- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Independent
-
Date lodged: Monday, 15 September 2025
-
Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 18 September 2025
To ask the Scottish Government on what occasions in each of the last 10 years it has used a statutory power of direction in respect of (a) NatureScot, (b) SEPA (c) Creative Scotland and (d) the SQA, broken down by the (i) reason for exercising this power and (ii) outcome.
Answer
The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring public bodies deliver services that are high-quality, provide best value and contribute to economic growth.
The Scottish Government has not exercised a statutory power of direction in respect of NatureScot, SEPA, or Creative Scotland in the past decade. A directive was given to the SQA in 2020 in regards to how exam appeals should be handled during the pandemic.
Ministers retain oversight of these bodies and provide strategic direction, but the use of statutory powers of direction would be for the most exceptional circumstances.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Independent
-
Date lodged: Friday, 29 August 2025
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jim Fairlie on 17 September 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how much has been spent on (a) peat restoration and (b) the provision of equipment, training or other assistance for tackling wildfires, in each of the past three years.
Answer
a) In the past three years the Scottish Government has spent the following on peatland restoration. Figures below include capital and resource:
- 2022-23: £17.3m
- 2023-24: £26.2m
- 2024-25: £24.6m
b) The Scottish Government is working with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) to support full implementation of its wildfire strategy this year. SFRS continues to invest significantly in equipment, vehicles, and training to strengthen its response to wildfires, particularly in rural areas. Over the past three years, planned spend of around £1.6 million has supported the roll-out of the Service’s wildfire strategy, including:
- Specialist wildfire PPE (400 sets): £300,000;
- 10 All-terrain Vehicles (ATVs) with specialist firefighting fogging units: £334,500;
- 10 ATV trailers: £76,700;
- 10 4x4 towing vehicles for ATVs: £440,500;
- 4 dedicated 4x4 wildfire support vans: £318,800;
- Specialist wildfire equipment: £134,190; and
- This is also supplemented by the creation of 14 wildfire tactical advisor roles around Scotland.
Alongside this, SFRS has delivered a comprehensive programme of specialist training to ensure crews are fully prepared to tackle wildfires safely and effectively. This includes:
- Tiered wildfire training through Learning Content Management System (LCMS), classroom sessions, and practical instruction;
- Specialist equipment training covering ATVs, fogging units, suppression tools, leaf blowers and brush cutters;
- Driver and operator training for 4x4 support units, trailers, and ATVs;
- Prescribed burning training provided by external partners (approx. £180 per person); and
- Wildfire tactical advisor training delivered in collaboration with Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service (Level 3 and 4 courses, approx. £2,000 per person).
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Independent
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 September 2025
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jim Fairlie on 17 September 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether all persons or businesses conducting peat restoration work are expected by Nature Scot to apply for a licence to control mountain hares, and, if so, under what permissible ground under the applicable Nature Scot guidance.
Answer
Anyone who wishes to control mountain hares must apply to NatureScot for the appropriate licence.
The Scottish Government does not expect all persons or businesses conducting peatland restoration work will be required to control mountain hares, therefore, in these instances, an application to NatureScot for a licence would not be required.
Guidance on Mountain Hare licensing, which includes licensable purposes, is published on NatureScot’s website at Mountain hare licensing - Guidance for applicants | NatureScot
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Independent
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 September 2025
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jim Fairlie on 17 September 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what evidence it has obtained since the passage of the amendment of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 regarding the population size of mountain hares in Scotland.
Answer
The most recent mountain hare population estimate that NatureScot has available was published in 2018 (Mathews et al) which gives a figure of 132,000 (with a possible range of 79,500-516,000) and comes prior to the March 2021 amendment of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
Since 2021, NatureScot have been running (in partnership with the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), the Mammal Society and the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT)) the Volunteer Mountain Hare Survey (VMHS) https://www.nature.scot/scotlands-biodiversity/biodiversity-what-can-you-do/volunteer-mountain-hare-survey. The survey encourages hill-goers and other interested volunteers to participate in citizen science mountain hare surveys in order to improve our understanding of mountain hare distribution, but there aren’t sufficient data as yet to generate any meaningful population trends.
There is some current trend information available via the BTO Breeding Bird Survey mammal data. Based on these data the 5 year trend from 2018 -2023 shows a statistically significant 50.51% decline for Scotland. However, due to the natural cycling that occurs within many mountain hare populations (typically occurring over approx. 10 year periods), it is unclear whether this reflects a genuine long-term downward trend or is indicative of the downward phase of a population cycle.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Independent
-
Date lodged: Monday, 18 August 2025
-
Current Status:
Answered by Angus Robertson on 11 September 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the reported declarations made by Summerhall Arts in Edinburgh regarding its policy on politicians appearing on stage at the venue, what its position is on the declarations, and whether it will continue to provide any public funding to the venue.
Answer
The Scottish Government has no decision-making role in the allocation of funding through Creative Scotland. It is for Creative Scotland to allocate funding based on its assessment of the artistic and cultural merits of proposals it receives and to ensure that funding is used appropriately. Creative Scotland has no role in the programming decisions of funded organisations.
Scottish Ministers strongly support artistic freedom of expression. It is of particular importance to the culture sector, which provides a platform for debate and engagement on important issues. It is vital that artists and cultural organisations are free to explore and convene dialogue on any issue. Clearly, not engaging in respectful dialogue and debate with those with whom we disagree is counterproductive and does not support freedom of expression.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Independent
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 September 2025
-
Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 18 September 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports that the worst wildfires ever recorded in Scotland affected the areas around Dava, Lochindorb and Carrbridge this summer, what discussions the rural affairs secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding potentially commissioning an independent review of wildfire management practices.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 18 September 2025
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Independent
-
Date lodged: Monday, 18 August 2025
-
Current Status:
Answered by Angus Robertson on 10 September 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what grants have been paid to Summerhall Arts in Edinburgh in each of the last five years, broken down by the (i) value and (ii) specific purpose of each grant.
Answer
Summerhall Arts, set up in 2023, was awarded Multi Year Funding by Creative Scotland in January 2025. Over 2025-26 it will receive grant funding of £168,254 which will support its core operating costs.
The previous operator of the Summerhall venue, Summerhall Management, had received the below payments from Creative Scotland since 2020:
Year | Company Name | Application Summary | Fund | Awarded Amount |
2019-20 | Summerhall Management Ltd | DCI compliant cinema equipment | 2019-20 Cinema Equipment Fund | £25,000.00 |
2020-21 | Summerhall Management Ltd | (i) Organisational development for Summerhall
(ii) An artist development programme to support artists to make new work
(iii) Summerhall 10th anniversary celebrations | 2020-21 Creative Scotland Open Fund for Organisations (National Lottery funded) | £29,300.00 |
2020-21 | Summerhall Management Ltd | Live music venue support funding | Grassroots Music Funds | £46,656.00 |
2020-21 | Summerhall Management Ltd | Live music venue support funding | Grassroots Music Funds | £66,200.00 |
2021-22 | Summerhall Management Ltd | Emergency COVID-19 funding | Cancellation Fund for Cultural Organisations | £79,962.00 |
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Independent
-
Date lodged: Monday, 01 September 2025
-
Current Status:
Answered by Angela Constance on 8 September 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how many orders for witness anonymity under common law and section 11 of the Contempt of Court Act 1981, similar to those imposed by Lady Dorrian in the case HMA v Alexander Elliot Anderson Salmond, have been imposed in each year since 2015; in which cases they were imposed; whether it will provide details of the nature of the crimes involved in these cases, and whether there have been any other cases since 2015 where a similar type of order ensuring witness anonymity has been imposed under different provisions.
Answer
This question relates to operational matters that are the responsibility of the Scottish Court and Tribunals Service (SCTS) corporate body. The question has been passed to the Chief Executive of the SCTS who reply in writing within 20 days.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Independent
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 August 2025
-
Current Status:
Answered by Ivan McKee on 1 September 2025
To ask the Scottish Government in relation to any funding grant, whether it will require the applicant body to sign and confirm that it will abide by and observe the principle that in its operations it will observe as an absolute right, freedom of expression within the law, and that any breach or failure to observe this requirement will result in the immediate withdrawal of funding and an obligation to repay any sum awarded.
Answer
In accordance with the Scottish Public Finance Manual, Scottish Government Grants are made subject to legally binding agreements. A model offer template sets out standard terms and conditions, which include standard clauses covering default and recovery of a grant. There is no specific reference to freedom of expression but there is a standard clause requiring grant recipients to ensure that “in relation to the project/programme, they and anyone acting on their behalf shall comply with the relevant law, for the time being in force in Scotland”
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness and Nairn, Independent
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 August 2025
-
Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 4 September 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the future award of any grants or loans to arts or public performance venues, whether it or any public authority, including Creative Scotland, will require applicants to observe and respect freedom of expression under the law in order to be eligible for financial support, and that failing to do so will require any funding provided to be repaid.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 4 September 2025
