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-16436

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 25 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-15874 by Lorna Slater on 24 March 2023, what its position is on whether promoting financial gains for private investors and private banks external to local communities, or Scotland, is an effective means of achieving a just transition to net zero within Scotland.

The Climate Change Committee, an independent statutory body, published their report on Voluntary Carbon Markets and Offsetting in October 2022, concluding that high-integrity carbon credits purchased by businesses can play a small but important role in supporting the transition to net zero.

Establishing a values-led, high-integrity market for responsible private investment in natural capital is a commitment of the National Strategy for Economic Transformation, and the Scottish Government is working to ensure that this is one of a number of measures used to achieve a just transition. In support of this, our Interim Principles for Responsible Investment in Natural Capital make clear that investments should create benefits that are shared between public, private and community interests.

Question reference: S6W-16433

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 25 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-15869 by Lorna Slater on 24 March 2023, what the main component parts are that make up the £20 billion in the calculation of the finance gap; whether an independent assessment has been made of how accurate the £20 billion gap is for the specific circumstances of Scotland, and, if so, whether any such assessment will be published; over what period the gap is expected to be filled, and whether it anticipates that all of the gap will need to be filled by private finance.

The £20 billion finance gap figure for nature-related outcomes in Scotland was reported in research by the Green Finance Institute in 2021. The finance gap is defined as the difference between required spending and committed/planned spending to deliver desired nature-related outcomes, for 10 years from 2022. Given the complexity in determining this figure and the volume of related evidence, £20 billion is a central estimate within a range of models. Optimistic assessments of the gap suggest the figure could be £15 billion while more pessimistic models suggest it could be £27 billion. The main component costs for the central estimate include climate mitigation through bio-carbon (£9 billion) and protecting and restoring biodiversity (£8 billion). The report makes clear the assumptions made in reaching these estimates. This work and the report were steered by an independent project board comprising public, private and third sector organisations from across the UK. Scottish public sector representation was provided by NatureScot and Scottish Forestry.

The Scottish Government and relevant agencies will continue to monitor and refine estimates as natural capital markets mature and our work in this area develops.

Question reference: S6F-02011

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 17 April 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 April 2023

To ask the First Minister what immediate action the Scottish Government will take to improve the situation regarding ferry services across the Highlands and Islands, in light of recent reports of unprecedented disruption.

Question reference: S6O-02115

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 April 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when it will review the NHS Scotland Patient Travel Scheme and Highlands and Islands Patient Travel Scheme.

Question reference: S6W-15875

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 10 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 24 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment NatureScot made of how the Memorandum of Understanding with Hampden & Co, Lombard Odier Investment Managers and Palladium would support achieving a greater diversity in land ownership in Scotland, and whether it will publish any such assessment.

Question reference: S6W-15877

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 10 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 24 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions NatureScot had with Hampden & Co, Lombard Odier Investment Managers and Palladium regarding making guaranteed minimum community benefit payments to local communities arising from the increased investments to be made, and on any clawback from increased land values that may arise from the investments envisaged.

As the intention is to work with existing land owners, NatureScot do not anticipate that the investment will contribute to increased land values as a result of the sale or purchase of land. However, investing in natural capital may increase land values as it improves the condition of the land and subsequently increases the potential for land managers to generate revenue from the sale of ecosystem services. This is an unavoidable outcome of delivering our nature restoration targets.

Community benefits, such as those referred to, will be explored during the design phase of the project.

Question reference: S6W-15867

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 10 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 24 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether NatureScot is free to enter into other Memoranda of Understanding with other parties in relation to (a) the geographic areas described in the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between NatureScot and Hampden & Co, Lombard Odier Investment Managers and Palladium and (b) other areas, and whether, by signing the MOU, it has given exclusive rights to the matters subject to the MOU, and that this is only variable with the written consent of the parties entered into the MOU.

Question reference: S6W-15865

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 10 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 24 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what the legal status and effect is of the Memorandum of Understanding between NatureScot and Hampden & Co, Lombard Odier Investment Managers and Palladium, and what role the Scottish Ministers have had in the Memorandum of Understanding.

Question reference: S6W-15870

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 10 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 24 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to the recently agreed Memorandum of Understanding, what consultation (a) NatureScot, (b) Hampden & Co, (c) Lombard Odier Investment Managers and (d) Palladium had with the Scottish Land Commission; what agreement was reached on how they would assist the community consultation processes envisaged, and whether the (i) Scottish Land Commission and (ii) NatureScot will be paid by private investors for any assistance given to them.

Question reference: S6W-15873

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 10 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 24 March 2023

To ask the Scottish Government how much wealth it estimates will be extracted from (a) the local areas for investment and (b) Scotland as a result of the returns expected on investment flowing from the Memorandum of Understanding between NatureScot and Hampden & Co, Lombard Odier Investment Managers and Palladium.