Parliamentary questions
Ariane Burgess
706 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
23 Jun 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will mandate the reporting and publication ofcleaner fish mortalities on salmon farms, in light of reports that Fish HealthInspectorate inspections indicate that these are already recorded byfarms.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Scottish Government wrote to the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee (RAIC) on 13 March 2025 committing to explore how to gain greater insights into cleaner fish health and welfare outcomes, as part of our overall response to the RAIC’s report on sa…
23 Jun 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) regarding the reported proposed sale of Armadale Castle and estate by the Clan Donald Lands Trust, in light of reports regarding complaints submitted by beneficiaries and public interest in the potential …
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: We have not had any engagement with OSCR concerning the proposed sale of Armadale Castle and estate by the Clan Donald Lands Trust.Charities and OSCR are independent of government, and so it would not be appropriate for Scottish Ministers to intervene in any …
11 Jun 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made towards creating a cadastral system to map out the (a) tax paid on and (b) subsidies received for land holdings.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Scottish Government uses a variety of systems for different purposes. One of these is Scotland’s Land Information Service, created and maintained by Registers of Scotland, which provides online access to information on land and property in Scotland …
11 Jun 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason Improving Public Access grants, which were suspended in 2022, are reportedly not going to be included in the Tier 3 rural payments scheme.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: While Improving Public Access (IPA) is not currently included in Agri-Environment Climate Scheme (AECS) or Tier 3 of the Agricultural Reform Programme (ARP), the historical impact of the scheme is acknowledged, with over £12 million committed to 181 con…
11 Jun 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-37289 by Alasdair Allan on 13 May 2025, in which it stated that “the revised policy statement for the protection of natural features on Ramsar sites will be published on the Scottish Government web-site shortly”, whether it will set out …
Answer · Gillian Martin: The position outlined in the answer to S6W-37289 on 13 May 2025 remains that the revised policy statement for the protection of natural features on Ramsar sites will be published at the earliest opportunity.All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are a…
11 Jun 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking in relation to reports of land being sold at auctions as investment or lifestyle plots, despite being situated on crofting, arable or protected land, such as the Parallel Roads of Lochaber Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) at Achnabobane.
Answer · Gillian Martin: Owners and occupiers of land within an SSSI must apply to NatureScot for consent to carry out certain operations. When a planning application is submitted in relation to a development that may affect an SSSI, the planning authority must consult NatureScot and…
10 Jun 2025 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what assessment has been made of the impact of the email quarantine system on the efficiency of staff management of MSP inboxes.
Answer · Claire Baker (on behalf of the SPCB): The Parliament email system receives approximately 700,000 email messages sent to Members every month, and like every modern organisation, the Parliament utilises automated tools to identify and manage unsolicited email messages including ransomware, phishing…
9 Jun 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what it estimates the current cost would be of abolishing non-residential social care charges, and how it has determined that cost.
Answer · Tom Arthur: As part of ongoing social care improvement and reform activity, The Scottish Government is working with CoSLA to explore possible options for removing Non-Residential Social Care charges.Due to the variation of non-residential charges across all local authori…
5 Jun 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the reported delays in implementing the mandatory remote electronic monitoring requirements and tackling illegal discarding, how it is managing any risks to Scotland's global reputation for quality and sustainable seafood.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: There are no delays with the implementation of Scotland’s mandatory remote electronic monitoring requirements for fishing vessels. The scallop requirements are in force, and the pelagic requirements are due to come into force as planned on 7 March 2026.…
5 Jun 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in order to safeguard Scotland's hand-dived scallops' global reputation for both quality and sustainability, how it plans to work with organisations such as Seafood Scotland, Michelin and the AA to demonstrate support for low-impact seafood, including by encouraging transparent, evidenc…
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Scottish Government fully recognises the vital contribution of all our fishermen, including those that hand dive, who work tirelessly to provide high-quality seafood. Their efforts are vital to the Scottish economy, and for our coastal and island communities …
4 Jun 2025 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what funding allocations it has made, and plans to make, to enable local authorities to fulfil their statutory duties to uphold the statutory right of access to outdoor spaces, commonly known as the right to roam.
28 May 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the recently published Cost of Living Research 2025 report by Disability Equality Scotland, which highlighted issues that disabled people are having with ferry travel, what steps it is taking to ensure that all ferry services are accessible to everyone, and what conside…
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: I welcome the report and note the ferry recommendation.The recently published Strategic Approach of the Islands Connectivity Plan sets Accessibility as one of four priorities for future ferry services and identifies a number of actions to support the delivery…
28 May 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Scottish Water following its reported policy change requiring waste treatment sites to be staffed during waste emptying, in light of reports that not all sites are staffed 24 hours a day and that Scottish Water has indicated that it lacks the resources to…
Answer · Gillian Martin: The Scottish Government has not had any recent discussions of this specific human resources issue with Scottish Water, as this is an operational matter for them to determine. However, I have asked Scottish Water to provide a response and I understand that the…
27 May 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding the enforcement of the wrasse fishery licensing conditions, how many fixed penalty notices (FPN) have been issued since April 2021, and how many of those went unpaid; of those FPNs that went unpaid, how many have (a) been referred to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Serv…
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: In the period since April 2021, the Scottish Government have issued no Fixed Penalty Notices in relation to the enforcement of the wrasse fishery licence conditions.
26 May 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to publish a dedicated strategy for scaling up ecosystem-based approaches to climate mitigation, and, if so, when such a strategy will be released, and how it will be resourced.
Answer · Gillian Martin: The Scottish Government has no plans to publish a separate dedicated strategy for scaling up ecosystem-based approaches to climate mitigation, as these issues are addressed in our Biodiversity Strategy and Climate Change Plans.Our Biodiversity Strategy and Cl…
26 May 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what cost-benefit analysis it has undertaken to compare the £80 million investment in carbon capture and storage technology with nature-based solutions such as peatland restoration, native woodland regeneration and coastal habitat restoration, including kelp forests and seagrass.
Answer · Alasdair Allan: The deliverability and value for money of different options to achieve our climate change targets are assessed through the climate change planning and budgetary processes.The Scottish Government has committed to make available £80 million to support the…
23 May 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when section 6 of the Good Food Nation (Scotland) Act 2022 will be commenced.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Section 6 of the Good Food Nation (Scotland) Act 2022 will be commenced in autumn 2025. This will ensure the SSI on specified functions made under section 6 of the Act, can be laid and in force in time for the final plan being published.
23 May 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to section 3(3) of the Good Food Nation (Scotland) Act 2022, by what date the Scottish Ministers will (a) lay the national good food nation plan before Parliament under section 1(1) and (b) deliver a statement setting out details of any (i) representations, (ii) resolutions …
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The national Good Food Nation Plan and section 3(3) statement will be laid in Parliament before the end of the period of 3 months, which begins on the expiry of the 60 day period of parliamentary scrutiny.
23 May 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to section 3(1)(b)(ii) and (iii) of the Good Food Nation Act (Scotland) 2022, when the cut-off date is for any (a) resolution relating to the proposed national good food nation plan to be passed by the Scottish Parliament and (b) report relating to the draft plan to be …
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Any resolution by the Scottish Parliament or report by a committee of the Parliament must be made during the 60 day period of parliamentary scrutiny. The cut-off date is therefore the expiry of this 60 day period.
23 May 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to section 3(1)b(i) of the Good Food Nation (Scotland) Act 2022, when the deadline is for representations to the Scottish Ministers about the proposed national good food nation plan.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: When finalising the plan, the Scottish Ministers must have regard to any representations that are made during the 60 day period of parliamentary scrutiny, which starts on the day the proposed plan is laid before Parliament. Therefore, the deadline is the end …
23 May 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to section 3(1)a of the Good Food Nation (Scotland) Act 2022, when (a) the proposed plan will be laid before the Scottish Parliament and (b) the expiry of the 60-day period will fall.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The proposed national Good Food Nation Plan must be laid in Parliament on or before 29 June 2025. The date on which the expiry of the 60 day scrutiny period will fall will depend on the date on which the proposed national Good Food Nation Plan is laid before …
23 May 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to section 1(1) of the Good Food Nation (Scotland) Act 2022, by what date the Scottish Ministers must (a) publish and (b) lay before the Scottish Parliament a national good food nation plan.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The national Good Food Nation Plan must be published and laid in Parliament before the end of the period of 3 months, beginning with the expiry of the 60 day period of parliamentary scrutiny. For example, if the proposed plan is laid on Friday 27 June, the 3 …
22 May 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government at what stage its ministers are involved in applications to translocate beavers; how they approach any such interventions (a) in general and (b) when an application (i) complies with Scotland's Beaver Strategy and (ii) has strong community support, and how its ministers have approached t…
Answer · Alasdair Allan: The responsibility of the species licensing function was transferred from Scottish Ministers to NatureScot on 1 July 2011. Scottish Ministers retain an interest in the exercise of all the licensing powers delegated.NatureScot must inform Scottish Ministers ab…
15 May 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-34497 by Alasdair Allan on 19 February 2025, by what date it will publish the Nature Conservation Order to protect the Parallel Roads of Lochaber Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) at Achnabobane.
Answer · Alasdair Allan: Further to the answer to question S6W-34497 on 19 February 2025, drafting of the proposed Nature Conservation Order and associated Land Register of Scotland and General Register of Sasines searches have continued to progress. I expect to receive advice and a …
15 May 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-36305 by Mairi Gougeon on 29 April 2025, whether the post-project monitoring will be made publicly available.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: With regard to the Marine Fund Scotland, publication of individual data is not standard practice, but the analysis of post project monitoring contributes, as part of a range of information, to Scotland's Fisheries Management strategy. This, in turn, informs M…
15 May 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-36305 by Mairi Gougeon on 29 April 2025, what progress it has made towards its aims in the Future Fisheries Management Strategy regarding fishing gear and technology, and how this progress was informed by the post-project monitoring.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Our Fisheries Management Strategy sets out actions to support the fishing fleet to modernise, and for appropriate use to be made of new and additional technology and gear innovation. As part of this the Scottish Government has delivered on our commitment to i…
15 May 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on when the outcomes of the Inshore Fisheries Management Improvement Programme will be published, and when the public consultation will open.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: We received an excellent response to the Inshore Fisheries Management Improvement Programme call for evidence which ran for twelve weeks from 26 November 2024. We intend to publish an analysis in due course. The responses are both numerous and voluminous and …
14 May 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the evaluations from the pilots of a "single-case flow" approach to planning and SEPA Controlled Activities Regulations (CAR) licences from the Shetland Islands Council and Highland Council areas.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The independent evaluation of the fish farm pre-application consenting pilots is in progress.The final report had been expected in April 2025, however this timescale has been delayed to allow for the completion of the gathering and analysis of important data …
14 May 2025 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its plans to improve transport infrastructure in the Highlands and Islands, particularly in response to the reported request from Highland Council for additional support to run its six ferry services.
7 May 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to review the legal framework that currently does not classify fish escapes from salmon farms as a statutory offence.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: In our response to the recent report by the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee, we committed to prioritising progress to introduce penalties for fish farm escapes in 2026-2027 and to publishing a revised Technical Standard for Scottish Finfish Aquaculture in…