Rhoda Grant

28 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it can take regarding reports that UHI Inverness plans to withhold 100% of pay for lecturing staff taking part in action short of strike, including any steps that are being taken to end the ongoing pay dispute, and what its position is on whether any such action by UHI is in …

Answer · Graeme Dey: Operational decisions on pay, resourcing and staffing matters are for individual colleges; Scottish Ministers have no locus to intervene in these negotiations, however I meet regularly with trade unions and employers, urging both sides to continue to negotiat…

15 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will expedite protection of the Gairloch Erradale area of sea, in light of reports of the local community's discovery of a herring egg-laying site.

Answer · Mairi McAllan: Protecting our marine environment is vital for both the viability of our marine industries and to halt the loss of biodiversity. Marine protected areas remain a high priority for the Scottish Government and we are putting in place the remaining fisheries mana…

14 May 2024 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take in response to recently published statistics indicating that the number of emergency food parcels distributed by food banks in Scotland in 2023-24 remains similar to the record levels seen in the previous year.

13 May 2024 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister, in light of reports that only four homes have been approved nationally under the affordable housing initiative for key workers scheme, whether he will provide an update on what efforts the Scottish Government will make to address the reported housing crisis in rural and island areas.

1 May 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to the Market Framework for Natural Capital – Engagement Framework, as referenced on page 4, what amount of investment in natural capital markets is required to reach a level "sufficient to meet Scotland's climate and nature restoration goals" and that would provide for the …

Answer · Jim Fairlie: Page 4 of the Market Framework for Natural Capital - Engagement paper references estimates from the November 2023 Scottish Government research publication 'Assessing the cumulative and cross-sector economic benefits of investment in natural capital in Scotlan…

24 Apr 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many temporary "drive on left" signs have been installed on the A9, and what the ongoing cost is.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Eight temporary electronic variable message signs have been deployed on the A9 between the Birnam and Moy, which display a number of road safety messages to drivers. These include “Don’t Drive Tired” and “Don’t Use Mobile Phones When Driving” to encourage res…

24 Apr 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much of the £5 million announced in December 2022 for extra road safety measures on the A9 has been spent to date, and for what purpose.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Since December 2022 to 25 April 2024, £2.97 million has been spent on the A9 short term road safety measures announced by the then Minister for Transport in December 2022. The remaining amount is programmed to be spent by the end of March 2025 in line with th…

24 Apr 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when routine maintenance of (a) white lineage and (b) bollards was last carried out at each junction on the A9 between Inverness and Thurso.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Maintenance of junction road markings is typically the responsibility of the authority whose road connects with the trunk road. In most cases on the A9 this is the local authority. The exception is acceleration and decelerations lanes, which Transport Scotlan…

24 Apr 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions have taken place with (a) the car hire sector, (b) key local partners and (c) regional partners to examine how tourists and foreign drivers can be better educated on the use of Scotland’s roads, including the A9.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: In 2019, Road Safety Scotland (RSS) partnered with Police Scotland and the British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA) to develop a campaign targeting foreign drivers/those not familiar with driving on the left. Leaflets, wristbands, and windscreen…

24 Apr 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the next routine maintenance is scheduled to be carried out on each junction of the A9 between Inverness and Thurso.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Rather than a set routine maintenance schedule, the programmes of routine maintenance on all trunk roads are developed based on need within the limits of available funding. The information that drives the programmes comes from a variety of sources, such as th…

24 Apr 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when routine maintenance of (a) white lineage and (b) bollards was last carried out at each junction on the A9 between Perth and Inverness.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Maintenance of junction road markings is typically the responsibility of the authority whose road connects with the trunk road. In most cases on the A9 this is the local authority. The exception is acceleration and decelerations lanes, which Transport Scotlan…

24 Apr 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the next routine maintenance is scheduled to be carried out on each junction of the A9 between Perth and Inverness.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Programmes of routine maintenance on all trunk roads are developed based on need and are delivered on a prioritised based within the limits of available funding. On occasion other programmes of work, for example road safety, may recommend works that upgrade t…

23 Apr 2024 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on when its review of capital spending will be complete. 

18 Apr 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6O-03310 by Patrick Harvie on 18 April 2024, regarding the ban on the installation of wood burners and other pollution-emitting heating systems in new properties, whether it will provide a non-exhaustive list of portable appliances that can be used as …

Answer · Mairi McAllan: As Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Net Zero and Energy, I have recently taken on responsibility for this matter from the former Minister for Zero Carbon Buildings, Active Travel and Tenants' Rights. The NBHS, as it stands, prohibits the use of direct…

16 Apr 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much private finance, which involves paying returns to private investors, was (a) arranged under the support of the private finance pilot and (b) spent on (i) tree planting and (ii) peatland restoration between the launch of the £2 billion private finance pilot on 1 March 2023 …

Answer · Jim Fairlie: The Nature Investment Partnership (formerly referred to as the Private Finance Pilot) has not yet invested any private finance in to projects on the ground, or delivered any return to investors. The Partnership is focussed on building the pipeline of projects…

27 Mar 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with the (a) Keeper of the Registers of Scotland and the (b) King’s and Lord Treasurer’s Remembrancer (KLTR) in relation to the reported application to register a title to the MacLeod Estate, including the Cuillin, in the Land Register, and whether it will cons…

Answer · Siobhian Brown: The Scottish Government has had no engagement to date with the Keeper of the Registers of Scotland (RoS) or the King’s and Lord Treasurer’s Remembrancer (KLTR) in relation to any application to register a title to the MacLeod Estate. If any ownerless land we…

20 Mar 2024 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government when its review of capital spending will be complete.

12 Mar 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the peer review of NHS Western Isles patient escort process will be published.

Answer · Neil Gray: Following receipt of the proposed scope for the peer review, the Scottish Government asked NHS Shetland and Orkney to extend the scope to include representation from relevant patient groups involved with the previous review of the application process, which w…

5 Mar 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the consultation on crofting reform legislation will be launched.

Answer · Jim Fairlie: The Scottish Government is looking to launch its consultation on crofting legislative reform in spring this year, as committed to in the Programme for Government 2023-24.

1 Mar 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any potential public expenditure or contingent liability implications for its Budget to de-risk or otherwise sufficiently underwrite private investment in nature sufficient to deliver private investment at the scale of (a) £5 billion, (b) £10 billion and (c…

Answer · Mairi McAllan: Options are currently being explored for spending models on nature restoration that can encourage greater responsible private investment while maximising the value of public spending. This includes consideration of ‘blended finance’ mechanisms where public fu…

1 Mar 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government to what extent meeting its tree planting targets depends upon land under crofting tenure, and what proportion of land with planting potential is assessed to be within crofting tenure.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Scottish Government is supportive of woodland creation on crofts and recognises the multiple environmental and economic benefits this brings. There are several initiatives and funding in place to encourage and support crofters to make applications. Due to…

1 Mar 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of degraded peatland requiring restoration is on land that is within crofting tenure, and what the approximate acreage is of such land.

Answer · Jim Fairlie: There is around 484,000 hectares of Common Grazing land in Scotland that is registered in claims and applications with Rural Payments and Services. Of this, there are an estimated 286,000 hectares of peatland (50cm depth), or around 60% of the total land area…

26 Feb 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what creative approaches it is taking towards identifying and treating people with hepatitis C, as set out in the Sexual Health and Blood Borne Virus Action Plan 2023-2026.

Answer · Jenni Minto: I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-24766 on 6 February 2024. 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-committ…

20 Feb 2024 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what action it is taking to protect the future of the Screen Machine mobile cinema.

20 Feb 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what data it has regarding any impact of deer numbers in Scotland on the natural regeneration of trees and scrub; what its position is on what the optimal number of deer per hectare on unfarmed land is that would achieve sustained natural regeneration of tree cover, and how any such opti…

Answer · Lorna Slater: The natural regeneration of trees, scrub and associated ground vegetation across most parts of Scotland will be potentially vulnerable to deer (and other herbivore) impacts, such as browsing, fraying and trampling (as will young, planted trees and shrubs). Wh…

20 Feb 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the numbers of wild deer in Scotland are a significant inhibitor to greater biodiversity.

Answer · Lorna Slater: The 2020 review of deer management by the Deer Working Group estimated that Scotland’s wild deer population was around one million deer. Deer, like other herbivores, can have a devastating impact on the environment through overgrazing, trampling vulnerable ha…

20 Feb 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports that Comhairle nan Eilean Siar is the only local authority area to currently be without access to a Community Links Worker programme, whether it has any plans to roll out such a programme there.

Answer · Neil Gray: The vast majority of Link Workers in general practice in Scotland are funded from the Primary Care Improvement Fund (PCIF). We have not prescribed a specific employment model for Community Link Workers. It is the responsibility of each Health and Social Care …

12 Feb 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the 2020 opinion of the Court of Session regarding the respective rights of the landowner of a common grazing and the crofters in relation to the use of the land, whether it plans to take action to ensure that crofters can (a) carry out peatland restoration on common grazing…

Answer · Jim Fairlie: The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that crofters can benefit from investment in projects such as peatland restoration and woodland creation, particularly when carried out on common grazing land, much of which we know is underutilised. The Croft…

7 Feb 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will introduce consultations on (a) applying a cap to fishing activity in inshore waters and (b) the management of marine protected areas, and how it will conduct both of these consultations in a way that ensures that those affected understand the proposals and are able to take p…

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Scottish Government will explore proposals relating to inshore fishing activity as part of a broad package of management measures for inshore fisheries improvement that we will consult on in late 2024. Our co-management Fisheries Management and Conservat…

6 Feb 2024 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the 6-fold urban rural classification system was chosen for the Rural and Islands Housing Action Plan as opposed to the 8-fold classification.

Answer · Paul McLennan: The Rural and Islands Housing Action Plan supports the delivery of the Scottish Government’s commitment to deliver 110,000 affordable homes, 10% of which will be in rural and island areas. The Scottish Government use the 6-fold urban rural classification when…