Chamber and committees

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: S7W-01124

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 15 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how much is being spent on (a) administering the Redress Scheme and (b) awards from the scheme, broken down by each financial year since the scheme’s inception.

Administration costs and awards paid under the Scheme broken down by financial year since the Scheme’s inception are set out in the following table:

Financial Year	Administration (£m)	Awards (£m)
2021-22	£5.7	£0.6
2022-23	£10.2	£21.2
2023-24	£9.3	£45.1
2024-25	£10.6	£58.6
2025-26	£12.8	£76.8

Administration figures include funding provided via grant in aid to Redress Scotland and the Redress Support Service.

Awards figures represent payments made to applicants only and do not include legal fees or applicant expenses.

Figures are presented on a financial year basis and may be subject to revision as part of normal financial reporting processes.

Question reference: S7W-01487

Asked by: David Green, MSP for Caithness, Sutherland and Ross, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 15 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to address reported concerns raised by gamekeepers that the new Muirburn Code could undermine wildfire prevention efforts and increase risks to rural communities, property and the environment.

NatureScot has worked through iterations of the Muirburn Code of Practice with stakeholders through the Muirburn Code Working Group. Stakeholder views have been considered throughout the development of the Code, including concerns raised most recently by some stakeholders about the workability of the draft provisions.

Following that engagement, NatureScot has worked with stakeholders to revise the Code to ensure that it supports safe and responsible licensed muirburn, while also protecting peatlands, habitats, species and the wider natural environment.

The Code is intended to provide a clear and practical framework for muirburn. It does not prevent muirburn from being undertaken where it is lawful, licensed where required, and carried out safely and appropriately. Where muirburn is proposed for wildfire prevention purposes, NatureScot will consider applications through the licensing process, including the specific circumstances of the land and the purpose of the proposed burning.

The Scottish Government will continue to engage with NatureScot and stakeholders as the licensing regime is implemented, to ensure that the Code remains workable in practice and supports both wildfire prevention and environmental protection.

Question reference: S7W-01233

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 22 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 15 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of practices by countries or jurisdictions that have prohibited, restricted or phased out the culling of live male chicks by maceration, and what consideration it has given to adopting similar measures in Scotland.

Question reference: S7W-01476

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 15 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any welfare impacts associated with the transportation of live decapod crustaceans.

To date, no assessment has been undertaken. In its statutory review of the Animals and Wildlife (Penalties, Protections and Powers) Act 2020 the Scottish Government committed to undertaking, in collaboration with Defra and other devolved administrations, a gap analysis to identify the specific welfare challenges faced by decapods (including live transportation), what evidence there is to inform potential solutions to these challenges and where further research may be needed.

Question reference: S7W-01484

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 15 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of whether existing legislation provides adequate welfare protections for decapod crustaceans, in light of their recognition as sentient animals.

The statutory review of the Animals and Wildlife (Penalties, Protections and Powers) Act 2020 undertaken by the Scottish Government in 2024, acknowledged that decapods currently have no general welfare protection under the 2006 Act; and that this is an area for future policy consideration. Further, the outputs from the 2024 review confirmed our commitment to work collaboratively with Defra to undertake a gap analysis to identify gaps in current research and evidence, and to explore potential solutions to the specific welfare challenges linked to decapods and how they may best be addressed.

Question reference: S7W-01481

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 15 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to introducing statutory welfare standards for decapod crustaceans in sectors that currently operate under voluntary guidance.

The Scottish Government is currently working with the other devolved Governments to develop Guidance for the welfare at the time of killing of decapods. The Scottish Government will consider the case for developing statutory welfare standards as part of the wider work and commitment to undertake a gap analysis in collaboration with Defra and our wider evidence-based review to inform future measures to protect decapod welfare.

Question reference: S7W-01474

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 15 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the welfare implications of the live boiling of decapod crustaceans and, if so, whether it is considering any legislative or regulatory changes.

The Scottish Government has not undertaken any assessment focussed on the welfare implication of live boiling. However, we have previously acknowledged and recognise that the live boiling of decapods is regarded as an inhumane slaughter method. We continue to consider the welfare challenges associated with decapods and assess the available evidence to inform any future measures to protect decapod welfare.

Question reference: S7W-01510

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 15 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to include proposals to improve the welfare of farmed animals, including through measures relating to the use of farrowing crates, in its forthcoming Programme for Government.

Question reference: S7W-01482

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 15 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the recognition of decapod crustaceans as sentient animals, what research it has commissioned, reviewed or relied upon regarding the welfare needs of these animals.

The Scottish Government has considered and continues to consider a range of evidence around decapod welfare including the London School of Economics study on decapod and cephalopod sentience, and the Scottish Animal Welfare Commission Case Study on cephalopod sentience. Any future research needs will be informed in due course by the gap analysis we are committed to undertaking in collaboration with Defra.

Question reference: S7W-01480

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 July 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 15 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the effectiveness and uptake of voluntary industry codes relating to the welfare of decapod crustaceans.