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-42039

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 1 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a list of all the applications that have been received for the Future Farming Investment Scheme to date, broken down by those that were (a) ineligible, (b) eligible and successful and (c) eligible and unsuccessful.

Question reference: S6W-42029

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 1 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of the weighting for each category, and the priority used, to determine applications to the Future Farming Investment Scheme.

With over 19,000 capital investments applied for we do not intend to publish a breakdown of the weighting or scoring used for each capital item.

The application assessment involved three stages. Firstly, checks were carried out to confirm business eligibility and the accuracy of the information provided against existing business information held by RPID.

The proposed investments were then assessed for clarity of description and scored against their alignment with the scheme’s objectives and public benefit. Applications that were vague, incomplete, or inconsistent with RPID records were not considered.

Finally, a funding request score ensured the limited budget was shared fairly by rewarding realistic and proportionate requests, with safeguards in place so that new entrants, young farmers, small businesses, and tenants were not disadvantaged. This ensured that funding was directed to the strongest proposals offering the greatest overall benefit in terms of delivering the schemes objectives.

Question reference: S6W-42046

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 1 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether any applications to the Future Farming Investment Scheme have been (a) processed, (b) deemed ineligible, (c) not approved and (d) approved based solely, or mainly, on scrutiny undertaken by automation or by a computer.

As outlined in the answer to question S6W-42042 on 1 December 2025, computers were used to process applications, as they are with all agricultural grant applications. However, the assessment work was led by the Agricultural Development Team, supported by staff from across the RPID area office network, which is experienced in delivering Scottish Government grant schemes. Independent validation was undertaken by a Project Board, which also included RPID Area Office representatives, as well as being reviewed by Internal Audit representatives. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.

Question reference: S6O-05248

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 November 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when the Cabinet Secretary for Transport last met with local communities over the future of the Corran Narrows crossing.

Question reference: S6O-05156

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 November 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what economic assessment it has undertaken of the potential impact of proposed workers' camps in and around communities across the Highlands and Islands.

Question reference: S6O-05130

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 November 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 12 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential economic implications of its paper A Fresh Start with Independence.

Question reference: S6T-02727

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 03 November 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how decisions on the award of offers of grants for the Future Farming Investment Scheme were made.

Question reference: S6O-05098

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 October 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to a recent poll that states that a majority of people in Scotland think the NHS is worse now than it was a decade ago.

Question reference: S6O-05062

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 October 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the economy secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding the impact on the tourism sector of any new taxes or regulation.

Question reference: S6O-05054

Asked by: Jamie Halcro Johnston, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 October 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 October 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what challenges are faced by those delivering education across the Highlands and Islands.

Number of Applications Received	Number of Applications Failing One or More Eligibility/Scheme Requirement Checks	Number of Applications Passing All Eligibility/Scheme Requirement Checks	Number of Applications Offered a Grant
7,582	3,188	4,394	1,794