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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

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Question reference: S6W-26907

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 April 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 2 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has made estimates of the carbon sequestration rates per hectare in species-rich grassland compared with (a) improved grassland and (b) arable land, and, if so, at what soil depth this has been measured.

Question reference: S6W-26908

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 April 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 2 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an up-to-date assessment of the ecological condition of species-rich grasslands (a) within and (b) outside of Special Sites of Scientific Interest.

Question reference: S6W-26811

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 April 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 10 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether its final response to the Review of the Effectiveness of Environmental Governance will incorporate evidence recently submitted to the Scottish Parliament's Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee by Environmental Standards Scotland, the Environmental Rights Centre for Scotland and the Law Society of Scotland, specifically regarding whether an environmental court could enhance governance arrangements.

Question reference: S6W-26509

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 March 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 25 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential impact on youth groups of the proposal by Disclosure Scotland to introduce Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) fees for voluntary roles.

Question reference: S6W-26508

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 March 2024
Current Status: Answer expected on 25 April 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what potential impact it expects the introduction of Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) fees for voluntary roles would have on child and adult safeguarding.

Question reference: S6W-26040

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 07 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 20 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it (a) has made and (b) is considering making a referral to the Competition and Markets Authority highlighting a Highlands and Islands exemption in its planned devolved Air Departure Tax as a subsidy of particular interest.

The Scottish Government has not made a referral to the Subsidy Advice Unit at the Competition and Markets Authority. Any future proposal for Air Departure Tax or a proposal relating to the Highlands and Islands exemption will be assessed for compliance with the Subsidy Control Act and will be referred to the Subsidy Advice Unit if they meet the mandatory referral requirements of a Subsidy of Particular Interest .

Question reference: S6W-26039

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 07 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 20 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-25326 by Tom Arthur on 6 March 2024, whether it will detail how the UK subsidy control regime introduced in 2023 represents a barrier to implementation of a devolved Air Departure Tax, in light of the regime granting devolved governments the power to establish subsidy schemes such as tax exemptions based on local needs.

Question reference: S6W-26038

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 07 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 20 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-25326 by Tom Arthur on 6 March 2024, whether it will detail exactly what options are being explored to implement Air Departure Tax in the manner described.

Question reference: S6W-26005

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 19 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government when the next meeting of the Orkney Ferries Replacement Task Force will take place.

Question reference: S6W-25975

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 18 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-19266 by Mairi McAllan on 28 June 2023, whether it will specify the criteria for designating Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and explain how these differ from the criteria for monitoring MPAs, as set out in the previous answer.

Designation of Nature Conservation Marine Protected Areas (ncMPAs) is underpinned by the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 in inshore waters (0-12 nautical miles) and the UK Marine Coastal Act 2009 in offshore waters (12-200 nautical miles).

Classification of Special Areas of Conservation (SACs) and Special Protection Areas (SPAs) are governed by provisions within the Conservation (Natural Habitats &c.) Regulations 1994 (as amended) in Scotland.

Criteria differs for each site however, the overarching principles remain the same. Site selection for MPAs undertakes a science-based approach that is set out in separate site selection guidelines for ncMPAs , SACs and SPAs .