Questions and answers

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 ��˿�� 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

Filter your results Hide all filters

Displaying 476 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S6W-42100

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 24 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 1 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the Less Favoured Area Support Scheme excludes farmers and crofters who do not have livestock but who meet all of the scheme's criteria, and what assessment it has made of any divergence from EU rules, as outlined in article 31 of the EU Rural Development Regulations, that its application of the scheme represents.

LFASS is an area-based payment under article 31 of Regulation (EU) No 1305/2013 focuses on providing financial support to farmers operating in areas that face natural or other specific constraints.

The eligibility is contained within The Less Favoured Area Support Scheme (Scotland) Regulations 2010 which were developed and approved by the European Union at that time.

The Less Favoured Area Support Scheme (LFASS) in Scotland excludes farmers and crofters without livestock because the scheme is designed to support active farming activity, defined primarily through minimum stocking density requirements linked to specific types of livestock farming. The Scottish Government has assessed this approach against EU Rural Development Regulation Article 31 and concluded that the livestock-based activity test is consistent with EU rules.

The use of livestock requirement is within the discretion allowed by EU RDRs, to focus support on the predominant and necessary farming systems (grazing) in naturally constrained areas to prevent land abandonment.

Scottish Government remains fully committed to co-developing the future payment framework of the four-tier support system. We will work with our farmers, crofters and stakeholders to ensure we bring them with us on our journey to deliver the vision for agriculture in a way which ensures a just transition to make Scotland a world leader in sustainable and regenerative agriculture.

Question reference: S6W-42030

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 1 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether NatureScot will carry out a review of the current Deer Code and how effective its implementation has been by the agency before a new Deer Code is produced, as proposed by part 4 of the Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill.

Question reference: S6W-42032

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 1 December 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how the Deer Code was used to inform action under section 8 of the Deer (Scotland) Act 1996 at Loch Choire Estate in Sutherland.

As required by the Deer (Scotland) Act 1996 (the Act) NatureScot must have regard to Deer Code of Practice when exercising their functions under the Act, including when exercising functions under section 7(1) (control agreements) and section 8(1) (control schemes).

The documentation relating to this case explicitly states that regard was had to the Deer Code when exercising their section 7 functions. This documentation was published at the following link: .

Question reference: S6W-41965

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 27 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how the revised Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) methodology will recognise the contribution of solar thermal installations to energy efficiency.

Our to the 2023 Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) reform consultation and 2025 technical consultation sets out the timeline for introducing a new calculation methodology called the Home Energy Model (HEM) which is under development by the UK Government.

HEM is a modular EPC methodology which will allow greater flexibility to account for new technologies. The UK Government’s documentation for HEM currently includes reference to solar thermal systems associated with reducing energy use for domestic hot water (). We will continue working with UK Government as they develop the final version of HEM, and expect that contributions from solar thermal systems will be recognised within HEM.

The reformed domestic EPC will contain a new Heating System Rating. We expect solar thermal systems will largely operate as part of a hybrid system with other technologies. This will be reflected in the rating awarded. Our intended Heating System Rating bandings were published in the updated Government Response.

Question reference: S6O-05253

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S6W-41958

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 17 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 26 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what steps are being taken to improve broadband reliability in rural Scotland ahead of the switch-off of the Public Switched Telephone Network, in light of the fact that digital landlines depend on internet connectivity.

In the past decade, Scottish public sector-led digital infrastructure programmes have enabled over one million faster broadband connections. Through the Reaching 100% (R100) and Project Gigabit in Scotland (PGiS) programmes, we are continuing to accelerate access to future-proofed full fibre broadband for those who need it most, despite Scotland having some of the most challenging terrain in which to deploy digital infrastructure in Europe.

The switch-off of the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) in the UK is industry-led, with oversight from the UK Government’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), reflecting that telecoms legislation is reserved.

Question reference: S6W-41801

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 25 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of Oceana UK's recently published research into the impact of offshore oil and gas projects on marine life, whether it plans to oppose any proposed new oil and gas developments in Scotland's seas.

Question reference: S6W-41859

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 14 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 25 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what (a) scientific and (b) other advice led to the decision to license at least 26 vessels in each of the last five razor clam electro-fishery trial seasons.

Scientific advice has underpinned the decision to authorise derogations permitting licensed fishing vessels to catch, land and sell razor clams while participating in the trial.

The biological and ecological goals describe the areas in which the scientific trial has sought to further our knowledge. These are:

1.to gather local level information on razor clam populations and stocks, including collating accurate data gathered by trial participants to supplement stock survey work;

2.to ensure sustainable harvesting levels; and,

3.to gather further information about the impacts of the electrofishing method on target and non-target species.

A summary of this advice for each of the last five trial seasons is provided below.

2021-2022:

Authorising fishing was necessary to gather data to understand trends in landings per unit effort, work that was planned for the previous season but was hampered by the COVID pandemic.

2022-2023:

To gather data to understand size at maturity and time of spawning.
To allow scoping development of stock assessments.
To understand the benefits of REMand to inform applicability to other fisheries.

2023-2024:

The trial was extended for a two-year period from 1 February 2022 and the advice for 2022-23 applied to 2023-24.

2024-2025:

To gather data and publish stock assessments. These were published in the Progress Report on the Biological and Ecological Goals of the Trial in September 2024.
To study the effect of introducing a seasonal closure during the spawning period.

2025-2026:

To gather data to refine published stock assessments and to publish further assessments for other trial areas.

A range of factors were considered when assessing the merits of all options for the trial. This included the socioeconomic impact of these options, as well as the impact on The Scottish Government and our public sector partners as regulators.

Ultimately however, these decisions rest on the scientific advice.

Question reference: S6W-41800

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 25 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of Oceana UK's recently published research into the impact of offshore oil and gas projects on marine life, what steps it is undertaking to ensure that Scotland's Marine Protected Areas network is protected from any future disturbances by new oil and gas developments.

The regulatory regimes for offshore oil and gas licensing and consenting are matters currently reserved to the UK Government. As part of these arrangements, the UK Offshore Petroleum Regulator for Environment and Decommissioning (OPRED) has responsibility for regulating environmental activity for offshore oil and gas operations on the UK continental shelf.

All public bodies have an obligation to consider the conservation objectives of MPAs within their decision making and ensure these are furthered.

Question reference: S6W-41799

Asked by: Ariane Burgess, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 November 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 25 November 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Scottish Sea Fisheries Statistics for 2024, which showed an increasing trend of job losses across the fishing industry, and in light of reports of collapsing stocks of Northern Shelf cod and mackerel, how it will ensure that money coming into the sector through the Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund will return the sector to sustainable growth and deliver tangible benefits to all fishing communities, not just major fishing ports.

I refer the member to the answers to the related questions S6W-41798 on 24 November 2025 and S6W-41726 on 13 November 2025.

The Scottish Government will make funding decisions for 2026-27 and future years in the upcoming Scottish Budget and Spending Review. When that process concludes we will be able to provide more detail on future years of marine funding in Scotland.

However, the allocation of just 7.78% to Scotland of the £360 million Fishing and Coastal Growth Fund is nothing short of an insult to our fishing industry and coastal communities. With a fair share of the Fund, we would be able to go further in supporting our vital industry and communities to ensure a sustainable and thriving future for Scotland’s fisheries.

Meanwhile, our Marine Fund Scotland (MFS) has been supporting tangible benefits for marine industries and coastal communities across Scotland since its launch in 2021, awarding to date £70 million to 390 projects, enabling over £150 million of investment. The MFS supports a range of projects across Scotland, including activities at major fishing ports as well as within wider fishing communities.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at /chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.