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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: S6O-03787

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 September 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking in response to reported concerns that the licensing scheme introduced by the Hunting with Dogs (Scotland) Act 2023 is acting as a loophole in the fox hunting ban.

Question reference: S6O-03773

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 September 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the culture secretary has had with the Music Venues Trust regarding the introduction of a ticket levy, on a voluntary or statutory basis, for stadium and arena shows, to support grassroots culture venues.

Question reference: S6F-03322

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 09 September 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 12 September 2024

Question to be taken in Chamber.

Question reference: S6O-03656

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 August 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken to implement the policy announced in March 2022 in regard to companies maintaining trade links with Russia following the invasion of Ukraine.

Question reference: S6W-28716

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 July 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 13 August 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on when the final Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan will be published.

Question reference: S6W-28755

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 July 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 9 August 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the current rules on the use of netting on buildings to prevent birds from nesting or roosting are appropriate.

There is no legislation that specifically sets out rules on the use of netting on buildings to prevent birds from nesting or roosting. However, anyone obstructing or preventing any bird from using its nest during the nesting season through the installation of netting, would be committing an offence under Section 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside (Scotland) Act 1981.

Bird netting can be an effective and lawful measure when used correctly. Guidance is available on the RSPCA webpage , the NatureScot webpage , and the RSPB webpage on how and when to use bird netting.

Question reference: S6W-28756

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 July 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 9 August 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how it enforces the current rules on the use of netting on buildings to prevent birds from nesting or roosting.

There is no legislation that specifically sets out rules on the use of netting on buildings to prevent birds from nesting or roosting. However, it is an offence to obstruct or prevent any bird from using its nest during the nesting season, under Section 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside (Scotland) Act 1981, and this would include the use of netting to prevent access to a nest.

Enforcement of the law in relation to wildlife crime is the responsibility of Police Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-28754

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 July 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 9 August 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will review the current rules on the use of netting on buildings to prevent birds from nesting or roosting, with a view to requiring the use of alternative approaches and reducing harm to wild birds.

Question reference: S6W-28718

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 July 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 6 August 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to its Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan, whether its proposed approach for supporting a climate compatibility assessment for new oil and gas licences will be the same as the climate compatibility checkpoint that was introduced by the UK Government in 2022, and, if not, what differences there will be.

As set out in the responses to S6W-28715 and S6W-28717 on 6 August 2024, the Scottish Government has consulted on a range of proposals for aspects of Climate Compatibility Checkpoint design and application and will publish a finalised Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan, including further information on these matters, later this Summer.

The proposals consulted on in the draft Strategy include significant differences from the Checkpoint approach introduced in 2022 by the previous UK Government, including in terms of how the climate impact of emissions arising from consumption of oil and gas products should be considered and at which stages of the licensing process such Checkpoints should be applied.

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-28757

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 July 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 6 August 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many building owners faced fines or other consequences for harm caused to birds by poorly installed or maintained netting, in the last three years for which figures are available.

There is no specific criminal offence of causing harm to birds by poorly installed or maintained building netting. Should such an offence be prosecuted in Scottish criminal court it would most likely be done under Section 1 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Although we cannot identify building owners as a subset of convicted persons, Criminal Proceedings in Scotland national statistics show no companies were convicted under Section 1 in the most recent available three financial years (2019-20 to 2021-22). The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service additionally confirmed no companies were convicted for an offence involving bird netting in the last five years (2019-2024).