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-06738

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 10 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what animal welfare assessment it has undertaken regarding any stalking of pregnant hinds by Forestry and Land Scotland contractors.

Forestry and Land Scotland continually carries out various assessments in regards to all of its deer culling activities. Any issues noted in regards to any deer’s health or welfare are recorded in their Wildlife Management System. Culling of pregnant hinds carried out professionally and following industry best practice, as operated by Forestry and Land Scotland, has no welfare issues associated with it.

The vast majority of deer on Scotland's national forests and land are in excellent condition and are managed sustainably in line with their land management objectives

Question reference: S6W-06745

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 10 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether eligible persons who have experienced a delay in receiving their free bus pass having applied under the Young Persons’ (Under 22s) Free Bus Travel Scheme will be compensated.

Question reference: S6W-06981

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 10 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with JDH Exploration Ltd regarding licensing for mineral exploration across south west Scotland, and whether it is aware of any mineral exploration by JDH Exploration Ltd in that area.

The rights to naturally occurring gold and silver in this area are managed by Crown Estate Scotland, not by the Scottish Ministers. The Scottish Government is aware that Crown Estate Scotland have issued two Mines Royal Options to JDH Exploration Ltd within Dumfries and Galloway for gold and silver exploration. Crown Estate Scotland do not manage the rights to the land or any other minerals in these areas and an option holder must obtain all other relevant permissions for its activities.

Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) has subsequently granted access (only) permissions for metalliferous mineral prospecting to JDH Exploration Limited for an area of ground on Scotland’s national forests and land, South West of Loch Dee in Dumfries and Galloway.

These access permissions are not for mineral extraction.

The access permissions issued by FLS allow for a limited amount of ground survey work, including soil sampling using hand tools (e.g. hand auger) and aerial surveys within a defined area of Scotland’s national forests and land.

Question reference: S6W-06732

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 10 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how it assesses public value for money of woodland and moorland schemes in terms of achieving (a) biodiversity, (b) climate change and (c) rural employment targets.

All Forestry Grant Scheme applications are assessed according to the criteria set out in the guidance available at Scoring criteria and clearing process (ruralpayments.org)

This includes value for money and compliance with the UK Forestry Standard, the governments’ approach to sustainable forestry, which recognises that forests have environmental, economic and social objectives and sets out how these can be achieved.

Question reference: S6W-06815

Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 10 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on how many housing officers have been employed by each local authority in each year since 1999.

Question reference: S6W-06754

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 10 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when Ministers last discussed increasing rail services from Lockerbie railway station with train operators.

Lockerbie railway station is serviced by Avanti West Coast and Transpennine Express, known as cross-border rail operators. These operators are managed by the Department for Transport.

Transport Scotland officials have frequent meetings with all cross-border rail operators to discuss Covid related issues and service delivery. We are aware of the issues that Transpennine Express face in delivering a reliable service at Lockerbie due to Covid and industrial action but continue to press for improvements to performance.

We welcome their intention to increase services in May 2022 and the arrangement reached by Transpennine Express for Avanti West Coast to make special stops, where possible, at Lockerbie in the event that Transpennine Express is unable to call.

Question reference: S6W-06810

Asked by: Paul Sweeney, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 24 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ash Regan on 10 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that Greenbelt Group is selling land to other individuals and organisations.

Question reference: S6W-06658

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 18 February 2022
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 10 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government by what date universal free meals in primary schools will be fully implemented and what the timetable is for achieving this.

Universal free school lunches are now available for all children in primaries 1 to 5 during school term-time and we remain committed to further expanding universal free school lunch provision, to include all children in primary and special schools, during the remainder of this parliamentary term.

Our budget for 2022-23 includes a £30 million capital allocation for initial investment in school kitchens ahead of the roll-out of free school lunches to all primary school children later in this parliamentary term.

We will continue to work with our partners in local authorities to plan for the expansion of free school lunch provision over the next academic year. This work will ensure the expansion can be delivered equitably across all schools, in all areas, whilst maintaining high quality lunch provision for all children.

Question reference: S6O-00889

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 March 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what work is being done by sportscotland and Creative Scotland to provide opportunities for children and young people.

Question reference: S6O-00888

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 March 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 March 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what additional funding is being provided to restore and enhance rural health services.