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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-36036

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 March 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 23 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, other than the Single-use Plastic Products (Scotland) Regulations 2021, what action it (a) has taken and (b) plans to take to reduce the use of plastic packaging and single-use plastics, and what specific policies or initiatives are or will be aimed at (i) reducing waste and (ii) promoting sustainable alternatives.

Question reference: S6W-36039

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 March 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 23 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what tools, including enforcement mechanisms, it has to ensure that the ban on single-use plastics, which commenced on 1 June 2022 under the Single-use Plastic Products (Scotland) Regulations 2021, is fully implemented; whether it has carried out a review of the effectiveness of the ban and if, (a) so, whether it will publish the findings and (b) not, what plans it has to do so.

Question reference: S6W-36038

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 March 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 23 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it is taking in rural areas, particularly in the Highlands, to improve (a) mental health services for vulnerable people and (b) adult social support.

Question reference: S6W-36037

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 March 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 23 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what the composition is of the single-use coffee cups and lunch boxes used in the Parliament, and where the location is of the facility for composting such single-use packaging.

Question reference: S6W-35533

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 10 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 25 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to reduce waiting times for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) assessments in the Highlands and Islands region.

The Scottish Government has allocated £123 million to Health Boards this year to improve the quality and delivery of mental health and psychological services, including neurodevelopmental services, for both adults and Children and Young People.

We are taking steps to ensure local services are supported and we engage regularly with NHS boards regarding their provision of support for neurodivergent people.

For children and young people, we are working closely with NHS Boards and local authorities towards implementing the National Neurodevelopmental Specification for Children and Young People in full. This will help ensure that children and families receive the support and access to services that meet their needs at the earliest opportunity.

We have also commissioned the National Autism Implementation Team to support NHS Boards to develop, enhance and redesign adult neurodevelopmental services. NHS Highland was one of four NHS Boards funded by the Scottish Government to trial adult neurodevelopmental pathways in 2022.

Question reference: S6W-35597

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 20 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of research by the University of Cambridge and University of the Highlands and Islands showing that a pledge by UK shooting organisations to replace lead shot with non-toxic alternatives by 2025 has failed, how it plans to protect (a) wildlife and (b) game meat consumers from lead contamination.

The Scottish Government is aware of the research by the University of Cambridge and the University of the Highlands and Islands and recognises that the use of lead in ammunition continues to pose risks to human health, wildlife, and the environment. We prioritised work under assimilated law in 2021 to propose a restriction for lead in ammunition, in agreement with the Welsh and UK Governments, to address these ongoing risks.

We have been working with UK and Welsh Governments to reach a decision following the publication of the Health and Safety Executive’s Opinion on this restriction proposal in December 2024. Once a decision has been agreed between the UK Government, Scottish, and Welsh Ministers, the UK Government will publish a decision report on its website. The Secretary of State must then seek the consent of Scottish and Welsh Ministers to a UK statutory instrument to make this decision law.

Question reference: S6W-35595

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 20 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its statement in the National Marine Plan 2 (NMP2) consultation documents that "zonal planning for fisheries in NMP2 is not currently appropriate as there are a range of policies in development", for what reason it proposes to separate fisheries from zonal marine planning, and how the range of policies in development will interact with NMP2.

The National Marine Plan 2 (NMP2) is a planning tool that informs and provides guidance on marine use decisions covering where, when, if and how development takes place. The regulation and management of marine activities including fishing are covered by sector specific regulations outside of planning.

The NMP2 will support the outcomes set out in the fisheries management strategy, and guide decision makers to consider how fisheries management will interact with decisions. This includes supporting improvements in the collection of spatial data, and the requirements for consideration of this data in planning decisions.

Question reference: S6W-35566

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 19 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what action it (a) can take and (b) is taking to ensure that there is clear labelling that distinguishes between farmed and wild Scottish salmon, as well as imported salmon, in order that consumers can make informed choices, in light of a recent survey, which reportedly found that 41% of people in Scotland are confused about the origin of the salmon that they are purchasing.

The commercial harvesting of wild Atlantic salmon in Scotland is now very limited consequent to conservation measures. It is unlikely that wild Atlantic salmon from Scotland will appear in UK supermarkets.

Whether farmed or wild caught, the origin of unprocessed and certain types of smoked fish, including imported salmon, should be included on the product label or on display if sold loose. There is a general requirement that food information must not mislead consumers as to the characteristics of the food, its nature, identity, country of origin or place of provenance, method of manufacture or production.

Question reference: S6W-35571

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 18 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-31545 by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 3 December 2024, whether it has received any response from the Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland with regards to the proposed order under section 104 of the Scotland Act 1998 relating to changing marriages to civil partnerships.

We have received a reply from the Secretary of State for Scotland. This reply gives in-principle agreement to the proposed section 104 Order.

Scotland Office has asked for further information on what the Order could cover. The Scottish Government will write to Scotland Office accordingly and will also work with them to agree a timetable.

It may still take some time for the work on the Order to be completed. Scottish Government officials will keep people who have expressed an interest updated on developments.

Question reference: S6W-35385

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 March 2025
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 18 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what work it has undertaken to expand the supply chain for natural construction materials, such as hemp and wood fibre.

The Scottish Government is working with industry through the ministerially-led Construction Leadership Forum (CLF) to support the green energy transition, embracing the opportunities to grow Scotland’s economy, and as part of this work to explore natural material use. In addition, Scottish Government fund Built Environment – Smarter Transformation (BE-ST), who have undertaken extensive research into innovative construction materials.

Construction Leadership Forum

In 2023, the Construction Leadership Forum (CLF) published a report commissioned by construction innovation centre, Built Environment – Smarter Transformation (BE-ST), which identified and analysed the five highest value and highest growth low carbon energy supply chains in Scotland, and included natural construction materials. The report can be found online.

The CLF’s Transformation Action Plan was launched on 25 Jan 2024. Actions on key areas such as skills, net zero, and supply chains are now being implemented by eleven CLF working groups, overseen by a Transformation Board.

The CLF Net Zero working group, chaired by Stephen Good, CEO of BE-ST, and Gordon Nelson, Federation of Master Builders, has been meeting regularly and work is currently progressing. The group is focussed on driving a just transition to being net zero in embodied carbon, industry operations, and over asset life cycles, which was a commitment in the Construction Accord.

Built Environment – Smarter Transformation

The Scottish Government provide funding to Scotland’s construction innovation centre, BE-ST, who have undertaken extensive research into innovative construction materials.

BE-ST and Zero Waste Scotland asked the University of Edinburgh to prepare a report looking into the availability, performance, manufacturing supply chains, and market analysis of Natural Fibre and Circular Insulation options. Published in 2023, the report can be accessed online.

BE-ST have undertaken a number of other projects supporting and expanding the supply chains for natural construction materials, including:

Sylvan Stuart Integra House: funded by BE-ST (then CSIC) with academic support from Robert Gordon University, exploring the application of (imported) blown wood fibre insulation. In order to consider this type of insulation as a valid method for Integra House, a series of blowing trials were undertaken at BE-ST to understand the potential of incorporating blown wood fibre insulation into the manufacturing process.
MDF-R: blown-in recycled MDF (product now fully commercialised and available). Settlement testing was carried out at BE-ST to determine the optimum density with no settlement in accordance with British Standards. Testing also investigated the settlement of the installed product under vibration and the optimum density to remove the chance of settlement.
Sisaltech: Developing Sisalwool product (product now fully commercialised and available). Product prototyping support – Sisal fibre and textile waste material blending on BE-ST’s Spike Former and Thermobonding line, with further prototype development on BE-ST’s Stonemaker casting press. BE-ST also provided consultancy on type testing, product certification and route to market.
IndiNature: Developing the IndiTherm product (now fully commercialised and available). Product prototyping support – Hemp fibre blending on BE-ST’s Spike Former. BE-ST also provided consultancy on type testing, product certification, and route to market, and supported the certification process with an equipment loan to IndiNature, who have been supported financially through Zero Waste Scotland and the Scottish National Investment Bank.