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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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

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Question reference: S6W-11195

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 15 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 29 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what its position is regarding the impact in Scotland of reports that the Scottish Assessors Association is considering the valuation of ATM sites and that it is likely that such sites will be deleted from the valuation roll, and, in the case of any such sites being removed from the valuation roll, what its position is on whether any rates paid would be backdated to when they were originally added to the valuation roll.

The valuation of all non-domestic property, including the sites of ATMs, is a matter for the Scottish Assessors who are independent of local and Scottish Government.

We are aware that Assessors were considering the valuation of ATM sites and they concluded that in most retail premises it is likely that such sites will be deleted from the Valuation Roll. Assessors are in the process of carrying out this exercise.

Where a property is removed from the Valuation Roll, the ratepayer will be entitled to a refund of any overpaid rates back to the effective date of deletion.

Question reference: S6W-12045

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 24 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the report of the Short Life Working Group on Facilitating Peaceful Assemblies, what steps it is taking to ensure that the proposed human rights-based approach to peaceful assemblies does not lead to financial charges being placed on the organisers of such assemblies for logistical reasons, including road closures.

The right to peaceful assembly and protest is a right that we all have and the Scottish Government wants to encourage the exercise of that right wherever possible. While it is not an absolute right - and conditions and prohibitions can be imposed where required and in the interests of a democratic society - the Scottish Government is clear that it should not be dependent on the ability to pay.

For each march or parade, local authorities and their partners, including Police Scotland and Transport Scotland (where the event is to take place on a trunk road), will consider traffic management issues and the various powers available to the agencies involved to regulate traffic, including Temporary Traffic Regulation Orders (TTROs).

In their report, published on 2 November 2022, the Independent Short-Life Working Group on Facilitating Peaceful Assembly in Scotland has made a range of recommendations including on traffic management issues as they relate to assembly. The Scottish Government will work with partners to consider these recommendations, including those on costs, in due course.

Question reference: S6W-12025

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 21 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it is making towards the establishment of a Peace Institute by the end of 2022, as set out in the Programme for Government 2021-22.

The Scottish Government is committed to Scotland being an active and responsible global citizen and we are actively considering the options received in the report commissioned earlier to advise on a Scottish Peace Institute. Our priority is to ensure our offer is appropriate, responsible and complimentary to existing activity both in Scotland and internationally. I look forward to updating Parliament with our plans in due course.

Question reference: S6W-12024

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 November 2022
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 21 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when the report of the independent review group regarding the establishment of a Peace Institute will be published, and, if it is already published, when it will respond to its findings.

Question reference: S6O-01603

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 November 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to address high private sector rents.

Question reference: S6W-11279

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 30 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 21 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with Orkney Islands Council regarding the future (a) budget and (b) procurement process for replacing the large and small ferry fleet at Orkney Ferries.

Scottish Ministers continue to engage with Orkney Islands Council on a regular basis with regard to ferries, including my visit to Orkney in August to meet with the council on these matters.

We have made an offer to all 4 ferry operating local authorities to share learning and explore efficiencies from CMAL’s Small Vessel Replacement Programme.

We have provided more than £56m to Orkney Islands Council for internal ferry services over the last 5 years.

Question reference: S6W-11280

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 30 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 21 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the delivery of ferry services for island communities in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-11276

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 30 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 13 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-10495 by Tom Arthur on 20 September 2022, what information it holds on whether transfers of land over 1,000 hectares not involving a payment include transfers into Trusts, and how many such transfers occurred in each of the last 10 years.

This is a question for the Keeper of the Registers of Scotland. She advises me that transfers of interest relating to properties over 1000 hectares were counted where:

at least one applicant in the application for registration was designated as acting in the capacity of trustee
the transfer of interest is not classified as a full market sale according to the Registers of Scotland property market report methodology

Year	Transfers
2012	1
2013	2
2014	1
2015	8
2016	3
2017	7
2018	18
2019	9
2020	4
2021	9
2022	4

Figures are current on 05 October 2022.

Question reference: S6W-11275

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 30 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 13 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-10496 by Tom Arthur on 20 September 2022, what information it holds on whether transfers of land over 2,000 hectares not involving a payment include transfers into Trusts, and how many such transfers occurred in each of the last 10 years.

This is a question for the Keeper of the Registers of Scotland. She advises me that transfers of interest relating to properties over 2000 hectares were counted where:

at least one applicant in the application for registration was designated as acting in the capacity of trustee
the transfer of interest is not classified as a full market sale according to the Registers of Scotland property market report methodology

Year	Transfers
2012	1
2013	1
2014	0
2015	5
2016	3
2017	5
2018	10
2019	5
2020	3
2021	1
2022	1

Figures were current on 05 October 2022.

Question reference: S6W-11277

Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 30 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 13 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-10575 by Tom Arthur on 20 September 2022, what information it holds on whether transfers of land over 3,000 hectares not involving a payment include transfers into Trusts, and how many such transfers occurred in each of the last 10 years.

This is a question for the Keeper of the Registers of Scotland. She advises me that transfers of interest relating to properties over 3000 hectares are counted where:

at least one applicant in the application for registration was designated as acting in the capacity of trustee
the transfer of interest is not classified as a full market sale according to the Registers of Scotland property market report methodology.

Year	Transfers
2012	0
2013	0
2014	0
2015	0
2016	0
2017	1
2018	8
2019	2
2020	3
2021	0
2022	0

Figures were current on 05 October 2022.