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: S6O-00945

Asked by: Emma Roddick, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 March 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 31 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on how its international offices are functioning and improving international relations.

Question reference: S6W-07186

Asked by: Emma Roddick, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 21 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how much peat has been burned in Scotland in the process of making whisky, in order to flavour malting barley, in each of the last five years.

Question reference: S6W-07187

Asked by: Emma Roddick, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 21 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how much peat has been extracted in Scotland for commercial use in each of the last five years.

The Scottish Government does not hold the information requested.

Data on UK and export sales of peat sourced from Scotland since 2011 is gathered for the UK Growing Media Monitor ( https://hta.org.uk/associations-committees-groups/growing-media-association/gma-research ) and provides insight into the volumes of peat extracted for horticulture in Scotland up to 2020, the main end use of extracted peat.

The Scottish Government is committed to banning the sale of peat related gardening products, as part of our wider commitment to phase out the use of peat in horticulture, and we are currently preparing to consult on this issue. Our draft National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) sets out that development proposals for new commercial peat extraction, including extensions to existing sites, should not be supported unless the extracted peat is supporting an industry of national importance to Scotland.

We will also give consideration, through our peatland restoration programme, to whether and what further data may be required to support future monitoring of progress against targets.

Question reference: S6O-00899

Asked by: Emma Roddick, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 March 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what steps are being taken with ministerial colleagues across government to ensure that Scotland’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic addresses the reported disproportionate impact of the pandemic on low-income households.

Question reference: S6O-00831

Asked by: Emma Roddick, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 March 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the allocation of Discretionary Housing Payments in Scotland.

Question reference: S6O-00816

Asked by: Emma Roddick, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 February 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how it is tackling any issues related to high numbers of second homes in some parts of Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-06879

Asked by: Emma Roddick, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 21 February 2022
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 22 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish the scenario-mapping report prepared for the seaweed sector, and whether it will provide an update on the progress of the Seaweed Review.

As part of the Scottish Government’s Seaweed Review, a scenario mapping exercise exploring areas of growth for the seaweed sector and wider possible impacts of growth scenarios was undertaken. The report setting out the findings from that exercise has now been published, alongside a statement setting out the next steps for the Seaweed Review.

The publication of these documents contributes to the Programme for Government commitment to report on any changes required to marine planning and licensing processes, as well as to the continued sustainable development of the blue economy.

These documents are available at:

Understanding the potential scale for seaweed-based industries in Scotland– https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781802018837
Statement on the Seaweed Review– https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781804350720

The report exploring potential areas for growth has been informed by stakeholder consultation and engagement with the Seaweed Review Strategy Group (“SRSG”). The SRSG comprises of representatives from various sectors representing conservation, science, enterprise, biotechnology, fisheries and the Seaweed Industry Association. I want to thank the members of the SRSG for their invaluable contributions and continued engagement with the review process.

The review points to the need for a more comprehensive policy and regulatory framework for both seaweed harvesting and cultivation activities, as well as input from the seaweed industry and other stakeholders, to support the future development of a sustainable seaweed industry.

There is a long history of harvesting seaweed in Scotland and growing interest in the sector supports our decision to include seaweed as part of the first stage of the aquaculture review by Professor Griggs which was published earlier this month. The future of Scotland’s seaweed cultivation sector will also be considered as part of the development of the Scottish Government’s Vision for Sustainable Aquaculture.

Other pieces of work, including the new seafood strategy to be published later this year, underline our commitment to ensure that existing and emerging seaweed activities fit into our broader framework for managing multiple uses of the sea, including fishing and renewable energy.

Question reference: S6O-00787

Asked by: Emma Roddick, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 February 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on how the Distress Brief Intervention programme is supporting people experiencing mental health crises.

Question reference: S6W-05667

Asked by: Emma Roddick, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 1 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the recent shutdown of Hunterston B Power Station, how many jobs the nuclear decommissioning sector currently supports.

Question reference: S6W-05668

Asked by: Emma Roddick, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 January 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 1 February 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on how nuclear decommissioning skills can be transferred to the renewables sector.

The Scottish Government recognises that the decommissioning of nuclear sites requires the retention of a highly skilled workforce over many years. We also recognise that the skills of the workforce decommissioning Scottish nuclear sites could ultimately be utilised by the renewables sector as part of our transition to net zero.

In December 2020 the Scottish Government and Skills Development Scotland published the Climate Emergency Skills Action Plan (CESAP) setting out the actions required to ensure Scotland’s labour market is able to effectively support the transition to net zero. For example, as a priority action identified in the CESAP, the Green Jobs Workforce Academy administered by Skills Development Scotland, launched on the 23 August 2021 to help workers identify and access relevant green jobs and training.