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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: S6F-02719

Asked by: Evelyn Tweed, MSP for Stirling, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 15 January 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 January 2024

To ask the First Minister what steps the Scottish Government is taking to ensure that information on sexually transmitted infections is accessible, in light of STIQ Day, and the reported rising number of cases of sexually transmitted infections in Scotland.

Question reference: S6F-02717

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 15 January 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 January 2024

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government’s response is to reports that Scotland has among the worst survival rates for some of the most serious cancers.

Question reference: S6F-02720

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 15 January 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 January 2024

To ask the First Minister what percentage of the premises contracted for delivery of superfast broadband under the R100 scheme have still to be connected.

Question reference: S6F-02716

Asked by: Anas Sarwar, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 15 January 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 January 2024

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6F-02715

Asked by: Douglas Ross, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 15 January 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 January 2024

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6W-24264

Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Friday, 22 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 15 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to deliver on the recommendation in A Review of the Aquaculture Regulatory Process in Scotland, which was published in February 2022, that a 10-year regulatory framework should be produced for the seaweed part of aquaculture within 12 months of the publication of its vision for aquaculture.

Our Vision for Sustainable Aquaculture sets out the Scottish Government’s long-term aspirations to 2045 for the finfish, shellfish and seaweed farming sectors, and the wider aquaculture supply chain, with the aim of ensuring that aquaculture is sustainable and diverse, and economically viable.

We are committed to improving the efficiency and the coordination of the aquaculture consenting process, while maintaining high environmental standards. We have made progress since Scottish Ministers accepted in principle the findings from the independent review of aquaculture consenting, led by Professor Griggs, and we continue to do so.

As a priority, we established a Consenting Task Group that is focussing its work to identify, pilot and review new measures to streamline the administration of the fish farm consenting processes. This will be subject to an evaluation process and lessons learned may be applicable to processes within other aquaculture sectors, i.e., shellfish and seaweed cultivation.

In addition, Scottish Government has commenced development of a new National Marine Plan, applicable to all sectors and, following the Scottish Government commissioned review of seaweed cultivation, we are funding a Scottish Seaweed Industry Association business development post to consider the sector’s development needs which will help to inform consideration of policy in the longer-term.

Question reference: S6W-24252

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 22 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 15 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether local authorities will be statutory consultees in relation to the licensing of seaweed aquaculture in their areas.

Seaweed aquaculture is subject to the requirements of Scotland’s National Marine Plan and is a licensable marine activity under the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010. A marine licence is therefore required for construction of a seaweed farm. The Scottish Government’s Marine Directorate determines marine licence applications on behalf of Scottish Ministers.

Statutory consultees for the marine licensing process are defined in the Marine Licensing (Consultees) (Scotland) Order 2011, and include the Northern Lighthouse Board, Maritime Coastguard Agency, NatureScot, Scottish Environment Protection Agency and, where applicable, the relevant Regional Marine Planning Partnership. A Local Authority may form the whole, or part of a Marine Planning Partnership as per section 12(2) of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010. Sole delegates are possible, and Orkney Islands Council is the sole delegate for regional marine planning in the Scottish marine region for the Orkney Islands. Local authorities are not therefore statutory consultees, but it is standard process to consult the relevant local authority during the marine licence application determination process and they may be consulted in their remit as part of a marine planning partnership (where applicable).

Question reference: S6W-24251

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 22 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 15 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what public funding is currently available to support community-scale participation in the seaweed cultivation industry, and what additional funding might become available during this early development phase of the industry.

In 2022-23 the Marine Fund Scotland (MFS) provided £370,000 to support processing and innovation in the seaweed industry. The MFS for 2023-24 is focused on supporting projects that deliver outcomes relating to Scotland's Blue Economy Vision , published in 2022. The funding supports eligible individuals, businesses, organisations and communities to deliver projects contributing to an innovative and sustainable marine economy, reducing carbon emissions and supporting coastal communities. The outcome of the second round of applications to support the aquaculture industry, including the seaweed sector, will be announced shortly.

The MFS will re-open in due course to new applications for 2024/25.

Additionally, to ensure that the seaweed sector in Scotland develops sustainably, the Scottish Government and Crown Estate Scotland are jointly funding a 3-year business development manager position at the Scottish Seaweed Industry Association to represent the industry across various fora and identify opportunities for growth.

Question reference: S6W-24253

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 22 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 15 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what role local authorities will have in relation to the regulation of seaweed aquaculture in their area.

Local authorities are a non-statutory consultee to the marine licence application determination process. This allows the local authority to make representations on any marine licence application for a proposed seaweed farm.

The exception is in the case of Marine Planning Partnerships, who are statutory consultees to marine licence applications. A Local Authority may form the whole, or part of a Marine Planning Partnership as per section 12(2) of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010. Sole delegates are possible, and Orkney Islands Council is the sole delegate for regional marine planning in the Scottish marine region for the Orkney Islands. Local authorities are not therefore statutory consultees but may be consulted in their remit as part of a marine planning partnership (where applicable).

Question reference: S6W-24246

Asked by: Pam Duncan-Glancy, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 22 December 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 15 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government on what date it expects to publish the minutes of the meeting of the Scottish Advisory Group on Relationships and Behaviour in Schools that took place on 12 December 2023.