Parliamentary questions
Douglas Lumsden
1,891 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
4 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what new regulations are being considered to enhance the protection of park home residents.
Answer · Paul McLennan: Following a public consultation (https://consult.gov.scot/local-government-and-communities/change-to-basis-of-pitch-uprating-consultation/), the Scottish Government has confirmed its intention to update the Mobile Homes Act 1983 to change the presumed basis o…
4 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to support the development of whisky trails that connect multiple distilleries and regions.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-34544 on 6 March 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-and-committees/…
4 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what marketing campaigns aimed at international tourists are in place to highlight Scotland’s whisky heritage.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-34544 on 6 March 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-and-committees/…
4 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what initiatives are in place to promote whisky tourism.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-34544 on 6 March 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-and-committees/…
4 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it is collaborating with communities to enhance the whisky tourism experience.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-34544 on 6 March 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-and-committees/…
4 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what funding opportunities are available for spirits distilleries looking to expand their visitor facilities.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-34544 on 6 March 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-and-committees/…
4 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it is working with the hospitality sector to create comprehensive whisky tourism packages.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government recognises the importance of whisky to our nation's tourism and hospitality sector, as well as the Scottish economy in general.There were just over 2 million visits made to Scotch Whisky visitor centres in Scotland in 2022. This was th…
4 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what measures it is implementing or considering to support homeowners in the North East Scotland region who are experiencing property value depreciation due to new energy infrastructure projects in their vicinity.
Answer · Gillian Martin: Compensation provisions do exist where land, or rights over land, are acquired by compulsion for the development of energy infrastructure under the Electricity Act 1989. However, there is no statutory provision or process set out in the Act to financially com…
4 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much just transition funding has been allocated to the whisky industry in the last three years.
Answer · Alasdair Allan: The Just Transition Fund has within the last three years provided £988k in capital funding support to the following projects:£361,767 over 2022-23 to the Cabrach Trust for development of the Cabrach Distillery. The project aimed to create permanen…
3 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure a fair consulting process for electricity infrastructure, in light of reports that it could benefit financially by £4 million per year for each GW of power from ScotWind that is installed and has a grid connection agreement.
Answer · Gillian Martin: The consulting process provided for under sections 36 and 37 of the Electricity Act 1989 and the Electricity Works (Environmental Impact Assessment) (Scotland) Regulations 2017 ensures that public bodies, communities and members of the public are consulted on…
3 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the previous announcement by the former First Minister, Humza Yousaf, in October 2023, what analysis it has undertaken on any governance changes that would be required to enable it to have a credit rating, if government bonds were to be issued.
Answer · Shona Robison: As with the answer to S6W-34511 on 6 March 2025, I will update parliament at the appropriate time on the work towards a future credit rating and bond issuance during the course of the 2025-26 financial year.All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are a…
3 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the previous announcement by the former First Minister, Humza Yousaf, in October 2023, how much has been spent to date on preparation work for it issuing bonds.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government spent £20,000 (excluding VAT) in 2024-25 for advice on a specification for a financial advisor to provide expertise and guidance to support an inaugural issuance. This remains the only external fees incurred to date. The civil se…
3 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the previous announcement by the former First Minister, Humza Yousaf, whether it still plans to issue bonds to finance key infrastructure in Scotland in the current parliamentary session.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government published a further update to the work on Scottish Government bonds alongside the 2025-26 Scottish Budget https://www.gov.scot/isbn/9781836910558.This explains the outcome of the initial phase of due diligence and the work required in …
3 Feb 2025 · First Minister's Question
To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's response is to the Court of Session’s decision regarding the Rosebank oil field and the Jackdaw gas field.
23 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how Food Standards Scotland promotes food safety education in schools.
Answer · Jenni Minto: Food Standards Scotland (FSS) plays a role in supporting food safety education in schools, providing accessible, science-based resources to help young people develop essential food hygiene and nutrition skills. FSS continues to engage with educators, public h…
23 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how Food Standards Scotland develops policies to address emerging risks in food safety.
Answer · Jenni Minto: Food Standards Scotland (FSS) has an established Risk Analysis process in place to assess, manage and communicate evidence-based advice on food safety risks. It is a joint process with the Food Standards Agency (FSA) to ensure the UK maintains high standards …
23 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how Food Standards Scotland evaluates the impact of its public awareness campaigns on food safety and nutrition.
Answer · Jenni Minto: Food Standards Scotland (FSS) uses a data-driven approach to measure the effectiveness of its public awareness campaigns, ensuring they drive meaningful change in consumer behaviour and food safety awareness. The evaluation methods include:Consumer Tracking &…
23 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how Food Standards Scotland works with (a) other UK and (b) international agencies to align food safety standards.
Answer · Jenni Minto: a. Food Standards Scotland liaises extensively with the Food Standards Agency, who are responsible for food safety in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, before advising Scottish Ministers of the need to amend any food safety legislation in Scotland. This is…
23 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how Food Standards Scotland is addressing the potential risks of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in food production.
Answer · Jenni Minto: Food made from Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) is classed as a regulated product. Therefore, it must undergo rigorous pre-market safety and risk analysis before sale in Scotland. This analysis will inform Food Standards Scotland (FSS) risk management rec…
23 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how Food Standards Scotland makes sure food sold at public events meets safety and hygiene standards.
Answer · Jenni Minto: Food Safety is regulated through various pieces of legislation including the Food Safety Act 1990 and assimilated Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 on general food law, which create the regulatory framework in this respect.In relation to public events, the Food Sta…
23 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how Food Standards Scotland enforces hygiene standards in meat and poultry processing plants.
Answer · Jenni Minto: Food Standards Scotland (FSS) is a Competent Authority (CA) as defined in food law for the delivery of Official Controls (OCs) for all approved meat and poultry plants. FSS have a daily presence of Official Veterinarians (OVs) and Meat Hygiene Inspectors (MHI…
23 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what online resources Food Standards Scotland provides to support healthy eating education.
Answer · Jenni Minto: The Food Standards Scotland (FSS) website provides a range of curriculum for excellence linked resources to support educators develop lesson plans and deliver food safety and healthy eating messages.Food safety & healthy eating education | Food Standards …
23 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what support Food Standards Scotland provides to businesses to reduce the risk of food crime in their supply chains.
Answer · Jenni Minto: Food Standards Scotland routinely engages with all sectors of the food industry, providing advice and support to businesses to protect supply chains, including:Food Crime Risk Profiling ToolFood Crime Prevention Strategyin partnership with the Food Industry I…
23 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how Food Standards Scotland supports food producers to meet labelling regulations.
Answer · Jenni Minto: To support food producers to meet labelling regulations, Food Standards Scotland (FSS) has published various forms of guidance and training material which are designed to lay the relevant information out in an easy-to-understand way. This includes guidance on…
23 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what role Food Standards Scotland plays in monitoring and preventing the sale of counterfeit or substandard alcohol.
Answer · Jenni Minto: In line with the Food Standards Scotland (FSS) Food Crime Prevention Strategic Plan 2024-27, FSS works in partnership with local authorities, other law enforcement agencies (LEA), industry and stakeholders at various strategic and tactical fora, including:the…
23 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how Food Standards Scotland collaborates with the food and drink industry to reduce sugar and salt levels in processed foods.
Answer · Jenni Minto: Food Standards Scotland (FSS) advocate the UK wide reformulation programme, managed by the Office of Health Improvement and Disparities, which has voluntary targets for industry to reduce levels of sugar, salt and calories in commonly consumed foods. They reg…
23 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps Food Standards Scotland takes to investigate foodborne illnesses linked to restaurants and takeaway outlets.
Answer · Jenni Minto: Food Standards Scotland is not responsible for investigating local incidents of foodborne illness which are potentially linked to restaurants and takeaway outlets. Investigations of sporadic cases of gastrointestinal illnesses, including those suspected to ha…
23 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how Food Standards Scotland makes sure that regulations on the nutritional content of foods marketed as healthy are followed.
Answer · Jenni Minto: Under the Food Information to Consumers Regulation, food information must be accurate and not mislead the consumer. This applies to both mandatory information such as ingredients lists and nutrition declarations as well as any voluntary information for exampl…
23 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what research Food Standards Scotland is conducting into the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in food safety inspections.
Answer · Jenni Minto: Food Standards Scotland has a Food and Health Research Programme, which has a limited budget for procuring research across our entire food safety and dietary health remit; therefore our ability to fully explore the potential of AI in the delivery of our work …
23 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many breaches of food labelling standards have been reported by Food Standards Scotland since 2018, broken down by type.
Answer · Jenni Minto: Local Authorities regulate food labelling standards. The data FSS holds on food standards interventions indicates that there have been 1209 contravention letters, detention and seizure notices, advice letters and Compliance notices relating to food standards …