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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-26841

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 12 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 2 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-09549 by Shona Robison on 19 July 2022, whether it will provide an update on (a) how many and (b) what value of Scotland Self-Build Loan Fund loans it has issued in each year of operation, and how many homes have been completed, broken down by local authority, since June 2022.

Since June 2022 a further 9 loans have been issued under the Self Build Loan Fund, with a total value of £1,367,967, and this is shown in table 1. The number of loans issued since June 2022, split by local authority, is shown in table 2.

Table 1: Number and Value of Self Build Loan Fund loans since June 2022

Year	Value of loans offered	Number of Loans
1	£652,967 (30-06-2022 to 31-03-2023)	4
2	£715,000 (01-04-2023 to 31-03-2024)	5

Table 2: Number of loans issued since June 2022 split by local authority

Local Authority Area	No of loans	Value of loans £
Aberdeen-shire	1	50,000
Highland	3	520,000
Shetland	1	175,000
Western Isles	3	447,967
Stirling	1	175,000
Total	9	1,137,967

Since June 2022 a further 25 homes have been completed by people in receipt of a Self-Build Loan: Argyll & Bute - 1, Western Isles - 1, Highland - 15, S Lanarkshire - 2, Aberdeenshire – 1, Stirling – 1, Falkirk – 1, Shetland – 1, East Ayrshire – 1, Borders – 1.

Question reference: S6W-26842

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 12 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 2 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the Self-Build Loan Fund, how many people have defaulted on their loan repayments in each financial year since it was launched.

A total of 49 loans have been made to applicants, with 44 loans either fully repaid within agreed timescales or in the process of doing so. A total of 6 loans became subject to the default interest rate during 2023-24, 2 of these were repaid in full during that financial year, and 4 of these loans remain subject to the default interest rate. During the current financial year, 1 loan has been subject to the default interest rate.

We are delighted to provide support to people to build their own homes with the completion of 39 homes through the Self Build Loan Fund since it was established in September 2018.

Question reference: S6O-03398

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 May 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what steps it is taking to improve ambulance turnaround times.

Question reference: S6W-26847

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 12 April 2024
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 29 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the regulatory approach to gene editing in Scotland, what its response is to reports that the European Parliament has voted to ease regulations in relation to gene editing.

Question reference: S6W-26846

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 12 April 2024
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 29 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to gather the views of (a) scientists, (b) farmers, (c) food producers, (d) manufacturers and (e) consumers, in relation to reducing regulations on gene editing.

The views of stakeholders in Scotland – scientists, farmers, food producers and manufacturers, but especially, consumers and the public as a whole – will inform any future changes in relation to new genetic technologies such as gene editing. We are aware of the European Commission’s consideration of new genomic techniques (NGTs), and are looking carefully at the implications of their legislative proposals.

Question reference: S6W-26859

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 15 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 29 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Minister for Higher and Further Education will report back to the Parliament on any initial steps it has made following the publication of the independent report, Fit for the Future: developing a post-school learning system to fuel economic transformation.

In my appearance on 10 January 2024 at the Education, Children and Young People Committee I undertook to provide further information on the progress of post-school education and skills reform in March. On 27 March 2024 I wrote to the Convenor of the Committee with this update on the key areas of action .

Our plans for post-school education and skills reform have been developed in the light of James Withers’ report Fit for the Future: developing a post-school learning system to fuel economic transformation, and the Scottish Government’s own report of the Purpose and Principles for post-school education, research and skills .

I will continue to engage with partners across the sector and employers, and to update the Parliament.

Question reference: S6W-26709

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 05 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 26 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what measures the Nursing and Midwifery Taskforce has agreed on that will aim to "boost workforce numbers".

As set out in answer S6W-26708 on 24 April 2024, the taskforce has established four subgroups to focus on attraction, education and development, leadership and culture, and wellbeing. All subgroups are considering retention as part of their remit. Each subgroup will formulate and provide recommended actions to the main taskforce. The Taskforce is making good progress with the development of its recommended actions and will continue to work until members have agreed a comprehensive action plan. We anticipate the publication of a report later in 2024

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers .

Question reference: S6W-26845

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 12 April 2024
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 26 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has allocated to the Monitor Farms Scotland programme in each year since it was established.

The Scottish Government has allocated approximately £6 million to the Monitor Farm Scotland programme since it was established in 2003. Please note that the Scottish Government’s e-record system was developed in 2005, therefore only partial data is available between 2003 and 2008.

Period	Amount of SG funding committed	Number of Monitor Farms supported
2022-2026 (Current)	£1,962,674	9
2020-2021	£100,000	6
2015-2020	£1,250,000	9
2013-2015	£260,000	4
2008-2013	£1,757,530	22
2003-2008*	£600,000	4-7
Total	£5,930,204	57

*Please note that the Scottish Government’s e-record system was developed in 2005. Only partial data available for this period.

Question reference: S6W-26844

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 12 April 2024
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 26 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many farms have participated in the Monitor Farms Scotland programme in each year since it was established.

Question reference: S6W-26848

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 12 April 2024
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 25 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the reported warning from industry leaders that the reported £32 million reduction to the forestry and woodland creation budget will lead to 10 million trees being burnt or destroyed in some other way, with the cost of the wastage amounting to losses of £4.5 million for the sector.

The Scottish Government remains fully committed to maximising the important contribution forestry and tree nurseries make in tackling the climate emergency, in the face of the most challenging budget settlement since devolution from the UK Government. The funding provided will support approximately 9,000 ha of new woodland creation; the highest figure in the UK.

Scottish Forestry is in discussion with the sector and will continue to meet with the forestry and nursery sector to ensure we make the most of the resources available. Scottish Forestry is supporting the industry as best we possibly can, including encouragement to increase using plants for restocking and to access other markets outside of Scotland for their high quality stock, helping to create a more resilient business model for the longer term.