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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-32331

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 13 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Dorothy Bain on 9 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many cases referred to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service in the last five years have resulted in no further action being taken.

Question reference: S6W-31644

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 9 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many seal licences have been issued in each local authority area in each of the last 10 years, also broken down by how many have been exercised.

Seal licences are not issued on a Local Authority basis. Marine Directorate – Licensing Operations Team (on behalf of Scottish Ministers) determine applications and issue licences to kill or take seals under Part 6 of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 for the whole of Scotland. The regional consideration is of the designated Seal Management Areas (SMA), which allow applications to kill or take seals to be balanced against local seal population dynamics and the supporting data provided by the Natural Environment Research Council (Sea Mammal Research Unit at St Andrew’s University). The data for seals licenced to be killed or taken and the licences subsequently exercised within each SMA is shown in the following table:

	East Coast	Moray Firth	Orkney North Coast	Shetland	Western Isles	South West	West Scotland
Issued 2014
Rivers	7	2	6	0	2	2	4
Fish Farms	0	0	2	6	9	2	13

Exercised 2014
Rivers	1	2	4	0	1	0	2
Fish Farms	0	0	1	5	4	1	7

Total seals killed 2014
Rivers	11	31	53	0	6	0	5
Fish Farms	0	0	12	29	12	3	43
Combined	11	31	65	29	18	3	48

Issued 2015
Rivers	6	2	6	0	2	2	3
Fish Farms	0	0	2	6	7	2	13

Exercised 2015
Rivers	2	2	4	0	1	0	2
Fish Farms	0	0	2	3	3	1	7

Total seals killed 2015
Rivers	6	37	29	0	5	0	6
Fish Farms	0	0	10	10	8	1	50
Combined	6	37	39	10	13	1	56

Issued 2016
Rivers	5	1	5	0	2	2	3
Fish Farms	0	0	2	5	8	2	13

Exercised 2016
Rivers	1	1	3	0	1	0	2
Fish Farms	0	0	1	3	3	1	6

Total seals killed 2016
Rivers	2	18	5	0	1	0	12
Fish Farms	0	0	7	11	13	1	31
Combined	2	18	12	11	14	1	43

Issued 2017
Rivers	5	1	5	0	2	2	3
Fish Farms	0	0	2	3	7	2	14

Exercised 2017
Rivers	2	1	1	0	0	0	2
Fish Farms	0	0	1	1	3	1	5

Total seals killed 2017
Rivers	2	15	2	0	0	0	8
Fish Farms	0	0	1	8	17	1	22
Combined	2	15	3	8	17	1	30

Issued 2018
Rivers	4	1	5	0	3	2	3
Fish Farms	0	0	2	3	7	2	13

Exercised 2018
Rivers	1	1	3	0	1	0	2
Fish Farms	0	0	2	1	2	1	4

Total seals killed 2018
Rivers	1	18	8	0	2	0	7
Fish Farms	0	0	2	13	9	2	24
Combined	1	18	10	13	11	2	31

Issued 2019
Rivers	4	1	5	0	3	2	3
Fish Farms	0	0	2	3	7	0	13

Exercised 2019
Rivers	1	1	3	0	2	0	2
Fish Farms	0	0	2	2	3	0	5

Total seals killed 2019
Rivers	1	16	7	0	3	0	5
Fish Farms	0	0	5	8	28	0	19
Combined	1	16	12	8	31	0	24

Issued 2020
Rivers	5	1	5	0	5	2	3
Fish Farms	0	0	2	3	7	2	9

Exercised 2020
Rivers	1	1	1	0	0	0	2
Fish Farms	0	0	1	2	3	2	8

Question reference: S6W-32566

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 9 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it requested any changes to the A96 Corridor Review from earlier drafts.

As with all projects, Transport Scotland Officials regularly discuss and review draft documents prepared by its technical advisors on an ongoing basis as part of the process to finalise reports prior to seeking Ministerial approval to publish. No changes were made by the Scottish Ministers to the draft outcomes of the A96 Corridor Review that identified an optimal Refined Package of improvements.

The position of the Scottish Government has not changed – the current favoured position is to fully dual the A96, and we are already taking forward the dualling process from Inverness to Nairn, including Nairn Bypass.

Question reference: S6W-32572

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 9 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what the current operating subsidy for the Caledonian Sleeper is, broken down by (a) route and (b) passenger segment.

Question reference: S6W-32592

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 9 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what alternative fuels, such as hydrogen- or battery-powered trains, are being considered as interim solutions for the railway network.

Question reference: S6W-32133

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 16 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 9 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update regarding the most recent estimate of the total government spend to date on cladding remediation.

Further to the answer to question S6W-31787 on 9 December 2024 the Scottish Government will continue to fund assessment and remediation where no linked developer can be identified. The level of financial support that will be needed is determined by the comprehensive SBA assessment. We continue to publish spend information for the programme which can be accessed here: Single Building Assessment programme: spending information - gov.scot.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.

Question reference: S6O-04184

Asked by: Michelle Thomson, MSP for Falkirk East, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 9 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding any potential impact on households experiencing fuel poverty in Scotland, particularly in rural and off-gas grid areas, what communication it has had with relevant third parties regarding the ending of the Radio Teleswitch Service.

The Radio Teleswitch Service (RTS) is reserved, however the Scottish Government engages regularly with consumer organisations and fuel poverty charities on issues expected to arise from the upcoming switch-off.

I recently visited the Western Isles Citizens Advice Bureau to discuss the potentially devastating consequences on fuel poverty and access to energy if RTS meters are not upgraded on time, there and in many other communities. Consumers must not receive extortionately high or inaccurate bills or experience any interruption of supply.

To that end, I have written to the UK Government, and will seek further urgent engagement to ensure that Scottish communities are protected.

Question reference: S6O-04183

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 9 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to continue the Investing in Communities Fund into the 2025-26 financial year, in light of reported concerns that funding may not continue for supported community projects.

The draft Scottish Budget sets out our spending plans for 2025-26 to deliver progress for Scotland, and to improve the lives of the people of Scotland. It includes investment for regeneration of over £62 million to support communities most in need, which I can advise includes the Investing in Communities Fund supporting community-led projects across Scotland which are addressing poverty and disadvantage.

The draft Budget requires the support of Parliament before confirmation of funding for individual allocations can be provided. I would therefore urge all MSPs to support the budget to ensure that investment for community projects continues.

Question reference: S6O-04206

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 January 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on farmers giving the methane-reducing feed additive Bovaer to their cattle.

Question reference: S6O-04201

Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 January 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the development of the Changing Places Toilet Fund.

Financial year marking applied	No Further Action cases
2019-2020	17,734
2020-2021	16,437
2021-2022	23,581
2022-2023	24,585
2023-2024	28,462