- Asked by: Rhoda Grant, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 19 June 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 3 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will list the current fare concessions available to disabled passengers on the public ferry network.
Answer
Both NorthLink Ferries and CalMac Ferries offer concessionary fares for disabled passengers who hold a National Entitlement Card or equivalent. Disabled passengers living in the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport region are eligible for discounted ferry travel if they live on an island or peninsula and hold a Strathclyde Concessionary Travel Ferry Card. Any local authority ferry services with fares for disabled passengers are set independently from Scottish Government concessionary fares.
Additionally, all eligible island residents living in Orkney, Shetland, North Ayrshire, Highland, Argyll and Bute and Eilean Siar council areas receive 4 free single ferry journeys per year to or from the mainland, as part of the Scottish Government’s ferries concessionary voucher scheme.
All concessionary fares for disabled passengers are listed on the corresponding local authority, CalMac or NorthLink websites. The Scottish Government concessionary fares are listed on the Transport Scotland website.
- Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 June 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Fairlie on 3 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how often it plans to review its code of practice for regenerative agriculture once published, and how it will engage stakeholders on their views ahead of these updates.
Answer
A preliminary version of the Code of Practice on Sustainable and Regenerative Agriculture which has been co-developed with the industry was launched on 19th June at the Royal Highland Show.
This is an opportunity to gather real world feedback from the industry which will be taken into consideration for the next iteration.
The Code will be updated in accordance with the Act at a minimum of every five years but if evidence suggests a change would be beneficial it could be updated more regularly. Government officials are continuing to engage with industry through existing regular consultation on the development and refinement of the Code.
- Asked by: Stephen Kerr, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 June 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 3 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish details of any financial agreements and pay arrangements involving Ferguson Marine’s (a) recent interim chief executive, (b) most recent permanent chief executive and (c) current senior personnel.
Answer
Details of the remuneration and pension benefits of Board members of Ferguson Marine are published annually in the Remuneration and Staff Report section of the Annual Report and Financial Statements of Ferguson Marine (Port Glasgow) Holdings Ltd, which is available from the Companies House website.
- Asked by: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 June 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Gillian Martin on 3 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on how much of the £500 million Just Transition Fund for the North East and Moray has been allocated since the establishment of the fund.
Answer
Since its establishment in 2022, the Scottish Government has allocated Just Transition Fund support to the North East and Moray as follows:
- 2022 - 2023: £10 million
- 2023 - 2024: £50 million
- 2024 - 2025: £12.172 million
- 2025 - 2026: £15.9 million
- Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 June 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Fairlie on 3 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to prevent carbon leakage from agricultural imports as a result of any reduction in domestic agricultural production.
Answer
The Scottish Government does not accept the premise of the question. As the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands set out at the Royal Highland Show on 19 June, while we have accepted the Climate Change Committee’s proposed carbon budget levels to reach net zero, we will not be accepting their policy recommendations which would have had a detrimental impact on our agriculture sector and wider rural economy.
We have been crystal clear: this government has no policy, and will have no policy, to cut livestock numbers. We will reach net zero, and we intend to do that in a way which works for rural Scotland without simply offshoring our emissions and environmental responsibilities.
In terms of trade, I would highlight the impact of UK Trade Deals in terms of their impact on domestic production/offshoring as outlined in the answer to question S6W-37892 on 4 June 2025. Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanisms are also an important policy tool; however, the trade-related powers that could be used to protect Scotland’s livestock industry are held in Westminster under the current constitutional settlement.
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: Mercedes Villalba, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 June 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 3 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve the (a) management and (b) tracking of marine traffic in Scotland's coastal waters.
Answer
Shipping safety and marine traffic management are matters largely reserved to the UK Government. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency is responsible for shipping regulations and safety in UK waters, including tracking marine traffic in UK waters.
The Marine Directorate of the Scottish Government uses a range of tools and technologies to support the integrated management of Scotland’s seas. This includes the use of Vessel Monitoring Systems and Remote Electronic Monitoring on fishing vessels. Data generated from such technology can be used for fisheries management, environmental protection and marine planning purposes.
Later this year, the Marine Directorate will be taking forward the outcomes of a consultation on requiring tracking and monitoring technology on all under 12 metre fishing vessels in Scottish waters.
Whilst wider shipping policy is reserved, the Scottish Government is committed to working with the UK Government and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency to ensure that shipping safety and marine traffic management is given the highest priority for vessels accessing Scotland’s waters.
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 June 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 3 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will explore the introduction of mobile or hybrid counselling models in any under-served areas.
Answer
It is for local authorities to determine how they deliver the counselling service in their area.
The school counselling aims and principles, agreed jointly with COSLA, set out that counselling services should be accessible, utilising technology, virtual approaches and delivery in non-educational settings where that best meets children and young people’s needs and interests, including, for example, in rural and island communities.
- Asked by: Miles Briggs, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 June 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Jenny Gilruth on 3 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish data on the (a) frequency, (b) type and (c) availability of counselling provision in schools in the last five years, broken down by local authority area, including rural and island areas.
Answer
The Scottish Government does not hold this information. Local authorities may hold this information.
- Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 June 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 3 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government how many scheduled sailings were (a) provided and (b) cancelled, broken down by incident, on (i) the MV Alfred and (ii) other vessels on the Arran ferry route between 18 April 2024 and 12 June 2025.
Answer
The Scottish Government does not hold this information. Contractual reporting is by route. However, CalMac have provided the following data as requested:
Vessel Name | Scheduled Sailings | Operated Sailings | Cancelled Sailings | Additional Sailings | Weather Cancellations | Technical Cancellations | Other Cancellations |
MV Alfred | 1423 | 1863 | 84 | 524 | 44 | 26 | 14 |
Other vessels | 3376 | 3023 | 418 | 65 | 322 | 96 | 0 |
*This shows CalMac’s audited figures up to 31 May, 2025.
- Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 June 2025
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Current Status:
Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 3 July 2025
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of recent media coverage of a video showing discarded fish on the Scottish seabed, what due diligence it carries out regarding any fines or convictions for illegal discard prior to it providing any funding to any fishing companies or vessels.
Answer
Applicants to the Marine Fund Scotland (MFS) are subject to scheme rules and eligibility criteria which include, where appropriate, assessment of any previous relevant offences and convictions. This is set out in detail in the MFS scheme guidance Marine and fisheries grants - gov.scot. The assessment of applications prior to funding award decisions includes liaison with Scottish Government Marine Directorate Compliance teams to consider any relevant fines and convictions.
