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-25426

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 09 February 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 29 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its assessment is of the occupied range of feral pigs in Scotland, and the extent of any damage being caused by the pigs.

NatureScot commissioned the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) to prepare a non-native species risk assessment as part of their feasibility study into options for controlling feral pigs in Scotland.

APHA completed the risk assessment in 2015 and was published in 2022 in NatureScot Research Report 876 - Preliminary assessment completed in 2015 of the feasibility of maintaining, limiting or eradicating feral pigs in Scotland | NatureScot Massei G. & Ward A. 2022.

Following a peer-review of the risk assessment by the Scottish Government Centre of Expertise on Animal Disease Outbreaks (EPIC), NatureScot updated and published the report ‘Updated non-native species risk assessment of feral pigs in Scotland. NatureScot Research Report 1288’. A copy of the report, which includes information on the distribution and potential impacts of feral pigs in Scotland, can be found on NatureScot’s website at NatureScot Research Report 1288 - Updated non-native species risk assessment of feral pigs in Scotland | NatureScot .

Question reference: S6W-25427

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 09 February 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 29 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what actions are being taken to tackle the reported encroachment of feral pigs in Scotland.

It is an offence under Section 14 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to release any type of pig, including wild boar. It is also an offence to allow them to escape from captivity.

The primary responsibility for controlling feral pig populations in the wild lies with land managers who should work in partnership with local communities.

Further information on feral pigs can be found on the NatureScot website at Managing feral pigs in Scotland | NatureScot .

Question reference: S6O-03169

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 February 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the Bus Partnership Fund, including what the spending plans are for the £473.1 million that is reportedly unspent to date, and when the fund will be resumed.

Question reference: S6W-25424

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 09 February 2024
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 28 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its assessment is of the occupied range of muntjac deer in Scotland, and the extent of any damage being caused by the species.

There is no established population of muntjac in Scotland. There have been sporadic sightings of muntjac in Scotland, most of which are unverified. Any confirmed sightings of muntjac have been captured or culled.

In the past 30 years, only five muntjac records have been accepted as correct, based on photographic or physical evidence and all of these are believed to have escaped from captivity nearby.

We encourage land managers and members of the public to continue to report sightings of muntjac via the reporting page on Scotland’s Environment Website or directly to NatureScot, for NatureScot to investigate.

Question reference: S6W-25425

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 09 February 2024
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 28 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what actions are being taken to tackle the reported encroachment of muntjac deer in Scotland.

While there is no established population of muntjac in Scotland, NatureScot are cognisant of concerns around their potential impact should that change.

We recognise that the two main risks are that either existing populations in other parts of Britain may expand their range into Scotland, or that captive muntjac may escape into the wild and establish populations.

Any suspected sightings of muntjac should be reported to NatureScot directly or through the invasive non-native reporting tool on Scotland’s Environment Website . NatureScot follow up all reported sightings. Between three and ten reports a year are investigated, by interviewing witnesses and following up credible sightings with trail cameras and night vision surveys. NatureScot considers nearly all of these have been unlikely to be muntjac based on witness statements.

It is already an offence to keep muntjac in captivity without a licence, and land managers must inform NatureScot without delay if they suspect the presence of muntjac on their land. It is also an offence to transport, use or exchange, breed or permit a muntjac to reproduce.

Since 2021, the Non-Native Species Inspectorate has been carrying out inspections of zoos and private animal collections on behalf of the Scottish Government. The Inspectorate gathers evidence of non-compliance and passes cases on to Police Scotland to investigate, or NatureScot to resolve through licensing. NatureScot has issued two licences to keep muntjac at visitor attractions in the last ten years.

Question reference: S6O-03141

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 February 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the open letter sent to MSPs from over 120 colleges, businesses and trade unions, on 5 February, urgently asking for the reinstatement of the Flexible Workforce Development Fund for Scotland’s colleges, which has been removed from the draft Budget for 2024-25.

Question reference: S6O-03111

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 February 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential impact of the £58.7 million reduction to the College Operational Expenditure budget for 2024-25 on the Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire constituency.

Question reference: S6W-24829

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 29 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 14 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how much grant funding has been awarded through the Scottish Dental Access Initiative in the NHS Borders area, in each year since the scheme began.

Question reference: S6W-24824

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 29 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 14 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many dental practices, broken down by geographical location, offered NHS services (a) before and (b) after the NHS dental payment reform was introduced on 1 November 2023.

Question reference: S6W-24828

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 29 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 14 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what the average length of time between an application being received and a final decision being taken regarding support through the Scottish Dental Access Initiative is for (a) each NHS board area and (b) Scotland as a whole.

Year	Amount
2009	£100,000
2010	£100,000
2011	£185,000
2012	0
2013	0
2014	£35,000
2015	0
2016	0
2017	0
2018	0
2019	0
2020	0
2021	0
2022	£100,000
2023	£153,501