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: S5W-01557

Asked by: Stewart Stevenson, MSP for Banffshire and Buchan Coast, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 July 2016
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 15 August 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it had with UK Government regarding the lifting of the ban on overseas trading of skates and rays quotas.

In May and June 2016 I wrote to and spoke with UK Government Ministers about their decision to ban export of certain skates and rays quota from the United Kingdom.

This ban had the effect of preventing valuable monkfish quota from being imported into Scotland by the Scottish Fishermen’s Organisation (SFO), which had organised an international swap that involved the export of 1 per cent of one of the UK’s skates and rays quotas, in return for over 200 tonnes of monkfish quota.

I wrote to Ministers in the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in June 2016 and held a number of follow up meetings, in person and by telephone. I insisted that the Scottish fleet be able to access the full amount of Monkfish quota available internationally, and rejected UK suggestions that the ban continue over the summer 2016.

I was pleased that the UK Government relaxed the ban, allowing SFO vessels to resume monkfish fishing on 10 July 2016, so that they can now land the additional monkfish quota, which has a value of up to £600,000. This additional supply will also be welcomed by fish processors and through the supply chain. It is clear that, without the intervention of the Scottish Government, resolution of this unnecessary problem could well have been postponed for months.

Question reference: S5W-01558

Asked by: Stewart Stevenson, MSP for Banffshire and Buchan Coast, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 July 2016
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 15 August 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what impact the lifting of the ban on overseas trading of skates and rays quotas will have on fishermen based at (a) Peterhead and (b) other Scottish ports.

Question reference: S5O-00083

Asked by: Stewart Stevenson, MSP for Banffshire and Buchan Coast, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 June 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 June 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure the sustainable future of dairy production in North East Scotland.

Question reference: S5O-00049

Asked by: Stewart Stevenson, MSP for Banffshire and Buchan Coast, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 June 2016
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 15 June 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it is making in boosting the delivery of STEM subjects.

We are making good progress in boosting the delivery of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects. This financial year we are investing £1.5 million in practical support for teachers for science, technology, and maths through the Scottish Schools Science Research Centre and the National Numeracy and Mathematics Hub. Education Scotland provide a strong package of support for teaching and learning across all STEM subjects.

The Scottish Funding Council has prioritised STEM across the college sector. Numbers of full time equivalent engineering, science and maths students in college are rising as are the numbers of entrants to first degree courses in STEM subjects at Scottish universities.

There is lots of good practice right across the country. For example, North East Scotland College currently run an S2 Skills competition (sponsored by Shell UK and Score Group) with partner secondary schools in the Aberdeenshire area which aims to encourage young people at school into engineering.

Question reference: S4O-05707

Asked by: Stewart Stevenson, MSP for Banffshire and Buchan Coast, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 March 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 March 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to ensure that children get the best start in life.

Question reference: S4O-05671

Asked by: Stewart Stevenson, MSP for Banffshire and Buchan Coast, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 March 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 March 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to promote science, technology, engineering and mathematics in schools.

Question reference: S4O-05631

Asked by: Stewart Stevenson, MSP for Banffshire and Buchan Coast, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 March 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 March 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what value it places on the culture and traditions of North East Scotland.

Question reference: S4O-05617

Asked by: Stewart Stevenson, MSP for Banffshire and Buchan Coast, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 February 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 March 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing to tourism in Aberdeenshire.

Question reference: S4O-05576

Asked by: Stewart Stevenson, MSP for Banffshire and Buchan Coast, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 February 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 February 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what impact the CashBack for Communities programme is having in North East Scotland.

Question reference: S4O-05218

Asked by: Stewart Stevenson, MSP for Banffshire and Buchan Coast, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 December 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 6 January 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made in the common agricultural policy convergence uplift negotiations with the UK Government.