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.

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Question reference: S6W-40127

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Claire Baker (on behalf of the SPCB) on 19 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will consider flying the Red Ensign on Merchant Navy Day 2025, and in future years, as is presently the case with Scottish Government buildings.

The SPCB has a Flag flying policy.

The Flag flying policy is managed on behalf of the SPCB by the Facilities Management Office and they are guided by the SPCB on the appropriateness of any flags, which have been requested to be flown, on a case-by-case basis.

The SPCB last reviewed the Flag flying policy on 2May 2024 and confirmed it remained content with the current Policy, which includes flags which are to be flown annually. The flag policy will be reviewed again by SPCB prior to dissolution and this request will be considered at this time. Ad hoc requests can also be made to the SPCB to be considered each year, it is helpful to have these requests at least a month in advance to accommodate SPCB meeting dates.

Question reference: S6W-40166

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 18 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when the Minister for Drugs & Alcohol Policy and Sport last met with the Chief (a) Executive of NHS Grampian and (b) Officer of Health and Social Care Moray.

Question reference: S6W-40168

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 18 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when the Minister for Public Health and Woman’s Health last met with the Chief (a) Executive of NHS Grampian and (b) Officer of Health and Social Care Moray.

Question reference: S6W-40100

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Monday, 25 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 16 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether NatureScot produced an environmental impact assessment prior to its recent decision to grant licences for the release of six beaver families at two sites in the River Beauly catchment, and, if so, whether it will provide details of this.

NatureScot consulted on and produced an Environmental Report on the principle of beaver translocation to the river Beauly catchment in 2022. A copy of the report can be found on NatureScot’s website at

NatureScot also carried out a Habitats Regulations Assessment for the River Beauly catchment area. A copy of the assessment can be found on NatureScot’s website at

The licence application was assessed against the Scottish Code for Conservation Translocations which also assesses environmental benefits and risks. NatureScot’s decision documents on Glen Affric and Abriachan sets out how the licence applications were assessed. Copies of these documents can be found on Naturescot's website at

and

Question reference: S6W-40041

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 22 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 16 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-25279 by Kaukab Stewart on 4 March 2024, what information it has on which organisations received funding from its financial contribution to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency; how much funding each organisation received, and what it was spent on.

We provided £750,000 to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency’s Flash Appeal for Gaza in November 2023. The funding was spent on food and non-food items, shelters, primary health care, fuel for water and health services, and mental health and psychosocial support.

As is standard practice for UN Appeals, UNRWA is not required to submit tailored financial information to each contributor. Instead, they publish an Annual Operational Report which provides details on all funding raised and dispersed by the appeal. The 2023 Annual Report which the covers the £750k contribution from Scottish Government can be found on the UNRWA website.

Question reference: S6W-40167

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 28 August 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 16 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care last met with the Chief (a) Executive of NHS Grampian and (b) Officer of Health and Social Care Moray.

Question reference: S6W-40181

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 01 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 16 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has provided for public information campaigns to warn of the dangers of hillwalking in Scotland, in each of the past five years.

The Scottish Government understands the importance of Scotland’s hills and mountains and provides investment to help Scots and visitors to Scotland to enjoy them safely.

In addition to the Scottish Government’s annual grant of £300,000 to Scottish Mountain Rescue, sportscotland annually invests around £2million of Scottish Government and National Lottery funding to help ensure the safety of mountain users. This includes investment into Glenmore Lodge, sportscotland’s Avalanche Information Service (SAIS), and the Mountain Weather Information Service.

In 2025-26, sportscotland is investing up to £274,446 into Mountaineering Scotland, the sport’s governing body, which helps to support work on mountain safety. Mountaineering Scotland offer training and information to mountain users to promote safety, self-reliance, and the enjoyment of our mountain environment. They also chair the Mountain Safety Group, which was established to monitor and review mountain safety strategy, collaborate with partners, and provide leadership across mountain safety.

Sportscotland investment in Mountaineering Scotland over the previous five years is as follows:

2020 – 2021- £268,850

2021 – 2022 - £226,260

2022 – 2023 - £244,300

2023 – 2024 - £254,260

2024 – 2025 - £252,050

Question reference: S6W-40208

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 01 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 16 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many fixed penalties were issued for breaches of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 in each of the last five years, broken down by the flag state of the vessel involved.

There were no Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) issued under the Marine Scotland Act 2010 in the past five years. FPNs were issued under Nature Conservation Orders which are enabled by the 2010 Act.

The number of FPNs issued under Nature Conservation Orders were 2019 X3, 2020 X1, 2021 X1, 2022 X0, 2023 X1, 2024 X0. All vessels were UK vessels because the Marine Scotland Act and associated orders apply to Territorial and Inshore waters where generally only UK vessels are permitted to fish.

Question reference: S6W-40212

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 16 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many breaches of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 that were recorded in each of the last five years related to (a) a prohibited fishing activity, (b) a marine protected area infringement, (c) a licensing offence and (d) any other category.

Question reference: S6W-40183

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Monday, 01 September 2025
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 16 September 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what action it plans to take to manage the reported increasing impact of water scarcity on producers.

The Scottish Government recognises the increasing impact of water scarcity on producers and is implementing Scotland’s National Water Scarcity Plan with SEPA and Scottish Water to support those affected.

Scotland has seen several areas reach Significant Scarcity this year. SEPA is working closely with affected abstractors, the National Farmers Union Scotland, Scotch Whisky Association, and others to minimise impacts on producers where possible.

Research through our Strategic Research Programme is modelling future drought risks and Scotland’s Centre of Expertise for Waters (CREW) is conducting a project to produce guidance for farmers to increase their resilience to water scarcity.

Support for producers is also available through the Agri-Environment Climate Scheme, which funds water-efficient infrastructure like irrigation lagoons. Resilience remains central to our climate strategy, and we continue to encourage responsible water use across all sectors.