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-03528

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 May 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 June 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Police Scotland in relation to its guidance on recording non-crime hate incidents.

Question reference: S6F-03070

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 29 April 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 May 2024

To ask the First Minister, in light of new reported data that nearly one in five shop premises in Scottish cities lie empty, what action the Scottish Government is taking to support the retail sector.

Question reference: S6O-03305

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 April 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the health secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding the plans for health infrastructure investment in its revised Infrastructure Investment Plan, including the likely publication date of any such plans.

Question reference: S6O-03285

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 March 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on how it is supporting the museum sector.

Question reference: S6W-25990

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 20 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it is taking to ensure greater partnerships between scientific companies and universities to secure well-paid careers for Scottish graduates.

Scottish Government recognises that careers in science may offer excellent opportunities for Scottish graduates.

Through the national careers service led by Skills Development Scotland, we seek to ensure that everyone in Scotland can access high quality careers advice that draws on the latest labour market data.

The Scottish Funding Council also works with universities and colleges to promote partnership working with industry, including with scientific companies. It does this through the University Innovation Fund (UIF), the Innovation Centre programme, the provision of core funding for organisations such as Interface and Converge and other strategic investments.

Question reference: S6W-25987

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 20 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will support greater cooperation between scientific companies and local schools to encourage more young people to enter the sector.

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of industry engagement and outreach activities in attracting and inspiring the workforce of the future.

The National Strategy for Economic Transformation sets bold actions to deliver fairer, greener prosperity for all Scotland’s people and places, and to make our economy more sustainable and resilient in the longer term.

Developing the Young Workforce (DYW), and third sector partners including Career Ready, offer excellent opportunities for employers to engage with young people in schools to encourage them to learn about and experience opportunities in their sectors.

Question reference: S6O-03248

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 March 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what plans it has to commission a portrait of King Charles as head of state.

Question reference: S6W-25939

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 01 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 14 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any impact that piscivorous birds have on the wild salmon population.

Quantifying the impacts of piscivorous birds on wild salmon populations is challenging as it requires updated information on bird populations, distributions and diet, as well as information on the population dynamics processes of both the birds and fish.

Nevertheless several studies have been commissioned in order to build knowledge of the potential impact of piscivorous birds on wild salmon. Most recently a study to document the diet of fish eating birds on four Scottish rivers was conducted between 2019 and 2020. A final report on the study is available on the Scottish Government website - Bird stomach contents analysis - final report: Goosander and Cormorant diet on four Scottish rivers 2019 to 2020 - gov.scot ( www.gov.scot ).

A separate project funded by the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund has examined acoustic tracking methods that may be useful in identifying those stretches of Scottish rivers where salmon smolt losses occur. This pilot work included a study examining the feasibility of concurrently recording movements of piscivorous birds (goosanders) using Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) tags. A final report on the study will be published in due course.

Question reference: S6W-25938

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 01 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 14 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any impact that beavers have on (a) natural wild salmon habitats in Scotland’s rivers and (b) the population of salmon smolts.

NatureScot has carried out a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) that includes the identification of risks and constraints of beaver translocation and natural colonisation to other interests, including migratory fish such as Atlantic salmon. A comprehensive Environmental Report was prepared in 2017 focussed on two detailed zones; Tayside and Knapdale. An addendum to the 2017 Environment Report that brings up to date to our knowledge of beavers in Scotland, as well as their impacts and management was published in 2022. Furthermore, stand-alone assessments have been carried out on prioritised river catchments. To date this process has seen assessments for the River Leven (Loch Lomond), River Forth, River Beauly and River Spey catchments.

Question reference: S6W-25985

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 14 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how its Budget for 2024-25 will create opportunities for advanced scientific industries in Scotland.

While faced with one of the most difficult financial settlements since devolution, the Scottish Government is making the most of every resource available in the Scottish Budget 2024-2025 to continue to grow and transform the economy through investment of more than £5 billion across government.

Spending is targeted at measures that will support our long-term ambitions for a wellbeing economy that is fair, green and growing. The Scottish Government and its associated agencies are committed to creating opportunities for advanced scientific industries in Scotland, helping to deliver on our ambitions in the Innovation Strategy.