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-16733

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 28 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it had with the fishing industry, prior to the opening of the consultation, regarding the introduction of Highly Protected Marine Areas.

Scottish Ministers remain committed to supporting Scotland’s fishing sector, which plays such a key role in contributing to our economic prosperity - especially in remote, rural and island communities.

Our Regional Inshore Fisheries Group (RIFG) Network is our main vehicle for delivering stakeholder-led fisheries management projects, as well as providing a forum for inshore commercial fishers and offering them a strong voice in matters that affect them.

Prior to the launch of our initial consultation, on 12 December 2022, Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs) were discussed at a number of RIFG meetings –

7 October 2021 – All Chairs
4 November 2021 – All Chairs
5 November 2021 – West Coast
3 December 2021 – Outer Hebrides
13 December 2021 – North & East Coast
24 January 2022 – All Chairs
9 May 2022 – All Chairs
16 May 2022 – Outer Hebrides
17 May 2022 – Outer Hebrides
12 July 2022 – All Chairs
2 August 2022 – All Chairs
11 November 2022 – North and East Coast
29 November 2022 – West Coast

Officials also had regular ongoing discussions throughout 2022 with both the Scottish Fishermen's Federation (SFF) and the Scottish White Fish Producers Association (SWFPA) to hear their views as we developed our proposed approach to HPMAs. Meetings were held on –

11 October 2021
4 November 2021
10 December 2021
14 January 2022
4 March 2022
1 April 2022
29 April 2022
20 May 2022
24 June 2022
22 July 2022
26 August 2022
14 October 2022
11 November 2022
9 December 2022

Additionally, officials also had discussions specifically regarding HPMAs with the Communities Inshore Fisheries Alliance (CIFA) on 10 March 2022 and the Scottish Creel Fishermen's Federation (SCFF) on 29 March 2022.

At the moment, we are at the very early stages of developing HPMAs and are yet to consider where they might be located as part of a separate process. There will be further opportunities for those involved in the fishing industry to have their say on where and how we enhance our marine protection.

Question reference: S6W-16437

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 28 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to ensure that the referral pathway for magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) treatment for patients with essential tremor is clear and easy to understand.

There are currently two referral pathways which are being utilised by clinicians in Scotland to allow patients to access magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) treatment for essential tremor.

Patients who are eligible for magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) for essential tremor can be referred to NHS Tayside in conjunction with the University of Dundee, this is currently not a nationally commissioned specialist service.

Patients can also be referred to London or Liverpool for assessment or treatment. Referrals to services in NHS England are considered through the standard national funding routes for out of area referrals through NSS.

Discussions are ongoing with NHS Tayside to designate MRgFUS as a national specialist service however at present, no new application has been received. NSD will continue to work with the MRgFUS team in NHS Tayside in the meantime.

If a MRgFUS service is designated to NHS Tayside relevant communications will be made to ensure clinicians are aware of the revised referral pathway.

Question reference: S6W-16667

Asked by: Alexander Burnett, MSP for Aberdeenshire West, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 28 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether its plans for Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMA) take into account the protection of migratory fish stocks, such as by allowing for HPMA sites to move geographically or be time-limited.

The HPMA site selection guidelines, which formed part of the consultation that closed on 17 April 2023, states that the site selection process will be “based in all cases around the conservation of marine ecosystems as the priority, and driven by the presence of the following functions and resources of significance to Scotland’s seas” which include “essential fish habitats” and “strengthening the Scottish MPA network”. This may include enhancing ecological connectivity where, for example, the movement of mobile species or the transport of some species’ offspring from place to place adds value.

We have sought views on whether additional functions and resources should also inform HPMA identification as part of the consultation.

Question reference: S6W-16955

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 28 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when it will next review the Scottish Safety Camera Programme Handbook in order to consider the health and wellbeing of roadside communities.

Question reference: S6W-16952

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 28 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what the timetable is for making improvements to rail services operating to and from Stranraer.

ScotRail implemented the consulted timetable in South West Scotland in May 2022 and advised this was a new starting point and passenger use would be closely monitored. As a result, in May 2023, a further five additional services will operate during the day between Ayr and Kilmarnock, improving access to employment, education, healthcare and leisure facilities for communities in south west Scotland, as many of these services originate or terminate at Girvan.

ScotRail advise that there are currently no plans to change the five trains per day which currently operate between Girvan and Stranraer – these operate at the times customers told ScotRail were most useful to them. ScotRail will continue to monitor passenger use of rail services to Stranraer and engage with communities to ensure the service level meets local needs.

Question reference: S6W-16948

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 28 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government when officials from Transport Scotland last met ferry operators at Cairnryan.

Transport Scotland officials regularly meet with the A77 Action group, to which representatives from the ferry operators are invited. Meeting invites to these meetings are sent to PO Ferries, Belfast Harbour and Stena Line.

The last meeting of this group was held on 3 February 2023, however, the last meeting attended by ferry operators was in September 2022.

Representatives from Transport Scotland’s operating company AMEY also meet the ferry operators on an ad hoc basis, as part of the consultation process around planned roadworks on the trunk road network.

Question reference: S6W-16728

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 28 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the effectiveness of Marine Protected Areas since their introduction, and what criteria are used to determine this.

The Scottish MPA Monitoring Strategy sets out the Scottish Government approach to MPA related survey and monitoring to meet the requirements of assessing and reporting under a number of legislative and policy drivers including the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010. To meet these reporting and assessment obligations there is a need to gather appropriate evidence to assess the condition of the sites and determine whether any implemented management measures are proving effective. This information has contributed to reports such as Scotland's Marine Assessment 2020 and the 2018 Report to Parliament.

However, the features of MPAs are often slow growing and take time to recover, and therefore measuring noticeable change in condition and status will often take many years. The ongoing monitoring programme enables continued assessment of MPAs and development of the evidence base to determine whether individual MPAs are achieving their objectives. By the time of the next report to Parliament in 2024 we should hopefully have a better understanding if this is the case. This will focus on those sites that have had their full suite of management measures in place since 2016.

Question reference: S6W-16440

Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 28 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any positive impact of magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) treatment on a patient’s quality of life.

The Scottish Government recognises the benefits magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) could provide to eligible patients with essential tremor. However, we do not formally assess the impact of clinical interventions.

NHS National Services Division continue to work with NHS Tayside to support an application to designate MRgFUS as a national specialist service. Once received, the application will be considered by the National Specialist Services Committee (NSSC) who will take into account any evidence to support introduction of the service.

Question reference: S6W-16943

Asked by: Jackie Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 April 2023
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 28 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that the forthcoming 10-year cancer strategy improves outcomes for people with (a) liver cancer and (b) other less survivable cancers.

Our ambitious 10-year cancer strategy is nearing completion, with publication planned this Spring. The strategy will be under-pinned by action plans which will evolve with the changing cancer landscape. The strategy will take a comprehensive approach to improving patient pathways from prevention and diagnosis through to treatment and post-treatment care.

It will encompass a new earlier cancer diagnosis vision for Scotland and will continue to focus on those cancer types that are the largest burden and have poorer survival, in particular the less survivable cancers, including liver cancer.

Question reference: S6W-16552

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 31 March 2023
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 28 April 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what the estimated annual daily traffic flow on the A1 within the Scottish Borders was in each year since 2016, broken down by year.

Transport Scotland is unable to estimate the annual daily traffic flow (AADT) for the entire A1 trunk road within the Scottish Borders. However, the following table provides the AADT taken from the two traffic counters Transport Scotland operate on the A1 trunk road in the Scottish Borders.

Site Name	Description	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022
JTC00462	A1 Tower	6651	10421	10061	9674	7635	9425	10159
JTC00466	A1 Burnmouth	9643	10038	11069	11739	8644	10034	11606

All figures Above are Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) flows, this is the number of vehicles recorded over the annual period, presented in an industry standard average daily figure.

All figures are the sum of both directions of travel.

Data extracted from the National Traffic Data System on 4 April 2023.

A noticeable drop in traffic volumes is seen in 2020, due to the Covid pandemic and travel restrictions.