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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: S6O-01436

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 September 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 6 October 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with the Competition and Markets Authority regarding the impact on Scotland of its investigation into the variation of prices across the UK in relation to the supply of road fuel.

Question reference: S6O-01321

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 August 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the British Medical Association regarding the impact in Scotland of its guidance advising GPs to consider reducing their pensionable pay or retiring early due to changes in inflation and the way these are used in calculations around GP pensions that reportedly leaves them liable for significant tax charges.

Question reference: S6O-01314

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 June 2022
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 30 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the impact of rising fuel prices on workers in Scotland who rely on their own transport to carry out their job.

We know that the cost-of-living crisis is having a huge impact on individuals and families across the country, and we continue to have conversations across the range of challenges faced. We are using our regular engagement with the UK Government to ask that more sustainable support is provided to those in greatest need, given that most of the levers currently remain reserved. Just last week my colleague Ms Forbes raised cost-of-living with the Chief Secretary to the Treasury and urged the UK Government to do more to address the root cause of increasing fuel costs. We will continue to press the UK Government to use all of the powers and fiscal headroom at their disposal to address the cost-of-living crisis.

Question reference: S6W-08703

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 7 June 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to introducing mandatory braille labelling on food products.

The majority of food law which applies in Scotland stems from European Union legislation and after an extensive process to ensure that it remains operational after the UK’s departure from the EU, the detail of the requirements remains in place.

Food Standards Scotland (FSS) has responsibility for the policies surrounding food labelling in Scotland and are currently working closely with policy officials across GB in the day to day business in this respect.

While there is no timescale at present, in due course, the food labelling legislation will be subject to review, which is likely to be a significant task and will need to be informed by EU developments on food information. During the review process consideration will be given to which areas and policy approaches are appropriate for Scotland and in a GB context this will also include England and Wales. Policy considerations are expected to include mandatory braille labelling and/or how the use of barcoded food information and new technology could help in this area.

Question reference: S6F-01167

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 30 May 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 June 2022

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government’s response is regarding the impact on Scotland to the energy profits levy, commonly referred to as a windfall tax, on the oil and gas sector to help support families struggling with the cost of living crisis.

Question reference: S6W-08541

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 13 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 30 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made in relation to the Clyde 2020 Action Plan.

The Clyde 2020 Action Plan was published in April 2015, following the Clyde 2020 summit in 2014 and subsequent workshops. The Action Plan identified 13 objectives (under 5 high-level objectives), with accompanying actions under each objective. Of these, 2 have been completed, 2 have been partially completed, 5 are still underway and 4 have not yet been completed.

There are many pieces of ongoing research related to the work of Clyde 2020 and Marine Scotland undertakes ongoing survey work of relevance to the Clyde 2020 Action Plan. Research gaps identified by the Research Advisory Group have been incorporated into research priorities within PhDs and by organisations around the Clyde. A full list of related research and science projects currently underway or completed can be provided by Clyde 2020.

The significant expertise of members of Clyde 2020 has been utilised in the process of developing a draft regional marine plan for the Clyde marine region.

The Clyde 2020 initiative is currently considering its remit moving forward. As a sub-group of the Clyde Marine Planning Partnership, the partnership are drafting a proposal on how Clyde 2020 will evolve, contribute and support the Clyde marine planning process. It is anticipated that the Clyde 2020 group will play an important role in the future governance of the Clyde Marine Planning Partnership.

Question reference: S6W-08543

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 13 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 26 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it is taking to improve recreational sea angling across Scotland.

Scottish Government maintains good relations with the angling community through its interaction with Angling Scotland. This helps in ensuring that any issues and opportunities for recreational sea angling in Scotland are brought to our attention and can be appropriately considered alongside other priorities.

Between 2016 and 2021 the Scottish Government supported the UK-wide Sea Angling Diary, which saw anglers as ‘volunteer diarists’ contributing data on recreational catches. Scottish Government, taking into account limited feedback from stakeholders, considered that the Scottish data collection was not providing good value for taxpayers’ money due to the limitations of the output, and will no longer contribute to the UK survey.

Instead, it will review its approach to sea angling data collection and examine other means by which they can be obtained in the future. Data specifically tailored towards the Scottish situation can then be made available to inform measures to promote sea angling, whilst monitoring any impacts on commercial fish stocks.

Question reference: S6W-08542

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 13 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 26 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has with the recreational sea angling community regarding improving sea angling opportunities.

The Scottish Government engages with the sea angling community through Angling Scotland, the umbrella organisation formed by the three Scottish Angling Governing Bodies: the Scottish Anglers National Organisation, the Scottish Federation for Coarse Angling and the Scottish Federation of Sea Anglers.

Recent engagement has concerned the commencement of angling activities in the run-up to and following the lifting of covid restrictions, with angling being recognised as a low impact activity that improves health and well-being. The last engagement with sea angling stakeholders concerned the use and usefulness for Scotland of the UK-wide Sea Angling Diary, however there was limited feedback.

Question reference: S6W-08544

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 13 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 24 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what measures are being taken to improve inshore fish stocks.

Our Fisheries Management Strategy contains a range of actions to support more sustainable and responsible fisheries management in Scotland. Policies, such as the Future Catching Policy and the introduction of Remote Electronic Monitoring to key parts of the fishing fleet, will support increased sustainability of practice, and will increase accountability and confidence that we are fishing at sustainable levels. These consultations are open until 07 June 2022.

In addition, the Bute House Agreement aims to deliver on our shared commitment to achieve and maintain good environmental status for all of Scotland’s seas. The agreement includes a commitment to consult on a cap on inshore fishing activity, as well as implementation of Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs) which will provide additional protection for some fish nursery areas, both of which will help to improve fish stocks.

As a guiding principle we will follow the scientific advice and take a Precautionary Approach with regards to management of our pressure stocks, in line with the Fisheries Act of 2020.

Finally, we will continue to work closely with our network of Regional Inshore Fisheries Groups, and are already using learning from our Outer Hebrides Inshore Fisheries Pilot which commenced in November 2020. This Pilot is trialling pot limitation in order to inform sustainable management options for other discrete inshore fisheries to ensure that our fish stocks are sustainably managed.

Question reference: S6W-08472

Asked by: Stuart McMillan, MSP for Greenock and Inverclyde, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 May 2022
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 24 May 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how the Just Transition will support Inverclyde’s local economy through innovation in the renewables sector.

For a truly just transition we need to deliver for all of Scotland. In Inverclyde, through the Clyde Mission we are working with partners to make the Clyde an engine of sustainable and inclusive growth for the region which will be critical for a just transition. As part of this project, the restoration of the Platers Shed at Inchgreen will create jobs in Inverclyde and enable the use of green technology in modern shipbuilding. At least £25 million will also be available through the Mission to take forward heat decarbonisation projects along the Clyde in the current Parliamentary term.

We are also providing £500 million through the Glasgow City Region Deal to support a number of projects in Inverclyde, helping to attract new investment and business in the region.