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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-32136

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 18 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what the process is for making enquiries to SEPA regarding pollution reports during its office opening hours.

As Scottish Ministers are not directly responsible for the operation of SEPA and its use of resources, I have asked Nicole Paterson, Chief Executive of SEPA to respond. Her response is as follows:

Continued Availability of Service:

SEPA’s 24-hour availability to the Scottish public remains fully in place, ensuring that we provide critical support for Scotland’s communities and environment. Where appropriate, this includes direct access to a SEPA employee to ensure a timely and effective response. Additionally, we are introducing new ways for customers to contact us, giving them options that best suit their preferences. This includes becoming a true multi-channel service, enabling access through various platforms to enhance the customer experience and better meet modern communication needs.

Role of the Automated System:

Our automated system is designed to handle minor, non-urgent matters digitally, either online or through our intelligent IVR system. This ensures these lower-priority issues are managed efficiently without impacting our ability to respond to significant events. Any significant incidents reported are immediately escalated to individuals who are available 24/7 across the country to respond, investigate, and take necessary action.

Human Response to Significant Incidents:

For all significant environmental incidents, any communication reporting a major event, regardless of the time, will be sent directly to a member of our team. This ensures the appropriate action is taken promptly and effectively.

Support for Priority Partners:

SEPA remains committed to supporting Priority Partners, including MSPs, emergency services, and specific businesses. These partners will always have direct access to human assistance for significant environmental events, ensuring smooth communication and rapid action when necessary.

Question reference: S6W-32139

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 18 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding their protection from pollution and damage, what information it has on how many chalk streams there are in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-32138

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 18 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what the process will be for making enquiries to SEPA regarding pollution reports out of hours under the reported proposed changes to SEPA's out-of-hours contact service.

Question reference: S6W-32135

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 18 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-31887 by Mairi Gougeon on 9 December 2024, whether it has considered using powers under section 36 of the Fisheries Act 2020 to place the Code of Good Practice for Scottish Finfish Aquaculture into law.

The Scottish Government continually considers where regulation for farmed fish health is necessary.

We already have robust legislation, policies, and operational practices in place to ensure fish farmers are meeting statutory requirements on sealice reporting and management, mortality reporting, listed disease surveillance and containment of farmed fish. The aquaculture sector in Scotland shows a significant level of compliance with both legislative and voluntary requirements. Enactment in law of the finfish sector’s Code of Good Practice through existing legislative instruments would not necessarily significantly improve outcomes for fish health and, therefore, there are no plans for further legislation at this time.

Question reference: S6W-32140

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 18 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that chalk streams are protected from sewage overflows.

There are no chalk streams in Scotland, however, we are taking action to protect Scotland’s water environment from sewage overflows.

Our waterways are in good condition. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) considers 86.5% of our water environment to be high or good quality - up from 82% in 2014. SEPA, which regulates discharges from Scottish Water’s assets to the environment, acknowledges the sustained investment made by Scottish Water across the period 2015-21 has been a key driver of this improvement

Question reference: S6W-31998

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 December 2024
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 17 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the allocation in its draft Budget 2025-26 for free school meal expansion, whether it can provide an estimate of the costs of rolling out free school meals to all P6 and P7 pupils by April 2026.

Question reference: S6W-32060

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 December 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 17 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it can detail what legal advice SEPA received regarding any impact of suggested changes to SEPA's out-of-hours contact service on reporting requirements of licenses given under the (a) Water Environment (Controlled Activities) (Scotland) Regulations 2011, (b) Waste Management Licensing (Scotland) Regulations 2011, (c) Pollution Prevention and Control (Scotland) Regulations 2012 and (d) Environmental Authorisations (Scotland) Regulations 2018.

Question reference: S6W-32120

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 December 2024
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 17 December 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-31864 by Gillian Martin on 10 December 2024, whether it will provide the full list of the key criteria being considered by EY.

Ernst & Young Parthenon continue to undertake a thorough analysis of viable alternatives for the Grangemouth site with a focus on three levers through which competitive advantage could be driven and these are demand, feedstocks, and infrastructure.

Additionally, the Scottish Government has asked Ernst & Young Parthenon to focus on opportunities that maximise the potential employment and GVA impact of prospective projects, and have been clear that the outputs of Project Willow must align with the contents of the draft Grangemouth Industrial Just Transition Plan.

Question reference: S6W-32384

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 16 December 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 13 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6O-04114 by Alasdair Allan on 12 December 2024, whether it will commit to publishing its final energy strategy in the first quarter of 2025.

Question reference: S6W-32393

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 16 December 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 13 January 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it records the number of gas leaks that occur on offshore installations.