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: S5W-31182

Asked by: Michelle Ballantyne, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 August 2020
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 24 August 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what support is available for farmers who have lost livestock due to rustling.

Police Scotland has a dedicated Rural Crime team, and chairs the Scottish Partnership Against Rural Crime (SPARC), a multi-agency group committed to tackling crime in Scotland's rural communities. The SPARC Rural Crime Strategy 2019-2022 sets out the Partnership’s seven key operational priorities which include livestock offences. The Scottish Government is represented on SPARC by officials from the Directorate for Agriculture and Rural Economy and Directorate for Safer Communities. It is important that farm businesses report crimes to Police Scotland immediately. Farm businesses can seek advice from a range of sources including industry bodies and SPARC and need to ensure they are adequately insured against losses should they occur.

Question reference: S5W-31179

Asked by: Michelle Ballantyne, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 August 2020
Current Status: Answered by Ash Denham on 21 August 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what data it has on the number of firefighters that have been (a) diagnosed with COVID-19 and (b) required to self-isolate.

Staffing issues, including absence management, are operational matters for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS).

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service has however been providing the Scottish Government with regular updates on workforce absences throughout the pandemic, including those absent for reasons relating to COVID-19.

These updates provide a snapshot of staff absences on the day they are submitted.

At 14 August 2020, 29 (1%) wholetime firefighters, 22 (1%) RDS firefighters and 2 (1%) control room staff were absent due to COVID-19. In addition, 24 (0.7%) wholetime firefighters, 21 (0.7%) RDS firefighters and 2 (1.1%) control room staff were self-isolating.

Question reference: S5W-31178

Asked by: Michelle Ballantyne, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 August 2020
Current Status: Answered by Ash Denham on 21 August 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how many calls the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service has received since 1 March 2020 specifically in relation to home visits or visits to care homes.

Question reference: S5W-31180

Asked by: Michelle Ballantyne, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 August 2020
Current Status: Answered by Ash Denham on 21 August 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how many recently retired (a) firefighters and (b) specialist fire and rescue staff have been asked to return to frontline duties to cover absences and other staff shortages.

Staffing issues such as decisions on the deployment of staff are operational matters for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS).

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service undertook a variety of business continuity measures to ensure the maximum number of front-line staff were available. Specialist staff at Operational Control Rooms were identified as a priority area and 10 retired staff were re-engaged as Control Firefighters.

Question reference: S5W-30955

Asked by: Michelle Ballantyne, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 July 2020
Current Status: Answered by Ash Denham on 12 August 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether firefighters are required to wear PPE or face coverings while making home visits or visits to care homes, and what data it has on whether face coverings are being worn by firefighters during such visits.

Home fire safety visits are an operational matter for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS). SFRS continue to follow all guidance as set out by Health Protection Scotland, which includes appropriate PPE and social distancing measures being in place for any visits they carry out.

SFRS will continue to review their processes where necessary as more information is made available and as our knowledge and understanding of Covid-19 continues to develop.

Question reference: S5W-30610

Asked by: Michelle Ballantyne, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 July 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 30 July 2020

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-29884 by Michael Matheson on 22 June 2020, what guidance it has provided to driving test centres and driving instructors regarding the safety of learning to drive as the country enters a different phase of lockdown.

Question reference: S5W-30413

Asked by: Michelle Ballantyne, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 July 2020
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 28 July 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it is making towards achieving the development of a wild salmon strategy by September 2020.

The Wild Salmon Strategy has been delayed due to the diversion of resources to deal with the COVID-19 outbreak. The Scottish Government recognise the need to conserve wild Atlantic salmon populations, and a suite of measures to tackle the wide range of pressures on them are currently underway, including most recently, in May, the publication of the report of the Salmon Interaction Working Group. Engagement with stakeholders to support the development of the Strategy will commence at the end of August.

Question reference: S5W-30553

Asked by: Michelle Ballantyne, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 July 2020
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 27 July 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Aquaculture Hardship Fund is open to applications from all producers of trout, salmon and shellfish.

Question reference: S5W-30078

Asked by: Michelle Ballantyne, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 June 2020
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 2 July 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking in response to reports of large numbers of salmon smolts trapped in the Muirtown Lock on the Caledonian Canal.

The decline in the numbers of Scottish wild salmon is of great concern and we are determined to safeguard the future of this important species. We recognise the problem is down to a range of complex factors and have identified 12 high level groups of pressures on salmon (which include barriers to migration) and will continue to work with stakeholders to better understand and tackle these issues.

The particular issue at the Muirtown Lock is an example of positive stakeholder engagement, with the River Ness District Salmon Fishery Board and Scottish Canals working together to ensure the protection of wild salmon during Covid-19, with support from Marine Scotland officials. Large numbers of outgoing smolts, trapped in the Caledonian Canal, were released and further discussions are now in hand to seek a longer term solution to manage future smolt movements in the area.

Question reference: S5W-29214

Asked by: Michelle Ballantyne, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 May 2020
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 12 June 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how many aquaculture businesses in the South Scotland region are in receipt of support from the Aquaculture Hardship Fund that has been set up in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, also broken down by home many do not (a) farm trout and (b) grow shellfish.