Claudia Beamish

10 Mar 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers the resumption of trawling in the Inner Sound of Skye on 1 April 2021 might impact on the national status of priority marine features in that area.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: Commercial fishing activity in the Inner Sound of Skye is already heavily regulated and the annual resumption of trawling on the 1 April 2021 will not affect the national status or future development of the Marine Protected Area (MPA) / Priority Marine Featur…

10 Mar 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will record blue carbon emissions and removals in its next report on estimated greenhouse gas emissions.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The annual Official Statistics bulletins on Scottish greenhouse gas emissions are based directly on the UK national atmospheric emissions inventory. As set out in the answer to S5W-35983 on 18 March 2021, blue carbon processes are not currently included in th…

10 Mar 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what actions it is taking to halt the decline in biogenic reef habitats that was reported in the Scottish Marine Assessment 2020.

Answer · Ben Macpherson: The biogenic habitats indicator was developed specifically for Scotland’s Marine Assessment (SMA) 2020 and reports losses in subtidal habitat extent only. The assessment covers the following six habitats: blue mussel beds, horse mussel beds, flame shell beds,…

10 Mar 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the protection and enhancement of blue carbon stores is necessary for the achievement of its climate change targets.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Reporting on Scotland’s statutory emissions reduction targets is based on the UK national atmospheric emissions inventory, which is compiled in line with international guidelines. At present, blue carbon habitats are not included in the scope of the UK invent…

10 Mar 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the (a) Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and (b) Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs regarding including blue carbon emissions and removals in the National Greenhouse Gas inventory.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Scottish Government officials have met with DEFRA to discuss the evidence requirements for incorporating saltmarsh and seagrass into the UK inventory. We are working together with members of the Scottish Blue Carbon Forum to gather the required evidence. Sco…

10 Mar 2021 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the recent report by the Disasters Emergency Committee, Breaking Point, and how this will impact on its international development strategy.

23 Feb 2021 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what measures in its 2021-22 Budget aim to tackle the gender pay gap.

20 Jan 2021 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to Teach the Future's call for a review into how the whole of the formal education system is preparing students for a climate emergency and ecological crisis.

13 Jan 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is on track to deliver a publicly-owned energy company by the end of the current parliamentary session and, if not, by what date this will be delivered.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: We had expected to engage with local authorities to consider the independent outline business case and agree next steps. Work on the public energy company has been mostly paused as we and potential local authority partners continue to focus resource on respon…

8 Dec 2020 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the level is of children's and young people’s participation in the civil courts, and how it monitors the quality of the support that they are given.

Answer · Ash Denham: The Children (Scotland) Act 1995 includes a presumption a child aged 12 or over is mature enough to give views as part of any court process on who they live with or have contact with. The Children (Scotland) Act 2020 removes this presumption. The 2020 Act als…

30 Nov 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to review forestry funding mechanisms to facilitate the planting of native trees on riverbanks to create shade to mitigate climate-induced warming.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Forestry Grant Scheme already supports planting native broadleaved riparian woodland in a range of situations and it can be used to provide cooling shade and improve the habitat along rivers. The Forestry Grant Scheme will continue to be developed and im…

27 Nov 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what provision can be made for disabled access at Carstairs Railway Station, and whether renewal work currently underway as part of Network Rail's CP6 plan provides an opportunity to do so.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Rail Accessibility is a UK Government reserved matter. The UK Government has not identified Carstairs as a priority for allocation of the rail accessibility budget which it controls. However, when possible the Scottish Government always looks to improve acc…

17 Nov 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, when considering the granting of a child contact or residence order, to what extent a court takes into consideration an applicant’s previous civil or criminal convictions for, or history of, domestic abuse against the child’s other parent, and, before granting such an order, what safegu…

Answer · Ash Denham: Section 11(7A) to (7E) of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 makes provision in this area. These subsections provide that the court must have regard to the need to protect the child at the centre of the case from abuse when considering cases such as contact and…

3 Nov 2020 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it plans to take to meet any budget shortfall that local authorities are facing going into winter.

30 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what longer-term provisions are being put in place to respond to the reported increase in demand for mental health services in rural areas.

Answer · Clare Haughey: The Scottish Government recognises the additional pressure that the pandemic and restrictions place upon individuals and families and is committed to providing clear, comprehensive and accessible support for mental health. The needs of rural areas are taken i…

5 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the Leaders’ Pledge for Nature, which was launched at a virtual UN event on 28 September 2020 and signed by the Prime Minister on behalf of the UK Government; what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding this pledge and the commitments it contains,…

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government is pleased to note the ambition of those State Parties to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) to commit to taking positive action to halt and reverse biodiversity loss, and to recognise the links between biodive…

16 Sep 2020 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it is taking to restore chronic pain treatment services, in light of official statistics for the quarter ending 30 June 2020, which recorded that over half of new patients waited over 18 weeks for a first appointment.

4 Sep 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it will respond to the Citizen Assembly's report that is required under the Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Act 2019, and whether it will do so in time for the Parliament to scrutinise this response before the end of the current session.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2019 requires Scotland’s Climate Assembly to lay its report before the Scottish Parliament by 28 February 2021. The Coronavirus (Scotland) (No. 2) Act 2020 amended this requirement, stating if the Assembly is unable to lay th…

28 Aug 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what long-term consideration it has given to the impact on Scotland of a potential +3C degree rise in global temperatures, in light of the suggestion by the UK Committee on Climate Change that there is only a 50/50 chance of staying under +3C by 2100.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government is committed to ending our contribution to the causes of climate change by 2045, in line with the independent expert advice of the UK Committee on Climate Change on a high ambition Scottish response to the aims of the UN Paris Agreemen…

28 Aug 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is considering introducing an outright ban on the sale and use of rodent glue traps, or only prohibiting the use and purchase by members of the public and, if the later, who will be allowed to continue to set glue traps, and how these users will be (a) defined and (b) regulate…

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government’s response of 23 March 2020 to the Public Petitions Committee regarding Petition 1671 on the sale and use of glue traps set out that our preference is to introduce legislation to ban the sale and use of glue traps except by professiona…

26 Aug 2020 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the revised delivery date for Carer's Allowance is and when the transfer of cases will take place.

17 Jul 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea advice that the Total Allowable Catch for North Sea cod should be set at no more than 14,755 tonnes.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government is committed to the sustainability of our seas, contributing to our communities’ economy and its environment. Last year North Sea Cod saw a 50% cut of the Total Allowable Catch (TAC) agreed at EU-Norway Negotiations. The advice for 202…

17 Jul 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea advice that the Total Allowable Catch for Rockall cod should be set at no more than 14 tonnes.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government is committed to the sustainability of our seas, contributing to our communities’ economy and its environment. During the summer, Marine Scotland officials will work closely with industry and environmental stakeholders to develop co-man…

14 Jul 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it has taken to support farmers and crofters to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: We are supporting farmers, crofters and land managers to play their part in cutting emissions, addressing climate change as well as delivering wider bio-diversity and environmental benefits. A third of current CAP schemes including Greening, Agri-Environment …

14 Jul 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to establish sector-specific groups to address climate change challenges within agriculture, further to the establishment of the Suckler Beef Climate Group.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government is expecting the Suckler Beef Climate Group’s report later this year. Further consideration is being given to the options surrounding the establishment of other similar sector specific, farmer led groups during this unprecedented time.…

14 Jul 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to set out the progress it has made in developing an Agricultural Transformation Programme.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The key purpose of the Agricultural Transformation Programme is to promote long term change for the future and will need to take account of current support as well as the recommendations of groups such as the Farming and Food Production Future Policy Group. D…

14 Jul 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what specific measures it expects to fund through the Agricultural Transformation Programme.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: Priorities for the Agricultural Transformation Programme funding were announced in the Programme for Government 2019-20. An initial award of £1.5 million has been allocated specifically for farmers and crofters to diversify into forestry. A number of other op…

29 Jun 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management report, Guidance on Ecological Survey and Assessment in the UK During the Covid-19 Outbreak, will apply to Phase 2 of its route map to allow non-essential outdoor workplaces with physical distancing to resume once re…

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government published guidance on 21 May to support safe outdoor working for the forestry sector and for a range of environmental management activity in Scotland, as part of supporting the restart of outdoor non-essential workplaces under Phase 1 …

23 Jun 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the publication of the 2019 decision paper, Asset Replacement, by the Water Industry Commission for Scotland, what assessment SEPA made of the compatibility of the additional £6 billion of capital assets envisaged together with the emission from the rising costs of maintenan…

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: This is a matter for SEPA, and I have asked them to respond directly in writing to your question.

23 Jun 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the publication of the 2019 decision paper, Asset Replacement, by the Water Industry Commission for Scotland, what estimate the Commission made of the (a) carbon that would be used in the creation of the additional assets envisaged in the strategy outlined and (b) emissions …

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: This is a matter for the Water Industry Commission for Scotland, and I have asked them to respond directly in writing to your question.