcome of the initial phase of Due Diligence on the work towards an inaugural Scottish Government Bond. The second phase of Due Diligence on Bonds issuance is currently ongoing, and the Government will continue to update Parliament over the course of the year as this work progresses

Question reference: S6W-37899

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 11 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Climate Change Committee's projection of a 36% reduction in cattle and sheep numbers by 2045, how it will assess the impact of any reduction in the beef herd on the abattoir and meat processing industry.

The Scottish Government will consider the advice of the Climate Change Committee before setting out its own proposals for taking necessary actions on climate change.

The Scottish Government remains committed to supporting our livestock farmers in playing a full part in Scotland’s journey to net zero, including by reducing methane emissions in ways that strengthen farm productivity and resilience. The Scottish Government has no policy to reduce the national herd, our approach focuses on reducing emissions intensity rather than livestock numbers, through improvements in genetics, low-methane breeding, and appropriate uptake of methane-suppressing feed products. We continue to support the sector through a range of schemes including the SSBSS and through reformed direct payments – in stark contrast to the policies of UKG.

We recognise that the meat processing industry is a vital part of the supply chain, and have supported the sector. This has included a Ministerial discount scheme which has been applied to Official Veterinarian charges since 2015, as well as resource funding through the Small Producers Pilot Fund to explore solutions to challenges surrounding abattoirs and small producers’ access to private kill services. The recently published Programme for Government commits to £5 million to support food processing and marketing.

We will continue working with the sector to ensure it thrives as part of a climate-smart food system, while recognising the importance of Scotland’s livestock products to UK and international markets.

Question reference: S6W-37934

Asked by: Ash Regan, MSP for Edinburgh Eastern, Alba Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 11 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, as part of its work to further the case for Scottish independence, whether it will consider holding an independence convention during summer 2025.

The Scottish Government is focused on delivering for people across the country and making the case for taking decisions in Scotland for Scotland with independence.

The Scottish Government will publish further material on independence to give the people of Scotland the information they need to make an informed choice about their constitutional future. We are not planning an independence convention this summer.

Question reference: S6W-37911

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 11 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it will support land managers to integrate agroforestry and hedgerows into productive farmland.

The Scottish Government fully recognises the benefits of hedgerows and trees.

We have a range of policies and initiatives in place to support the integration of trees on farms. The Forestry Grant Scheme offers financial support for the creation of new woodland and the sustainable management of existing woodland, including the planting of new agroforestry systems. Farmers and crofters can also access up to £1600 funding to enlist the help of a specialist adviser to help with the integration of trees on farms through the Farm Advisory Service and the award-winning, farmer-led Integrating Trees Network offers free online and in person events to support peer to peer engagement on integrating trees on farms.

Additionally, the £14 million Future Farming Investment Scheme will offer flexible support to improve efficiency or support nature and climate-friendly farming and through the Agri-Environment Climate Scheme (AECS) we fund small-scale tree planting and the planting, restoration, and management of hedgerows. Importantly, the 2025 round of AECS sees the restrictions on hedgerows lifted, allowing businesses to now apply for funding for over 1000m of hedgerows.

Through the Agriculture Reform Programme and in collaboration with Scottish Forestry and NatureScot, we are also considering opportunities to improve how we support farmers to integrate trees and hedgerows on their land and engaging with our stakeholders through the Trees on farm subgroup of Scottish Forestry’s Customer Representatives Group.

Question reference: S6W-37897

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 11 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Climate Change Committee's projection of a 36% reduction in cattle and sheep numbers by 2045, how it will assess the impact of any reduction in the beef herd on rural communities.

The Scottish Government recognises the vital role the livestock sector plays in supporting rural communities. We do not have a policy to reduce livestock numbers and fully recognise the value that livestock plays in Scotland's rural communities, maintaining bio diversity and our food sector. In order to understand what is happening within the sector we are committed to assessing, through engagement with stakeholders, the potential social and economic impacts of any changes in the size of the beef herd - whether driven by market trends, consumer behaviour, or technological change - on rural areas across Scotland.

This assessment will be carried out through ongoing engagement with farmers, crofters, industry representatives and rural stakeholders, alongside analysis of rural economies and land use. In stark contrast to the UK Government we continue to demonstrate our commitment to the beef sector through a range of support schemes, including the Scottish Suckler Beef Support Scheme (SSBSS), which provides targeted, coupled support for livestock producers In addition, the retention of the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) in Scotland is helping to maintain income stability for many beef producers. This reformed direct support reflects the unique challenges facing our farming and crofting communities and underlines our determination to deliver a sustainable future for rural Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-37971

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 30 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 11 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what (a) data gathering and (b) reporting requirements are in place (i) centrally and (ii) at NHS board level to capture the number of medicines prescribed off-label.

Question reference: S6W-38035

Asked by: Martin Whitfield, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 30 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don-Innes on 11 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding its £60 million national play park fund, how many play parks have been reported as “renewed” where the only upgrade was cosmetic or maintenance-based, and whether it differentiates between minor and full renewal works in its reporting.

The £60 million play park renewal funding is allocated to local authorities to use across their whole play estate. It is the responsibility of the individual Local Authorities to manage their own budgets and to allocate the total financial resources available to them based on local needs and priorities. The Scottish Government recognise that the extent of renewal and refurbishment will be influenced by local plans and investment priorities and engagement with children and young people.

As agreed with COSLA at the start of the funding programme in 2021, Local Authorities report annually on the number of renewals undertaken in their area at the end of April. Local Authorities are not required to list details of each renewal or the names or locations of every play park that has been renewed. However, in accordance with the agreed national principles and as per the reporting template agreed with COSLA, renewal work can include introducing new equipment, replacing existing equipment, extra seating, suitable surfaces, toilet facilities, planting, improved access points and circulation routes, water fountains and other suitable measures to make parks more inclusive, welcoming and enjoyable.

The Scottish Government worked with COSLA on the national principles for the play park renewal programme, which is used to guide Local Authorities’ renewal programme. The national principles set out how Local Authorities should review their existing estate, prioritise renewal work, and design play parks that offer improved play opportunities for children and families. The national principles state that access to play should be as wide-reaching and inclusive as possible, ensuring all children have access to play spaces where they feel safe and comfortable to use them.

Question reference: S6W-37970

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 30 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 11 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance is provided to clinicians who are considering prescribing a medicine off-label when unlicensed for a particular condition, when there is a Scottish Medicines Consortium approved medicine available, which is licensed for that indication.

Guidance to clinicians to support prescribing medicines off-label is provided by the General Medical Council (GMC) . The guidance states that doctors should usually prescribe licensed medicines in accordance with the terms of their licence but they may prescribe medicines off-label where, on the basis of an assessment of the individual patient, they conclude, for medical reasons, that it is necessary to do so to meet the specific needs of the patient. In addition, extant guidance states that, unless there is a specific clinical reason, clinicians should prescribe a licensed medicine which has been accepted for routine use in the NHS in Scotland by the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) as opposed to prescribing off-label or unlicensed medicines.

Question reference: S6W-37995

Asked by: Keith Brown, MSP for Clackmannanshire and Dunblane, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 30 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 11 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how much private sector investment has been leveraged as a result of the Stirling and Clackmannanshire City Region Deal, and how this is spread between the two local authority areas.

Funding for the Deal is awarded to the Stirling and Clackmannanshire region rather than individual council areas, including joint projects between the three main Deal partners, Stirling Council, Clackmannanshire Council and University of Stirling. The Stirling and Clackmannanshire City Region Deal private sector investment total secured to date is £476,000, with this investment coming through the University of Stirling’s Scotland’s International Environment Centre (SIEC Phase 1) as commissioned work.

All other secured and leveraged investment in the Deal is from the public sector, including academia, or third sector.

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