Parliamentary questions

Douglas Lumsden

1,891 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

5 Feb 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding how many people in Scotland paid (a) between £100,000 and £499,999, (b) between £500,000 and £999,999 and (c) £1,000,000 or over in income tax in each of the last 10 years.

Answer · Shona Robison: This information is not held centrally.

5 Feb 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the ScotWind leasing round, how many jobs have been created to date as a result; how many of these jobs are based in Scotland; how it monitors the number and location of jobs created through ScotWind projects, and what assessment it has made of the effectiveness of any such m…

Answer · Gillian Martin: I refer the member to the answer to the question S6W-33255 on 23 January 2025. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-an…

5 Feb 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what criteria it uses when granting permission for wind turbine developments on land that it owns.

Answer · Jim Fairlie: Wind turbine developments on Scottish Government owned land follow the standard processes detailed in Scotland’s planning regulations.

5 Feb 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many prisoners released under any early release programmes in each of the last five years have subsequently reoffended within (a) six months and (b) one year of their release.

Answer · Angela Constance: There have been two instances where groups of prisoners have been granted early release from their sentence at the order of Scottish Ministers in the last five years – firstly in May 2020, and secondly in June and July 2024.Data was made available on th…

5 Feb 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much VisitScotland has allocated to influencers to promote Scotland in each of the last five years, and how it monitors the return on investment of any such expenditure.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: VisitScotland fees paid to influencers 2020 – 2024.Calendar yearTotal influencer fees paid2020£4,983.672021£27,283.002022£194,124.952023£120,908.832024£63,668Please note:Lower spend in 2020 and 2021 was due to COVID-19 rela…

5 Feb 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the estimated carbon emissions savings have been as a result of installing solar panels on government-owned buildings in each of the last five years.

Answer · Ivan McKee: The carbon saved in the last 5 financial years is2023-24 – 51.25 tCO2e2022-23 – 113.94 tCO2e2021-22 - 56.8 tCO2e2020-21 – 41 tCO2e2019-20 – 20.6 tCO2e

5 Feb 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many wind turbines are currently located on land that it owns, broken down by (a) location and (b) capacity.

Answer · Jim Fairlie: There are two wind turbines located on land owned by Scottish Government. Both are located on the Isle of Barra. The total capacity is 930KW.

5 Feb 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what methods are used for deer culling on land that it owns, and how it ensures humane practices.

Answer · Jim Fairlie: All deer culled on Scottish Government land are culled by shooting, which is undertaken by appropriately trained staff to ensure the highest standards of public safety and deer welfare and who adhere to the code of practice set by the Wild Deer Best Practice …

5 Feb 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the environmental impact of livestock farming on land that it owns.

Answer · Jim Fairlie: We assess the environmental impact of farming operations at Knocknagael through the use of Biodiversity and Carbon audits.We do not hold information on the numbers of livestock owned and managed by our farm and croft tenants or assess any environmental impact…

5 Feb 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its policy is on deer management and culling on land that it owns.

Answer · Jim Fairlie: The Scottish Government is committed to modernising deer management to tackle high deer numbers, specifically in order to help us to achieve our biodiversity and carbon objectives. We continue to pursue a range of actions to deliver this commitment.The Scotti…

5 Feb 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to change the use of any of the land that it owns that is currently used for livestock farming.

Answer · Jim Fairlie: The Scottish Government does not have management control over the land it owns that is under secure agricultural or crofting tenure. Therefore, any decisions on land use change would be for our tenants to make, and the Scottish Government as their landlord wo…

5 Feb 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential impact of zonal pricing in the electricity market on (a) electricity prices for consumers in Scotland, (b) investment in renewable energy projects in Scotland and (c) the overall development of Scotland's energy infrastructure.

Answer · Gillian Martin: The Scottish Government is working closely with the UK Government on their review of electricity market arrangements (REMA), including on any potential impacts that zonal pricing could have on all market participants, including consumers, communities and indu…

5 Feb 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many prisoners have been released early due to (a) overcrowding and (b) public health considerations in each of the last five years.

Answer · Angela Constance: I have asked Teresa Medhurst, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service (SPS), to respond. Her response is as follows:I refer the member to the answer to the question S6W-34637 on 24 February 2025. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are avail…

5 Feb 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support services are provided to prisoners released early to prevent reoffending.

Answer · Angela Constance: Individuals released under early release programmes are entitled to receive the same voluntary support services that would be available to them if they had been released at their scheduled liberation date, should they wish. These services are funded by the Sc…

5 Feb 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to change its approach to deer management on land that it owns.

Answer · Jim Fairlie: The Scottish Government will continue to pursue effective deer management that will help secure our climate and nature objectives, on land owned by the Scottish Government and other land. This includes changes that are being made to deer legislation through t…

5 Feb 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to increase the number of wind turbines on land that it owns.

Answer · Jim Fairlie: The Scottish Government has been actively working to increase the number of wind turbines on land it owns. The vast majority of the land owned by Scottish Government is occupied by croft tenants. Third party lease negotiations require the support of the croft…

5 Feb 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much each NHS board has paid for taxi transport for (a) doctors and (b) nurses who are (i) on-call and (ii) asked to come into work when off duty in each of the last five years, and what (A) national and (B) specific local policies for each board there are governing this.

Answer · Neil Gray: The Scottish Government does not hold this information centrally. This would need to be requested from the NHS Boards directly.It is for NHS Boards to ensure best use of available resources to support service delivery whilst prioritising patient safety and ca…

5 Feb 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the total cost has been of installing solar panels on government-owned buildings in each of the last five years.

Answer · Ivan McKee: The total cost of installing solar panels on core Scottish Government buildings in the last five years is £49,787, all delivered in 2021. There was no spend in the other 5 years.

5 Feb 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the primary reasons are for deer culling on land that it owns, and what proportion of culls are carried out for (a) population control, (b) environmental protection and (c) agricultural purposes.

Answer · Jim Fairlie: The primary reasons for the deer management activities on Scottish government-owned land is as follows.Forestry and Land ScotlandFLS culls deer primarily in order to protect, enhance and restore a wide range of woodland across the 640,000 hectares of public f…

5 Feb 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of electricity generated by wind turbines on land that it owns is (a) used directly by its own facilities and (b) supplied to the grid.

Answer · Jim Fairlie: Scottish Government does not directly use any electricity generated by wind turbines on land it owns. We do not hold information on the amount of electricity supplied to the grid.

4 Feb 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to improve communication and consultation between park home site owners and residents.

Answer · Paul McLennan: The Mobile Homes Act 1983 controls the consumer rights of mobile home owners in relation to their pitch. The terms of the Written Statement, set out under the Mobile Homes Act 1983, include a number of provisions to encourage communication and consultation be…

4 Feb 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it will support residents in cases where park home sites are sold or transferred to new owners.

Answer · Paul McLennan: Scottish Government does not have a role in the sale or transfer of sites between owners. Under the terms of residential mobile home site licencing, anyone who applies for a site licence as the result of the sale or transfer of a site will need to meet the li…

4 Feb 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that park home residents have access to affordable and reliable legal advice.

Answer · Paul McLennan: The Law Society of Scotland provides information at https://www.lawscot.org.uk/members/professional-support/legal-aid/ on how to access legal aid and how to identify a solicitor who has knowledge of their area.Scottish Government officials have met with the L…

4 Feb 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether there are any plans to establish an independent body to oversee and regulate park home sites.

Answer · Paul McLennan: The Scottish Government has no current plans to establish an independent body to oversee and regulate residential mobile home sites.

4 Feb 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what initiatives are being introduced to improve the legal rights of park home residents.

Answer · Paul McLennan: Our priority at present is to work to change the basis of pitch fee uprating from the Retail Prices Index to the Consumer Prices Index under the Mobile Homes Act 1983. Once this is complete, we will work towards undertaking a post implementation review of the…

4 Feb 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that park home residents are informed about their rights and the protections available to them.

Answer · Paul McLennan: The Mobile Homes Act 1983 governs pitch agreements for permanent residential mobile home sites. It requires that the site owner provides a prospective resident with a copy of the Written Statement setting out the rights and responsibilities of both parties al…

4 Feb 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it monitors and enforces compliance with existing regulations for park home sites.

Answer · Paul McLennan: Local authorities are the licensing authority for permanent residential mobile home sites in their area and are responsible for setting the licence conditions and enforcing them if breached.To ensure a degree of consistency, under section 5(6) of the Caravan …

4 Feb 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure transparency in the fees and charges imposed on park home residents.

4 Feb 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support is available for residents who are in dispute with park home site owners.

Answer · Paul McLennan: Disputes with a site owner about agreements under the Mobile Homes Act 1983 are decided in the Sheriff Court in Scotland. Residents would usually be advised to seek independent legal advice if they believe a site owner is not meeting their legal obligations.T…

4 Feb 2025 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that park home site owners comply with safety and maintenance standards.