Chamber and committees

I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-01338 on 10 July 2026. 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.

I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-01338 on 10 July 2026. 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.

I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-01338 on 10 July 2026. 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.

Scottish Ministers confirmed a commitment to consulting on phasing out farrowing crates in a previous Programme for Government. Our new Programme for Government will be published later this year and in the meantime the Scottish Government will continue to work on several key issues in animal welfare, including consulting on the use of farrowing crates in due course.

The Scottish Government will consider the case for developing statutory codes as part of the wider work and commitment to undertake a gap analysis and wider evidence-based review to inform future measures to protect decapod welfare.

To date, no consideration has been given to the introduction of such a code. The Scottish Government has, however, committed to continue to examine the evidence and need for future measures, regulatory or otherwise, to improve the welfare protections for decapods.

As set out in response to S7W-01487 on 15 July 2026, NatureScot has worked through iterations of the Muirburn Code of Practice with stakeholders through the Muirburn Code Working Group. 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.

A consultation on the draft Code closed in May 2025 and responses have informed NatureScot’s consideration of the final version of the Code. Stakeholder feedback has also been considered through direct engagement with the Muirburn Code Working Group and wider discussions with interested parties.

The Scottish Government does not currently intend to publish a separate summary of the representations received on the draft Code. However, the final version of the Code will reflect the outcome of NatureScot’s engagement with stakeholders and the consideration given to consultation responses.

Public procurement and grants are subject to different requirements.

In relation to public procurement, the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2015 (2015 Regulations) do not apply from a threshold of £50,000, but from the relevant threshold set out in regulation 5 of the 2015 Regulations. In the case of a public supply contract, and most public service contracts, the relevant threshold is £135,018 for central government authorities, or £207,720 for sub-central authorities. For public works contracts, the relevant threshold is £5,193,000.

Regulation 58 of the 2015 Regulations sets out the grounds on which bidders may, or must, be excluded from procurement exercises. These include convictions for certain criminal offences, non-payment of taxes, and bankruptcy. Regulation 59 sets out the selection criteria which authorities may impose for the purposes of ensuring that a bidder has the necessary: suitability to pursue a professional activity; economic and financial standing; and technical and professional ability. The precise criteria imposed will depend on the nature of the contract in question.

Regulation 60 sets out that bidders should, in the first instance, complete the Single Procurement Document, consisting of a self-declaration that they are not in one of the situations which constitute grounds for exclusion, and that they meet the relevant selection criteria. Authorities may require bidders to provide supporting documentation at any time when it is necessary to ensure the proper conduct of the procurement procedure. Full due diligence is only required when a preferred bidder has been identified. For this purpose, authorities may require bidders to produce certificates, statements and other means of proof as evidence for the absence of grounds for exclusion and for the fulfilment of the selection criteria. This can include, but it is not limited to: certificates; bank statements; previous work carried out over the past five years; samples, descriptions or photographs of products to be supplied; financial statements; and the qualifications of relevant staff.

The Procurement (Scotland) Regulations 2016 make similar provision in relation to contracts subject to the Procurement Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 (the Act). The Act applies to public supply and public service contracts worth at least £50,000 and to public works contracts worth at least £2 million.

In relation to grants, due diligence forms an integral part of the Scottish Government’s established grant management process, where preventative checks are required to be performed before awarding a general grant. Assessments cover financial viability and governance arrangements of prospective recipients, and the process is supported by internal guidance and checklists. There is no financial threshold for undertaking due diligence for a grant.

The Scottish Government takes the welfare of farmed fish seriously and expects full compliance with legislation, quality assurance schemes and industry standards.

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) is operationally independent and has a range of enforcement tools available. Enforcement decisions are made on a case-by-case basis, taking account of the available evidence and circumstances.

The Scottish Government is committed to supporting continuous improvement in farmed fish welfare. We are progressing the development of official welfare guidance under the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 to support APHA's inspection and enforcement activity.

The Scottish Government has recently strengthened its service level agreement with APHA and now requires 10% of the approximately 50 land-based sites to be inspected annually, as well as 10 sea-based sites. This is in addition to demand led inspections carried out in response to concerns raised by either the Fish Health Inspectorate or the public, providing further oversight of fish health and welfare.

I recognise concerns that have been raised regarding fish mortality and the significant amount of investment made by producers of farmed fish to understand and mitigate these challenges. It is clear mortality must be driven down to the lowest possible level, and the sector must continue to improve public confidence and public understanding of its practices.

The Scottish Government takes the welfare of all animals extremely seriously at all stages of their lives. The killing of surplus chicks which are less than 72 hours old, and embryos in hatchery waste is regulated by Schedule 11 of The Welfare of Animals (Slaughter or Killing) Regulations 1995 ("the 1995 Regulations"). The 1995 Regulations permit only three methods of killing, which the Scottish Government considers to ensure the welfare of the chicks during the killing process:

• Use of a mechanical apparatus producing immediate death;
• Exposure to gas mixtures; or
• Dislocation of the neck.

Under the 1995 Regulations any mechanical apparatus used must be used by a skilled operator and be designed so as to produce immediate death without any unnecessary suffering caused to the chicks.

The current methods of killing chicks, such as Maceration/Instantaneous Mechanical Destruction, are considered to be acceptable by the Humane Slaughter Association and we will continue to work with industry to ensure that the current regulations still meet their objectives.