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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-22633

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 10 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of any seeding of non-native tree species from commercial plantations on peatland restoration measures and associated carbon sequestration and peatland restoration targets.

Assessments are made at local level of the potential impacts of non-native species on peatland sites and other priority habitats, through implementation of the Forestry Environmental Impact Assessment regulations, and the implementation of the UK Forestry Standard and associated guidance.

NatureScot is currently undertaking an initial national GIS analysis to estimate the potential scale and distribution of regeneration onto peatland from commercial plantations. This analysis could contribute to an assessment of the potential impact on carbon sequestration and peatland restoration targets in due course. Other assessments have been made on a site by site basis, specifically in Caithness and Sutherland, which have guided management planning.

Question reference: S6W-22635

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 10 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of any non-native tree species seeding from commercial plantations into adjacent or nearby habitats, including any significant adverse impacts on (a) biodiversity, (b) other environmental interests and (c) social or economic interests.

Assessments are made at local level of the potential impacts of non-native species on adjacent or nearby habitats, through implementation of the Forestry Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations (EIA), and the implementation of the UK Forestry Standard (UKFS) and associated guidance.

The EIA Regulations process ensures assessment of the potential environmental and social impact of non-native tree species seeding into other habitats. Where the new woodland proposed is adjacent to European designated site, a Habitats Regulations Appraisal (HRA) is also required to assess potential impacts. The UKFS and associated guidance also requires appraisals to be made of the potential impact of productive woodland on neighbouring habitats, as part of both woodland creation applications and Long-Term Forest Plans.

Question reference: S6O-02671

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 October 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on plans to develop transport infrastructure in the South Scotland region, including in relation to an upgrade of the A75 and rail links from Ayr to Stranraer and Cairnryan.

Question reference: S6W-21218

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 11 September 2023
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 26 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the public inquiry report into the conduct of Glasgow Prestwick Airport, relating to payments demanded by the airport from local windfarm developers, which reportedly brings into question the nature of these demands; whether it was aware of these negotiations and payments, and what assessment it has made of how the report's findings may affect the commercial viability of the airport.

The Scottish Government is aware of commentary provided in the formal reports of the Public Local Inquiries into the Sanquhar II and Clauchrie windfarm planning applications. The Inquiry's focus was not regarding the conduct of Glasgow Prestwick Airport.

Glasgow Prestwick Airport is run on a commercial basis at arm's length from the Scottish Government, therefore commercial agreements reached by the airport and windfarm developers are a commercial matter between the parties involved.

GPA continues to perform well in a highly competitive aviation market and is now a profitable business. The Scottish Government has full confidence in the Board and senior management and its strategy to grow and develop the airport. The airport is a key enabler for the Ayrshire aerospace cluster, sustaining 300 direct and 4,000 indirect jobs and Scottish Ministers remain committed to supporting their investment in the airport.

Question reference: S6F-02384

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 September 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 September 2023

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government’s response is to reported comments from COSLA and council leaders questioning the achievability of net zero targets without a detailed plan and adequate funding.

Question reference: S6W-20580

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 August 2023
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 7 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what the total value of its investments in CodeClan were.

Question reference: S6W-20581

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 10 August 2023
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 7 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of CodeClan entering liquidation, what assessment it has made of how the loss of the digital skills academy will impact its ambition to establish Scotland as a leading destination for tech companies.

Codebase, the operator of Scotland's Techscaler network, has acquired CodeClan’s training materials and other assets. The Scottish Government has agreed to provide financial support to Codebase for the explicit purpose of allowing students who have paid for courses to complete their studies.

We look forward to working Codebase and other partners to ensure the provision of quality, modular skills training is continued and enhanced.

In the meantime, Scotland’s tech sector is served by a world class post-16 education system which each year generates thousands of skilled graduates in key technological disciplines.

Question reference: S6W-20474

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 August 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 4 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government who has responsibility for (a) monitoring the quality of private water supplies and (b) the enforcement of water quality, and how these organisations work collaboratively with each other.

Question reference: S6W-20475

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 August 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 4 September 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what monitoring processes are in place (a) before and (b) after the development of areas near private water supplies, and who is responsible for any such monitoring.

Dependent on the development, there are processes in place that require consideration to be given to the impact on the surrounding water environment during planning stages. Information about the type and location of private water supplies should be considered by local authorities at this point.

It is important that owners of private supplies undertake their own routine monitoring of the quality and quantity of drinking water together with risk assessments. This ensures they understand the factors that are likely to affect their water supplies. Regulated supplies must be sampled once every year by local authorities. At the request of owners, local authorities can arrange for samples to be taken at Exempt supplies

Question reference: S6W-20472

Asked by: Brian Whittle, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 08 August 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 29 August 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what guidance is available to private water suppliers to assess any impacts of developments on the surrounding hydrology, in order to ensure that developments do not introduce any point-source contamination.

General and technical information on private water supplies is available on the Drinking Water Quality Regulator for Scotland’s website at Technical Guidance and Information (dwqr.scot) and on the Scottish Government's website at Private water supplies (mygov.scot) .Further guidance on protecting private water supplies from developments, in particular forest activities, is available at Guidance documents (confor.org.uk) .