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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-34262

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 31 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 27 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what penalties have been imposed as a result of Food Standards Scotland investigations into food fraud.

Since 2018, FSS investigations into food fraud have resulted in varying penalties being imposed including imprisonment and fines. One sentence of 4 years imprisonment was imposed with the sentence reduced to three years on appeal. in relation to the supply of 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP) to the public. The sentence was reduced to three years on appeal. A proceeds of Crime Confiscation Order was imposed for £31050.

3 offences under the Food Hygiene (Scotland) Regulations 2006 at Food Standards Scotland (FSS) approved premises and fined a total of £4,000 with £175 surcharge.

Question reference: S6W-34213

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 31 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 27 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the effectiveness of Food Standards Scotland in improving food safety and public health outcomes.

FSS is a non ministerial office and is therefore directly accountable to Parliament and not to Ministers. FSS oversight - and any assessment of effectiveness -is provided by a non executive board. FSS published an Annual Report and Accounts to Parliament and a Joint Annual Report with Food Standards Agency on Food Safety in the UK. There is regular liaison between Ministers, FSS officials and the FSS chair and the Minister for Public Health and Sport and the FSS CEO have regular meetings to ensure Ministers are kept appraised of FSS activity. Parliament also has the ability to call FSS officials to give evidence with regards to FSS effectiveness.

Question reference: S6W-34250

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 31 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 27 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how Food Standards Scotland makes sure food sold at public events meets safety and hygiene standards.

Food Safety is regulated through various pieces of legislation including the Food Safety Act 1990 and assimilated Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 on general food law, which create the regulatory framework in this respect.

In relation to public events, the Food Standards Scotland website provides specific advice on Food Safety at Community Events where those providing foods on an occasional basis may not be registered food businesses.

Question reference: S6W-34223

Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 31 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 27 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many food businesses have been closed following Food Standards Scotland inspections in each year since 2018, broken down by local authority.

The following table provides the detail of Local Authority enforcement actions that have resulted in business closure. The data relates to the use of Hygiene Emergency Prohibition Notices, Hygiene Emergency Prohibition Orders and Voluntary Closures.

	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025	Grand Total
Aberdeen City Council	17	10	2	1	14	20	10		74
Aberdeenshire Council	5	4				1	4		14
Angus Council	1				2	4			7
Argyll And Bute Council				1	1	2			4
City of Edinburgh Council	30	36	17	7	30	39	34	2	195
Clackmannanshire Council	5	4	1	2		1			13
Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar	3	3		1					7
Dundee City Council	5	6	1	6	9	4	5		36
East Ayrshire Council				2	1		3	4	10
East Dunbartonshire Council	7	7	1	3	1	4	8	2	33
East Lothian Council	5	1				3	9		18
East Renfrewshire Council	2	1			1				4
Falkirk Council	11	5	1	1	3	6		1	28
Fife Council	7	4		4	8	5	16	1	45
Glasgow City Council	10	4			8	2			24
Inverclyde Council	1		1				1		3
North Ayrshire Council	2	1							3
North Lanarkshire Council	13	10			2	1	2		28
Orkney Islands Council						1			1
Renfrewshire Council	12	3	3	2	6	2	3	1	32
Scottish Borders Council		3			1				4
South Ayrshire Council		1							1
South Lanarkshire Council	4	2	2	6	5	4			23
Stirling Council	3	2				3	3		11
The Highland Council	4	3		3			3		13
The Moray Council	2	2				1			5
West Dunbartonshire Council	4	2	1		2	5			14
West Lothian Council					2				2
Grand Total	153	114	30	39	96	108	101	11	652

Question reference: S6W-34792

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 27 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the development of the new muirburn code, and what the timescale is for its completion.

Question reference: S6W-34932

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 27 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many rural housing burdens have been issued each year since 2003.

Question reference: S6W-34878

Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 27 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when it first became aware of the reported allegations of mistreatment at Skye House, and what action it has taken since.

I was first informed about the BBC Disclosure Programme on 24 January 2025.

Since I was made aware of the specific allegations in the programme, my officials have been in regular contact with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde to seek assurances about current practice.

On Wednesday 26 February, myself and the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care met with the Chief Executives of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, NHS Lothian and NHS Tayside, where inpatient units are located. They provided me with assurance that the allegations in the programme are being taken very seriously, that internal and external review processes are underway, and that appropriate governance arrangements are in place.

To provide further external assurance, I have asked NHS Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) and the Mental Welfare Commission to carry out a series of joint visits to all three adolescent inpatient units in Scotland, as well as the National Child Inpatient Unit.

HIS and the Commission will use these visits to recommend what is required to ensure the quality and safety of our CAMHS inpatient units in the future.

Question reference: S6W-34930

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 27 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government which organisations have become rural housing bodies each year under section 43(6) of the Title Conditions (Scotland) Act 2003.

The following organisations were prescribed as rural housing bodies in the following years. Please note that there is no requirement to notify Scottish Ministers when a rural housing body is wound up or ceases to operate.

2004

Albyn Housing Society Limited

Barra and Vatersay Housing Association Limited

Berneray Housing Association Limited

Buidheann Taigheadais na Meadhanan Limited

Cairn Housing Association Limited

Comhairle nan Eilean Siar

Dunbritton Housing Association Limited

Fyne Homes Limited

Isle of Jura Development Trust

Lochaber Housing Association Limited

Muirneag Housing Association Limited

Orkney Islands Council

Pentland Housing Association Limited

Taighean Ceann a Tuath na’Hearadh Limited

The Highlands Small Communities’ Housing Trust

The Isle of Eigg Heritage Trust

The Isle of Gigha Heritage Trust

The North Harris Trust

Tighean Innse Gall Limited

2005

Buidheann Tigheadas Loch Aillse Agus An Eilein Sgitheanaich Limited

Ekopia Resource Exchange Limited

Rural Stirling Housing Association Limited

West Highland Housing Association Limited

2007

Colonsay Community Development Company

Community Self-Build Scotland Limited

Dumfries and Galloway Small Communities Housing Trust

Fyne Initiatives Limited

2008

Argyll Community Housing Association

HIFAR Limited

North West Mull Community Woodland Company Limited

West Highland Rural Solutions Limited

2009

Craignish Community Company Limited

The Highland Housing Alliance

2013

Down to Earth Solutions Community Interest Company

West Harris Trust

2014

Yuill Community Trust C.I.C.

Mull and Iona Community Trust

2017

Kilfinan Community Forest Company

Dormont Passive Homes (Scotland) Ltd.

2019

Arran Development Trust

2023

Argyll and Bute Council

Hebridean Housing Partnership Limited

Urras Oighreachd Ghabhsainn

2024

Shapinsay Development Trust

Tayvallich Initiative Ltd

Question reference: S6W-34793

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 27 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the development of the new methodology for determining peat depth to inform maps submitted as part of an application to make muirburn under licence, and what the timescale is for its completion.

Question reference: S6W-34931

Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 27 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many bodies designated as a rural housing body under section 43 (6) of the Title Conditions (Scotland) Act 2003 have issued rural housing burdens, broken down by year.