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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-24407

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 22 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether its reported forthcoming review of the target to deliver 110,000 affordable homes by 2032, with a focus on the delivery timeline, could result in the timeline being extended, and, if so, what options would be considered for the length of any such extension.

Question reference: S6W-24444

Asked by: Daniel Johnson, MSP for Edinburgh Southern, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 22 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the proposed introduction of a non-domestic rates public health supplement on retailers, as set out in its Budget for 2024-25, whether this supplement will come on top of, or instead of, any higher property rate that may be levied on a retail property.

Question reference: S6W-24434

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 22 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on how many finfish aquaculture sites have (a) been closed, (b) had their licence withdrawn and (c) surrendered their licence since 2018, and for what reason.

The following data relates to information held by the Scottish Government on Aquaculture Production Businesses (APB) and authorisation to operate under regulation 6 of the Aquatic Animal Health (Scotland) Regulations 2009 for animal health purposes only.

How many finfish aquaculture sites have (a) been closed and (c) surrendered their licence since 1 January 2018:

There have been 25 finfish aquaculture farm sites de-registered and no longer in operation;
There have been 57 finfish aquaculture farm sites inactivated as they are either in long term fallow or there are no current plans to stock them, although the APB may still be in operation;
There have been 15 finfish APBs de-registered, no longer in operation which have surrendered authorisation to operate;
There have been 15 finfish APBs which are registered as non-producing businesses, and have no farm sites in operation, which have surrendered authorisation to operate.
How many finfish aquaculture sites have (b) had their licence withdrawn since 1 January 2018 (withdrawn being interpreted by the Fish Health Inspectorate (FHI) as removal by the competent authority for enforcement purposes):
There have been no finfish aquaculture farm sites which have been withdrawn from an APB’s authorisation to operate;
There have been no finfish APBs which have had their authorisation to operate withdrawn.
The reasons for any aquaculture site ceasing to operate are a decision made by the commercial company operating the site and are not available to the FHI.

Question reference: S6W-24431

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 22 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many social contracts exist between finfish aquaculture companies and the communities within which they operate; what any such contracts deliver, and what the monetary value/equivalent is of each.

Aquaculture producers may operate a range of community funds and finance schemes to which local communities can apply. Scottish Government does not routinely collect or hold the details of individual contracts and funds.

Crown Estate Scotland has a remit to generate lasting value for Scotland from the natural resources in its care. Rents due from aquaculture leases granted by CES were reviewed in 2022 and following that “root and branch” review they have recently increased. Further information on the review and aquaculture rents is available on Crown Estate Scotland’s website: Root and branch review of aquaculture leasing complete | Crown Estate Scotland

Question reference: S6W-24423

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 22 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government which regulatory body is responsible for the potential impact of escaped farmed salmon on Scotland’s wild salmon stocks.

Local authorities are responsible for considering the potential environmental impacts of fish farms, including escaped fish, when determining planning applications. NatureScot, District Salmon Fishery Boards and Scottish Government Marine Directorate provide advice as statutory consultees.

Scottish Government Marine Directorate is responsible for monitoring and enforcement of containment and escapes provisions within the Aquaculture and Fisheries (Scotland) Act 2007, Aquaculture and Fisheries (Scotland) Act 2013 and the Fish Farm Record Keeping (Scotland) Order 2008.

Question reference: S6W-24413

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 22 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken to regulate the salmon farming industry since 2018.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-24412 on 22 January 2024, to the answer to question S6W-23642 on 7 December 2023, and to the answer to question S6W-20127 on 21 July 2023. 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: S6W-24408

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 22 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it has reportedly brought forward the date of its review of the target to deliver 110,000 affordable homes by 2032, with a focus on the delivery timeline.

Question reference: S6W-24406

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 22 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what the scope is of its reported forthcoming review of the target to deliver 110,000 affordable homes by 2032, with a focus on the delivery timeline.

Question reference: S6W-24421

Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 22 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many escapes of farmed salmon have occurred in each year since 2018, broken down by location, and whether it can provide the total number of individual fish that have escaped.

Question reference: S6W-24425

Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 22 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-23979 by Jenny Gilruth on 8 January 2024, whether it will provide the information requested, particularly in light of the actions proposed in its Budget 2024-25, regarding what it anticipates the cost will be of (a) consulting on, (b) establishing, (c) launching and (d) the ongoing running of the Centre of Teaching Excellence (CTE), and, if it is the case that it has not considered what these costs might be and is yet to establish them, whether it will confirm that.

Work to establish a Centre for Teaching Excellence, including co-design and consultation, is being taken forward by the already-established Education Reform Programme. As set out in my statement to parliament on 7 November 2023, the Centre for Teaching Excellence will be funded through repurposing investment currently directed to Regional Improvement Collaboratives. The overall establishment and launch costs for the centre itself will be scoped as part of the design process with key stakeholders.