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 MSPs 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: S5W-27333

Asked by: Andy Wightman, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 February 2020
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 24 February 2020

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the role of all peatland soils as carbon stores, what plans it has to review its definition of deep peat soils, which are currently defined as having an organic layer at the surface that is more than 50 cm thick.

The Scottish Soil Classification, which defines peat soils as having more than 60% organic matter and exceeding 50cm in thickness, was developed by the Soil Survey of Scotland and refreshed in 2013 by the James Hutton Institute. This classification was established for the purpose of systematic surveying of Scotland’s soils and the production of harmonising soil maps and data. According to the Scottish Soil Classification, soils with a surface peat layer of less than 50 cm deep are not classified as peat soil and are instead classified as peaty soils. We understand that the James Hutton Institute has no plans to modify the soil survey classification for Scotland.

Question reference: S5W-27332

Asked by: Andy Wightman, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 February 2020
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 24 February 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to prevent muirburn on deep peat soils.

Question reference: S5W-27331

Asked by: Andy Wightman, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 February 2020
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 24 February 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what additional steps it is taking with stakeholders to prevent wildfires originating from (a) prescribed muirburn and (b) accidental causes in Spring 2020.

The Muirburn Code, which was updated in 2017, sets out good practice advice and the statutory restrictions that apply to the land management practice of muirburn. We are considering the recommendations for further regulation of muirburn as provided by (i) the Independent Grouse Moor Management Review Group and (ii) the recent Climate Change Committee Report on Land Use Policies for a Net Zero UK.

As outlined in the Programme for Government 2019-20, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service is developing a wildfire strategy with partners which will ensure that it has the right resources in the right place at the right time to fight wildfires.

An assessment of wildfire risk in Scotland is currently being finalised for inclusion in the second iteration of the Scottish Risk Assessment (SRA) which will be available to responders in April 2020. This risk assessment will provide responders with the latest information to allow them to plan and respond to wildfire risk.

Scottish Fire and Rescue Service analysis suggests that greater than 90% of wildfires in Scotland are caused by factors other than muirburn which has been carried out in accordance with the Muirburn Code.

Question reference: S5W-26925

Asked by: Andy Wightman, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 January 2020
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 22 January 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to apply for planning consent for the proposed change of use to short-term holiday letting of Meadowbank, Duddingston and Dumbiedykes lodges in Holyrood Park.

Question reference: S5W-26914

Asked by: Andy Wightman, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 January 2020
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 22 January 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment of options was made by Historic Environment Scotland before deciding that Meadowbank, Duddingston and Dumbiedykes lodges in Holyrood Park should be used for short-term holiday lets.

Question reference: S5W-26918

Asked by: Andy Wightman, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 January 2020
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 22 January 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what use St Leonard’s Lodge and Wells O’Wearie Cottage in Holyrood Park have been put to by Historic Environment Scotland since 2014.

Question reference: S5W-26919

Asked by: Andy Wightman, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 January 2020
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 22 January 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how much annual income it expects Meadowbank, Duddingston and Dumbiedykes lodges in Holyrood Park to generate when run as short-term holiday lets.

Question reference: S5W-26915

Asked by: Andy Wightman, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 January 2020
Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 22 January 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what use Meadowbank, Duddingston and Dumbiedykes lodges in Holyrood Park have been put to by Historic Environment Scotland since 2014, and whether this has included being used (a) as staff accommodation and (b) for staff meetings.

Question reference: S5W-26513

Asked by: Andy Wightman, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 November 2019
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 11 December 2019

To ask the Scottish Government whether trawlers longer than 12 metres will be required to be fitted with new remote electronic monitoring systems as part of the Modernisation of Scotland's Inshore Commercial Fishing Fleet programme.

The first phase of the Modernisation of the Inshore Fleet Programme will extend remote electronic monitoring to the Scottish scallop fleet, regardless of length. As noted in our Future of Fisheries Management National Discussion Paper we intend to work with stakeholders to consider appropriate and proportionate use of REM on other mobile vessels in the Scottish fleet.

Vessels greater than 12 metres in length are already subject to electronic monitoring via their requirement to be fitted both with a Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) and an electronic logbook.

Question reference: S5W-26512

Asked by: Andy Wightman, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 November 2019
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 11 December 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) remit, (b) terms of reference and (c) membership is of the scallop industry working group that has been established as part of the Modernisation of Scotland's Inshore Commercial Fishing Fleet programme.

Marine Scotland established the Scottish Scallop Sector Working Group (SSSWG) to facilitate partnership working between Marine Scotland and Scotland’s scallop sector. A draft terms of reference including remit and membership was tabled at the first meeting which is still under development.

The Modernisation of the Inshore Fleet Programme will be a key initial workstream for the Group in line with the programme’s prioritisation of the scallop dredge sector being equipped with remote electronic monitoring equipment in Scotland.