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: S4W-25772

Asked by: Rob Gibson, MSP for Caithness, Sutherland and Ross, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 May 2015
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Aileen McLeod on 28 May 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made toward implementing the objectives, proposals and policies set out in the first Scottish Climate Change Adaptation Programme since it was published in May 2014.

The Scottish Government published its first annual report on progress made towards implementing the comprehensive set of measures included in the Scottish Climate Change Adaptation Programme today. The report shows that we have made good headway in helping Scotland adapt to the effects of climate change. Progress is being made to enable adaptation though policy, strategy and investment planning, partnership working is increasing adaptive capacity, and we are strengthening the evidence base to better understand the effects of climate change on people, homes and communities.

The programme is a five year plan and the Scottish Government will continue to take forward the adaptation agenda, providing clear leadership and ensuring that existing and new policy will help drive and support adaptation activity in Scotland.

Copies of the report have been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre, laying number SG/2015/58.

Question reference: S4O-04389

Asked by: Rob Gibson, MSP for Caithness, Sutherland and Ross, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 May 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 May 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what impact it expects replacing the ScotRail Club 55 scheme with Club 50 will have on the number of older travellers from the Highlands using services.

Question reference: S4O-04353

Asked by: Rob Gibson, MSP for Caithness, Sutherland and Ross, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 May 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 May 2015

To ask the Scottish Government how it is encouraging more women to take up engineering roles in the renewable energy sector.

Question reference: S4W-25307

Asked by: Rob Gibson, MSP for Caithness, Sutherland and Ross, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 April 2015
Current Status: Answered by Aileen McLeod on 13 May 2015

To ask the Scottish Government which rivers have smolt release programmes for the boosting of salmon stocks.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-25306 on 5 May 2015. Managers of a number of rivers have experimented with stocking of salmon smolts over the years, including the Tay, Lochy, Dionard, Leven, Irvine, Conon and Carron. Of these managers, only those on the Lochy currently stock salmon smolts. The Scottish Government did not receive any applications to stock salmon smolts in 2014, although such consents may have been approved by local district salmon fishery boards.

All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

Question reference: S4W-25308

Asked by: Rob Gibson, MSP for Caithness, Sutherland and Ross, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 April 2015
Current Status: Answered by Aileen McLeod on 13 May 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what evidence there is regarding whether smolt release programmes sustain salmon stocks for angling.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-25306 on 5 May 2015. There is evidence that stocked salmon smolts return to Scottish rivers as adults. However, the survival rate is very low and much lower than that of wild-reared smolts. The report currently being published by the Scottish Government suggests that the revenue accrued by smolt ranching is unlikely to cover the costs of the activity in many circumstances, a conclusion also reached by certain local managers, as published by the Ness and Tay District Salmon Fisheries Boards. There is a further problem that there may be negative effects on wild stocks as a result of smolts stocking. Where financial outlay and conservation concerns are not serious impediments, smolt release programmes could sustain salmon stocks for angling.

All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

Question reference: S4W-25309

Asked by: Rob Gibson, MSP for Caithness, Sutherland and Ross, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 April 2015
Current Status: Answered by Aileen McLeod on 12 May 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on supporting smolt release on a greater range of (a) east and (b) west coast rivers.

The Scottish Government is committed to promoting evidence-based fishery management. Management of salmon fisheries takes place at a local level by District Salmon Fishery Boards who have responsibility for regulation of salmon introductions in their area. Smolt release is one of a variety of potential tools in managing salmon populations and the Scottish Government would encourage those considering this option to do so in the context of the best available science and evidence. As outlined in the response to S4W-25306 on 5 May 2015, the Scottish Government is in the process of publishing a review of the performance of hatchery-reared salmon smolts.

All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

Question reference: S4O-04310

Asked by: Rob Gibson, MSP for Caithness, Sutherland and Ross, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 May 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 13 May 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what public agencies are doing to promote outdoor education for both urban and rural pupils and with what success.

Question reference: S4W-25306

Asked by: Rob Gibson, MSP for Caithness, Sutherland and Ross, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 April 2015
Current Status: Answered by Aileen McLeod on 5 May 2015

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the draft recommendations in the wild fishing review, what research it is conducting on the potential benefits of releasing salmon smolts from hatcheries into salmon fishing rivers.

The Scottish Government is in the process of publishing a review of the performance of hatchery-reared salmon smolts (the stage at which the fish are changing from the freshwater to marine form) stocked in to Scottish waters (often termed ‘salmon ranching’). The percentage of ranched smolts that return as adults is much lower than would be expected from salmon reared naturally in the wild. The report concludes that it is not clear that smolt ranching is an economically viable proposition. The report also notes that the practice of ranching carries potential threats to native populations of Atlantic salmon that would need to be balanced against any potential economic benefits.

Stocking of salmon smolts has been undertaken in a number of rivers over the years, although there are few examples of extant long term programmes. The Scottish Government did not receive any applications to stock salmon smolts in 2014, although such consents may have been approved by local district salmon fishery boards. The River Carron is often used as an example of benefits of stocking smolts, however a number of different life stages of salmon have been stocked in the river since 1995 and smolt stocking ceasing in 2011. A recent review by the University of Highlands and Islands concluded that it was not possible to determine whether stocking of salmon played a role in the increasing rod catch within the River Carron.

Question reference: S4O-04274

Asked by: Rob Gibson, MSP for Caithness, Sutherland and Ross, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 April 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 6 May 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what carbon saving would be made by removing one supermarket lorry from the A9 between Edinburgh and Thurso and carrying the contents by rail.

Question reference: S4O-04245

Asked by: Rob Gibson, MSP for Caithness, Sutherland and Ross, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 April 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 April 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what funding is available for minority sports.