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-02987

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 September 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 22 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government how many applications to the Seafood Producers Resilience Fund have been (a) received, (b) approved and (c) declined, and how much funding has been distributed.

Question reference: S6W-01740

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 22 July 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 17 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what funding from the 2019-20 budget has been made available to fund projects relating to flooding, and what support is available for Newcastleton in the Scottish Borders, to address flooding problems.

In recognition of importance of reducing flood risk the Scottish Government has, since 2007, provided £42 million each year to local authorities through the general capital grant to invest in flood protection measures. In September 2020, the Programme for Government also committed an additional £150 million over five years from 2021-22 to support flood risk management actions. Reducing flood risk is a priority for this Government and we will continue to support authorities to deliver actions that protect our communities.

The Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009 (“the Act”) encourages a co-ordinated, plan-led approach to flood risk management, which runs in six year cycles. As part of the first cycle under the Act, 14 Flood Risk Management Strategies were published in 2015 by SEPA and 14 Local Flood Risk Management Plans (LFRMP) were published in 2016 by local authorities. Actions prioritised to reduce flood risk in Newcastleton are included within the 2016-22 Solway LFRMP; this included a flood study for Newcastleton, which has now been completed by Scottish Borders Council. It is for the Council and other responsible authorities such as Scottish Water to take forward and deliver the actions set out in the Strategies and LFRMPs.

SEPA and local authorities are currently in the process of reviewing and updating the Strategies and LFRMPs for the 2022-28 cycle. Once finalised, the Strategies will be submitted to Scottish Ministers for approval.

We also work closely with key partners to promote community resilience and flood preparedness. We have increased our funding to £195,000 for the Scottish Flood Forum, which provides vital support to communities such as Newcastleton. The Scottish Flood Forum offers advice and information to individuals to help them protect their homes from flooding or to recover from flooding.

Question reference: S6W-02240

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 August 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 16 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of recommendation 15 in the report, Farming for 1.5C: From here to 2045, which states that "The carbon in Scotland’s soils should not be traded until further notice".

The main regulated, compulsory carbon pricing market in the UK is the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS). Agriculture and land-use emissions are not covered by the current scope of the UK ETS. The carbon in Scotland’s deep peat soils is however being traded through the peatland code. This is a voluntary certification mechanism which provides assurances to carbon market buyers that the climate benefits from restoring peat are real, quantifiable, additional and permanent.

Although there is no soil carbon code in place at present, there is UK-wide interest in developing a soil carbon code. This has been most recently addressed by a UK Soil Association conference on 14th July 2021 but this has not yet been translated into a co-ordinated programme of work.

Question reference: S6O-00175

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 September 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 22 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the aspects of the Strategic Transport Projects Review regarding the Scottish Borders.

Question reference: S6W-02238

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 August 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 14 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide assistance to Scottish research and innovation bodies to implement recommendation six in the report, Farming for 1.5C: From here to 2045, which states that "The Board should establish a farmers’ advisory panel to act as a reference group for the Strategic Research Programme. Scottish Government should continue to invest in the Rural Innovation Support Scheme".

The Scottish Government published its Strategy for Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture Research in March 2021 which sets out future research priorities and governance arrangements. This was informed by extensive consultation including within the agricultural sector. The future governance structure for the research programme will provide for input from a range of stakeholders across the Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture.

With regard to your suggestion that support continues to be provided for the Rural Innovation Support Service I would advise that this service was delivered under a procurement contract which concluded on 31 March 2021. Decisions on whether and/or how future funding support will be provided in this area are currently under consideration.

Question reference: S6W-02244

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 August 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 14 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will trial agroforestry pilot schemes, in light of the findings in the report, Farming for 1.5C: From here to 2045.

Through Scotland’s Third Land Use Strategy 2021-2026 , we have set out our vision, and objectives to deliver multiple benefits through sustainable productive mixed land-use, including forestry and farming. To achieve our vison, we will continue to support the management of Scotland’s land in an integrated way.

The Scottish Government currently encourages the uptake of agroforestry through the Forestry Grant Scheme within the Scotland Rural Development Programme 2014-20. As we develop future agricultural and forestry support to replace the current Common Agricultural Policy, the Agricultural Reform Implementation Oversight Board will carefully consider the recommendations of the Farming 1.5 report, as well as the Farmer-led Groups, WWF Scotland, Just Transition, NFUS, Scotland's Climate Assembly's Recommendations for Action Report, the Climate Change Plan update and the Forestry Grant Scheme Customer Representatives Group, when devising practical measures for delivery.

NatureScot is developing a Natural Capital Pilot Programme that will run until 2024 and we are working closely with them to ensure linkages are made to the work underway on designing future agri-environment support. This will help deliver a sustainable, long-term approach that addresses the specific needs of Scotland’s rural landscapes.

We also work closely with farming stakeholders to encourage greater levels of woodland planting as part of farming enterprises. For example, facilitated by Scottish Government and Scottish Forestry, a new farmer-led initiative has recently been established called Integrating Trees Network . This network hosts events for farmers and crofters across Scotland and brings them together, along with experts, to share their practical knowledge, experiences and advice about the processes, objectives, challenges and outcomes of planting trees.

Question reference: S6W-02237

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 August 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 13 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to reform the Agri-Environment Climate Scheme (AECS), in light of the findings in the report, Farming for 1.5C: From here to 2045, and whether it plans to allocate additional funding to the scheme.

We know how important agri-environment support is to farmers and crofters in helping them to deliver a wide range of environmental measures. That is why we have prioritised agri-environment support in the face of significant cuts to the budget resulting from the UK Government reneging on public commitments that farmers and crofters would not be worse off as a result of leaving the EU.

The latest application round of the Agri-Environment Climate Scheme closed at the end of June, decisions on approvals will be made by the end of 2021 and this will build on the £214 million of support committed to since 2015.

The farmer led groups also considered biodiversity and environmental outcomes and the recently announced Agriculture Reform Implementation Oversight Board will carefully consider these recommendations, and those from other reports such as Farming for 1.5, as they contribute to our work to implement policy reform. We are also working closely with NatureScot on their pilot programme on a range of approaches, including a farmer-led outcomes based approach to inform what rural support could look like after CAP.

Question reference: S6W-02545

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 27 August 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 10 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the statement in its news release on 6 August 2021 that fish farming is "an essential part of our green recovery and transition to net zero", what its position is on whether this statement (a) prejudges the external review of the regulatory process involved in fish farming, to be conducted by Professor Russel Griggs, and (b) disregards the conclusion of the 2018 report by Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee, Salmon Farming in Scotland, that "if the industry is to grow, the 'status quo' in terms of regulation and enforcement is not acceptable".

The 2017-18 parliamentary inquiries on Salmon Farming in Scotland; and the Salmon Interactions Working Group report of 2020 highlighted the challenges which the sector faces and the need for improved efficiency and regulatory change.

We are committed to moving beyond the status quo and ensuring that the current regulatory framework is as efficient and effective as it can be. This work is being progressed through the independent review of Scotland’s regulatory framework for aquaculture being led by Professor Russel Griggs.

We remain committed to an aquaculture industry that is sustainable, diverse, competitive and economically viable and recognise the many benefits which it brings to Scotland’s rural communities and islands. We will consider the recommendations made by Professor Russel Griggs at the end of this year and work to set out our Vision for the sector in 2022.

Question reference: S6W-02541

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 August 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 10 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish the terms of reference of the external review of the regulatory process involved in fish farming, to be conducted by Professor Russel Griggs.

Question reference: S6W-02542

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 August 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 10 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish details of the selection process for the appointment of Professor Russel Griggs to undertake the external review of the regulatory process involved in fish farming.

Professor Russel Griggs is already appointed by the Scottish Ministers as the Chair of the Regulatory Review Group which considers regulation, finds ways of improving the regulatory system, advises Ministers on all aspects of Better Regulation and acts as an independent and informed judge of Scottish Government and its regulatory agencies’ Better Regulation performance.

Professor Russel Griggs has been appointed due to his knowledge and previous experience of considering the efficiency and effectiveness of regulatory systems.