Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-30495

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 October 2024
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 22 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what planning guidance it issues in relation to the proximity of large-scale solar farms to housing.

Scotland’s fourth National Planning Framework (NPF4) states that, when considering development proposals for renewable energy generation, potential impacts on communities, nature and other receptors will be important considerations in the decision-making process. NPF4 Policy 11 requires project design and mitigation to demonstrate how impacts on communities and individual dwellings, including residential amenity, will be addressed. All applications are subject to site specific assessments.

Question reference: S6W-30078

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 7 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it was aware that workers at companies referred to in the BBC’s recent reporting on slavery in the Scottish fishing sector had been recognised by the Home Office as victims of trafficking when it awarded any funding to those companies.

Question reference: S6W-30076

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 7 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what due diligence was carried out prior to it providing any funding to the group of companies referred to in the BBC’s recent reporting on modern slavery in the Scottish fishing sector.

Question reference: S6W-30079

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 7 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how much direct subsidy it has given to the group of companies referred to in the BBC’s recent reporting on slavery in the Scottish fishing sector since 2019.

Question reference: S6W-30077

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 7 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it was aware that there were ongoing police investigations into the companies referred to in the BBC’s recent reporting on slavery in the Scottish fishing sector when it awarded any funding to those companies.

Question reference: S6W-30089

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 23 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 7 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how much of the £8 million that the UK Government reportedly committed to providing to carry out a feasibility study on the A75 it has received.

The previous UK Government had committed £8m of Union Connectivity funding for the Scottish Government to take forward design development and assessment of options for the realignment of the A75 around the settlements of Springholm and Crocketford. This funding was over the period of 2024/25 to 2026/27 of which £1,480,500 was received for 2024-25.

However, the UK Chancellor in her recent statement announcing £22 billion of cuts, also included a number of investment projects that will now no longer proceed as planned but will need to wait for the conclusion of forthcoming spending review process.. The earliest point at which we will know whether or not the UK Government is able to commit to this funding over the relevant future financial years, allowing the design development and options appraisal for these by-passes to be concluded is Spring 2025. We have therefore been offered no guarantee that such funding will be available.

The Scottish Government is disappointed that this lack of commitment by the UK Government is impacting on our ability to make meaningful and demonstrable progress for the people and businesses of the South-West of Scotland who rely on this vital route.

Transport Scotland officials have progressed a robust procurement process to appoint a technical advisor to take forward the design development and assessment work, however, re-confirmation of the UK Government’s funding position is awaited prior to awarding the contract.

The Scottish Government is committed to improving safety, resilience and reliability on the A75 for all users traveling on this important route to benefit not just the people of Scotland but those from the wider UK too. As such, the Scottish Government will continue to engage positively and collaboratively with the UK Government on our shared priorities for transport.

Question reference: S6W-30090

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 23 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 7 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made on the proposed feasibility study on the upgrade of the A75.

Question reference: S6W-30080

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 4 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has given scallop effort quota to any of the group of companies referred to in the BBC’s recent reporting on slavery in the Scottish fishing industry at any point during 2024.

The Scottish Government does not give scallop effort quota to any fishing vessel within the Scottish fleet. Unlike many fish quotas, scallop effort is not allocated by the UK government to the devolved fisheries administrations, instead, a common effort regime is operated by all UK fisheries licensing authorities. Following a communication by the UK Government, to all devolved administrations, fishing licences are varied so that limits to the number of days at sea for vessels over 15 metres can fish for king or queen scallops in the waters of ICES area VII per quarter of the year are introduced. Unlike other fish quotas, the scallop limit cannot be transferred or leased between vessels.

Question reference: S6O-03819

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 October 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to ensure that those delivering Scotland’s Winter Festivals will be involved in the planned strategic partnership for Scotland’s festivals.

Question reference: S6W-30093

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 23 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 2 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when the junction improvements on the A75 at Haugh of Urr will be completed.

The Scottish Government, through Transport Scotland’s Trunk Road Casualty Reduction programme of works, is delivering improvements at the A75 Haugh of Urr junction. Construction of static sign improvements, relating to advanced direction signage and rationalisation of existing signage, is currently programmed for November 2024. An electronic vehicle-activated sign system to warn drivers of vehicles turning or waiting to turn at the junction is also proposed at the junction. This may be delivered this financial year subject to the approval of a non-prescribed sign application.

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