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-07613

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 25 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 25 April 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide data on capercaillie lek and brood counts from RSPB Scotland's Abernethy National Nature Reserve in each of the last five years.

Question reference: S6W-07616

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 25 March 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 25 April 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of public value for money in funding RSPB Scotland's Abernethy National Nature Reserve, in light of the reported continued decline in capercaillie numbers.

As I outlined in my response to S6W-07615 on 25 April 2022, funding allocated to Abernethy is for a range of purposes and is our assessment that this has been of value for money despite the decline in capercaillie numbers.

While the status of the capercaillie population in Scotland remains vulnerable, without the investment that has been made to the likes of Abernethy it is likely that we would have lost capercaillie from Scotland.

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

Question reference: S6W-07811

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 22 April 2022

To ask the Scottish Government when the Food Security and Supply Taskforce will report on its work.

Question reference: S6O-00989

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 21 April 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made on establishing a gamekeeping taskforce.

I am committed to engagement of the type I think Ms Hamilton is suggesting. I, and my officials, frequently meet with land management stakeholders, including organisations representing gamekeepers, and I am due to meet again with the Scottish Gamekeepers Association shortly. We expect to continue to engage with those stakeholders on issues affecting the sector, including specific issues relating to gamekeeping now and as we move forwards with tackling the biodiversity and climate emergencies.

Question reference: S6W-07816

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 21 April 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding has been allocated through the Marine Fund Scotland in each year since its creation.

Question reference: S6W-07801

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 04 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 21 April 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to set up a deer monitor farm, as outlined in Beyond the Glen: a strategy for the Scottish Venison Sector to 2030.

The “Beyond the Glen” strategy for the Scottish venison sector is an industry-led strategy, the implementation of which is being co-ordinated by the Scottish Venison Association (SVA). The action with regard to a deer monitor farm is the joint responsibility of the SVA, as the Industry Hub, and the Industry Leadership Group.

Work on implementation of the strategy, including with regard to a deer monitor farm, has been impacted by the Covid pandemic and EU exit. New interest in deer farming is currently limited because of the challenges faced by the industry. We will continue to liaise with the SVA on progress with the strategy actions.

Question reference: S6W-07799

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 04 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 21 April 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on progress of the actions set out on page 8 of Beyond the Glen, A strategy for the Scottish Venison Sector to 2030.

The “Beyond the Glen” strategy for the Scottish venison sector is an industry-led strategy, the implementation of which is being co-ordinated by the Scottish Venison Association.

In common with other food and related rural businesses, the Covid pandemic has caused major uncertainty and market disruption in the last two years and has impacted on producer confidence and price. EU exit has also impacted on exports. Work on the strategy has been impacted but despite this, some good progress has been made, for example in exploring new routes for local chills, processing, and supply; developing market insight; and deer health research. Scottish Government funded £60,000 of online marketing in spring 2021 to support Scottish producers and processors. £80,000 has also been made available through the Covid Recovery Plan Opportunities Fund to create new local chill and processing units for wild venison.

Question reference: S6W-07794

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 04 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 21 April 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made on its target for three of Scotland’s islands to become fully carbon neutral by 2040, and whether it will name the islands.

The Scottish Government has raised this ambition even further, now aiming to support six islands to become fully carbon neutral by 2040.

Work has been ongoing with our External Technical Working Group to identify which islands will be part of the project. This group is made up of local authority officers and socio-economic wide stakeholders.

Announcements on which islands have been selected will be made in due course.

Question reference: S6W-07797

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 04 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 21 April 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made on establishing a Venison Hub, as set out in Beyond the Glen: a strategy for the Scottish Venison Sector to 2030.

Question reference: S6W-07815

Asked by: Rachael Hamilton, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 April 2022
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 21 April 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how many tonnes of Scotland-produced malting barley have been used in the production of whisky in Scotland in each year since 2007.