Chamber and committees

FSS is a non ministerial office and is therefore directly accountable to Parliament and not to Ministers. FSS oversight - and any assessment of effectiveness -is provided by a non executive board. FSS published an Annual Report and Accounts to Parliament and a Joint Annual Report with Food Standards Agency on Food Safety in the UK. There is regular liaison between Ministers, FSS officials and the FSS chair and the Minister for Public Health and Sport and the FSS CEO have regular meetings to ensure Ministers are kept appraised of FSS activity. Parliament also has the ability to call FSS officials to give evidence with regards to FSS effectiveness.

Since 2018, FSS investigations into food fraud have resulted in varying penalties being imposed including imprisonment and fines. One sentence of 4 years imprisonment was imposed with the sentence reduced to three years on appeal. in relation to the supply of 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP) to the public. The sentence was reduced to three years on appeal. A proceeds of Crime Confiscation Order was imposed for £31050.

3 offences under the Food Hygiene (Scotland) Regulations 2006 at Food Standards Scotland (FSS) approved premises and fined a total of £4,000 with £175 surcharge.

I refer the member to the answer to the question S6W-35156 on 27 February 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

Further detail will be published in the Operational Improvement Plan in March, as committed to in the answer to the GIQ (S6W-34287)

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

The Scottish Government does not hold this information.

However, I have contacted the Keeper of the Registers of Scotland who maintains the property registers in Scotland. They have searched the registers and identified 783 titles that narrate a rural housing burden.

A more detailed breakdown of these figures can be requested directly via Registers of Scotland.

Any company which wants to move freight by rail or water rather than by road and which is proposing to invest in new freight handling facilities in Scotland or re-invest in existing facilities in Scotland may apply for FFG. Before making a formal application for FFG, a company is expected to approach Transport Scotland who will be able to give informal advice on whether, and to what extent, a freight facility may be eligible for FFG.

On receipt of the formal application, Transport Scotland may decide to seek independent engineering advice to examine the design and specification of the project. The costs of this will be borne by Transport Scotland. A visit to the site of the proposed facility, by Transport Scotland and by its appointed consultant, will be necessary.

Since the introduction of the scheme in 1997, applications have typically taken between 3-6 months to complete. However, it can take longer depending upon the complexity of the proposal and the time taken by the applicant to supply the information.

The application process for FFG is currently under review ahead of potential awards in financial year 2025-26.

Taking freight off congested roads and moving it by rail or water can ensure that freight is moved in an efficient, flexible and sustainable manner. Freight Facilities Grant (FFG) can act as an enabler for companies investing in facilities that without FFG, would not happen as they would not be commercially viable

Freight Facilities Grants are open to any company, including SMEs, who can demonstrate that they can transfer freight from road to rail or water.

To date, no applications under Freight Facilities Grant have been received specifically promoting low carbon or zero emission solutions. However, the movement of freight by rail rather than road, especially over long distances, can result in lower emissions.

To date, no applicant has sought to include within an award of Freight Facilities Grant the integration of digital technologies as a specific element of a funded project.