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-30075

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 23 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 27 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when all of its Fisheries Management Plans will be made public in draft form.

Question reference: S6W-30073

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 20 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 27 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how much Seafish was paid to assist in drafting its Fisheries Management Plans.

Question reference: S6W-30074

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 20 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 27 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether each of its Fisheries Management Plans will be delivered before the deadline.

At the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee on 11 September, I updated members on the challenges of the current timeframes for all four UK nations in relation to developing quality, credible Fisheries Management Plans and confirmed that I will be writing to the Committee formally in due course regarding the statutory deadlines associated with the plans. I expect to do this shortly and will be happy to update the member further following this communication.

It is important to remember that we already have a strong suite of measures in place to manage our fisheries and safeguard our fish stocks.

Question reference: S6W-30072

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 20 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 27 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide full details in relation to the commissioning of Seafish to assist in the delivery of its Fisheries Management Plans under the Joint Fisheries Statement.

Seafish have supported Defra to deliver Fisheries Management Plans (FMPs) for English waters. We have also utilised their expertise in Scotland by asking them to support the development of the two Nephrops FMPs.

Seafish have been asked to support evidence gathering, collaborative development through sector-specific working groups, as well as delivery of engagement events and workshops.

Seafish have a wealth of experience and knowledge, and have been well placed to carry out stakeholder engagement in relation to Nephrops, and to produce drafts of the FMPs.

Question reference: S6O-03802

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 September 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 October 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its proposed timeline and target date are for the establishment of a leavers fund to support victims of domestic abuse to leave abusive relationships.

Question reference: S6W-29906

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 16 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 20 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the findings and recommendations set out in Blood Cancer UK’s latest report, UK Blood Cancer Action Plan 2024.

I met with Ms Helen Rowntree, CEO of Blood Cancer UK, on 12 September 2024 to discuss their recently published Action Plan. The Scottish Government is pleased to note that the charity’s five recommendations align closely with the ambitions laid out in its own Cancer Strategy for Scotland, published in June 2023.

The cancer strategy takes a comprehensive approach to improving patient pathways in cancer, from prevention and diagnosis through to treatment and post-treatment care. The Scottish Government looks forward to continuing its work with the third sector to deliver on the ambitious strategy.

Question reference: S6O-03764

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 September 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to reassess its tax policies, in light of reports from some businesses that higher taxes are having a negative impact on recruitment, including in the most recent Fraser of Allander Institute survey on Scottish income tax.

Question reference: S6W-29585

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 September 2024
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 17 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when registered social landlords (RSL) will be advised of their 2024-25 budget allocation for aids and adaptations.

Since the integration of health and social care, most funding for aids and adaptations for all housing sectors comes from Health and Social Care Partnerships. Housing adaptations are structural changes to a property made to support a disabled person to live safely and independently at home.

The Scottish Government provides some funding to help Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) deliver adaptations for their disabled tenants. Funding of £8.245 million is available for 2024-25 for adaptations for RSL tenants.

The budget allocation process for the 2024-25 RSLs Adaptations Programme is underway. My officials will contact RSLs directly with information on their funding allocation once the process has been concluded. I expect this to be in the coming weeks.

Question reference: S6O-03689

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 September 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 11 September 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it has taken to ensure that any future Galloway National Park will work in the best interests of local communities.

Question reference: S6W-27975

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 27 June 2024
Current Status: Answered by Paul McLennan on 11 July 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it is giving to the provision of support for dog owners who are fleeing domestic abuse and seeking accommodation, including (a) any lack of provision by local authorities to house people in temporary accommodation with a dog and (b) the length of time that is spent in temporary accommodation that does not allow pets, and the impact that such separation can have on human and dog welfare.

The Scottish Government recognises the physical and mental health benefits that stem from pet ownership.

While there is currently no legal duty on local authorities to house pets, the statutory code of guidance on homelessness and the temporary accommodation standards framework require local authorities to consider housing options which best meet an individual’s needs, including supporting homeless households to maintain relationships with their pets.

Each local authority will need to consider how to achieve this on a case-by-case basis. This may include working with other organisations to help with planning for people’s pets and providing assistance with the kennelling of any pets if an applicant is not able to keep them in their temporary accommodation. There are a number of animal charities that offer a fostering service so that people can leave an abusive partner knowing their pet will also be safely looked after until they can be reunited.

Tenants in the social sector can keep a pet with the written permission of their landlord, as can some private tenants. However, the Scottish Government wishes to enable all tenants where possible to benefit from the experience of pet ownership. There are provisions within the Housing (Scotland) Bill, which if passed, will give private and social housing tenants greater flexibility to have a pet by introducing a right to request to keep a pet, and for tenants’ requests not to be unreasonably refused.