- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 February 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 1 March 2022
To ask the Scottish Government how many times the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Housing and Local Government has met the leader of South Ayrshire Council since May 2021; what was discussed at each meeting, and what the agreed outcomes were.
Answer
I regularly meet representatives of all Scottish local authorities, and their national body COSLA, to discuss a wide range of issues as part of our commitment to working in partnership with local government to improve outcomes for the people of Scotland.
Information about Ministerial engagements is proactively released on the Scottish Government website. The spreadsheets include a wide-range of information including details of the organisation / individual I met along with the subject discussed.
- Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 February 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 1 March 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what scientific evidence was considered, prior to its decision to remove the customary exemptions to a seasonal ban on white fish catches, which is expected to come into force on 14 February 2022, and whether it will publish any such evidence.
Answer
The area of the revised closure is based on sediment distribution in the Firth of Clyde, with greater protection for those sediment types known to be favoured by spawning cod. Full details and coordinates are available at: Fishing closures: Firth of Clyde - 2022 and 2023 - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) and https://www.gov.scot/publications/cod-spawning-areas-research/
The non-continuation of the exemptions is based on scientific evidence that, while spawning, cod are extremely vulnerable to disturbance . They are focussed on mating, and the males are unwilling to leave their hard-won leks, so both sexes are less likely to try and evade oncoming fishing gear which means that mating adults are at risk of being caught. In addition, physical disturbance within the relevant areas of the Firth of Clyde during the mating period will disrupt the mating activity and potentially destroy the lek areas, and cod so disturbed may not return (and therefore may not spawn that year). Removal of all fishing activity in the closure areas should significantly mitigate this risk. If the stronger males are caught or disrupted leaving the weaker males, those males that remain may not be able to attract females. Moreover, stressed males are less likely to initiate mating. Noise may also disrupt mating, with females potentially unable to hear mating calls (Slabbekoorn et al 2010).
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 February 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 1 March 2022
To ask the Scottish Government how many times the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Housing and Local Government has met the leader of the City of Edinburgh Council since May 2021; what was discussed at each meeting, and what the agreed outcomes were.
Answer
I regularly meet representatives of all Scottish local authorities, and their national body COSLA, to discuss a wide range of issues as part of our commitment to working in partnership with local government to improve outcomes for the people of Scotland.
Information about Ministerial engagements is proactively released on the Scottish Government website. The spreadsheets include a wide-range of information including details of the organisation / individual I met along with the subject discussed.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 February 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 1 March 2022
To ask the Scottish Government how many times the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Housing and Local Government has met the leader of North Ayrshire Council since May 2021; what was discussed at each meeting, and what the agreed outcomes were.
Answer
I regularly meet representatives of all Scottish local authorities, and their national body COSLA, to discuss a wide range of issues as part of our commitment to working in partnership with local government to improve outcomes for the people of Scotland.
Information about Ministerial engagements is proactively released on the Scottish Government website. The spreadsheets include a wide-range of information including details of the organisation / individual I met along with the subject discussed.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 February 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 1 March 2022
To ask the Scottish Government how many times the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Housing and Local Government has met the leader of East Ayrshire Council since May 2021; what was discussed at each meeting, and what the agreed outcomes were.
Answer
I regularly meet representatives of all Scottish local authorities, and their national body COSLA, to discuss a wide range of issues as part of our commitment to working in partnership with local government to improve outcomes for the people of Scotland.
Information about Ministerial engagements is proactively released on the Scottish Government website. The spreadsheets include a wide-range of information including details of the organisation / individual I met along with the subject discussed.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 February 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 1 March 2022
To ask the Scottish Government how many times the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Housing and Local Government has met the leader of Midlothian Council since May 2021; what was discussed at each meeting, and what the agreed outcomes were.
Answer
I regularly meet representatives of all Scottish local authorities, and their national body COSLA, to discuss a wide range of issues as part of our commitment to working in partnership with local government to improve outcomes for the people of Scotland.
Information about Ministerial engagements is proactively released on the Scottish Government website. The spreadsheets include a wide-range of information including details of the organisation / individual I met along with the subject discussed.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 February 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 1 March 2022
To ask the Scottish Government how many times the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Housing and Local Government has met the leader of Stirling Council since May 2021; what was discussed at each meeting, and what the agreed outcomes were.
Answer
I regularly meet representatives of all Scottish local authorities, and their national body COSLA, to discuss a wide range of issues as part of our commitment to working in partnership with local government to improve outcomes for the people of Scotland.
Information about Ministerial engagements is proactively released on the Scottish Government website. The spreadsheets include a wide-range of information including details of the organisation / individual I met along with the subject discussed.
- Asked by: Donald Cameron, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 February 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 1 March 2022
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-03100 by Graeme Dey on 30 September 2021, for what reasons its Strategic Transport Projects Review 2 did not recommend a fixed link from South Ronaldsay (Orkney Islands) to Gills Bay (Scottish mainland).
Answer
STPR2 did not recommend further work on the business case development of this proposed fixed link after being considered at the detailed appraisal stage.
An engineering assessment of the shortest possible road tunnel and alternate bridge option, which measured 15kms and 12kms respectively, concluded that both options were currently impractical to construct. The tunnel on the grounds of fire safety and the bridge due to the potential length of span required over the deepest section of water.
Furthermore, while the STPR2 Case for Change for the Highlands and Islands Region highlighted issues relating to the resilience of island connections, no analysis undertaken through the STPR2 process supported a conclusion that a fixed link connection between the Orkney Islands and Scottish mainland would address this strategic problem. Instead, STPR2 recommendation 24, recommends the renewal and replacement of the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services and Northern Isles Ferry Services vessels including progressive decarbonisation by 2045.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 February 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 1 March 2022
To ask the Scottish Government how many times the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Housing and Local Government has met the leader of Comhairle nan Eilean Siar since May 2021; what was discussed at each meeting, and what the agreed outcomes were.
Answer
I regularly meet representatives of all Scottish local authorities, and their national body COSLA, to discuss a wide range of issues as part of our commitment to working in partnership with local government to improve outcomes for the people of Scotland.
Information about Ministerial engagements is proactively released on the Scottish Government website. The spreadsheets include a wide-range of information including details of the organisation / individual I met along with the subject discussed.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 February 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 1 March 2022
To ask the Scottish Government how many times the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Housing and Local Government has met the leader of Aberdeen City Council since May 2021; what was discussed at each meeting, and what the agreed outcomes were.
Answer
I regularly meet representatives of all Scottish local authorities, and their national body COSLA, to discuss a wide range of issues as part of our commitment to working in partnership with local government to improve outcomes for the people of Scotland.
Information about Ministerial engagements is proactively released on the Scottish Government website. The spreadsheets include a wide-range of information including details of the organisation / individual I met along with the subject discussed.