Questions and answers

Question reference: S5O-04662

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 September 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 October 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Fraser of Allander Institute report, The Impact of Covid-19 on the Arran economy, including its comments on how this has affected tourism.

Question reference: S5O-04645

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 September 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has concerns that it could face a budget shortfall this financial year as a direct result of dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic.

Question reference: S5W-31539

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 September 2020
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 10 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government where it proposes to locate its national network of tech scalers, in light of the commitment in its Programme for Government to multi-year, multi-million pound investment, as suggested in the Logan Review.

Question reference: S5O-04512

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 August 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 27 August 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding using revenues raised from online retailers to support economic growth in Scotland.

Question reference: S5W-31029

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 31 July 2020
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 19 August 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with possible freeport locations in relation to how Scottish Ministers can support the establishment of prospective freeports and identify potential employment and investment opportunities.

We are aware of the UK Government’s proposals for Freeports to be established at 10 locations across the UK. I have engaged with the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on this matter, setting out our concerns that any Freeport in Scotland should not cause adverse economic impacts, such as displacement, or dilute workers’ rights or environmental standards. A dialogue will be maintained with UK Government Ministers and officials to establish what benefit, if any, can be accrued for Scotland in terms of accelerated inclusive growth and the creation of new high quality jobs.

A range of stakeholders and locations in Scotland have responded to the recent UK consultation. Officials have discussed the UK Government proposals with a number of these, including colleagues in Ayrshire. However, from the high level vision presented in the UK consultation document, it is clear that much still needs to be worked through regarding the value that Freeports would bring to trade and to local economies, and where a potential Freeport might be located in Scotland.

Question reference: S5W-31028

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 31 July 2020
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 18 August 2020

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the UK Government’s consultation on its aim of creating up to 10 freeports across Britain and Northern Ireland, which closed on 13 July 2020, what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the establishment of freeports.

We are aware of the UK Government’s proposals for Freeports to be established at 10 locations across the UK. I have engaged with the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on this matter, setting out our concerns that any Freeport in Scotland should not cause adverse economic impacts, such as displacement, or dilute workers’ rights or environmental standards. A dialogue will be maintained with UK Government Ministers and officials to establish what benefit, if any, can be accrued for Scotland in terms of accelerated inclusive growth and the creation of new high quality jobs.

A range of stakeholders and locations in Scotland have responded to the recent UK consultation. Officials have discussed the UK Government proposals with a number of these, including colleagues in Ayrshire. However, from the high level vision presented in the UK consultation document, it is clear that much still needs to be worked through regarding the value that Freeports would bring to trade and to local economies, and where a potential Freeport might be located in Scotland.

Question reference: S5W-31030

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 31 July 2020
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 18 August 2020

To ask the Scottish Government which locations it considers would be appropriate for the establishment of freeports.

We are aware of the UK Government’s proposals for Freeports to be established at 10 locations across the UK. I have engaged with the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on this matter, setting out our concerns that any Freeport in Scotland should not cause adverse economic impacts, such as displacement, or dilute workers’ rights or environmental standards. A dialogue will be maintained with UK Government Ministers and officials to establish what benefit, if any, can be accrued for Scotland in terms of accelerated inclusive growth and the creation of new high quality jobs.

A range of stakeholders and locations in Scotland have responded to the recent UK consultation. Officials have discussed the UK Government proposals with a number of these, including colleagues in Ayrshire. However, from the high level vision presented in the UK consultation document, it is clear that much still needs to be worked through regarding the value that Freeports would bring to trade and to local economies, and where a potential Freeport might be located in Scotland.

Question reference: S5W-30287

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 29 June 2020
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 14 July 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has conducted an assessment of biogenic habitats, and, if so, what the outcome was.

The Marine Strategy assessment published in October 2019 includes an indicator for sublittoral rock and biogenic habitats. The assessment found that Good Environmental Status has not yet been achieved in either the Greater North Sea or the Celtic Seas. The report can be found at https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system
/uploads/attachment_data/file/841246/marine-strategy-part1-october19.pdf .

Scotland’s Marine Atlas which was published in 2011 provides baseline information. The new version which is due to be published later this year will provide an assessment against the baseline for biogenic habitats.

Furthermore, Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) undertook an assessment of 11 Priority Marine features which included biogenic habitats and provided advice to Marine Scotland. This advice was published as part of the scoping consultation on Priority Marine Features held from 05 July to 31 August 2018 and can be found at https://consult.gov.scot/marine-scotland/priority-marine-features/ .

Question reference: S5W-30286

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 29 June 2020
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 14 July 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will fully implement the review of the impacts of bottom-trawling and scallop dredging of Priority Marine Features before 31 March 2021.

Question reference: S5W-30288

Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 29 June 2020
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 14 July 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether any review of the status of marine biogenic habitats has found that there has been (a) a loss, (b) no change or (c) a recovery in the status and/or extent of these since 2011.

The Marine Strategy assessment published in October 2019 includes an indicator for sublittoral rock and biogenic habitats. The assessment found that Good Environmental Status has not yet been achieved in either the Greater North Sea or the Celtic Seas. The report can be found at https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/
system/uploads/attachment_data/file/841246/marine-strategy-part1-october19.pdf ’.

Scotland’s Marine Atlas which was published in 2011 provides baseline information. The new version which is due to be published later this year will provide an assessment against the baseline for biogenic habitats.

Seòmar agus comataidhean