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: S5O-04543

Asked by: Claudia Beamish, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 August 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 September 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what the revised delivery date for Carer's Allowance is and when the transfer of cases will take place.

Question reference: S5W-30716

Asked by: Claudia Beamish, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 July 2020
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 30 July 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it has taken to support farmers and crofters to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.

We are supporting farmers, crofters and land managers to play their part in cutting emissions, addressing climate change as well as delivering wider bio-diversity and environmental benefits. A third of current CAP schemes including Greening, Agri-Environment Climate Scheme, Beef Efficiency Scheme and Forestry Grant Scheme are providing funding in this area.

Further support to promote low carbon farming is being provided through specific climate change initiatives, including Farming For A Better Climate, the Young Farmer Climate Champions and industry led programmes like the QMS/AHDB Monitor Farm Network.

We have also provided £40 million to establish the Agricultural Transformation Programme and legislated through the Climate Change Act to establish a whole farm approach to emissions accounting on Scottish farms and reduce their emissions.

Question reference: S5W-30718

Asked by: Claudia Beamish, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 July 2020
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 30 July 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what specific measures it expects to fund through the Agricultural Transformation Programme.

Priorities for the Agricultural Transformation Programme funding were announced in the Programme for Government 2019-20. An initial award of £1.5 million has been allocated specifically for farmers and crofters to diversify into forestry. A number of other options are currently being considered including support and training for precision farming, the potential for scrappage schemes and energy efficient improvements for farm housing and we expect to provide further details in the coming weeks.

Question reference: S5W-30719

Asked by: Claudia Beamish, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 July 2020
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 30 July 2020

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to establish sector-specific groups to address climate change challenges within agriculture, further to the establishment of the Suckler Beef Climate Group.

The Scottish Government is expecting the Suckler Beef Climate Group’s report later this year. Further consideration is being given to the options surrounding the establishment of other similar sector specific, farmer led groups during this unprecedented time. The Scottish Government is keen to ensure any groups have the resources available to them in order to maximise the value of their contribution moving forward.

Question reference: S5W-30717

Asked by: Claudia Beamish, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 July 2020
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 30 July 2020

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to set out the progress it has made in developing an Agricultural Transformation Programme.

The key purpose of the Agricultural Transformation Programme is to promote long term change for the future and will need to take account of current support as well as the recommendations of groups such as the Farming and Food Production Future Policy Group. Details of the Programme are expected to be announced in the coming weeks. An initial award of £1.5 million has already been allocated to allow farmers and crofters to diversify into forestry, to establish new small-scale woodland and buy forestry and timber processing equipment.

Question reference: S5W-30779

Asked by: Claudia Beamish, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 17 July 2020
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 27 July 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea advice that the Total Allowable Catch for Rockall cod should be set at no more than 14 tonnes.

The Scottish Government is committed to the sustainability of our seas, contributing to our communities’ economy and its environment. During the summer, Marine Scotland officials will work closely with industry and environmental stakeholders to develop co-management responses to these challenges and inform our negotiating priorities and positions for this year’s end year negotiations on fishing opportunities.

Question reference: S5W-30780

Asked by: Claudia Beamish, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 17 July 2020
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 27 July 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea advice that the Total Allowable Catch for North Sea cod should be set at no more than 14,755 tonnes.

The Scottish Government is committed to the sustainability of our seas, contributing to our communities’ economy and its environment. Last year North Sea Cod saw a 50% cut of the Total Allowable Catch (TAC) agreed at EU-Norway Negotiations. The advice for 2020 recommends a further reduction of 16.5%.

Marine Scotland officials are working closely with industry and NGO stakeholders to develop co-management responses to these challenges. Marine Scotland is consulting with Scottish stakeholders to establish a National Cod Avoidance Plan and using the best science available to recover this key stock. Not only are we planning to do this for the remainder of the year but also as we move into 2021 as an independent coastal state.

During the summer, Marine Scotland officials will work closely with industry and environmental stakeholders to develop our negotiating priorities and positions for this year’s end year negotiations on fishing opportunities.

North Sea Cod is a complex picture and it is highly likely that there is more than one stock present. The advice, however, assesses the entire North Sea whilst the reality is that the stock in Scottish waters, the Northern part of the North sea, is significantly healthier than this general advice, whilst the stocks in the Southern part of the North sea may actually be worse. Marine Scotland Science is working on trying to better understand this dynamic and what it would mean if acknowledged and factored into the ICES model that delivers the advice. We expect first results of this science work before the end of this year.

Question reference: S5W-30195

Asked by: Claudia Beamish, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 10 July 2020
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 17 July 2020

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the publication of the 2019 decision paper, Prospects for Prices, by the Water Industry Commission for Scotland, what analysis the Commission undertook of the need for significant innovation in the way that water and waste water services are delivered in order to meet the challenge of the climate emergency.

Question reference: S5W-30194

Asked by: Claudia Beamish, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 10 July 2020
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 17 July 2020

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the publication of the 2019 decision paper, Prospects for Prices, by the Water Industry Commission for Scotland, what evidence the Commission used in the analysis that suggests meeting net-zero emissions will cost more in asset replacement.

Question reference: S5W-30188

Asked by: Claudia Beamish, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 10 July 2020
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 17 July 2020

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the publication of the 2020 decision paper, Prospects for Prices, by the Water Industry Commission for Scotland, what its definition is of “economically optimal” and how does that relate to climate optimal.