Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-34573

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 25 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to improve maternity services in Caithness, to reduce any need for individuals to travel to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness for childbirth and other maternity-related care.

The Scottish Government expects all NHS Boards to provide maternity services that are delivered as close to home as practicable and to offer a full range of birth place options within their region. Service planning and delivery is the responsibility of NHS Boards and it is important that these services are safe, sustainable and meet the needs of local populations.

Women in Caithness can choose to give birth with the support of a midwife, whether at home or in the midwife-led unit at Caithness General Hospital. If the mother or baby are assessed to be at higher risk, then they are advised to give birth at the consultant unit at Raigmore Hospital. To minimise the need for women to travel, NHS Highland provides weekly obstetric-run antenatal clinics and scanning services in Caithness, and helps with travel and accommodation costs for women who need to travel for care. This is the same model of care which operates across all rural areas in the NHS Highland region. We particularly recognise the importance of patient transport and work is commencing to develop guidance on Pre-hospital Maternity and Neonatal Care and Remote & Rural Intrapartum Transfers.

Question reference: S6O-04365

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 February 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 27 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is, regarding any potential impact on the environment, to reports that Mowi Scotland, a multi-national fish farming company, has purchased Sanda Island in Argyll and Bute.

Question reference: S6W-34497

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 19 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-31025 by Alasdair Allan on 12 November 2024, by what date it will publish the Nature Conservation Order to protect the Parallel Roads of Lochaber Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) at Achnabobane.

Question reference: S6W-34436

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

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the UK Government's decision to bring forward secondary legislation that would allow the Genetic Technologies (Precision Breeding) Act 2023 to take effect, what it anticipates the potential impact on Scotland will be in relation to (a) devolved competencies (b) (i) regional and (ii) international trade, (c) consumer choice and (d) the integrity of GMO-free supply chains, such as organic.

We are aware of the UK Government’s planned secondary legislation following its Genetic Technologies (Precision Breeding) Act 2023 and are looking carefully at the implications of their proposals. As our closest trading partner, any changes in England may have implications for Scottish businesses.

Regulation of genetic modification is an area of devolved responsibility, and the Scottish Government expects full cooperation from the UK Government in matters where any related legislation will impact upon the interests of Scottish businesses and consumers.

The views of stakeholders in Scotland – scientists, farmers, food producers, but especially, consumers and the public as a whole – will inform any future changes in relation to the regulation of genetic technologies in Scotland. On 27 March we will hold a roundtable event to better understand the views and concerns of stakeholders.

Question reference: S6W-34773

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 07 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 13 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the UK Government's proposal to transition 14% of England's agricultural land to nature recovery and net zero outcomes, what percentage of Scotland's agricultural land the Scottish Government proposes should be prioritised for (a) nature recovery and (b) net zero outcomes in the forthcoming fourth iteration of Scotland's land use framework.

Through Scotland’s Land Use Strategy, our Land Rights and Responsibilities Statement and Natural Capital Framework, we have in place an established set of principles, objectives, protocols, and guidance. This helps our farmers, crofters and other land owners and managers in their land use decision making, and provides strategic connections across multiple interests, including Scotland’s National Strategy for Economic Transformation, Environment Strategy and National Planning Framework 4.

The fourth iteration of Scotland’s Land Use Strategy is due for publication in early 2026 and as it is developed we will work closely with stakeholders to further discussion of the multiple pressures our land faces and the opportunities and challenges that an integrated approach to land use can bring.

Question reference: S6W-32463

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 19 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 13 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the proposed reduction to land reform funding in its draft Budget 2025-26, how it plans to meet its commitment to increase the Scottish Land Fund to £20 million per year by the end of the current parliamentary session.

Question reference: S6O-04207

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 January 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to work with NHS boards and patient transport providers to ensure that access to healthcare is fair, equitable and efficient for island residents.

Question reference: S6W-32275

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 7 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had (a) internally, (b) with public bodies and (c) with stakeholders regarding supporting fruit and nut orchard development, and what its position is on (i) establishing a bespoke orchard grant to support the setting up of new fruit and nut orchards and (ii) reforming existing grant schemes to allow growers to focus solely on fruit and nut trees.

Through the Agriculture Reform Programme, and in collaboration with Scottish Forestry and NatureScot, we are considering opportunities to improve how we support farmers to integrate trees. The integration of trees on farms can take a variety of forms, with the criteria for the Agroforestry Grant Scheme having been amended in 2023 to include support for fruit and nut trees. We have engaged with stakeholders on the progress of that work through Scottish Forestry’s Customer Representatives Group sub-group on Trees on Farms and will continue to seek opportunities for stakeholder engagement as that work develops.

In addition, we are currently undertaking a review of the funding awarded by our Food and Drink Division to support community Grow Your Own initiatives. This funding for new and innovative food growing projects could include community orchards.

The Scottish Government also continues to provide horticulture support through the Fruit and Vegetables Aid Scheme. Orchard fruit and nuts are products covered by the scheme, which enables funding to groups of growers recognised as Producer Organisations.

Question reference: S6W-32252

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 23 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it is taking to ensure the sustainability and future of GP practices, particularly in rural and island areas, and to address the funding issues raised by the increase in employer national insurance contributions, including at the Skerryvore practice in Orkney.

The Scottish Government recognises that primary and community care services should be developed to meet the needs of distinct localities, including those in our rural areas and islands. We have a range of levers to support rural and island areas, including Scotgem, golden hellos, rediscover the joy , a GP sustainability project, and our current work with NES to deliver GP fellowships and rural credentials. We also established the National Centre for Remote and Rural Health and Care to support health boards, HSCPS and individuals to improve capability in rural and island areas.

The Scottish Government estimates that the Employer National Insurance Contribution increase might cost between £520 and £580 million for directly employed public sector employees and a further £210 million for contracted out services and the third sector. For NHS contractors, including GPs, we estimate costs of £40 million.

If the chancellor does not fund that in full, it could be, that at best £380 million would be forthcoming; leaving a significant shortfall. We continue to press for clarification.

Question reference: S6W-32011

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 December 2024
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 12 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether the new Register of Ancient Woodlands, to be delivered in 2027 as outlined in the Scottish Biodiversity Delivery Plan, will (a) facilitate a designation for Scotland's ancient woods, similar to that for ancient monuments, as part of its commitment to protect at least 30% of land by 2030, (b) specify opportunities for Scotland's communities, including local and interest groups, to engage in the process and act in partnership with landowners, statutory agencies and regulators to protect and restore ancient woodland, (c) lead to genuine enforcement action, including in relation to invasive non-native species and over grazing, (d) review the reported lack of shared standards in the administration of Tree Preservation Orders and prosecution for unlicensed felling in ancient woodland, (e) retain the Long Established Plantation Origin (LEPO) category of woods currently in the Scottish Ancient Woodland Inventory, (f) include plantations on ancient woodland sites (PAWS) and (g) ensure that LEPO sites and PAWS benefit from the protection from development recently afforded to ancient woodland in the fourth National Planning Framework.

NatureScot and Scottish Forestry are currently putting together a project plan to build on the existing Ancient Woodland Inventory to develop the new National Register of Ancient Woodlands. The scope of the project has therefore yet to be fully agreed, but in line with the priority action in the Scottish Biodiversity Delivery Plan, the Register will include locational data, a definition of the required ‘protected and restored’ condition of ancient woodlands, and a process for recording ancient woodlands that reach the required standard. In response to the component questions:

a) The inclusion of a woodland site on the Register will not automatically qualify it to contribute to the target to achieve 30% of Scotland protected and managed for nature by 2030 (the 30 by 30 target).Any site on the Register which isn’t within an existing protected area would need to be evaluated against the criteria for Other Effective Area-based Conservation Measures (OECMs) before being considered for inclusion in the 30 by 30 network. NatureScot is currently working with stakeholders – including those with expertise of ancient woodlands - to agree how the OECM criteria will apply in Scotland.

b) There are likely to be opportunities for local people, communities and interest groups to participate in the process of developing the new National Register of Ancient Woodlands. For example, it is envisaged that Guidance will be developed and tested with interested parties to enable the identification of ancient woodlands and to assess their condition. This should allow communities to deepen their understanding of and connection to their local ancient woodlands.

c) The creation of the Register will not in itself be an enforcement mechanism, however the associated condition reports will be invaluable in prioritising action to tackle negative pressures on sites, for example in relation to invasive non-native species or overgrazing.

d) The Register would not cover Tree Preservation Orders as these are not explicitly related to ancient woodlands and can cover a wide range of individually important trees, which are outwith the scope of the Register.

e & f)The Long Established Plantation Origin (LEPO) and Plantations on Ancient Woodland Sites (PAWS) categories from the existing Ancient Woodland Inventory will be taken into consideration when the Register is developed and it is anticipated that they will be retained.

g)Our Fourth National Planning Framework (NPF4) places climate and nature at the centre of our planning system and includes policy to protect our existing woodlands and trees. Local Development Plans should also identify and protect existing woodland and the potential for its enhancement or expansion.

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