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-03700

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 28 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 20 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will introduce a requirement for farmed-animal welfare indicators and mortality data to be published in a centralised and publicly-accessible format.

Question reference: S7W-04304

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 12 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the environmental implications and consumer transparency issues associated with the use of poultry-derived processed animal protein in salmon feed by salmon producers, particularly in light of the commitment in its Vision for Sustainable Aquaculture to use 100% responsibly sourced marine and vegetable ingredients in finfish feeds.

Question reference: S7W-03701

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 28 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 15 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how many teachers in the Highland Council area are currently subject to disciplinary proceedings arising from allegations made by pupils, and, for each case, how long the disciplinary process has been ongoing.

Question reference: S7W-04138

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 5 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of its commitment in the NHS Scotland Climate Emergency and Sustainability Strategy 2022-26 to support inhaler return-to-pharmacy schemes, what action it is taking to establish a consistent inhaler return and recycling scheme across Scotland, including whether it is working with inhaler manufacturers to support take-back and recycling initiatives.

Question reference: S7W-04145

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 5 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support the provision of home economics in secondary schools in the Highlands and Islands to ensure that pupils have access to this as part of a broad general education, including how it is addressing the reported shortage of specialist teachers in the subject.

Question reference: S7W-04033

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 October 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 3 November 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S7W-00315 by Simita Kumar on 3 June 2026, whether it will provide an update on its discussions with the UK Government regarding the proposed Section 104 Order relating to changing marriages to civil partnerships covering the reserved law of Scotland only and what the anticipated timescale is for the Order to be made.

Question reference: S7W-03670

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 25 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 6 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the extent to which each Fisheries Management Plan is expected to contribute to achieving Good Environmental Status for Descriptor 6 (Seafloor Integrity) under the UK Marine Strategy.

The Scottish Government is the co-ordinating authority for 21 (FMPs) which are under preparation currently. These will draw together policies regarding the management of identified fish stocks. As part of their ongoing preparation, independent advice has been commissioned from Statutory Nature Conservation Bodies (SNCBs) which has considered specific interactions between fisheries and Good Environmental Status (GES) descriptors and identified where management interventions can contribute to achieving GES.

Fisheries Management Plans are listed in the current UK Marine Strategy Part 3: 2025 UK Programme of Measures. The programme of measures was developed through collaboration amongst the UK government and devolved administrations with input from scientific experts and policy makers and drawing on the information set out in other parts of UKMS. A copy of the current programme of measures can be found at Marine Strategy part three: 2025 UK programme of measures.

Question reference: S7W-03671

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 25 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 6 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the contribution of marine planning to achieving Good Environmental Status for Descriptor 6 (Seafloor Integrity) under the UK Marine Strategy.

The use of planning frameworks, including marine planning, is listed in the current UK Marine Strategy Part 3: 2025 UK Programme of Measures. The programme of measures was developed through collaboration amongst the UK government and devolved administrations with input from scientific experts and policy makers and drawing on the information set out in other parts of UKMS. A copy of the current programme of measures can be found at Marine Strategy part three: 2025 UK programme of measures.

Question reference: S7W-03674

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 25 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 6 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the cost-effectiveness of any of its proposed measures to achieve Good Environmental Status for Descriptor 6 (Seafloor Integrity) under the UK Marine Strategy.

The Scottish Government generally considers cost-effectiveness as part of policy development and decision-making. These processes are in turn, informed, as appropriate, by a range of impact assessments. The Scottish framework of impact assessments includes socio-economic impact assessments, Business and Regulatory Impact Assessments and Strategic Environmental Assessments which can, in relevant circumstances, help to inform the Scottish Government of the cost-effectiveness of policies prior to their implementation.

Question reference: S7W-03668

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 25 September 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 6 October 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what fishery management measures it has implemented to achieve Good Environmental Status for Descriptor 6 (Seafloor Integrity) under the UK Marine Strategy, in line with the 2021 and 2025 Programmes of Measures.

The updated UK Marine Strategy Programme of Measures was published in 2025 following a 2021 consultation.

The principal fisheries management measures included in the 2025 Programme of Measures in relation to Descriptor 6 (Seafloor Integrity) that have been implemented in Scottish waters are measures to protect sensitive seabed habitats and species within Scotland’s Marine Protected Area (MPA) network.

Site specific restrictions on particular fishing methods within MPAs in offshore waters came into force on 16 October 2025.

Additionally, on 14 September 2026 the Scottish Government launched an 18 week consultation on proposed fisheries management measures within Scottish inshore MPAs and proposed Priority Marine Features (PMF) management areas.