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-34471

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 27 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many signs are located along the (a) A82, (b) A828, (c) A83, (d) A835, (e) A85, (f) A86, (g) A87, (h) A887, (i) A889, (j) A9, (k) A95, (l) A96 and (m) A99, and what proportion does not meet current standards for visibility and effectiveness, broken down by Category (i) 1 and (ii) 2 defects.

Category 1 defects are defined within the term maintenance contract as those that present, or could present, an immediate hazard to trunk road users. They are typically detected during the twice weekly driven safety related inspections. Category 2 defects are defined as those which do not present an immediate hazard to road users and are typically identified during walked annual inspections.

The following table contains the number of signs on the routes requested along with the number of signs with open defects of all types as at 12 February 2025.

	Number of signs	Category 1 defects	Category 2 defects
A82	5517	17	1600
A828	971	3	87
A83	2050	9	711
A835	1033	0	239
A85	3028	2	958
A86	1545	2	339
A87	2341	3	481
A887	188	0	67
A889	289	0	153
A9	6062	18	1374
A95	1157	0	84
A96	3064	18	274
A99	430	2	63

Question reference: S6W-34582

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 27 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what (a) action it is taking and (b) funding it is making available to progress the reintroduction of a ferry connection from Scotland to mainland Europe.

The Scottish Government continues to support the development of our ports, and the potential for new direct freight and passenger ferry services linking Scotland to Europe.

I have personally engaged with parties interested in introducing new ferry services, and Transport Scotland officials communicate regularly with potential operators and Scotland’s main ports.

The Scottish Government and its agencies have supported a number of maritime initiatives across Scotland, including establishing a Green Freeport at Forth Ports, which includes Rosyth. This involves both seed capital funding, along with businesses locating within the ports being able to access a package of devolved and reserved tax incentives.

We will continue to engage with port operators and others to explore opportunities for new commercial ferry services, so that Scottish exporters and passengers have more direct routes to and from Europe. However, the Scottish Government cannot subsidise routes in ways which would be anti-competitive beyond considering the availability of limited start-up grant funding opportunities for freight initiatives.

Question reference: S6W-35132

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Ivan McKee on 27 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-34488 by Ivan McKee on 19 February 2025, whether it will provide the information that was requested regarding for what reason its partial island communities impact assessment (ICIA) for the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill did not recommend carrying out a full ICIA on the basis that the measures in the Bill were "not likely to have an effect on an island community which is significantly different from its effect on other communities", in light of the assessment also noting that "the geographical remoteness of islands can generate a number of particular challenges".

As set out in the answer to question S6W-34488, the responsibility of undertaking a full Island communities impact assessment is on local authorities. Additionally, Local authorities have the power to charge different rates and exemptions for different geographical areas. Each local authority has a responsibility to publish assessment of the impacts of introducing a Visitor Levy, and they have a statutory requirement to consult with local communities, businesses, and the public, prior to the introduction of a Visitor Levy.

We formed an Expert Group made up of key representatives from the tourism industry and local government, chaired by Visit Scotland. The Group developed Guidance for local authorities on introducing and administering a visitor levy. Chapter 18 of guidance published October 2024 has further details of what is required of local authorities when implicating a Visitor levy .

Question reference: S6O-04386

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 February 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it monitors the ways in which local authorities engage with stakeholders regarding the implementation of the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Act 2024.

Question reference: S6W-34413

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 26 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how the Freight Facilities Grant (FFG) scheme has supported the growth of Scotland’s ports and logistics infrastructure, and what improvements have been made to port facilities as a result of this funding.

Question reference: S6W-34410

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 25 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has any plans to expand the Freight Facilities Grant (FFG) programme to include new types of projects or industries, and, if so, what these new areas of focus would be.

Question reference: S6W-34411

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 25 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many successful applications have been made for the Freight Facilities Grant (FFG) in each of the past three financial years, and what the total funding awarded has been for each year.

Question reference: S6W-34399

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 25 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what the highest (a) fine and (b) custodial sentence imposed has been each year under the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) (Scotland) Act 2021; how many people received this, and how this compared with the maximum sentence that was available.

The worrying of livestock by dogs is completely unacceptable and is something the Scottish Government takes very seriously and any dog attack is one too many.

We welcome the fact that in Scotland we have tough legislation in place to deal with livestock worrying. The Scottish Government supported Emma Harper’s member’s bill when it was introduced, to provide Police Scotland and the courts with greater powers to deal with those who allow their dogs to worry, attack or kill livestock in Scotland’s countryside. Under this law owners of dogs that attack or worry livestock can be fined up to £40,000 or face a prison sentence of up to 12 months.

Please find below the number of accused convicted based on the financial year of conviction in relation to the fines and custodial sentences handed down. Please note that The Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) (Scotland) Act 2021 came into force on 5 November 2021. The 2021 Act amends the offence under the 1953 Act so all proceedings are still under the 1953 Act (as amended).

Table 1: Number of accused convicted with at least one protection of livestock from dogs crime, given a fine or imprisonment

Financial Year of Conviction	Disposals	Number of case-accused
5 Nov 2021- March 2022	Fine	3
2022-2023	Fine	5
2023-2024	Fine	8
April 2024-June 2024	Fine	0
	Imprisonment	1

Source: Scottish Government Justice Analytical Services

Table 2: The highest fine imposed each year and number of accused who received it:

Financial Year of Conviction	Highest Fine	Number of case-accused
5 Nov 2021 - March 2022	£200	2
2022-2023	£360	1
2023-2024	£400	1
April 2024-Jun 2024	NA	0

Source: Scottish Government Justice Analytical Services

Table 3: The highest custodial sentence imposed each year and number of accused who received it:

Financial Year of Conviction	Custodial sentence length	Number of case-accused
5 Nov 2021- March 2022	NA	0
2022-2023	NA	0
2023-2024	NA	0
April 2024-Jun 2024	5 months	1

Source: Scottish Government Justice Analytical Services

Question reference: S6W-34408

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 25 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how many jobs have been created or supported by projects funded through the Freight Facilities Grant (FFG), and what sectors have seen the most job growth as a result.

Question reference: S6W-34404

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 25 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what the total amount of funding allocated for the Freight Facilities Grant (FFG) has been in each year since 2021.