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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

Filter your results Hide all filters

Displaying 1527 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S6W-40214

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 how many prosecutions have been brought under the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 in each of the last five years, and how many of these resulted in convictions.

Prosecutions are considered as those cases reported the Crown Office Procurator Fiscal Service, they do not include penalties issued under the Fixed Penalty Notice provisions.

There were nine prosecutions with seven convictions, these were by year, 2019 X2, 2020 X0, 2021 X3 including one which resulted in a not guilty verdict, 2022 X1, 2023 X2, and in 2024 there was one case dropped by the Procurator Fiscal.

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.

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-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-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-40208

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 how many fixed penalties were issued for breaches of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 in each of the last five years, broken down by the flag state of the vessel involved.

There were no Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) issued under the Marine Scotland Act 2010 in the past five years. FPNs were issued under Nature Conservation Orders which are enabled by the 2010 Act.

The number of FPNs issued under Nature Conservation Orders were 2019 X3, 2020 X1, 2021 X1, 2022 X0, 2023 X1, 2024 X0. 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-40211

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 vessels have been found to be in breach of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 in each of the last five years, also broken down by whether the vessel was (a) UK-flagged, (b) EU-flagged and (c) non-EU-flagged.

There were fifteen Marine Licensing offences detected under the 2010 Act, these were by year, 2019 X1, 2020 X2, 2021 X2, 2022 X5, 2024 X5. Marine licensing offences are not fishery offences.

Additionally, there were forty-three breaches of Nature Conservation Orders which are enabled by the 2010 Act. These were by year, 2019 7, 2020 5, 2021 11, 2022 9, 2023 5, 2024 6, 2025 none as yet. These were all committed by UK vessels.

Question reference: S6W-40045

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 22 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don-Innes on 11 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what the total cost of any expenses for members of The Promise Oversight Board has been in each year since it was founded.

Question reference: S6W-40046

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 22 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Natalie Don-Innes on 11 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when the Minister for Children, Young People and The Promise last met with The Promise Oversight Board.

Question reference: S6W-39904

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 15 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 11 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-34581 by Angus Robertson on 6 March 2025, whether it will provide an update on whether any additional funding has been budgeted for its plans to open an international office in Warsaw, and, if so, whether it can provide details of this.