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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-20727

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 18 August 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 31 August 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many times during harvesting operations machine operators have contacted Forestry and Land Scotland Environment Foresters to report a suspected drey structure since derogated licensing provisions were granted by NatureScot to Forestry and Land Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-20726

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 18 August 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 31 August 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how many forestry operations were moved outwith the breeding season for red squirrels, following surveys, since derogated licensing provisions were granted by NatureScot to Forestry and Land Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-20370

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 August 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 16 August 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to maintain access rights for walkers secured under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 and the establishment of core path networks.

The Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 gives the lead management role for access to local and National Park Authorities (“access authorities”). Access authorities have a statutory duty to uphold access rights and have various powers with which to do this, such as serving written notices requiring remedial action where a land owner puts in place an obstruction to access. The Scottish Government attends as an observer of the National Access Forum which is a national body that provides advice and develops guidance on access rights and access management as well as facilitating national liaison about access rights.

All access authorities have now adopted core paths plans. The access authority may take appropriate action to maintain a core path and keep it free from obstruction. Access authorities may review and amend their core paths plan.

The 2023-24 Local Government Finance Settlement of nearly £13.5 billion provides a cash increase of over £793 million, which represents a real terms increase of £376 million or 3 per cent. The Scottish Government’s policy is to allow local authorities the financial freedom to operate independently. It is the responsibility of individual local authorities to allocate the financial resources available to them on the basis of local needs and priorities.

The National Park Authorities’ budget allocation of £20.9 million in 2023-24 will enable them to continue to deliver the statutory aims of both National Parks and undertake their statutory functions and duties, including as access authorities. The allocation represents a 13% increase on the budget for 2022-23.

Question reference: S6W-19522

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 17 July 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what support it can provide to prevent the closure of Ayr Ice Rink.

Local sport and leisure facilities are vital in supporting the physical and mental health of the nation. We recognise the importance of facilities, such as Ayr Ice Rink for the overall wellbeing of those who use them regularly.

In recognising the important role that ice rinks play in many communities the Scottish Government supported thirteen privately operated ice rinks with over two million pounds (£2m) during the pandemic, through our Covid sport fund. Ayr Ice Rink received £181,000 through this fund.

sportscotland, our national agency for sport, will be meeting with representatives of Ayr Ice Rink to understand the current situation at the local level. It is vital that partners at a local level work together to explore all avenues and approaches to support local sport and leisure facilities.

We will continue to keep a dialogue with sportscotland and the sector on these issues, and consider how we can further support the sector.

Question reference: S6W-19524

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 17 July 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support the owners of publicly accessible ice rinks to mitigate against any increase in energy bills.

We are fully aware that energy costs are an issue facing many sports facilities, particularly ice rinks.

However, given that the levers to respond to rising energy prices and the wider cost of living crisis are reserved, we continue to urge the UK Government to use all the powers at its disposal to tackle this crisis.

Scottish Government officials recently met with the Scottish Ice Rink Association to discuss the difficulties facing ice rinks.

It is vital that partners at a local level work together to explore all avenues and approaches to support local sport and leisure facilities.

Question reference: S6W-19613

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 30 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 13 July 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of commercial forestry operations have taken place in (a) known red squirrel habitat on public land managed by Forestry and Land Scotland and (b) red squirrel stronghold sites managed by Forestry and Land Scotland, during the red squirrel breeding season, from the start of February to the end of September, in each year since derogated licensing provisions were granted by NatureScot to Forestry and Land Scotland.

a) The estimated percentage of commercial forestry operations that have taken place in known red squirrel habitat:

Year 1	Percentage of commercial forestry operations (%)
2017-18	7.0
2018-19	8.9
2020-21	9.9
2021-2 2	14.1
2022	6.7

b) The estimated percentage of commercial forestry operations in red squirrel stronghold sites in the breeding season:

Year 1	Percentage of commercial forestry operations (%)
2017-18	1.0
2018-19	1.3
2020-21	1.5
2021-2 2	4.4
2022	1.3

1 licences initially ran from Sept to Sept from 2017 annually, then changed for reporting purposes to run by calendar years from 2021.

2 A higher than normal proportion of red squirrel habitat was worked during 2021 to support the timber industry during the post-pandemic recovery period.

Question reference: S6W-19614

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 30 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 13 July 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what provisions Forestry and Land Scotland makes to ensure that red squirrel habitat remains connected and populations maintain long-term viability in relation to commercial felling and the premature felling of areas due to tree disease.

Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) take the protection of priority species within our woodlands, such as red squirrels, very seriously, and when appropriate conduct our operations out with the Red Squirrel breeding season to avoid any disturbance.

Forestry and Land Scotland take into account the survey, forest design and operational planning practices set out in Guidance note 33: Forest operations and red squirrels in Scottish forests published by Scottish Forestry to ensure that red squirrel habitat remains connected, and populations maintain long-term viability.

We have rigorous planning systems, checks and procedures with accompanying guidance in place to ensure all regulations to protect species are followed. Our work plan process and site survey methodology ensure that these procedures are followed and appropriate mitigation action taken where necessary.

We adhere to the industry guidance set by the Scottish Government forestry regulator, Scottish Forestry, and where necessary apply for and follow the species licencing process regulated by NatureScot. In the latter case we are recognised as a trusted and competent land manager and have an agreed licencing process in place that reflects that recognition.

Where possible trees with dreys are marked and retained on site during thinning operations, but locating all active dreys has been shown to be impracticable. Recent studies have shown that red squirrel use several dreys in any territory, readily move when operations begin in a woodland, and can build a new drey within a short period of time.

Machine operators are instructed to be alert for drey structures and to delay felling trees with suspected dreys. Machine operators are to contact the FLS Environment Forester or Ranger if a suspected drey structure is identified.

Where practicable FLS maintain the connectivity with adjacent mature crops as long as possible during the operation and plan the direction of operations such that squirrels can disperse into adjacent crops. At a landscape level FLS retain the richest red squirrel habitat, encourage the establishment of a range of seed bearing tree species and ages, but avoid planting of large-seeded broadleaves within strongholds to prevent conferring a competitive benefit on grey squirrels.

In stands where large-scale felling for the management of tree diseases is required longer-term retention of tree species unaffected by disease is designed where possible into the stand. All stands are managed under the principles of sustainable forest management and regulated by Scottish Forestry through the UK Forestry Standard.

A recent study published in Forest Ecology and Management show that red squirrel breeding activity continued with no detectable impact of forest operations. Red squirrel population density was also higher after thinning operations. Both are indications that UKFS compliant woodland management is overall beneficial in medium to long term for red squirrel populations.

Question reference: S6W-19612

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 30 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 13 July 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-18127 by Mairi Gougeon on 6 June 2023, how many red squirrel kits it estimates have been killed through the destruction of occupied dreys during the breeding season as a result of commercial forestry operations, in each year since derogated licensing provisions were granted by NatureScot to Forestry and Land Scotland.

Expert ecological opinion and anecdotal evidence from management operations by FLS estimate the number of kits killed will be significantly smaller than the theoretical maximum presented. This hypothetical maximum estimate assumes worst case scenario is all assumptions. In all years the proportion is always less than 3% of the estimated population of kits in known red squirrel habitat.

Reporting Year 1	Hypothetical Maximum no. of kits estimated that could theoretically have been killed
2017-18	420
2018-19	417
2020-21	327
2021-2 2	522
2022	290

1 licences initially ran from Sept to Sept from 2017 annually, then changed for reporting purposes to run by calendar years from 2021.

2 A higher than normal proportion of red squirrel habitat was worked during 2021 to support the timber industry during the post-pandemic recovery period.

Question reference: S6W-19052

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 12 June 2023
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 22 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when it will consult on the future of snaring.

Question reference: S6O-02453

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 June 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 June 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to invest in the opening of any new railway stations in Dumfries and Galloway.