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-01139

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 7 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government by what date it will commence section 12 of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2025.

Question reference: S7W-01528

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 03 July 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 31 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether environmental impact assessments are required for large-scale data centre developments proposals to assess heat island effects on the surrounding environment, including on agricultural land and local ecosystems.

Question reference: S7W-01525

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 03 July 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 31 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any cumulative impact of proposed large-scale data centre developments on agricultural land, including the loss of prime quality farmland.

Question reference: S7W-01526

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 03 July 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 31 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers that National Planning Framework 4 provides sufficient guidance to local authorities on the siting of large-scale data centres, including whether applicants are required to justify use of prime agricultural land, green belt land or wetland sites in their proposed developments.

Question reference: S7W-01527

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 03 July 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 31 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential heat island effect associated with large-scale data centre developments, including any implications for human health, biodiversity and agricultural productivity in surrounding areas.

Question reference: S7W-01531

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 03 July 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 31 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has for monitoring and enforcing (a) the current ban on the use of lead shot over wetlands and (b) the ban on the use of lead shot in all habitats due to come into force in 2029, including whether it has considered the use of portable electronic devices to test intact shotgun cartridges in the field, in light of recent research indicating that such devices may be effective for enforcement purposes.

Question reference: S7W-01096

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 3 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the work that it has previously carried out regarding the standard of housing used by seasonal agricultural workers, what plans it has to implement a set of national standards for the sector.

The Scottish Government recognises the challenges faced by seasonal workers and their employers are complex, and further work is required to develop bespoke national standards. Local authorities are expected to use existing powers to introduce byelaws suited to their geographical area, and in response to the specific circumstances relating to seasonal workers. Officials recently met with key stakeholders to further discuss key aspects of this issue. Officials have been in discussion with local authorities regarding their responsibility to introduce byelaws that maintain accommodation standards for seasonal workers. This work with local authorities will continue as they take up that responsibility.

Question reference: S7W-01094

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 June 2026
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 3 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of whether the maximum £50,000 payment under the recently announced voluntary compensation scheme for salmon farm escapes provides a sufficient deterrent to escape incidents, and for what reason it has not introduced statutory financial penalties for such incidents.

Escaped farmed fish are in no one’s interest.

This new agreement, developed by Fisheries Management Scotland and Salmon Scotland, builds on the ambitions of the Salmon Interactions Working Group to introduce a proportionate scheme with the ultimate aim of redistributing funds to support conservation and research projects.

Stakeholders considered how to scale payments linked to the size of escapes, in line with Scottish marine legislation, to deliver a practical way for farmers to support conservation work where escapes occur, while also establishing additional contributions in subsequent years where evidence shows a clear impact on wild fish populations.

The scheme will be embedded in the sector’s Code of Good Practice, which is independently audited and treated as a requirement by salmon farming companies and retailers. The efficacy of the scheme and the need for more formal measures will be kept under review.

The Scottish Government fully supports cooperative working between the aquaculture sector and wild salmon conservation interests to deliver positive change.

The scheme is in addition to, not in place of, Scotland’s existing regulatory framework which works to reduce the risk of fish farm escapes. The Fish Health Inspectorate (FHI) has powers to inspect fish farms to consider the measures in place to contain farmed fish, prevent escapes and recapture farmed fish if they do escape. Where the FHI concludes that ‘satisfactory measures’ are not in place for the containment, prevention of escapes and the recovery of escaped fish, they may serve an enforcement notice to the fish farm operator under the Aquaculture and Fisheries (Scotland) Act 2007 requiring specific action to be taken. It is an offence to fail to comply with an enforcement notice; failure to comply with the requirements of the enforcement notice may result in a fine not exceeding level 4 on the standard scale (£2,500).

We’re committed to working with the fish farming sector to reduce the risk of escapes further through the delivery of an updated Technical Standard for Scottish Finfish Aquaculture containment in 2027-28.

Question reference: S7W-01481

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 July 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 30 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to introducing statutory welfare standards for decapod crustaceans in sectors that currently operate under voluntary guidance.

Question reference: S7W-01492

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 July 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 30 July 2026

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to review land reform legislation during the current parliamentary session.