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-40373

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Friday, 05 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 22 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when applicants to the Future Farming Investment Scheme will be informed whether their application has been approved.

There has been a significant and welcome interest in the Future Farming Investment Scheme. Applications received are currently being considered and applicants will be informed of the outcome as soon as practicably possible after assessment has been undertaken.

Once a grant offer has been made, successful applicants will have 14 days to accept the terms and conditions of their offer. After acceptance, payments will be issued within 30 days. Applicants will have nine months from being made the Offer of Grant to purchase all items listed in part 2 of Schedule 1 of the Offer of Grant letter and provide evidence of the investment to the Scottish Government Rural Payments and Inspections Division (SGRPID).

Question reference: S6W-40374

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Friday, 05 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 22 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many applications it received to the Future Farming Investment Scheme in 2025.

Question reference: S6W-40127

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Claire Baker (on behalf of the SPCB) on 19 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will consider flying the Red Ensign on Merchant Navy Day 2025, and in future years, as is presently the case with Scottish Government buildings.

The SPCB has a Flag flying policy.

The Flag flying policy is managed on behalf of the SPCB by the Facilities Management Office and they are guided by the SPCB on the appropriateness of any flags, which have been requested to be flown, on a case-by-case basis.

The SPCB last reviewed the Flag flying policy on 2May 2024 and confirmed it remained content with the current Policy, which includes flags which are to be flown annually. The flag policy will be reviewed again by SPCB prior to dissolution and this request will be considered at this time. Ad hoc requests can also be made to the SPCB to be considered each year, it is helpful to have these requests at least a month in advance to accommodate SPCB meeting dates.

Question reference: S6W-40168

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 18 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when the Minister for Public Health and Woman’s Health last met with the Chief (a) Executive of NHS Grampian and (b) Officer of Health and Social Care Moray.

Question reference: S6W-40166

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 18 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when the Minister for Drugs & Alcohol Policy and Sport last met with the Chief (a) Executive of NHS Grampian and (b) Officer of Health and Social Care Moray.

Question reference: S6W-40212

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 16 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many breaches of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 that were recorded in each of the last five years related to (a) a prohibited fishing activity, (b) a marine protected area infringement, (c) a licensing offence and (d) any other category.

Question reference: S6W-40100

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Monday, 25 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 16 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether NatureScot produced an environmental impact assessment prior to its recent decision to grant licences for the release of six beaver families at two sites in the River Beauly catchment, and, if so, whether it will provide details of this.

NatureScot consulted on and produced an Environmental Report on the principle of beaver translocation to the river Beauly catchment in 2022. A copy of the report can be found on NatureScot’s website at

https://www.nature.scot/doc/beaver-translocation-consultation-river-beauly-catchment-environmental-report

NatureScot also carried out a Habitats Regulations Assessment for the River Beauly catchment area. A copy of the assessment can be found on NatureScot’s website at

https://www.nature.scot/doc/beaver-translocation-consultation-river-beauly-catchment-habitats-regulation-appraisal-hra-possible

The licence application was assessed against the Scottish Code for Conservation Translocations which also assesses environmental benefits and risks. NatureScot’s decision documents on Glen Affric and Abriachan sets out how the licence applications were assessed. Copies of these documents can be found on Naturescot's website at

https://www.nature.scot/doc/beaver-decision-document-licence-application-283801 and

https://www.nature.scot/doc/beaver-decision-document-licence-application-296282

Question reference: S6W-40181

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 01 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 16 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has provided for public information campaigns to warn of the dangers of hillwalking in Scotland, in each of the past five years.

The Scottish Government understands the importance of Scotland’s hills and mountains and provides investment to help Scots and visitors to Scotland to enjoy them safely.

In addition to the Scottish Government’s annual grant of £300,000 to Scottish Mountain Rescue, sportscotland annually invests around £2million of Scottish Government and National Lottery funding to help ensure the safety of mountain users. This includes investment into Glenmore Lodge, sportscotland’s Avalanche Information Service (SAIS), and the Mountain Weather Information Service.

In 2025-26, sportscotland is investing up to £274,446 into Mountaineering Scotland, the sport’s governing body, which helps to support work on mountain safety. Mountaineering Scotland offer training and information to mountain users to promote safety, self-reliance, and the enjoyment of our mountain environment. They also chair the Mountain Safety Group, which was established to monitor and review mountain safety strategy, collaborate with partners, and provide leadership across mountain safety.

Sportscotland investment in Mountaineering Scotland over the previous five years is as follows:

2020 – 2021- £268,850

2021 – 2022 - £226,260

2022 – 2023 - £244,300

2023 – 2024 - £254,260

2024 – 2025 - £252,050

Question reference: S6W-40213

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 01 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 16 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what enforcement action has been taken in response to any breaches of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 in each of the last five years, also broken down by whether the vessel involved was (a) UK-flagged, (b) EU-flagged and (c) non-EU-flagged.

The were nine prosecutions under the 2010 Act reported to the Crown Office Procurator Fiscal Service of which seven resulted in a conviction. These were by year, 2019 X2, 2020 X0, 2021 X2 plus 1 not guilty, 2022 X1, 2023 X2, 2024 X 1 case dropped by PF.

Additionally, there were five Fixed Penalty Notices and one warning letter issued under Marine Conservation Orders enabled under the 2010 Act. These were by year 2019 3 x FPN, 2020 1 x FPN, 2023 1 x FPN, 2024 1 x Warning Letter.

All vessels were UK vessels because the Marine Scotland Act and associated orders apply to Territorial and Inshore waters where generally only UK vessels are permitted to fish.

Question reference: S6W-40186

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 01 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 16 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports of an increase in call-outs for the Assynt Mountain Rescue team, what public safety information campaigns it currently runs to warn hillwalkers of the danger they may face on Scotland’s hills, and what plans it has to increase the number of any such campaigns.

Scotland’s hills are inherently dangerous with treacherous with changeable conditions, and too many lives are lost unnecessarily each year.

Mountaineering Scotland and Scottish Mountain Rescue’s #ThinkWINTER campaign provides useful information, updates, and tips, shared across social media platforms and websites, as well as a series of winter skills talks.

The Scottish Government are committed to supporting safety in the mountains and are currently working with sportscotland, the Mountain Safety Group and partners, to provide safe opportunities to enjoy the outdoors and reap the physical and mental health benefits of being active in nature.