- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 April 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 24 April 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on what the political balance should be on (a) quasi-judicial panels and (b) local authority decision-making bodies.
Answer
Regarding (a), quasi-judicial panels:
- There are a wide variety of organisations that could be considered quasi-judicial bodies with their own constitutions, legislative underpinnings and governance arrangements. The position in respect of political balance would need to be checked with each organisation.
- Regarding regulated Ministerial Appointments to public body boards that could be considered a quasi-judicial body, all applications are considered individually on their merits. The Ethical Standards Commissioner regulates this area and their Code of Practice for Public Appointments (the ‘Code’) and associated Code Guidance (both 2022) set out the position relating to political activity. In summary, candidates are required to provide information relating to their political activity. It is not necessarily a bar to appointment but the appointing panel will take the information into account as part of the Fit and Proper Person test when assessing ability to perform in role. When an individual is appointed, any political activity is declared in the news release announcing the appointment.
Regarding (b), local authority decision-making bodies:
- Councils (and potentially also their decision-making bodies) are independent bodies with their own powers, responsibilities, governing constitutions, legislative underpinnings and governance arrangements. The position in respect of political balance would need to be checked with each organisation.
- Scottish Ministers have committed to respecting local government’s democratic mandate as part of the Verity House Agreement. The view of the Scottish Government is that locally elected representatives are best placed to prioritise the needs of the local community.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 April 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 24 April 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how often the full list of public appointments by public bodies is published.
Answer
The list of public appointments by public body, which was published on 25 March 2025, is an exhaustive list of Ministerial regulated public appointments only. Ministerial regulated public appointments are those governed by the Ethical Standards Commissioner and the Code of Conduct for Public Appointments (2022).
The list is intended to be updated regularly so that it reflects recently made appointments. It was corrected on 25 March 2025 following the identification of errors.
Details added to the spreadsheet should be correct at the point of the appointment commencing. These details may change over time and become out of date. A process is underway to update the spreadsheet to ensure accuracy, including rectification of any other errors identified, and it will be re-published when complete.
- Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 April 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Alasdair Allan on 24 April 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will produce a dedicated grassland action plan, similar to those for woodlands and peatlands.
Answer
There is no plan at present to produce a grasslands action plan however there are a number of actions within The Scottish Biodiversity Strategy’s Delivery Plan applicable to grasslands.
These actions include, but are not limited to, publishing a Plant Biodiversity Strategy and revision of the Scottish Biodiversity List which currently includes species-rich grasslands as a habitat and specific grassland specialist species among those habitats and species of principal importance. In addition, NatureScot is also mapping the extent of the species-rich grassland resource across Scotland.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 April 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 24 April 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether the updated list of public appointments by public body, which was published on 25 March 2025, is an exhaustive list of all public appointments.
Answer
The list of public appointments by public body, which was published on 25 March 2025, is an exhaustive list of Ministerial regulated public appointments only. Ministerial regulated public appointments are those governed by the Ethical Standards Commissioner and the Code of Conduct for Public Appointments (2022).
The list is intended to be updated regularly so that it reflects recently made appointments. It was corrected on 25 March 2025 following the identification of errors.
Details added to the spreadsheet should be correct at the point of the appointment commencing. These details may change over time and become out of date. A process is underway to update the spreadsheet to ensure accuracy, including rectification of any other errors identified, and it will be re-published when complete.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 April 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 24 April 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the reported calls for it to have urgent engagement with the UK Government and international partners regarding securing tariff exemptions for Scotch whisky.
Answer
The Scottish Government continues to engage with all our partners to call for a long-term return to tariff free trading that has been mutually beneficial for the Scottish and US spirits sectors, as part of a wider UK-US negotiated solution. I met with the UK Minister for Trade Policy and Economic Security on 2 April to discuss this. The Deputy First Minister met with the US Chamber of Commerce on 3 April and the First Minister met with senior figures in the whisky sector in New York on 7 April to hear directly from the business leaders involved and hosted a business round table which included the Scotch Whisky Association and the Food and Drink Federation on 16 April. The First Minister also met with the Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, on the 11 April to discuss tariffs amongst other topics.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 April 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 24 April 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential economic impact of the recently announced USA import tariffs on Scotland-based businesses, and what representations it has made to the UK Government in response.
Answer
We are acutely aware of the risk tariffs on the UK and globally pose on Scottish businesses.
We have carried out initial analysis of trade statistics to understand Scottish exposure to US trade across key products and where that may differ from the UK economy.
The First Minister discussed the matter with the Prime Minister on 11 April and made clear urgent action should be taken to protect Scotland’s economic interests.
- Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 03 April 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Alasdair Allan on 24 April 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how many households in fuel poverty have had a whole home retrofit, as set out in the December 2021 document, Tackling Fuel Poverty in Scotland.
Answer
The Scottish Government funds two programmes targeting households living in or at risk of fuel poverty, Warmer Homes Scotland and Area Based Schemes. Since 2022 these programmes have adopted a `whole house retrofit’ approach based upon national retrofit standards (PAS2035 published by the British Standards Institution). Relevant improvements are installed based upon an individual assessment of the property; in line with technical and regulatory requirements (such as building standards); as well as to reflect the different needs and circumstances of householders.
Since 2022 the Warmer Homes Scotland scheme has delivered retrofit improvements to 8,507 households to this standard (WHS2).
Year | Installed Households |
2023-24 | 1,173 |
2024-25 | 7,334 |
Total | 8,507 |
The number of retrofit improvements delivered through Area Based Schemes since 2013 is published on the Scottish Government website. Area-Based Schemes - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)
- Asked by: Stephanie Callaghan, MSP for Uddingston and Bellshill, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 April 2025
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 1 May 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide further detail on the approach it is taking to consider the recommendations set out in the independent report, Review of Data, Statistics and Research on Sex and Gender, also known as the Sullivan Review.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 1 May 2025
- Asked by: Emma Roddick, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 April 2025
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 1 May 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to support and raise awareness of the health passport scheme for people with a learning disability.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 1 May 2025
- Asked by: Clare Adamson, MSP for Motherwell and Wishaw, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 April 2025
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 1 May 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what support is available to parents, carers and pupils to help with stress during the exam season.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 1 May 2025
