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-23209

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 24 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 8 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government which public organisation is responsible for safeguarding the nearby residents of HMP & YOI Stirling, including many children and older and disabled people, in light of reports that they continue to experience daily noise disturbances from the facility, and what its position is on how Stirling Council was able to approve the construction of the facility close to local residential estates, in light of reports that there were no industry standard pre-construction surveys and testing carried out in relation to the close proximity of the residential estates.

I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:

Any concerns from residents in relation to general noise disturbances, fall under the remit of the local authority, in this instance Stirling Council.

The responsibility for determining applications for planning permission, and planning enforcement of such decisions, rests primarily with the planning authority for the area, in this case Stirling Council. Such applications are required to be determined in accordance with the development plan for the area unless material considerations indicate otherwise – More information can be found on the Scottish Government Website, specifically Planning circular 3/2022: development management procedures - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) .

SPS remains committed to engaging with local residents.

Question reference: S6W-23188

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 24 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 6 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will confirm the costs associated with the (a) production and (b) publication of the paper, Our marine sector in an independent Scotland.

The external costs associated with the production and publication of the Building a New Scotland paper, ‘Our marine sector in an independent Scotland’, are set out in the following table:

Costs
Task	VAT %	VAT	Net Price
Formatting and Online Publication	20	698.70	3,493.51
Summary Document	20	66.82	334.10
Summary Document – Easy Read Version	20	199.47	997.37
Summary Document – Language Translations	20	968.66	4,843.28
Summary Document – BSL Translation	20	205.63	1,028.16
Summary Document – Audio Translation	20	33.78	168.92
Printed Copies	0	0	1,018.96

Total		£2,173.06	£11,884.30

Total (including VAT)			£14,057.36

Papers in the Building a New Scotland prospectus series are available at the following link: www.gov.scot/newscotland .

Question reference: S6O-02830

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 November 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 6 December 2023

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

Question reference: S6W-22911

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 23 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on whether it has any plans to conduct an analysis of the impact of the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) (Scotland) Act 2021 since its introduction.

The Scottish Government does not currently have plans to assess the impact of the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) (Scotland) Act 2021 following its introduction.

The Scottish Government considers increasing people’s awareness a key factor in the prevention of livestock worrying incidents and the associated unnecessary suffering. The Scottish Outdoor Access Code is clear on the rights and responsibilities of land managers and those exercising access rights, and is widely publicised.

Question reference: S6O-02775

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 November 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many civil servants worked on the production of the latest Building a New Scotland paper on immigration and EU policy.

Question reference: S6W-22007

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 16 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 30 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether there are any circumstances in which it would be acceptable or appropriate for an electricity distribution network company to fell trees on land in relation to which a wayleave is in place, but where the landowner has not been informed of the intention to carry out the felling.

Regulation of electricity networks is reserved to the UK Government. The Electricity Act 1989 schedule 4 sets out the powers that are available to certain distribution network licence holders to fell and lop trees and the circumstances in which such felling and lopping may be carried out. The schedule sets out the duty of the licence holder to give notice to the landowner(s) or occupier(s) of the land of the requirement for this activity and the process which follows thereafter.

Question reference: S6W-22008

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 16 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 30 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether there are any circumstances in which it would be acceptable or appropriate for an electricity distribution network company to retain equipment on land when the landowner has given notice to remove the equipment and a necessary wayleave has not been applied for.

Regulation of electricity networks is reserved to the UK Government. Matters pertaining to the retention of electric lines on land are governed by schedule 4 to the Electricity Act 1989. The schedule sets out the circumstances and the timeframe within which an electricity network distribution licence holder may, following the service of a notice to remove the electric line from the land, not be obliged to comply with the notice and retain the electric line on the land.

Question reference: S6O-02673

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 October 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Fire Brigades Union’s report, Firestorm, which reportedly warns that the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service is in "crisis".

Question reference: S6W-22006

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 16 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 24 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what issues are considered relevant when considering a claim for compensation from a landowner for the granting of a necessary wayleave, and whether such relevant issues should be detailed by the Reporter in their report to the Scottish Ministers.

Questions of compensation in respect of a necessary wayleave will not be addressed by the Reporter when making a recommendation on whether a necessary wayleave should be granted. Although, issues which relate to the impact on the use or enjoyment of the land which may subsequently be the subject of a claim for compensation may be considered by the Reporter.

The Scottish Ministers have no power under Schedule 4 to the 1989 Electricity Act to prescribe financial conditions in any necessary wayleave case or to resolve disputes on the level of compensation. Compensation will fall to be settled by agreement between the parties or, failing agreement, by the Lands Tribunal for Scotland at the request of either party.

Question reference: S6W-22038

Asked by: Alexander Stewart, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 20 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding short-term let licensing, what its position is on whether holiday accommodation providers that have multiple similar premises types on the same site should be required to pay a licence fee for each individual accommodation that they provide.