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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-14178

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 20 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 30 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish the findings of the Agriculture Bill consultation, Delivering our Vision for Scottish Agriculture, which closed on 21 November 2022.

The public consultation on proposals for a new Agriculture Bill, “Delivering our Vision for Scottish Agriculture” opened from 29 August 2022 until 5 December 2022. We received a good response to the consultation, including wide-ranging attendance at the 14 public consultation events held, and will be giving careful consideration to the diverse range of views received. The Scottish Government aims to publish a report on the findings of the Agriculture Bill consultation in Spring 2023.

Question reference: S6O-01855

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 January 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to tackle bullying in schools.

Question reference: S6W-13915

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 13 January 2023
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 24 January 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the roll-out of the new Core Operating Solutions developed for Police Scotland and any difficulties it has encountered in the implementation.

The rollout of transformational IT projects are a matter for Police Scotland. However, as outlined at the Scottish Police Authority’s Audit and Risk Committee on 17 January, the second phase of Core Operating Solutions is being implemented as expected and within the anticipated timescales.

The Scottish Government has invested £11.6 billion in policing since the creation of Police Scotland in 2013, with a further £1.45 billion to be invested in 2023-24, an increase of 6.3%.

Question reference: S6W-13022

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Clare Haughey on 21 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill.

The Scottish Government remains absolutely committed to incorporating the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child into Scots law, as far as possible within devolved competence.

Our intention is to bring the Bill back to Parliament for Reconsideration Stage. Preparations for that are well underway and include engagement with the UK Government to try assess whether they are broadly content that the amendments bring with the Bill within legislative competence and to reduce the risk of another referral to the Supreme Court.

We will lodge the motion to reconsider the Bill and publish the amendments to the Bill as soon as possible but cannot yet confirm a timetable.

Question reference: S6W-12745

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 05 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 16 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will make an assessment of whether rewilding on deep peat caused by a lack of management risks reducing (a) carbon sequestration and (b) populations of ground nesting bird species.

There are different forms of active management of vegetation on deep peat including muirburn, cutting and grazing.

As far as muirburn is concerned, NatureScot published research earlier this year which reviewed the evidence on the impacts of muirburn on wildfire prevention, carbon storage and biodiversity: NatureScot Research Report 1302 - Reviewing, assessing and critiquing the evidence base on the impacts of muirburn on wildfire prevention, carbon storage and biodiversity | NatureScot

Following on from the research, the NatureScot Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) have been asked to provide advice on the circumstances under which muirburn, including muirburn on peat could be permitted under licence, and where it would not be appropriate.

The Scottish Government will take in to account evidence from the NatureScot research and the SAC advice alongside information provided by stakeholders.

Further information on impacts of grazing and cutting are available in NatureScot guidance:

https://www.nature.scot/doc/peatland-action-peatland-management-guidance-grazing-and-muirburn

https://www.nature.scot/doc/guidance-muirburn-code#Cutting

Question reference: S6O-01708

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 December 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential impact that proposed Highly Protected Marine Areas will have on the fishing industry.

Question reference: S6W-12865

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 14 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what quantity of wild wrasse, and from what source, was included in the latest recorded information on live fish movements to aquaculture facilities.

Marine Scotland management measures for wild harvesting of wrasse mean that only licenced and derogated vessels, in possession of a contract with an aquaculture company, may engage in fishing operations for this species. Those who do so are required to provide information on their operations to Marine Scotland. This includes completion of a weekly record of fishing time, location and catch weight and in addition, the number of wrasse landed (by species), the number of fish retained or discarded; and the sizes of fish in the first 20 traps hauled on each trip.

Marine Scotland are currently analysing data gathered from this fishery during the 2021 and 2022 seasons and will publish a report in due course.

Question reference: S6W-12866

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 14 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government, in the light of recently released evidence from NatureScot showing that wrasse is a typical species of rocky reef habitats, which are a Habitats Directive Annex I habitat, and kelp beds, which are categorised as a Priority Marine Feature, what additional wrasse fishery management measures it has reviewed and refined in accordance with its statement in December 2020 regarding Marine Scotland Controls for Wild Wrasse Fisheries that “measures will be kept under review and we will look to refine them as more evidence, data and technology becomes available”.

Once we report on the 2021 and 2022 fishing seasons, we will undertake discussions with stakeholders via our Regional Inshore Fisheries Group network in order to help determine the effectiveness of existing management measures, and what if any improvements could be made.

There are already a range of measures in place to protect fish stocks and their habitats, including a network of Marine Protected Areas, controls on fishing gear and catch limits. Work is already underway to develop fisheries management measures for Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and protection for the 11 Priority Marine Features most vulnerable to mobile bottom-contacting fishing gears outside of MPAs.

Stakeholder engagement is being undertaken at the moment prior to full public consultation next year. All proposals to manage the MPA network and Priority Marine Features are evidence-led, based on Sustainability Appraisals and underpinned by stakeholder engagement at all stages.

Question reference: S6W-12867

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 December 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 14 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made to strengthen the management of the wrasse fishery following the Scottish Government and Scottish Green Party Shared Policy Programme commitment to "begin an immediate programme of work to better protect wildlife and the environment".

Wild harvesting of Wrasse is managed under the licence derogation system introduced following consultation in 2020. In 2021, we added mandatory controls on fishing activity, including obligations for the collection and reporting of data, on a weekly basis, to Marine Scotland. These included minimum and maximum landing sizes, controls on the number and design of traps, a maximum trap lift rate and a prohibition on fishing when water temperature is above 17 degrees. Marine Scotland also require derogation-holders to take observers on board if directed.

This represents a positive step towards sustainable management of this fishery. The time until the next wrasse fishing season begins will enable us to share findings on this fishery and facilitate discussion on next steps.

Question reference: S6F-01647

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 12 December 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 December 2022

To ask the First Minister how the Scottish Government plans to address reported shortages of antibiotics, in light of the growing number of Strep A cases.