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-04468

Asked by: Maureen Watt, MSP for Aberdeen South and North Kincardine, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 August 2020
Current Status: Awaiting answer

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding environmental issues.

Question reference: S5O-04435

Asked by: Maureen Watt, MSP for Aberdeen South and North Kincardine, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 June 2020
Current Status: Awaiting answer

To ask the Scottish Government what additional guidance and resources it is providing to local authorities to support the implementation of blended schooling.

Question reference: S5O-04367

Asked by: Maureen Watt, MSP for Aberdeen South and North Kincardine, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 May 2020
Current Status: Awaiting answer

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had regarding the easing of lockdown measures for older people, particularly those who are shielding.

Question reference: S5W-29243

Asked by: Maureen Watt, MSP for Aberdeen South and North Kincardine, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 May 2020
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Fergus Ewing on 21 May 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how many 2020 CAP Single Application Forms were submitted by the 15 May 2020 deadline.

Overall 19,487 Single Application Forms for 2020 CAP payments were received by the 15 May deadline, with many of these applications covering multiple schemes. Despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, submission rates are similar to last year and online applications have increased by 2% with over 18,000 (92%) applications completed online.

Over the SAF window period, RPID staff successfully responded to enquiries from applicants and kept in close contact with key stakeholders, responding quickly to address any emerging issues. For example, Area Offices received and responded to over 2,000 SAF related calls through the answer machine service in the 3 week period to 15 May.

For the seven days prior to the closure of the window an out-of-hours response team was set up to deal with any IT issues and in the final working week, there was an out-of-hours help line for anyone having problems with their online submission. RPID received and responded to 12 calls and 10 emails through this service.

The efforts of RPID staff around the country, most of whom were working from home, are hugely appreciated in enabling Scotland to adhere to the original deadline date. The co-operation of farmers and crofters who heeded our calls and worked with us to submit their applications on time is also hugely appreciated.

Question reference: S5W-28946

Asked by: Maureen Watt, MSP for Aberdeen South and North Kincardine, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 07 May 2020
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by John Swinney on 7 May 2020

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish further details on Scotland’s approach to reviewing the COVID-19 restrictions currently in place.

The First Minister has today announced that, in light of the best available evidence, the Government has concluded that the regulations and guidance which underpin the current lockdown must remain in place for now.

The Government is today publishing COVID-19: Framework for Decision Making Further Information - Supporting Evidence Paper. This paper provides an analytical overview of key analysis and evidence in support of COVID-19: Framework for Decision Making - Further Information, published on 5 May 2020. We are making this information available as part of our commitment to bring transparency to our work and decisions on the crisis and to support understanding and public engagement with some of the very difficult issues that we face.

Question reference: S5W-28872

Asked by: Maureen Watt, MSP for Aberdeen South and North Kincardine, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 May 2020
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 6 May 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether the go-live date for the transition from the Cattle Tracing System (CTS) to ScotEID in Summer 2020 will still be met.

Question reference: S5W-28647

Asked by: Maureen Watt, MSP for Aberdeen South and North Kincardine, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 April 2020
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 23 April 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the procurement of the Northern Isles Ferry Services contract.

Question reference: S5W-27316

Asked by: Maureen Watt, MSP for Aberdeen South and North Kincardine, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 February 2020
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 6 February 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the procurement of the Northern Isles ferry contract.

CalMac Ferries withdrew its legal action on 31 January, with no financial payment due to either party. Additionally, Transport Scotland has completed its engagement with the European Commission in relation to outstanding State Aid issues, with the Commission having reaffirmed that they do not consider the public subsidy offered in support of the Northern Isles Ferry Service, under the proposed public service contract, constitutes State Aid.

Transport Scotland will now move to conclude the award of contract for the delivery of the ferry services to Serco NorthLink Ferries. We currently anticipate that the contract should be awarded by the end of March, allowing a three-month mobilisation period before the new contract takes effect from the end of June.

To ensure continuity of service during this timeline, the current contract has been extended and will run for a period of up to six months from 31 January.

Following the commencement of the new contract, a non-commercially sensitive copy will be published on Transport Scotland’s website.

Question reference: S5W-27173

Asked by: Maureen Watt, MSP for Aberdeen South and North Kincardine, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 January 2020
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 29 January 2020

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish the Deer Working Group report, The Management of Wild Deer in Scotland.

The report to the Scottish Government by the independent Deer Working Group is being published today on the Scottish Government website.

The group was originally led by Simon Pepper but following Mr Pepper’s untimely death in September 2018, Andrew Barbour took over as chair. I would like to thank Mr Barbour and the members of the Deer Working Group for continuing with this important review and for their work over the last three years.

The report was commissioned by the Scottish Government in 2017 following reports on deer management from Scottish National Heritage (SNH) and the Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee which raised concerns on a number of issues relating to the management of wild deer in Scotland. The group was tasked with examining the statutory and non-statutory arrangements for wild deer management across all parts of Scotland before making recommendations for changes that will safeguard public interests and promote sustainable management of wild deer.

We will consider all of the recommendations contained within the report and publish a full response in due course. It is important that we give careful consideration to the recommendations, alongside other evidence, before issuing a response. An important part of this will involve meeting key stakeholders to discuss the findings of the review.

The full report can be accessed at: https://www.gov.scot/publications/the-management-of-wild-deer-in-scotland-deer-working-group-report/

Question reference: S5O-04055

Asked by: Maureen Watt, MSP for Aberdeen South and North Kincardine, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 January 2020
Current Status: Awaiting answer

To ask the Scottish Government what funding it is providing for community-led sports in the Aberdeen South and North Kincardine constituency.