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-38130

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 02 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 12 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the (a) economic and (b) cultural impact of grassroots music venues.

The Scottish Government has not conducted a formal assessment of the economic and cultural impacts disaggregated to the sub-level of grassroots music venues.

However in August 2024 the Scottish Government Industry Statistics Database estimated the overall Creative Industries sector GVA in 2022 (including digital) as £5,724 million.

Considering cultural attendance at a general level, the latest data from the 2023 Scottish Household Survey shows us that cultural attendance in Scotland is high and has increased since 2022. Attendance at a live music event (at 36 per cent) was the second most common type of event for adults to attend. Within that, attendance at live music events (in venues of all sizes across Scotland) was over four in ten for 16 to 24 year olds (46 per cent), compared with 11 per cent of those aged 75 or over.

As with other sectors in Scotland’s Creative Industries, the Scottish Government also pays careful attention to external, illustrative research undertaken by partners and stakeholders, such as the April 2025 report from the Music Venues Trust.

Question reference: S6W-38132

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 02 June 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angus Robertson on 12 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what support it is providing to grassroots music venues, in light of reports that these venues contributed £45.4 million to the economy in 2024.

The Scottish Government fully values the importance of the music industry to Scotland’s culture and creative industries, and the value grass roots music venues deliver for the economy and the talent pipeline.

Whilst some issues that might assist grassroots music venues are reserved - such as dynamic ticket pricing and VAT rates - the Scottish Budget 2025 announced that music venues with a capacity of up to 1,500 will be eligible for the new 40 per cent hospitality relief from 1 April 2025 where the property meets the other eligibility criteria for this relief, including the £51,000 rateable value threshold which aligns with the threshold for the Basic Property Rate.

Recognising also that live music, of all genres, needs to flourish right across Scotland, 100 per cent relief continues in 2025-26 for hospitality premises, including music venues with a maximum capacity of 1,500 persons, located on islands, and in prescribed remote areas (Cape Wrath, Knoydart, and Scoraig), capped at £110,000 per business.

In addition to hospitality reliefs, the package of reliefs available in 2025-26 also includes the Small Business Bonus Scheme which remains the most generous relief of its kind in the UK. Around half of the properties in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors are expected to be eligible for 100% Small Business Bonus Scheme relief this year.

We encourage grassroots music venues to approach public funding for activity that is additional to their core programming, such as attracting audiences from different marginalised backgrounds through more varied programming.

Ministers will continue to liaise with stakeholders throughout the sector, such as the Music Venues Trust and the Events Industry Advisory Group (EIAG), to discuss challenges facing the industry, and to explore what can be done within our powers and resources to help overcome these.

Question reference: S6W-38622

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 June 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 25 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether its ministers have met with representatives of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service to discuss the ongoing service delivery review.

Question reference: S6W-38629

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 June 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 25 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what types of participation are measured in the Annual Participation Measure.

Question reference: S6W-38630

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 June 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 25 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of Annual Participation Measure data in the Scottish Borders since 2015.

Question reference: S6W-38631

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 June 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 25 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what the national average participation level has been in the Annual Participation Measure since 2015.

Question reference: S6W-38625

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 June 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 25 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-35709 by Siobhian Brown on 21 March 2025, what support would be available to the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service if it were to request to become a statutory consultee in planning processes involving battery energy storage systems.

Question reference: S6W-38628

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 June 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 25 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether a national impact assessment has been conducted in relation to any fire risk of battery energy storage system applications and developments, and what discussions it has had with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service regarding this issue.

Question reference: S6W-38620

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 June 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 25 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the role of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service in responding to non-fire related incidents, such as flooding, road traffic collisions, and medical emergencies.

Question reference: S6W-38626

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 June 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 25 June 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the fire and rescue coverage in rural areas, and how Scottish Fire and Rescue Service proposals would impact on rural communities.