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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-23252

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 27 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 11 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when it will deliver its commitment to reduce class contact time for teachers by 90 minutes per week to 21 hours, from the current 22.5 hours.

Question reference: S6W-22247

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 16 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 29 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has been allocated by the UK Government for the upgrade of the A75.

At present no funding has been allocated by the UK Government for the upgrade of the A75. A detailed business case for the development of improvements to the A75 was submitted by the Scottish Government to the UK Government in April 2023.

The UK Minister for Roads and Local Transport, Mr Richard Holden MP has since confirmed in writing in October 2023, following my discussions with him in September, that funding of £8 million is available, subject to final approvals. My officials continue to engage proactively with their counterparts, and we await confirmation from UK Government, including when funding will be received.

Question reference: S6O-02815

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 November 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to calls from Age Scotland and others to improve plans for the new Pension Age Disability Payment by including extra mobility and travel support for recipients.

Question reference: S6O-02785

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 November 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body under what circumstances Fairtrade products are used in catering in the Scottish Parliament.

Question reference: S6O-02741

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 November 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish a delivery plan for improvements to the A75 and A77 trunk roads.

Question reference: S6W-21652

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 3 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether the annual reporting into the incentivisation of selective fishing gear and low impact techniques, as it committed to commissioning in January 2023, will cover the proportion of low-impact fishing allocated for each quota stock in relation to the entire allocation.

Question reference: S6W-21646

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 3 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when the first annual report in relation to the incentivisation of selective fishing gear and low impact techniques will be published, in light of its commitment in January 2023 to commission such work.

In January 2023, the Scottish Government agreed to produce a retrospective report in relation to the allocation of fish quota to vessels fishing by means associated with a lower environmental impact.

The report will review how quota was allocated to help incentivise selective fishing gear and low impact techniques, and other relevant factors such as the level of uptake of quota, where it was landed across the Scottish coast, and number of vessels involved. We plan to publish this report in the first half of 2024.

I would also take this opportunity to highlight that the Scottish Government recently published a consultation on how we allocate a portion of our fishing quota. This consultation seeks views on how the Additional Quota Scotland receives following the implementation of the Trade and Co-operation Agreement with the European Union and the UK becoming an independent Coastal State are distributed throughout Scotland.

The consultation is available at: https://consult.gov.scot/marine-scotland/fish-stocks-allocation-of-additional-quota/ . It closes on 11 January 2024.

Question reference: S6O-02709

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 November 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what funding it is providing through the next phase of the Learning Estate Investment Programme for schools in the South Scotland region.

Question reference: S6W-22248

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 30 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to improve biosecurity, for (a) grouse, (b) other wildlife, (c) dogs and (d) the shooting community, in light of the discovery of a highly pathogenic avian influenza in a red grouse in the Scottish Borders.

A Scottish Avian Influenza in wild bird Task Force was established in 2022, which brought together colleagues from Scottish Government, NatureScot, the RSPB, the British Trust for Ornithology, Public Health Scotland, and Local Authorities to coordinate a joint response to the outbreak in wild birds. On 11 August Ministers launched the Scottish Wild Bird Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) Response Plan that sets out how the Scottish Government and its partners will respond to any further outbreaks of HPAI in wild birds in Scotland. The NatureScot Avian Influenza sub-committee recently highlighted the limited options that are available to authorities in dealing with HPAI in wild birds.

The Scottish Government has published guidance on gov.scot for pet dogs and working dogs. Scottish Government has also worked with the game industry to develop standing guidance on avian influenza and game birds, whilst Scotland’s HPAI Task Force has provided guidance to land managers.

Question reference: S6W-22251

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 October 2023
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 30 October 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what information it holds on how many gamebirds, broken down by species, have been destroyed at rearing and release facilities due to highly pathogenic avian influenza infection in 2023.

In the previous avian influenza outbreak season (October 2022 to September 2023) 31,570 gamebirds have either succumbed to avian influenza or have been humanely culled for animal welfare and disease control reasons, due to being present at an infected premises. 19,570 of these birds were pheasants, and 12,000 were partridges. There have been no instances of gamebirds infected with HPAI in the current AI outbreak season which began on 01 October 2023.