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: S6W-38581

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 20 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-37676 by Fiona Hyslop on 4 June 2025, what action it will take to ensure that the current transport needs of island communities are met until the new vessels begin sailing on the Northern Isles Ferry Service route, in light of reports that there are currently issues regarding capacity.

The operator, NorthLink Ferries is tasked with making the best use of available vessel and port resources at all times. The current contract allows flexibility within the timetable to manage demand across the year and from sector to sector. Transport Scotland and NorthLink will continue to work closely with freight companies, producers, and communities to understand and manage existing and future demands as efficiently as possible in advance of new tonnage arriving.

Additionally, we continue to task CMAL and Serco NorthLink Ferries with sourcing additional second-hand tonnage that could be added to the Northern Isles fleet to improve services and bring additional reliability, capacity, and resilience.

Question reference: S6W-38492

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 09 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 19 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding drinking water and public health in Scotland, what its response is to reports that the United States Environmental Protection Agency includes asbestos-cement pipes in its overall assessment of asbestos as a hazardous material, in light of reported studies showing that asbestos fibres can penetrate the digestive tract and that there is an association between asbestos exposure and gastrointestinal cancer.

The Scottish Government takes the quality of Scotland’s drinking water very seriously, with drinking water standards prescribed in the Public Water Supplies (Scotland) Regulations 2014, as amended. These Regulations reflect the standards set out in the EU’s recast Drinking Water Directive which follows the public health advice from the World Health Organisation (WHO).

As the WHO has concluded that there is no need to establish a health-based guideline value for asbestos in drinking water, there are no prescribed limits in the Regulations. Should that advice be amended, the Scottish Government will review its position.

Question reference: S6W-38792

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 June 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 16 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what the Chief Scientist Office’s budget for excess treatment costs has been in each of the last five years.

Question reference: S6W-38791

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 June 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 16 July 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has undertaken with stakeholders regarding a workable solution to enable patients in Scotland to take part in proton beam therapy clinical trials, and what the estimated timeline is for the conclusion of any such work.

Question reference: S6W-38277

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 18 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its national thrombectomy services and stroke improvement plan and provision for island and rural communities.

The Scottish Government remains committed to implementing a high quality and clinically safe thrombectomy service. We have invested £39 million to date on expanding access to thrombectomy. While we continue to face significant financial challenges, we are committed to further expanding the service, ensuring access is as equitable as possible.

We have provided funding for thrombectomy nurse posts in spoke sites with high rates of ischaemic stroke, including NHS Highland, and this will support maximising access to thrombectomy across Scotland. Part of the investment in thrombectomy is to support the Scottish Ambulance Service as they work in partnership with NHS Boards to deliver patient transfers.

Procurement of a national artificial intelligence imaging tool is also underway and, once implemented, this will help improve detection of patients with strokes suitable for thrombectomy.

We know there is more to do, and I have asked my officials and NHS planners to work at pace on developing a plan for the next steps for service expansion.

Question reference: S6W-38187

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 17 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to business travel to island communities, and whether the Air Discount Scheme review will give consideration to necessary travel for apprentices to access learning and the reintroduction of business travel to support island economies.

Ministers have no plans to consider business travel under the Air Discount Scheme, as this would be in breach of current State Aid compliance.

Ministers are currently considering the scope and structure of the Air Discount Scheme review, including how the views of stakeholders can best be taken into account.

A key priority for the Scottish Government is to encourage apprenticeship delivery in island and rural communities to support inclusive growth. Through Skills Development Scotland we introduced a rural uplift for Modern Apprenticeship delivery which is an increased payment to training providers to encourage provision in island and rural areas.

Travel and Subsistence (including accommodation) funding is also available to support Apprentices who must attend structured and formal off-the-job training (outwith normal daily travel requirements) where this is required by the Modern Apprenticeship Framework.

Question reference: S6W-38281

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 11 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Soil Association’s review statement regarding standards for organic farmed salmon, and what it is doing to encourage and facilitate innovation in the sector.

The Scottish Government is considering the Soil Association’s review of their farmed salmon organic standards and is engaging with them in dialogue.

In response to the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee inquiry on salmon farming in Scotland, we set out a broad range of actions we are taking alongside industry and regulators to enhance the development and sustainability of the sector. The Scottish Government is disappointed there was very limited consultation on the outcome of Soil Association’s review and proposals, in light of our work programme.

The Scottish Government recognises the crucial role innovation plays in enabling the sustainable development of Scottish aquaculture. We continue to work with our enterprise agencies, regulators and stakeholders to encourage innovation addressing challenges and creating opportunities for Scottish businesses.

For example, our Marine Fund Scotland awarded over £4.5 million to aquaculture projects in the year 2024-25, facilitating over £17 million of investment across the sector. In May 2024 the Scottish Government and Scottish Funding Council invested £1.5 million for the Sustainable Aquaculture Innovation Centre (SAIC) to deliver applied innovation projects to March 2026. We are also working with stakeholders to develop long term arrangements for innovation support.

Question reference: S6W-37967

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 10 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-28903 by Jim Fairlie on 19 August 2024, when the Highlands and Islands Air Discount Scheme review is expected to report, and what engagement is taking place with (a) passengers and (b) other stakeholders regarding the operation of the scheme.

Question reference: S6W-38033

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 30 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 9 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the potential (a) disruption and (b) health implications resulting from low-frequency noise emissions for people who are sensitive to them.

Disturbance by low frequency sound is typically described as hearing a low rumble, and it can be distressing, due to sleep disturbance and other symptoms. In some instances the low-frequency noise complaint can be traced to a sound source. If the source can be found then there is a chance the noise can be mitigated. However, in many cases no sound can be traced that could account for the disturbance.

The relevant local authority has responsibilities to consider the granting of any planning permission and enforcement action related to low-frequency noise, supported by the National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4). The environmental health department of that authority consider and act if there was determined to be a breach of the relevant legislation, such as noise and statutory nuisance legislation.

Question reference: S6W-38056

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 30 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 6 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether its Marine Directorate is aware of reports that the fishing vessel, Genesis II, left 45 miles of ghost fishing gear on the seabed to the north of Shetland when it was towed to Lerwick harbour on 3 May 2025, and what action it will take to investigate any such reports.

The Scottish Government is aware of the situation with a UK registered gillnet fishing vessel which had broken down and was towed to Lerwick, leaving its gear in the water. Officers from the Marine Directorate worked with the owners of the vessel as soon as it was made aware of the situation, to ensure the gear was recovered by another vessel.

The master was interviewed for breaching soak time limits and was issued with an Official Warning letter.