Parliamentary questions
Tim Eagle
1,487 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
21 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it has worked with the seafood industry to “explore how to encourage visibility of the sector as a career and seafood as a sustainable food source”, as outlined in its 2022 document, Strategy for Seafood.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Scottish Government has since 2021 awarded £8.25m to Seafood Scotland as Scotland’s national trade and marketing organisation for the seafood industry. Seafood Scotland projects have included those:supporting domestic and export market develop…
21 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to consult stakeholders on the future of the Sea Fish (Prohibition on Fishing) (Firth of Clyde) Order 2024.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Following the 2025 closure there will be a public consultation on future management. That consultation will assess any changes that have happened since 2022 and make recommendations for the future on that basis.
21 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what “evaluation of the views of women in fishing communities towards the fishing industry, to find out their attitudes toward different types of employment in fisheries and beyond” it has carried out, as refenced in the June 2022 publication, Women in Scottish Fisheries…
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: We acknowledge that there is an overall lack of data and evidence on women in fisheries for a number of reasons, and we agree that steps are needed to improve this. This is an important issue and many of these gaps will need to be filled in collaboration with…
21 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on whether any fishing vessel owners have been charged additional costs for using port waste reception facilities to dispose of end-of-life gear since it published its marine litter strategy in September 2022.
Answer · Gillian Martin: The Scottish Government conducted an internal review and mapping exercise of port waste reception facilities relevant to the fishing sector in Scotland in both 2023 and 2024 in order to inform future policy development. Of the nine main ports and harbours whi…
21 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much has been allocated to the Marine Fund Scotland in each year, and how much has been distributed to successful applicants.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: £14m has been made available each year under the Marine Fund Scotland (MFS).In some cases, not all the funding made available is drawn down within the financial year by the applicant. Expenditure against awards is as follows;2021-2022 £12.23m2022-…
21 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what “evaluation of employers’ needs in fisheries, to find out what parts of the sector can provide fair employment to new entrants in the industry” it has carried out, as referenced in the June 2022 publication, Women in Scottish Fisheries: A literature review on …
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Scottish Government is currently supporting a UK Government Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs project on “Co-designing an Evaluation Framework for Recruitment and Retention of Domestic Seafood Workers”. This project includes a…
21 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what evidence on “views of men (of different ages) working in seafood jobs towards women and how these are changing” it has gathered, as referenced in the June 2022 publication, Women in Scottish Fisheries: A literature review on experiences, challenges and opportunities…
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: We are aware that the fishing sector is not always understood as welcoming to women which can discourage women from entry. There are also reports of sexist attitudes, behaviour and language and this is unacceptable.We would benefit from further research into …
21 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has considered introducing any incentive-based options as part of its future catching policy, as set out in Scotland’s Fisheries Management Strategy 2020-2030 Delivery Plan, published in September 2022.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Scotland’s Future Catching Policy (FCP) will see concrete action taken to support fishers to avoid catching fish and other species which they don’t want to land, or catch in the first place, including decreasing instances of accidental bycatch of …
21 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, other than Scottish salmon, what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding designating food and drink products with a protected geographical indication, and what the outcome was.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Scottish Government continues to engage with the UK Government on the designation of food and drink products as geographical indications through its status as a constituent member of the UK GI scheme panel.The operation of the UK GI schemes is reserved an…
21 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what surveys of Scotland-based fishermen it has carried out since 1 January 2021 regarding their views on the EU Common Fisheries Policy, and what the outcome was.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Scottish Government has not carried out a survey, since 1 January 2021, of Scotland-based fishers which specifically asked about their views on the EU Common Fisheries Policy. However, officials engage with Scottish fishers regularly on a range of matters…
21 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will reopen the Marine Fund Scotland scheme in 2025-26, and how much funding will be allocated to it.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: We anticipate the Marine Fund Scotland (MFS) will re-open in 2025-26 with up to £14m available for grant awards.
21 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it has worked with the seafood industry to “explore how to support the sector to understand greenhouse gas emissions throughout the seafood supply chain and how best to mitigate these”, as outlined in its 2022 document, Strategy for Seafood.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: We set up the Fisheries Management and Conservation (FMAC) Climate Change Subgroup in early 2023 to help guide us and to build our knowledge and understanding of both climate mitigation and adaptation. The group is formed of industry reps, eNGOs, academia, as…
21 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it can provide details of what progress it has made to “continue to prioritise safety across the sector to minimise the occurrence of accidents at work, and develop alternative safe, fair, and sustainable opportunities for employment in fishing communities”, as refere…
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Commercial sea fishing is one of the most dangerous jobs in the world. We need to do all we can to make fishing as safe as possible, and encourage more people to see fishing as a desirable career, which will help to ensure the sustainability of the industry i…
21 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it has worked with (a) the seafood industry and (b) other associated organisations to “better understand regional trade flows, the domestic consumption of seafood and environmental impact in order to inform future interventions”, as outlined in its 2022 document, Strategy…
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Scottish Government’s understanding of regional trade flows in seafood is informed by a range of sources. Primary data relating to the seafood industry including fisheries, aquaculture, processing, trade, and retail statistics is either collected by…
21 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it supports new entrants to the fishing industry.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Marine Fund Scotland (MFS) provides support to new entrants through the young fishers grant funding. Since 2021 the MFS has awarded 37 young fishers over £2.5m grant to enable them to purchase their first fishing vessel (or share in a vessel).
21 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it has supported the seafood industry to “develop innovative approaches, a move to a more circular economy and embrace digitalisation”, as outlined in its 2022 document, Strategy for Seafood.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Marine Fund Scotland (MFS) is focused on supporting projects that deliver outcomes relating to Scotland's Blue Economy Vision. This aims to support projects & investments that are innovative, entrepreneurial, productive and internationally competitive…
21 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many responses were received to the consultation, Fisheries management measures within Scottish Offshore Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), and how many respondents (a) supported and (b) opposed the proposed full site fisheries management measures for offshore MPAs.
Answer · Gillian Martin: In total, the consultation on fisheries management measures within Scottish offshore Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) received 3,881 valid responses. The majority of these response came from campaigns from two organisations.Of those who responded specifically to…
21 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what statistical evidence it uses to underpin the continued application of the Sea Fish (Prohibition on Fishing) (Firth of Clyde) Order 2024.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Clyde closure is in place to maximise the opportunity for cod to reproduce and hence recover the stock. The closed area was defined according to extensive published literature on the types of seabed substrate on which cod prefer to spawn, and data on subs…
21 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made on its commitment to undertaking a review of Producer Organisations (POs) and Quota Management Groups (QMGs) in 2023-24, as set out in Scotland’s Fisheries Management Strategy 2020-2030 Delivery Plan, published in September 2022.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: In relation to Producer Organisations (POs), Scottish Government officials had sought to co-operate with the UK Government in a review of POs. The previous UK government administration had committed to a review of POs (and the retained EU regulations that ena…
21 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it has worked with the seafood industry to “explore how to encourage collaborative approaches, including cluster options, vertical integration and cooperation from producers to processors and links to centres of excellence and research and innovation”, as outlined in its …
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: I refer the member to the answer to the question S6W-33850 on 31 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…
20 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the publication of the Subsidy Advice Unit Report on the proposed subsidy to CalMac Ferries Limited on 17 December 2024 by the Competition and Markets Authority, whether Transport Scotland will (a) explain and (b) evidence whether bundling the network ensures that the subsid…
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: I refer the member to the answer to the question S6W-33834 on 13 February 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-a…
20 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the publication of the Subsidy Advice Unit Report on the proposed subsidy to CalMac Ferries Limited on 17 December 2024 by the Competition and Markets Authority, whether Transport Scotland will undertake any further diligence work to ensure that the direct award of the Clyde…
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: We welcome the publication of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) report, which is advisory in nature. Transport Scotland officials are considering the report in detail and will then take forward the recommendations where required. Scottish Minsters h…
20 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the publication of the Subsidy Advice Unit Report on the proposed subsidy to CalMac Ferries Limited on 17 December 2024 by the Competition and Markets Authority, whether Transport Scotland will (a)explain and (b) evidence for what reason an open competitive tender would nota…
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: I refer the member to the answer to the question S6W-33834 on 13 February 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-a…
20 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the publication of the Subsidy Advice Unit Report on the proposed subsidy to CalMac Ferries Limited on 17 December 2024 by the Competition and Markets Authority, whether Transport Scotland will undertake a route by route assessment explaining whether any level of service cou…
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: I refer the member to the answer to the question S6W-33834 on 13 February 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-a…
20 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the current balance is of the Victim Surcharge Fund.
Answer · Siobhian Brown: After awarding £1,124,350 to Victim Support Organisations in December the balance in the fund as at December 2024 is £188,525.92.Criminals made to pay to support victims - gov.scot.
20 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government which organisations have received funding from the Victim Surcharge Fund since 31 March 2024, also broken down by how much each received.
Answer · Siobhian Brown: The following organisations have received funding from the victim surcharge fund since 31 March 2024Victim Support Scotland£850,000The Moira Fund£14,500Dumbarton District Women's Aid£13,500Survivors of Human Trafficking Scotland (SOHTIS)&pou…
20 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many applications for support from the Victim Surcharge Fund have been rejected since 31 March 2024.
Answer · Siobhian Brown: Since 31 March 2024 three organisations have been unsuccessful in applying for support from the Victim Surcharge Fund.
16 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential impact on the rural economy in Scotland of the UK Firearms (Variation of Fees) Order 2025, which comes into effect on 5 February 2025.
Answer · Angela Constance: Whilst Firearms fees is a reserved matter, the Scottish Government is supportive of this recent increase in contributing towards full cost recovery for Firearms Licensing in Scotland. Police Scotland and stakeholders representing Scottish certificate holders …
15 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government on what dates its Farming Opportunities for New Entrants (FONE) group has met since 2016, and when it will next meet.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: Meeting 114 December 2016Meeting 210 March 2017Meeting 309 June 2017Meeting 406 October 2017Meeting 507 December 2017Meeting 609 February 2018Meeting 715 June 2018Meeting 805 October 2018Meeting 901 February 2019Meeting 1014 June 2019Meeting 1127 Septem…
15 Jan 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the priority to "identify and make available 600 hectares of publicly owned land in Scotland to new entrants" as set out by the permanent members of its Farming Opportunities for New Entrants (FONE) group for 2024-25 has been achieved and, if so, by what method.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: To date, 369 hectares of publicly owned land have been made available for 2024-25. The FONE has done this by one of its core functions, which is to get public bodies around the table to explore what opportunities they can offer agricultural new entrants, use …