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-42238

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 01 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 10 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the conclusion of the Marine Directorate’s contract with Airtask Group for marine compliance aerial surveillance flights, what assessment it has made of the impact of the contract ending on fish surveys.

Under an MoU with JMSC (Joint Maritime Security Centre), the amount of dedicated fishery protection manned fixed wing flying hours remains at 200 hours per annum. There is therefore no impact on dedicated fishery surveillance. Additionally, the use of Remote Piloted Aircraft Surveillance from the Scottish Government’s Marine Protection Vessels supplements fishery surveillance as does the expansion of Remote Electronic Monitoring (REM) on Scallop dredge and pelagic vessels.

Question reference: S6W-42237

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 01 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 10 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the conclusion of the Marine Directorate’s contract with Airtask Group for marine compliance aerial surveillance flights, what plans it has to enforce compliance on Scotland’s waters.

Aerial surveillance continues to be conducted by the Marine Directorate (MD) via two programmes. Firstly, through an MoU with the Joint Maritime Security Centre (JMSC) part of the UK Government. Under the MoU, MD can request patrolled fixed winged manned flights from Prestwick through the UK2SARG programme. This flexible approach allows MD to request up to 200 flying hours annually with the possibility of increasing hours should it be required.

Also, during the summer the larger two Marine Protection Vessels (MPVs) utilise a 3-year contract with an external provider to operate Remote Piloted Aerial Surveillance Systems (RPAS) or drones. These are launched and controlled from the MPVs for short to medium range flights.

Additionally, Remote Electronic Monitoring technology is being expanded to relevant Pelagic vessels from March 2026, it is already in place for all scallop dredge vessels. This system includes CCTV cameras to remotely monitor fishing activities.

Question reference: S6W-42168

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 9 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has held any discussions with Police Scotland about upgrading its tasers to the new Axon Taser 10 model, in light of the decision by the Home Office on 3 October 2025 to allow police in England and Wales to upgrade to the new model.

Question reference: S6W-42259

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Monday, 01 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 9 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with DSM-Firmenich regarding progress at its Bovaer production facility in Dalry, and whether it has sought assurances about the future of the project and the protection of jobs linked to its development.

Question reference: S6W-42241

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 01 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 9 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether (a) the Cabinet Secretary for Transport and (b) Transport Scotland officials will meet with (i) Oban Community Harbour Development Association and (ii) Oban Community Council in relation to Transport Scotland’s consideration of the establishment of a new harbour authority at Oban Harbour.

Given the ongoing Harbour Revision Order application process regarding establishing a new harbour authority for Oban Harbour, it would not be appropriate for Ministers or Transport Scotland officials to discuss specific details of the application with interested parties at this time. The Harbour Revision Order application process has included a formal consultation and subsequent Written Representation period, allowing all interested parties to submit their views on the proposal. Those views are currently being considered before a formal decision is made by Ministers.

Question reference: S6W-42257

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Monday, 01 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 9 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how much public funding, including support from Scottish Enterprise, has been provided to DSM-Firmenich towards its Bovaer production facility in Dalry, and what (a) conditions and (b) oversight mechanisms were attached to any financial support that may have been awarded.

Question reference: S6W-42255

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Monday, 01 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 9 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether any changes in (a) commercial interest, (b) regulatory approaches and (c) market uptake of Bovaer have influenced the (i) timeline and (ii) expected output of the Bovaer production facility in Dalry, and how it is responding to any risks posed to the public investment that may have already been made.

Question reference: S6W-42258

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Monday, 01 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 9 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what monitoring or due diligence has been carried out to ensure that any public investment that may have been made towards DSM-Firmenich's Bovaer production facility in Dalry continues to deliver value for money, in light of reported delays to the facility becoming fully operational.

Question reference: S6W-42256

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Monday, 01 December 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 9 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the current status of DSM-Firmenich's Bovaer production facility in Dalry, and whether it can confirm whether the plant is now operational or when it expects full commissioning to take place.

Question reference: S6O-05274

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 December 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what plans it has to amend tax thresholds in the next Scottish Budget.