Parliamentary questions
Ariane Burgess
706 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
16 Oct 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider extending the scope of the Matthews Second Options Exercise pension remedy to include retained firefighters, who received retaining fees, but served at stations not formally designated as retained stations.
Answer · Ivan McKee: The Scottish Government is currently consulting on amendments to the terms of the Matthews Second Options Exercise, the scope of which is contained within the Firefighters’ Pension Scheme (Scotland) Order 2007.The Scottish Government will fully consider…
15 Oct 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the carbon footprint of data centres operating in Scotland, how the outcomes of any such assessments align with its net zero targets, and what measures are in place to ensure that new data centres meet environmental sustainability standards, including in re…
Answer · Richard Lochhead: In Scotland, there are a range of data centres serving public and private sector requirements. There has been no overall assessment of the carbon footprint of these facilities in Scotland.The European Commission has adopted a new delegated regulation on the f…
15 Oct 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether all data centres are considered national developments under the fourth National Planning Framework, or only those that support the Digital Fibre Network ambition.
Answer · Ivan McKee: National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) designates all green data centres of a major scale as part of National Development 12: Digital Fibre Network. What constitutes a major development is defined within the The Town and Country Planning (Hierarchy of Developme…
15 Oct 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding any implications for its energy strategy, what impact it anticipates that the growth of AI and data centres will have on the (a) energy grid and (b) electricity demand in Scotland; whether it plans to introduce specific planning guidance for energy-intensive developments, such…
Answer · Ivan McKee: There is an opportunity for Scotland to become a leader in green data centres given our capacity to generate energy from renewable sources.In 2023, 70% of electricity generated in Scotland was from renewable sources – a marked increase compared to less …
15 Oct 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what criteria are used to determine whether a data centre qualifies as a “green data centre” under the fourth National Planning Framework (NPF4), and whether AI-focused data centres are included in the scope of national developments under NPF4
Answer · Ivan McKee: National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) designates all green data centres of a major scale as part of National Development 12: Digital Fibre Network. This includes AI-focused green data centres meeting the major development criteria.It will be for the planning a…
14 Oct 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken in relation to the reported 75,000 farmed salmon escaping at the Mowi-owned Gorsten salmon farm, at Loch Linnhe, during recent Storm Amy.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Through the Aquaculture and Fisheries (Scotland) Act (AFSA) 2007, the Scottish Government requires satisfactory measures to be in place at fish farm sites for the purposes of the containment of fish and the prevention of escape of fish. Where satisfactory mea…
13 Oct 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-41119 by Jim Fairlie on 9 October 2025, which stakeholders were invited and who attended the Wildfire Summit on 14 October 2025.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: With regards to which stakeholders were invited to the Wildfire Summit held on 14 October 2025, I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-41157 on 6 November 2025. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website…
13 Oct 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, following its decision to further delay the implementation of the revised muirburn licensing scheme, what assessment it has made of any potential impact of public exposure to fire-related fine particulate matter (PM2.5).
Answer · Jim Fairlie: Although the Scottish Government has not made any specific assessment of the impact of public exposure to fire related fine particulate matter, we are implementing a wide range of actions to further improve air quality which are set out in our Cleaner Air for…
13 Oct 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to instruct NatureScot to produce reports on any impact of the wildfires reportedly caused by out of control muirburn that occurred in 2025, including those on the Tinto Hills SSSI, North Bute Oakwoods SSSI, Muir of Dinnet NNR and Culblean Hill in the Cairngorms Nat…
Answer · Jim Fairlie: The Scottish Government is keen to learn, along with others, about the impact of wildfires to develop a better understanding of fire risks and fire resilient landscapes.NatureScot will be reporting and monitoring the impact of the fire, which affected a relat…
13 Oct 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-41119 by Jim Fairlie on 9 October 2025, regarding the delaying of the implementation of the muirburn provisions under the Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Act 2024 until the start of the next muirburn season in Autumn 2026, for what reaso…
Answer · Jim Fairlie: Wildfire, as we saw this summer, is very damaging to our precious peatland carbon stores and the Scottish Government is incredibly grateful to the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, gamekeepers, land managers, volunteers, partners, landowners, the extended loc…
9 Oct 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government on what date it will publish official guidance under section 38 of the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 in relation to the progression of farmed fish welfare standards.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: In my letter to the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee (RAIC) dated 23 September 2025, regarding progress towards our commitments in response to the RAIC enquiry into salmon farming; I confirmed that the Scottish Government will publish official guidance und…
9 Oct 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-41119 by Jim Fairlie on 9 October 2025, regarding the delaying of the implementation of the muirburn provisions under the Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Act 2024 until the start of the next muirburn season in autumn 2026, whether it rem…
Answer · Jim Fairlie: The Scottish Government remains committed to the aims of the Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Act 2024 which includes introducing a licensing scheme and associated training requirements for muirburn so that it can be undertaken in an environmentall…
1 Oct 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of Marine Fund Scotland's award of the collection of fisheries observer data to commercial subsidiaries of the Scottish Fishermen's Federation, how these commercial subsidiaries are working on this with the Marine Directorate, and by what date the data and accompanying document…
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Scottish Fishermen’s Federation has collected data as part of the Scottish Demersal Observer Programme with the Marine Directorate since 2014. The data collected by the scientific observers are provided to the Marine Directorate and are used for the…
1 Oct 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding the recorded landings of (a) haddock, (b) whiting, (c) cod and (d) saithe by weight at west coast fishing harbours in (i) 1987, (ii) 1988, (iii)1989, (iv) 1990 and (v) 1991, and how this compares with returns for wild salmon.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The available information on the recorded landings of UK vessels by species and district landed into the west coast of Scotland in 1987 are published in table 6 on pages 18 and 19 of the Scottish Sea Fisheries Statistics 1987:https://www.gov.scot/binaries/con…
1 Oct 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what work it has carried out regarding the establishment of (a) modern apprenticeships in construction and (b) a flexible modern apprenticeship model that could be delivered in rural areas.
Answer · Ben Macpherson: The Scottish Government is committed to supporting a strong and sustainable construction skills pipeline through the Modern Apprenticeship (MA) programme, delivered in partnership with Skills Development Scotland (SDS) and the Construction Industry Training B…
1 Oct 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Construction Skills Investment Plan 2015, which identified the need for flexible models of modern apprenticeship delivery, what progress it has made towards achieving this outcome, particularly for tiling and roof slating modern apprenticeships in rural areas.
Answer · Ben Macpherson: The Scottish Government recognises the potential of the shared apprenticeship model to support small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) that may lack the capacity to employ an apprentice independently. Officials will continue to explore this model alongside …
1 Oct 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of what was set out in the Construction Skills Investment Plan 2015, whether it has developed annual regional demand statements for modern apprenticeships and, if so, how these can be accessed.
Answer · Ben Macpherson: Skills Development Scotland (SDS) produce annual Regional Skills Assessments (RSAs) and Sectoral Skills Assessments (SSAs) to inform modern apprenticeship (MA) contracting, helping to ensure that provision aligns with regional and sectoral demands.These asses…
1 Oct 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what advice and recommendations it has received, and from whom, regarding the proposed Nature Conservation Order to protect the Parallel Roads of Lochaber Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) at Achnabobane.
Answer · Gillian Martin: The Scottish Government has received advice and recommendations from NatureScot and Scottish Forestry with respect to the proposed Nature Conservation Order to protect the Parallel Roads of Lochaber Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) at Achnabobane. T…
1 Oct 2025 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government what scoping work it has undertaken regarding dualling and electrifying the Highland Main Line.
29 Sep 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential (a) environmental and (b) economic impact on Scotland of any breakdown of the Gulf Stream and its associated currents, and what action it has carried out to prepare for any such eventuality.
Answer · Gillian Martin: The Scottish Government works to address a wide range of current and potential future impacts of climate change on Scotland. The actions and policies it is committed to delivering to build resilience and adapt to climate change are set out in the Scottish Nat…
22 Sep 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much money from the Forestry Grant Scheme has been spent on (a) native woodland primarily for conservation benefits and (b) commercial forestry primarily for timber production, in each year since 2021-22.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Well managed productive forestry plantations, along with native woodlands managed for habitat conservation, all provide environmental benefits. The Forestry Grant Scheme has committed £183.8m of support for woodland creation and sustainable forest manag…
18 Sep 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will clarify its commitment to funding Rapid Rehousing Transition Plans beyond 2026-27, in light of its decision to provide multi-year funding for the delivery of social and affordable housing.
Answer · Mairi McAllan: Rapid Rehousing Transition Plans were developed by local authorities in 2018, with funding support of £2m from the Scottish Government. The five-year plans set out how each local authority would transition to a rapid rehousing approach to homelessness b…
17 Sep 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to meet its obligations under s32(1) of the Scottish Languages Act 2025 concerning it carrying out action to support the development of Sabhal Mòr Ostaig as the national centre for Gaelic language, education and culture, and by what date it expects s32…
Answer · Kate Forbes: The Scottish Government provides funding and support to Sabhal Mòr Ostaig (SMO) in recognition of its importance to Gaelic through its key role in adult and Gaelic learning and Gaelic medium teacher education. The duty on Scottish Ministers through the…
16 Sep 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the findings of the China Tribunal and the European Parliament Resolution 2024/2504 on forced organ harvesting from Falun Gong practitioners and other prisoners of conscience, what steps it is taking to ensure that no medical institutions, universities or personnel from Scot…
Answer · Jenni Minto: The Scottish Government is committed to increasing the safety of the people in Scotland under threat of being victims of transplant-related offences, including when those offences take place in other countries. The Human Tissue (Supply of Information about Tr…
27 Aug 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, with regard to the objectives of the Agriculture and Rural Communities (Scotland) Act 2024, what assessment it has made of enabling farming and crofting tenants to cull deer on unimproved land and moorland on common grazings.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: We considered recommendation 12 of the Deer Working Group (DWG), noting the importance of a balanced approach to statutory rights to preventing damage by deer and how best to balance the needs of occupiers with the rights of landowners. We have taken forward …
27 Aug 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether any financial benefits of carbon sequestration and other ecosystem services should be directed to the parties that are carrying out the work and/or have their use rights, including grazing rights, restricted through such projects.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: Scotland’s Natural Capital Market Framework sets out our principles for responsible investment in natural capital. These include the principles that investment should deliver public, private and community benefit, and that investment should support dive…
27 Aug 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the scoring mechanism for peatland restoration, in light of the impact on projects in crofting areas that are caused by the effects of (a) high costs due to remoteness from central infrastructure and (b) the smaller scales of individual holdings.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: Peatland restoration is delivered by Peatland ACTION - a partnership of five public sector Delivery Partners – NatureScot (NS), Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS), Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA), Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park Authorit…
27 Aug 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what changes are required to facilitate, encourage and enable peatland restoration projects through grazings committees.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: We are working to overcome a number of complex issues that currently impede peatland restoration on common grazings. The Crofting and Scottish Land Court Bill will address a number of legal barriers, giving crofters and grazing committees greater control over…
27 Aug 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what actions have been carried out to align agri-environment climate schemes for peatland restoration and peatland action projects.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: The Agri-Environment Climate Scheme (AECS) offers support for targeted land management options such as Moorland Management, which benefits a range of moorland habitats including peatland and upland heath. This option can complement the capital works delivered…
27 Aug 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government which measures under tier 2 of the agricultural policy support sustainable grazing practices on restored peatland.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: The Scottish Government remains firmly committed to delivering our vision for agriculture and support farming and food production in Scotland to become a global leader in sustainable and regenerative agriculture. To achieve this we are delivering a phased tra…