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-44182

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 March 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 25 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in the interest of helping to ensure the sustainability of fishing activity in Scottish waters, whether it has any plans to call on other fisheries administrations that are responsible in adjacent waters to align with Scotland’s remote electronic monitoring requirements for relevant pelagic boats.

Question reference: S6W-44181

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 March 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 25 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it can confirm that all EU-flagged pelagic freezer trawlers that have operated in Scottish waters in the last year are now compliant with Scotland’s remote electronic monitoring requirements for relevant pelagic boats.

Question reference: S6W-43989

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 February 2026
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 10 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, regarding bioaerosols in the salmon sector, what assessment it has made of their prevalence or impact in the farming industry, including any implications for workers’ health and safety, and what discussions it has had with the Health and Safety Executive regarding the monitoring and regulation of their use.

I recognise the seriousness of the issue of workplace health and safety, and the Scottish Government fully expects employers to maintain workplaces that are safe for workers in line with health and safety legislation.

The Scottish Government has not made any assessment of the prevalence or impact of bioaerosols in Scotland’s salmon production sector, or the implication for workers’ health and safety.

Regarding workplace health and safety and Scottish Government discussions with the Health and Safety Executive, I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-42856 on 21 January 2026. 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-44129

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 09 March 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 23 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to improve evidence gathering and support for Police Scotland in wildlife crime cases, in light of reports that 22% of received cases resulted in no action being taken, primarily due to insufficient evidence.

Question reference: S6W-44130

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 09 March 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 23 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what evaluation has been done on the reoffending rates of individuals who have been issued warning letters or fiscal fines for wildlife crime offences.

Question reference: S6W-43942

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 February 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 9 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to provide access to NHS dentists across the Highlands and Islands.

Our Operational Improvement Plan commits to reviewing and refreshing the existing financial incentives available to the dental sector, to better support patient access in rural and island areas.

This work is currently underway and we anticipate revised incentives will be introduced in the 2026-27 financial year.

Officials continue to have regular discussions with NHS Highland to understand local issues.

We also continue to make available a range of additional financial support to areas where access is particularly challenging, including rural and island areas. This includes grants of up to £100,000 for establishing new dental surgeries and allowances of up to £37,500 for new dentists practising in qualifying areas.

Question reference: S6W-44061

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 March 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 18 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact of the minimum 40% office attendance requirement on staff living in rural, island and remote communities.

Question reference: S6W-44063

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 March 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 18 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has carried out an Island Communities Impact Assessment (ICIA) on the hybrid working and location policy, and, if not, for what reason.

Question reference: S6W-44064

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 March 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 18 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that civil servants based in rural, island and remote communities are not placed at a structural disadvantage in career progression compared with staff based in Edinburgh and the central belt.

Question reference: S6W-44062

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 March 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 18 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how its hybrid working policies align with the commitments in its Action Plan to Address Depopulation and its National Islands Plan, regarding access to secure, skilled employment in rural and island areas.