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-08542

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 13 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 26 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has with the recreational sea angling community regarding improving sea angling opportunities.

The Scottish Government engages with the sea angling community through Angling Scotland, the umbrella organisation formed by the three Scottish Angling Governing Bodies: the Scottish Anglers National Organisation, the Scottish Federation for Coarse Angling and the Scottish Federation of Sea Anglers.

Recent engagement has concerned the commencement of angling activities in the run-up to and following the lifting of covid restrictions, with angling being recognised as a low impact activity that improves health and well-being. The last engagement with sea angling stakeholders concerned the use and usefulness for Scotland of the UK-wide Sea Angling Diary, however there was limited feedback.

Question reference: S6W-08543

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 13 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 26 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it is taking to improve recreational sea angling across Scotland.

Scottish Government maintains good relations with the angling community through its interaction with Angling Scotland. This helps in ensuring that any issues and opportunities for recreational sea angling in Scotland are brought to our attention and can be appropriately considered alongside other priorities.

Between 2016 and 2021 the Scottish Government supported the UK-wide Sea Angling Diary, which saw anglers as ‘volunteer diarists’ contributing data on recreational catches. Scottish Government, taking into account limited feedback from stakeholders, considered that the Scottish data collection was not providing good value for taxpayers’ money due to the limitations of the output, and will no longer contribute to the UK survey.

Instead, it will review its approach to sea angling data collection and examine other means by which they can be obtained in the future. Data specifically tailored towards the Scottish situation can then be made available to inform measures to promote sea angling, whilst monitoring any impacts on commercial fish stocks.

Question reference: S6W-08544

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 13 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 24 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what measures are being taken to improve inshore fish stocks.

Our Fisheries Management Strategy contains a range of actions to support more sustainable and responsible fisheries management in Scotland. Policies, such as the Future Catching Policy and the introduction of Remote Electronic Monitoring to key parts of the fishing fleet, will support increased sustainability of practice, and will increase accountability and confidence that we are fishing at sustainable levels. These consultations are open until 07 June 2022.

In addition, the Bute House Agreement aims to deliver on our shared commitment to achieve and maintain good environmental status for all of Scotland’s seas. The agreement includes a commitment to consult on a cap on inshore fishing activity, as well as implementation of Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs) which will provide additional protection for some fish nursery areas, both of which will help to improve fish stocks.

As a guiding principle we will follow the scientific advice and take a Precautionary Approach with regards to management of our pressure stocks, in line with the Fisheries Act of 2020.

Finally, we will continue to work closely with our network of Regional Inshore Fisheries Groups, and are already using learning from our Outer Hebrides Inshore Fisheries Pilot which commenced in November 2020. This Pilot is trialling pot limitation in order to inform sustainable management options for other discrete inshore fisheries to ensure that our fish stocks are sustainably managed.

Question reference: S6W-08472

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 24 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how the Just Transition will support Inverclyde’s local economy through innovation in the renewables sector.

For a truly just transition we need to deliver for all of Scotland. In Inverclyde, through the Clyde Mission we are working with partners to make the Clyde an engine of sustainable and inclusive growth for the region which will be critical for a just transition. As part of this project, the restoration of the Platers Shed at Inchgreen will create jobs in Inverclyde and enable the use of green technology in modern shipbuilding. At least £25 million will also be available through the Mission to take forward heat decarbonisation projects along the Clyde in the current Parliamentary term.

We are also providing £500 million through the Glasgow City Region Deal to support a number of projects in Inverclyde, helping to attract new investment and business in the region.

Question reference: S6O-01130

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S6W-08420

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 06 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 16 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the work of the Empire, Slavery and Scotland's Museums steering group.

Question reference: S6W-08418

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 06 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 16 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when it will announce its preferred location(s) for a national slavery museum as part of action to address historic links to the transatlantic slave trade.

Question reference: S6W-08421

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 06 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 16 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether full consideration is being given to the Sugar Warehouse in Greenock as a potential location for a national slavery museum, as part of action to address historic links to the transatlantic slave trade.

Further to my answer today to the Member's question S6W-08418 on 16 May 2022, the Scottish Government is not currently at the stage of considering preferred locations for a national slavery museum.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

Question reference: S6W-08419

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 06 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 16 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Empire, Slavery and Scotland's Museums steering group has considered the name, Nation Human Right Museum, as part of its discussions on the creation of a national slavery museum, as part of action to address historic links to the transatlantic slave trade.

Question reference: S6O-01052

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 4 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the removal of peak fares from ScotRail services.

On April the 1st, ScotRail passenger services were successfully brought into public ownership. This move now offers us the opportunity to take the right actions to make rail travel more sustainable, affordable and accessible for the people of Scotland.

Affordable rail travel, including a consideration of peak rail fares, will be considered by the Fair Fares review. This review will seek to consider the affordability of public transport across the network, whilst also considering how journeys can be better connected through integrated ticketing, for example. In the context of the cost of living crisis it is absolutely essential that all Governments consider how to support an affordable public transport network.