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-03843

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Patrick Harvie on 2 November 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many on-street bike hangars (secure, covered spaces for residents to park their bikes) are available across Scotland, and what demand there is for bike hangars.

Question reference: S6W-03798

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 18 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 29 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its work to improve engagement and communication between the offshore renewables and fishing sectors, and which fishing organisations are being consulted as part of this.

The Scottish Government aims to facilitate a constructive relationship between fishers and offshore wind developers in relation to the development of offshore wind energy in Scottish Waters. This is led by Marine Scotland through ‘Commercial Fisheries Working Group’ meetings where the interests of fishers are represented by the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation (SFF), Scottish White Fish Producers Association (SWFPA), Community Inshore Fisheries Alliance (CIFA) and Regional Inshore Fisheries Groups (rIFGs).

In addition, the Scottish Government’s sectoral marine planning process for offshore renewable energy, which identifies potential areas for future development, involves fishing representatives being invited to join the relevant governance groups, in order to help inform the location of any resultant development areas. Furthermore, the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation and regional Inshore Fisheries Groups also facilitate the collection of wider views of the fishing sector to support plan development.

Question reference: S6W-03602

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 08 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 25 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what assurances it can provide that ordnance clearances taking place as part of the Seagreen Offshore Wind Farm project are not high order detonations.

The marine and European Protected Species licences issued to Seagreen Wind Energy Limited (SWEL) in respect of unexploded ordnance (UXO) clearance activities were conditioned such that high order detonation techniques for UXO clearance are used only when it is not possible to undertake UXO clearance using low yield or low order techniques. All possible opportunities to undertake clearance using low order and low yield techniques must have failed before use of high order detonation techniques. The marine licence also conditions that SWEL must, no later than 28 days following the completion of the licensed activity, submit a written report to the licensing authority which confirms the method used to remove each UXO, the considerations made and justification for selecting the method used to remove each UXO including, as appropriate, the failure of other methods.

Question reference: S6W-03364

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 22 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how it monitors imports and exports of honey bees.

All imports of Queen Honey Bees into GB must be notified through the Import of Products, Animals, Food and Feed System (IPAFFS) and Scottish Government officials monitor the system daily.

The Scottish Government bee health inspectors and bee health diagnostic team at SASA ensure that all imports of Queen Honey Bees are compliant with the post import requirements of returning the original cages and attendant bees within 5 days of arrival for testing for notifiable pests and diseases.

In addition to the import certification requirements, Scottish Government bee health inspectors carry out risk based post import checks.

Equivalent procedures are in place for exporting bees from Scotland. Export certification requirements are dependent on the country of destination and are currently certified by Scottish Bee Inspectors.

Question reference: S6W-03362

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 22 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what actions it takes to ensure that people who wish to take up beekeeping are made aware of its guidance on importing and exporting bees.

International trade represents a risk for the spread of pests and diseases of honey bees. To protect the health of bees in Scotland we have a framework of legal requirements and trade rules to minimise these risks.

Scottish Government works with the Animal and Plant Health Agency's (APHA) National Bee Unit (NBU) in providing guidance on their website Beebase - Beekeeping information resource for Beekeepers (nationalbeeunit.com) including a section on import and export requirements.

Specific guidance for export and import of honey bees following changes made after EU Exit is also available on the SG website: Importing bees into Scotland: guidance - gov.scot (www.gov.scot) )

As part of the Honey Bee Health Strategy changes in policy are discussed with stakeholders in advance and highlighted to beekeepers through articles in the Scottish Beekeepers Association magazine and the Bee Farmers Association magazine, talks to local associations and Bee Health training days.

Question reference: S6W-03363

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 22 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what (a) guidance it provides and (b) measures it takes to ensure high levels of bee husbandry and bee health, in order to avoid Varroa and other parasites, and non-native bee species, being imported.

I refer to the previous answer S6W-03362 on 22 October 2021 which details the guidance available on the Scottish Government and National Bee Unit websites, including changes in import conditions made since EU Exit:

Requirements include registration on the Import of Products, Animals, Food and Feed System (IPAFFS), notification of imports on the system, entry via an appropriate route (usually a border control point), provision of a health certificate and post import checks.

The legal framework surrounding international trade requires certification of freedom of notifiable diseases and pests. Imports from areas where certain diseases of pests are present is not allowed, for example areas of Italy affected by Small Hive Beetle (SHB).

Beekeepers also have a significant role to play by ensuring disease management within their own apiaries is in order, by being proactive in making themselves aware of the signs of diseases and sourcing bees that are healthy.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

Question reference: S6W-03496

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 October 2021
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 22 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the business and regulatory impact assessment (BRIA) for its short-term lets licensing scheme and planning control area legislation, how the draft short-term lets licensing proposals support the (a) National Performance Framework and (b) Scottish Government's commitment to being a Wellbeing Economy Government.

(a) The regulation of short-term lets supports the following National Performance Framework objectives:

We have a globally competitive, entrepreneurial, inclusive and sustainable economy.
We have thriving and innovative businesses, with quality jobs and fair work for everyone.
We tackle poverty by sharing opportunities, wealth and power more equally.
We live in communities that are inclusive, empowered, resilient and safe.
We value, enjoy, protect and enhance our environment.
We are creative and our vibrant and diverse cultures are enjoyed widely

(b) Building a Wellbeing Economy is a top priority for the Scottish Government. This means building an economy that is inclusive and that promotes sustainability, prosperity and resilience, where businesses can thrive and innovate, and that supports all of our communities across Scotland to access opportunities that deliver local growth and wellbeing. Our proposals for regulating short-term lets balance the needs and concerns of local communities with wider economic and tourism interests; getting this balance right means that responsible and sustainable tourism businesses can thrive and local communities’ wellbeing is safeguarded.

Question reference: S6W-03360

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 14 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to provide further funding similar to the Islands Communities Fund in the near future.

The Island Communities Fund was announced in summer 2021 and closed on the 16 th of June 2021. We have recently notified applicants to the Island Communities Fund of the outcome of their application.

Supporting island communities remains a Scottish Government priority. Decisions on further funding will be taken as part of future budget setting exercises and alongside continued stakeholder engagement and project evaluation of the full Islands Programme.

Question reference: S6W-03361

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 14 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it allocated to the Islands Communities Fund, and how much the Fund has paid out.

Applicants to the Island Communities Fund have all been notified of the outcome of their application. I am delighted to confirm that this will deliver £2 million of ‘on-island’ capital investment for 29 successful island-based community groups and businesses, spread across 23 islands.

This Fund provides grants of up to £150,000 for projects focusing on developing sustainable economic activities on islands, while also supporting the delivery of the Scottish Government’s National Islands Plan.

The programme is in the early stages in terms of spend.

Question reference: S6T-00218

Asked by: Beatrice Wishart, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Monday, 04 October 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 October 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what measures public sector agencies, including the Scottish Government, Police Scotland and the Crown Office, will take to increase efforts to ensure women are protected from harassment and violence.