- Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 30 May 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 8 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-08058 by Mairi Gougeon on 5 May 2022, what the total volume, in kilograms, was of below minimum conservation reference size for each species that was recorded as discarded under exemption by boats in 2021 in ICES (International Council for the Exploration of the Sea) areas (i) 4 and (ii) 6a.
Answer
As set out in the answer to S6W-08824 on 8 June 2022, vessels are obliged to record both fish that has been discarded under a permitted exemption and fish below MCRS that is landed. We do not, however, have a separate electronic system in place which allows for recording specific discards under exemption rules separate to other discards (e.g. those which might occur for non-quota stocks not subject to the landing obligation or fish discarded because of force majeure). This is because the electronic system in use on vessels pre-dates the landing obligation.
The information provided below has been recorded and submitted to us by vessels and relates to species which are below the Minimum Conservation Reference Size (MCRS) and which are subject to the landing obligation because they are quota species.
We are unable to provide a species breakdown as some species were only reported by one vessel and may be disclosive.
Total discards recorded of quota fish below minimum size caught in ICES areas 4 and 6a in 2021 for all species, Scottish vessels landing anywhere.
- Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 30 May 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 8 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-08059 by Mairi Gougeon on 5 May 2022, by how much it aims to reduce the total volume discarded of each species that was recorded as discarded by Scottish boats in (a) future years and (b) ICES (International Council for the Exploration of the Sea) areas (i) 4 and (ii) 6a as part of the changes proposed in its Future Catching Policy.
Answer
The Scottish Government is committed to tackling the wasteful practice of discarding and we have set out our proposals to address this issue in our Future Catching Policy (FCP) consultation, which ran from 15 March to 7 June. The Future Catching Policy has co-management at the heart of its approach, recognising that we need to work in partnership to develop robust and workable practices to reduce unwanted catch of fish and bycatch of other marine species. This will help to reduce discarding as far as possible whilst allowing for limited discarding in certain circumstances under permitted exemptions. We do not have a target for the reduction in discards, rather we are focussed on eliminating illegal discarding, and ensuring that any discarding which does take place under permitted exemptions is properly recorded and accounted for to enable sustainable fishing activity to take place. This is in keeping with the current approach under the current EU/UK landing obligation.
A key component of the proposed FCP is to put in place additional technical (e.g. gear selectivity) and spatial (e.g. area closures to protect spawning fish) measures, designed to reduce unwanted catch further where required.The fishing industry is already heavily regulated, with many rules in place already designed to limit unwanted catch (for example, the use of square mesh panels in fishing nets in the west of Scotland Nephrops fishery, or the spatial measures within the North Sea Cod Avoidance Plan). There is scope to increase these measures through the FCP in a proportionate way.
We will be analysing responses to the consultation prior to confirming firm proposals later this year.
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 19 May 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Lorna Slater on 7 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what work it has done with (a) industry and (b) local authorities to develop a strategic approach to planning and developing waste collection, reprocessing and management facilities.
Answer
The recently published report on the Review of the Role of Incineration in the Waste Hierarchy recommends that Scottish Government and local authorities should work with industry to develop a strategic approach to planning and deploying waste collection, reprocessing and management facilities. We are carefully considering all recommendations made in the report and will set out our initial response in June.
In the meantime, we have launched our consultation on Delivering Scotland's circular economy– a Route Map to 2025 and beyond. The Route Map takes a whole systems approach to set out interventions to reduce waste and meet our recycling and waste targets in a way that maximises carbon saving potential. The consultation paper is available here: Delivering Scotland’s circular economy: A Route Map to 2025 and beyond - Scottish Government - Citizen Space (consult.gov.scot)
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 19 May 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Lorna Slater on 7 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government how many of the recommendations in the report of Independent Review of the Role of Incineration in the Waste Hierarchy in Scotland it has already adopted, and how many it is planning to adopt.
Answer
We are carefully considering the recommendations of the Independent Review of the Role of Incineration in Scotland’s Waste Hierarchy. We will set out our initial response to the recommendations in June 2022.
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 19 May 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Lorna Slater on 7 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with (a) industry and (b) local authorities regarding making data from waste, particularly for incineration, more transparent and accessible to stakeholders.
Answer
We are carefully considering all recommendations made in the report on the Independent Review of the Role of Incineration in the Waste Hierarchy, and will set out our initial response in June. This includes the recommendation that industry, local authorities and the Scottish Government should do more to make data around waste in general, and around incineration in particular, more transparent and accessible for all stakeholders.
- Asked by: Liam Kerr, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 19 May 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Lorna Slater on 7 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will develop an incentive gap, that declines over time, for the amount of residual waste treatment as Scotland transitions towards a fully circular economy.
Answer
The recently published report of the Independent Review of the Role of Incineration in the Waste Hierarchy recommends that the Scottish Government should develop an indicative cap that declines over time for the amount of residual waste treatment needed as Scotland transitions towards a fully circular economy. We are carefully considering all recommendations made in the report and will set out our initial response in June.
- Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 19 May 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 7 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on the reasons for Crown Estate Scotland’s position, as stated in the ScotWind Pre-Launch Summary, published in July 2019, that it was “currently minded” that applicants should not pay more than £10,000 per km2 of seabed.
Answer
Crown Estate Scotland is responsible for the ScotWind seabed leasing process, including setting Option Agreement fees and rent prices. Crown Estate Scotland informed Scottish Government of its pricing structure based on its own evidence gathering and information available at the time. Once projects are under seabed leases and wind farms are generating energy, rental payments are annual – these are separate from the Option Agreement payments.
- Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 19 May 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 7 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish all information that it (a) provided and (b) received in relation to the decision to set the maximum fee per km2 of seabed under the ScotWind leasing process at £100,000, as announced by Crown Estate Scotland on 24 March 2021.
Answer
Crown Estate Scotland (CES) is responsible for the ScotWind seabed leasing process and the management and collation of the information used to support its decision to review and, ultimately, change the option fee prices for seabed leasing. The Scottish Government has already released the advisory note procured from Strathclyde University ( https://www.gov.scot/publications/foi-202200277291/ ) and did not provide any further information to CES.
CES also procured additional advice that the Scottish Government do hold but these have not been released due to the ongoing nature of ScotWind clearing process and applications.
- Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 19 May 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Matheson on 7 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the ScotWind Offshore Wind Leasing: Advisory Note, produced for it by the University of Strathclyde Centre for Energy Policy, in April 2020, other than the three pre-defined option fee levels, what, if any, other levels of option fees were considered at that time, and whether it will provide a copy of any information that it (a) holds and (b) published at that time in relation to the recommendation in the Advisory Note “that all levels be fully justified and explained, with consideration and clarity given on why there are no higher increments”.
Answer
The Scottish Government did not set the ScotWind seabed lease Option Agreement fees. The advisory note prepared for the Scottish Government recommends that any new, higher, levels be appropriately justified. Crown Estate Scotland (“CES”) proceeded to satisfy those requirements through, in this case, appropriate consideration of externally procured advice. CES explained to SG the rationale for the pricing structure adopted. No further information is held relating to that recommendation.
- Asked by: Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 26 May 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Neil Gray on 7 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to support airshows in Scotland in the future.
Answer
In 2022, the National Events Programme, which has now closed for applications, would allow an eligible airshow to apply for EventScotland funding of up to £25,000. EventScotland are supporting the Largs Viking Festival (27 Aug – 4 Sept) and the Making Waves festival in Irvine (22-24 July). Both festivals include an air display as part of their event and are receiving funding via the National Events Programme.
For future years, the Resource Spending Review (RSR) published on 31 May provides a high level direction of travel and sets out Scottish Government priorities. The RSR delivers what certainty the Scottish Government can against the challenging context of the spiralling cost of living, Covid recovery and the Ukraine crisis and within the limits of the fiscal framework. The Scottish Government will work with the events sector and our public bodies on the detail of the spending review and what this means for budgets for individual programmes and projects.