- Asked by: Liz Smith, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 06 January 2025
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 9 January 2025
To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government’s response is regarding the latest reported concerns on the use of Hikvision CCTV devices by local authorities in Scotland.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 9 January 2025
- Asked by: Fulton MacGregor, MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 13 December 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 6 January 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what support is in place to (a) promote and (b) support access to powerchair football.
Answer
The Scottish Government recognises that the work of the Scottish Powerchair Football Association and Scottish Para-Football is extremely valuable in providing opportunities for people with a range of conditions to participate in football and to promote inclusivity in the game.
An ongoing priority is for the Scottish Government is to support participation across all groups and tackle inequalities in participation. We recognise the power of sport and the positive impact which sport can have on a person's physical and mental health and that those with disabilities are less likely to feel connected to their local community.
Through sportscotland we invest in the Scottish Football Association (SFA) to support the development of football. In financial year 2024/25 our investment is almost £1.35 million. This investment supports the national partnership agreement with the SFA which includes "empowering community football clubs to become sustainable, adaptive and inclusive", but the agreement does not dictate the detail of the expenditure.
I recently met with Scottish Para-Football to discuss current issues and priorities. I will continue to work with Scottish Para-Football to help promote, and support access to all elements of para-football, including powerchair football.
- Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 12 December 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 6 January 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the comments by the Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport during the members' business debate on motion S6M-14427 (Reversal of £10 Million Funding for Changing Places Toilets) on 11 December 2024, by what date it plans to have published the application form for the planned Changing Places Toilet Fund.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-32273 on 6 January 2025. 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
- Asked by: Douglas Lumsden, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 12 December 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 6 January 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on when it will publish its Energy Strategy.
Answer
The judgements and issues in the Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan are informed and influenced by recent developments in UK Government energy policy and by court decisions.
This is a rapidly changing landscape and we are taking time to reflect on those developments before drawing any conclusions and publishing a final strategy.
- Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 12 December 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 6 January 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the comments by the Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport during the members' business debate on motion S6M-14427 (Reversal of £10 Million Funding for Changing Places Toilets) on 11 December 2024, whether it will provide the draft criteria for the planned Changing Places Toilet Fund to MSPs, and, if so, when.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-32271 on 6 January 2025. As I said during the Parliamentary debate on Changing Places Toilets, I am keen to work in partnership with members from all parties.
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
- Asked by: Paul O'Kane, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 12 December 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Maree Todd on 6 January 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the comments by the Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport during the members' business debate on motion S6M-14427 (Reversal of £10 Million Funding for Changing Places Toilets) on 11 December 2024, by what date in the 2025-26 financial year it hopes to have opened the Changing Places Toilet Fund for funding applications.
Answer
Work to develop the Changing Places Toilets Fund criteria, plans and processes is underway. Details of the Fund launch date will be confirmed once arrangements have been finalised and will be dependent on Parliamentary approval of the Scottish Government’s Budget Bill.
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 December 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Fairlie on 6 January 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to mobile larder infrastructure to support deer managers where there is a deficit of lardering facilities.
Answer
In some areas access to processing facilities, including larders is a barrier to increased deer control. That is why as set out in S6W-32094 on 6 January 2025, we have provided financial support for some larders already and are working with NatureScot, FLS and other public sector partners to assess what further support is required.
Mobile deer larders may be a good option in some parts of Scotland, and we will consider those alongside other options in future decisions on support for venison and deer management.
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
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 December 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Fairlie on 6 January 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the deer management incentive pilot schemes currently in operation in central Scotland and Loch Ness.
Answer
Two pilot incentive schemes led by NatureScot were launched in early autumn to provide financial incentives to deer managers to increase deer culls in specific parts of Scotland.
The schemes are operating well with 22 deer controllers signed up across 19 properties in Central Scotland and 25 deer controllers signed up across 12 properties in South Loch Ness. Some of the cull thresholds, which are the triggers for incentive payments to be made, have now been met in both pilot areas with payments issued in November 2024.
- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 December 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Fairlie on 6 January 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to support deer managers by investing in community larder and processing infrastructure.
Answer
The Scottish Government has provided £80,000 through the Covid Recovery Plan Opportunities Fund to create new local chill and processing units for wild venison in Argyll, Moray and Dumfries and Galloway.
Separately, NatureScot is beginning a partnership project with the Scottish Agricultural Organisation Society to look at the venison chain supply issues, barriers, and opportunities for investment into processing infrastructure and community larders.
In addition to this, Forestry and Land Scotland are considering providing a limited number of people from a small number of local communities with the opportunity to help them deliver sustainable deer management this would include allowing access to cull on FLS land and having access to their larders.
- Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 13 December 2024
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 6 January 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what the remit is of the review of the penalties system that is being undertaken as part of the Future Fisheries Strategy body of work, as set out in its paper,The Allocation of Scottish Additional Quota from 2024 Outcome of Consultation Document; who is carrying out the review; which stakeholders will be consulted, and when it will (a) receive and (b) publish the results.
Answer
In our consultation document: Allocation of Scottish Additional Quota from 2024, the Scottish Government set out a wish to explore whether a vessel’s history of compliance with regulatory requirements relating to fishing could be utilised as a criterion for allocating Additional Quota.
As noted in our subsequent outcome of consultation document, there were split views on this proposal. The Scottish Government sees merit in exploring withholding Additional Quota on the basis of non-compliance with regulatory requirements. As we set out in the outcome report, this will be taken forward as part of a review of the penalties system. No date is set for when this work will commence, but it will be delivered in line with our Fisheries Management Strategy (2020-2030).