Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-30077

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 7 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it was aware that there were ongoing police investigations into the companies referred to in the BBC’s recent reporting on slavery in the Scottish fishing sector when it awarded any funding to those companies.

Question reference: S6W-30079

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 7 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how much direct subsidy it has given to the group of companies referred to in the BBC’s recent reporting on slavery in the Scottish fishing sector since 2019.

Question reference: S6W-30089

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 23 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 7 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how much of the £8 million that the UK Government reportedly committed to providing to carry out a feasibility study on the A75 it has received.

The previous UK Government had committed £8m of Union Connectivity funding for the Scottish Government to take forward design development and assessment of options for the realignment of the A75 around the settlements of Springholm and Crocketford. This funding was over the period of 2024/25 to 2026/27 of which £1,480,500 was received for 2024-25.

However, the UK Chancellor in her recent statement announcing £22 billion of cuts, also included a number of investment projects that will now no longer proceed as planned but will need to wait for the conclusion of forthcoming spending review process.. The earliest point at which we will know whether or not the UK Government is able to commit to this funding over the relevant future financial years, allowing the design development and options appraisal for these by-passes to be concluded is Spring 2025. We have therefore been offered no guarantee that such funding will be available.

The Scottish Government is disappointed that this lack of commitment by the UK Government is impacting on our ability to make meaningful and demonstrable progress for the people and businesses of the South-West of Scotland who rely on this vital route.

Transport Scotland officials have progressed a robust procurement process to appoint a technical advisor to take forward the design development and assessment work, however, re-confirmation of the UK Government’s funding position is awaited prior to awarding the contract.

The Scottish Government is committed to improving safety, resilience and reliability on the A75 for all users traveling on this important route to benefit not just the people of Scotland but those from the wider UK too. As such, the Scottish Government will continue to engage positively and collaboratively with the UK Government on our shared priorities for transport.

Question reference: S6W-30090

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 23 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 7 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made on the proposed feasibility study on the upgrade of the A75.

Question reference: S6W-30080

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 4 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has given scallop effort quota to any of the group of companies referred to in the BBC’s recent reporting on slavery in the Scottish fishing industry at any point during 2024.

The Scottish Government does not give scallop effort quota to any fishing vessel within the Scottish fleet. Unlike many fish quotas, scallop effort is not allocated by the UK government to the devolved fisheries administrations, instead, a common effort regime is operated by all UK fisheries licensing authorities. Following a communication by the UK Government, to all devolved administrations, fishing licences are varied so that limits to the number of days at sea for vessels over 15 metres can fish for king or queen scallops in the waters of ICES area VII per quarter of the year are introduced. Unlike other fish quotas, the scallop limit cannot be transferred or leased between vessels.

Question reference: S6O-03819

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 October 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to ensure that those delivering Scotland’s Winter Festivals will be involved in the planned strategic partnership for Scotland’s festivals.

Question reference: S6W-30091

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 23 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 2 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when the proposed speed management scheme on the A75 at Crocketford will be introduced.

The Scottish Government, through Transport Scotland’s Trunk Road Casualty Reduction programme of works, is delivering a speed management scheme on the A75 at Crocketford. Construction is programmed to commence by November 2024 through the delivery of an additional electronic vehicle-activated sign (VAS) to encourage vehicles to comply with the speed limit in addition to two existing VAS in the town. Changes to the signs and footway are programmed for the 2025-26 financial year, but subject to the availability of resources. This will involve upgrading the existing signs to current standards and providing a new section of footway and uncontrolled crossings at Park of Brandedleys.

Question reference: S6W-30093

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 23 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 2 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when the junction improvements on the A75 at Haugh of Urr will be completed.

The Scottish Government, through Transport Scotland’s Trunk Road Casualty Reduction programme of works, is delivering improvements at the A75 Haugh of Urr junction. Construction of static sign improvements, relating to advanced direction signage and rationalisation of existing signage, is currently programmed for November 2024. An electronic vehicle-activated sign system to warn drivers of vehicles turning or waiting to turn at the junction is also proposed at the junction. This may be delivered this financial year subject to the approval of a non-prescribed sign application.

Question reference: S6W-30094

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 23 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 2 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when the planned trunk road safety investigations on the A75 by Mouswald, Glenluce and Twynholm will be completed.

Question reference: S6W-30059

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 20 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 30 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its current position is on funding for the Whitesands Flood Protection Scheme in Dumfries.

Funding for flood resilience is distributed to local authorities through the general capital grant. The allocation mechanism is agreed by Ministers and COSLA Leaders on a national basis.

The current distribution agreement is that 80% of available funding is allocated to a list of prioritised flood protection schemes, and 20% allocated to local authorities to fund other actions within Flood Risk Management Plans.

Since 2008, the Scottish Government has made available £42 million per year to local authorities to invest in flood risk management actions – a commitment that is in place until 2026. The 2020 Programme for Government also committed an extra £150 million for flood risk management.

Whitesands is one of the 31 flood protection schemes eligible to receive this funding, as long as the scheme remains viable. 15 such schemes have already been completed across Scotland, with a further 5 due to be completed in 2024.

Chamber and committees