- Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 30 May 2025
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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.
Answer
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.
- Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 30 May 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 6 June 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it (a) is possible to speed up the approval process for Seafish training schemes and (b) will commit to funding such courses to begin every June.
Answer
Initial discussions have taken place over the opportunity for financial assistance through the Marine Fund Scotland (MFS) to support Seafish to deliver safety training through the approved Scottish providers. Once a full application has been received, we will assess it and consider provision of appropriate assistance. At present funding from the UK Government to deliver the MFS, is only available for 2025-26 and no commitment can be made in future years.
- Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 16 May 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 4 June 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to the Northern Isles Ferry Service between Aberdeen-Kirkwall-Lerwick, when a decision will be made on funding for the two proposed new "Freight Flex" vessels.
Answer
Funding has been identified in the 2025-26 budget for a potential contract start on NIFS Freighter replacements. The outline business case work has identified a Freight Flex option as the preferred concept for the two replacement vessels, with higher freight capacity, higher operating speed, and ability to carry up to 200 passengers. CMAL will be progressing a two stage competitive procurement starting soon with a view to signing contracts in early 2026, subject to relevant processes and approval of the final business case.
The delivery of two new vessels for the NIFS routes from Aberdeen to Orkney and Shetland will support the communities and businesses using this service for years to come, providing additional capacity, particularly during the peak summer and livestock movements periods.
- Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 May 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 19 May 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the letter from the Minister for Public Health and Women’s Health to Rt Hon Alistair Carmichael MP on 14 April 2025, which states that a pathway for the diagnosis and management of postural tachycardia syndrome has been withdrawn pending a review, when it expects the review process to conclude.
Answer
This is a matter for NHS National Services Scotland, which established the national Long Covid Strategic Network and requested that Health Improvement Scotland perform the evidence review.
- Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 May 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 19 May 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what support is available to any patients from island communities that have been diagnosed with postural tachycardia syndrome.
Answer
This is a matter for NHS Boards, which the Scottish Government expects to provide high quality, person-centred care and support for everyone, including people with postural tachycardia syndrome (PoTS). Support is often provided via primary care, with referral to secondary care if necessary to rule out other causes of symptoms or provide management advice.
PoTS UK is a charity which provides information about managing and living with PoTS. This includes information and advice on self-management, mental health support and medication guidance. Their full resources can be found here: Managing PoTS - PoTS UK. Additionally, STARS (the Heart Rhythm Alliance) provide information on PoTS and resources for patients, which can be found here: Postural Tachycardia Syndrome (PoTS) – STARS – UK (heartrhythmalliance.org).
- Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 May 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenni Minto on 19 May 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how many patients living in island communities have been diagnosed with postural tachycardia syndrome in the last five years.
Answer
This is a matter for NHS Boards. The information requested is not held centrally.
- Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 April 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 29 April 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether there will be a Marine Fund Scotland grant scheme this financial year, and when such a scheme might open.
Answer
Significant planning work has been undertaken for the Marine Fund Scotland (MFS) for 2025-26 and we hope to be able to confirm arrangements shortly. Potential applicants should provide their details to [email protected] if they wish to be added to the mailing list.
- Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 April 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Alasdair Allan on 24 April 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider greater community control over established wind turbines to ensure that they are turned off to avoid instances of any negative health impacts from issues such as shadow flicker and low frequency noise emissions.
Answer
The grant of planning permission does not confer any right to ignore, or remove any responsibility to comply with, other legislation, such as noise and statutory nuisance legislation. This would be a matter for the relevant local authority to consider and for the environmental health department of that authority to act if there was determined to be a breach of the relevant legislation.
- Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 April 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 23 April 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider reviewing its planning policy on wind turbines to encompass any health impacts of living, working or learning near to wind turbines, and the potential impact that the distance between buildings and turbines could have on health, including shadow flicker and low frequency noise.
Answer
Our Fourth National Planning Framework (NPF4) was published and adopted following extensive consultation and engagement and approval by the Scottish Parliament. Having an established and consistent policy framework enables confidence in the planning system and we have no current plans to amend NPF4.
NPF4 Policy 11 (energy) requires that wind energy project design and mitigation will demonstrate how impacts on communities and individual dwellings, including residential amenity, visual impact, noise and shadow flicker, are addressed.
- Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Thursday, 10 April 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 23 April 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what distance from homes and public buildings is considered optimum to avoid low frequency noise disturbance, in light of reports that wind turbine sound emissions can have an impact on health.
Answer
All applications are determined on their individual merits and are subject to site specific assessments. Our Fourth National Planning Framework (NPF4) ensures that impacts on communities and nature, including cumulative impacts, are important considerations in the decision-making process. This includes through NPF4 Policy 11 (energy) which requires that wind energy project design and mitigation will demonstrate how impacts on communities and individual dwellings, including through visual impact, noise and shadow flicker, are addressed.