Chamber and committees

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-17547

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 15 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of Scotland’s sea beds have been degraded by human activities, including fishing, and what economic impact it anticipates Highly Protected Marine Areas could have on coastal communities, including fishing businesses.

Human activities have had a considerable impact in Scotland’s seas. Of the 21 marine regions reported in the Scottish Marine Assessment 2020 , where physical disturbance was assessed, 18 were predicted to have more than 15% of their area classified as highly disturbed and are considered to be in “poor condition”.

Our proposals to introduce Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs) are intended to contribute to addressing this situation and improving the state of our sea bed across Scotland’s seas. However, enhanced marine protection is about more than tackling biodiversity loss and climate change – it is also about delivering societal benefits which must include benefits for coastal and island communities.

We are proposing that HPMAs protect ecosystems and the services they provide, including essential fish and shellfish habitats, which will deliver societal benefits, including for island and coastal communities. By being properly designed and located we believe these areas would provide long term and sustainable benefits for island and coastal communities.

Scientific studies indicate that fish stocks can increase in HPMAs, providing spill over benefits for fishers and making sure there are sustainable levels of fish and other marine products to be derived and benefitted from our seas. For example, a study by Lenihan et al in California has shown spill over benefits with increased stocks of spiny lobster.

We have conducted a range of initial impact assessments, including an initial Sustainability Appraisal (composed of a Strategic Environmental Report and a Socio-Economic Impact Assessment); a partial Island Communities Impact Assessment (ICIA) Screening Report; and a partial Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment (BRIA). We sought views on these as part of our initial consultation, which closed on 17 April. However, as was noted in the consultation, any specific potential impacts can only be considered in full once specific site proposals have been developed, following close stakeholder and community engagement.

Question reference: S6W-17598

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 May 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 12 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many tonnes of (a) lumpfish and (b) wrasse were output from hatcheries in Scotland in the last five years or for the latest years for which data is available, and what information it holds on how this compares with equivalent data for England and Wales.

Question reference: S6O-02236

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 May 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Police Scotland regarding any changes to the policing of protests.

Question reference: S6W-17246

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 4 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what the current level of woodland cover is on agricultural land.

The June 2021 Scottish Agricultural Census identified Scotland to have an agricultural land area of 5.64 million hectares. Scotland has created over 83,500 hectares of new woodland in the last ten years. For illustration purposes, if all of this had hypothetically been planted on agricultural land it would equate to 1.5% of the total agricultural land holding in Scotland.

Analysis of the Forestry Grant Scheme shows the applications for small woodland grants since 2015 covers 6,839 hectares, which equates to 0.1% of all agricultural land. Over the same period some 1,100 hectares of woodland creation has been on prime agricultural land, which represents 0.2% of total prime agricultural land.

Question reference: S6W-17325

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 4 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, with reference to its consultation on A New Deal for Tenants, what work it has done with animal welfare charities to promote the benefits of pet-friendly properties to landlords.

We recognise the health and wellbeing benefits having a pet can bring and our New Deal for Tenants sought views on proposals to give tenants greater rights to keep a pet.

Scottish Government officials engaged with Battersea Dogs & Cats Home to discuss their Pet Friendly Properties report and how these recommendations could work with tenants, landlords and pets. Officials also engaged with Cats Protection regarding their Purrfect Landlords campaign and to consider ways to encourage more landlords to allow pets in their properties.

We are currently considering responses to the consultation as we develop proposals for future reform and will continue to liaise with all stakeholders during this process.

Question reference: S6W-17323

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 4 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to bring forward legislative proposals based on its consultation on A New Deal for Tenants.

Question reference: S6W-17324

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 4 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether any legislative proposals based on its consultation on A New Deal for Tenants will include greater flexibility for tenants to personalise their home, including the right to keep pets, in both the private and social housing sectors.

Question reference: S6O-02219

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 May 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 11 May 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with local authorities regarding any preparations for the potential impact of the proposed Illegal Migration Bill on asylum seekers currently accommodated in hotels in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-16897

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 24 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to make the process for obtaining a licence for a conservation translocation of a beaver within existing range attractive and achievable for landowners, in line with Goal 3, Action II of Scotland's Beaver Strategy 2022-2045, Part 2: Implementation Plan.

NatureScot have already taken a number of actions to make the process for obtaining a licence for a conservation translocation of a beaver within existing range attractive and achievable for landowners.

NatureScot has produced guidance on beaver translocation for applicants, consultees and interested parties which sets out the expectations for engagement with those most likely to be affected. The extent of stakeholder engagement should be proportionate to the proposals.

There are existing environmental appraisals for beaver translocations in the Tay, Forth, Knapdale and Loch Lomond catchments. Proposals that are within range and genuinely low risk are not expected to demonstrate the same level of engagement as proposals in new catchments where there may be new risks and benefits to consider.

A translocation licence application should contain project details as set out in the Scottish Code for Conservation Translocations. This includes an assessment of release site suitability, a summary of what stakeholder engagement has been carried out and evidence of landowner permission. NatureScot staff can advise land managers with an interest in receiving beavers within range, and are working with public bodies to identify suitable opportunities on public land.

The application process should not be a barrier for those seeking to release beavers within range. Further information can be found in the following link: https://www.nature.scot/doc/beavers-scotland-conservation-translocation-guidance-applicants-consultees-and-interested-parties

Following the publication of the Scotland’s Beaver Strategy NatureScot will be discussing with the Scottish Beaver Advisory Group what further action might be required to achieve this goal.

Question reference: S6W-16896

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 24 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many beavers have been translocated to new river catchments since the announcement by the Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity, in November 2021, of new measures to expand beaver numbers and restore biodiversity.