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-33267

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 16 November 2020
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 30 November 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it has taken to (a) identify and (b) notify areas as pilot regions for Regional Land Use Partnerships.

The Scottish Government is committed to Regional Land Use Partnerships. Following the publication of the Scottish Land Commission recommendations report on 3 November 2020, we are undertaking preparatory work to establish Regional Land Use Partnership pilots. As part of this work, we are reviewing the Scottish Land Commission’s recommendations and pursuing options to enable pilot projects to be operational by the end of 2021, to meet the Programme for Government commitment. We will continue to engage with stakeholders to achieve this, and we intend to announce the agreed pilot areas in the near future.

Question reference: S5W-33266

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 16 November 2020
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 30 November 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with (a) COSLA and (b) all other public bodies on the establishment of Regional Land Use Partnerships.

The Scottish Government is committed to Regional Land Use Partnerships. Following the publication of the Scottish Land Commission recommendations report on 3 November 2020, we are undertaking preparatory work to establish Regional Land Use Partnership pilots. As part of this work, we are reviewing the Scottish Land Commission’s recommendations and pursuing options to enable pilot projects to be operational by the end of 2021, to meet the Programme for Government commitment. This work will comprise engagement with all relevant stakeholders, including COSLA and other relevant public bodies.

Question reference: S5W-33268

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 16 November 2020
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 30 November 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what (a) fiscal and (b) administrative support it intends to give to early adopters of Regional Land Use Partnerships, and whether this financial support will be allocated in the 2020-21 budget.

The Scottish Government is committed to Regional Land Use Partnerships. Following the publication of the Scottish Land Commission recommendations report on 3 November 2020, we are undertaking preparatory work to establish Regional Land Use Partnership pilots. As part of this work, we are reviewing the Scottish Land Commission’s recommendations and pursuing all options to enable pilot projects to be operational by the end of 2021, to meet the Programme for Government commitment. This will include evaluating any support required. We intend to announce the agreed pilot areas in the near future.

Question reference: S5W-33386

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 November 2020
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 26 November 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether the risk of peat slides is taken into consideration when planning permission is being sought for windfarm construction.

The determination of any planning application is a matter for the relevant Planning Authority based on the circumstances of the individual case, in accordance with the relevant development plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise. In reaching its decision, the planning authority is expected to have regard to all material factors, and this would include any Peat Landslide Hazard and Risk Assessment where appropriate. The Scottish Government’s Peat Landslide Hazard and Risk Assessments: Best Practice Guide for Proposed Electricity Generation Developments promotes best practice on this.

Question reference: S5W-33387

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 November 2020
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 26 November 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to assess the risk of peat slides on windfarm construction sites.

Monitoring of windfarms in relation to adherence to the terms of a planning permission is a matter for the relevant planning authority. Where a planning authority considers that a development is not in accordance with the terms and conditions of the planning consent, enforcement action can be taken to ensure the situation is rectified and the consent complied with. Planning authorities have discretion as to what enforcement action they may decide to take in any individual case.

Question reference: S5O-04822

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 November 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 December 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it is having with local authorities regarding their future funding settlements.

Question reference: S5O-04777

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 November 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 November 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what measures are being put in place to support youth theatre during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Question reference: S5W-32595

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 October 2020
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 16 November 2020

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish the Scottish Land Commission Report on regional land use partnerships.

Question reference: S5W-32290

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 05 October 2020
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 30 October 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the recommendation by Professors Werritty and Reid that a period of five years should be seen as the scientifically-based timescale to study the variability in raptor populations.

Question reference: S5W-32291

Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 05 October 2020
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 30 October 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether Ministers will take into consideration the stage 2 research into the socio-economic and biodiversity impacts of grouse moor management and the employment rights of gamekeepers, which is expected to be published soon, before it responds to the Werrity Review.