Colin Smyth

1 Aug 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to maintain access rights for walkers secured under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 and the establishment of core path networks.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 gives the lead management role for access to local and National Park Authorities (“access authorities”). Access authorities have a statutory duty to uphold access rights and have various powers with which to do this, such a…

30 Jun 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what provisions Forestry and Land Scotland makes to ensure that red squirrel habitat remains connected and populations maintain long-term viability in relation to commercial felling and the premature felling of areas due to tree disease.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) take the protection of priority species within our woodlands, such as red squirrels, very seriously, and when appropriate conduct our operations out with the Red Squirrel breeding season to avoid any disturbance. Forestry and…

30 Jun 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of commercial forestry operations have taken place in (a) known red squirrel habitat on public land managed by Forestry and Land Scotland and (b) red squirrel stronghold sites managed by Forestry and Land Scotland, during the red squirrel breeding season, from the start o…

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: a) The estimated percentage of commercial forestry operations that have taken place in known red squirrel habitat: Year 1 Percentage of commercial forestry operations (%) 2017-18 7.0 2018-19 8.9 2020-21 9.9 2021-2 2 14.1 2022 6.7 b) The estimated…

30 Jun 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-18127 by Mairi Gougeon on 6 June 2023, how many red squirrel kits it estimates have been killed through the destruction of occupied dreys during the breeding season as a result of commercial forestry operations, in each year since derogated licensin…

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Expert ecological opinion and anecdotal evidence from management operations by FLS estimate the number of kits killed will be significantly smaller than the theoretical maximum presented. This hypothetical maximum estimate assumes worst case scenario is all a…

28 Jun 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support the owners of publicly accessible ice rinks to mitigate against any increase in energy bills.

Answer · Maree Todd: We are fully aware that energy costs are an issue facing many sports facilities, particularly ice rinks. However, given that the levers to respond to rising energy prices and the wider cost of living crisis are reserved, we continue to urge the UK Government…

28 Jun 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it can provide to prevent the closure of Ayr Ice Rink.

Answer · Maree Todd: Local sport and leisure facilities are vital in supporting the physical and mental health of the nation. We recognise the importance of facilities, such as Ayr Ice Rink for the overall wellbeing of those who use them regularly. In recognising the important r…

21 Jun 2023 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to invest in the opening of any new railway stations in Dumfries and Galloway.

7 Jun 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will consult on the future of snaring.

Answer · Gillian Martin: We are currently considering whether or not to retain snaring as a land management tool in Scotland. If it is decided we will not retain snaring, we will bring forward provisions to that effect alongside a short public consultation document in time for stage …

17 May 2023 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to expand community-owned energy.

16 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether Forestry and Land Scotland has any plans to facilitate licensed management of (a) raptor nests, (b) red squirrel dreys and (c) other protected woodland fauna during the harvesting of commercial woodlands at the time of the breeding season.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Scotland’s national forests and land are important habitats for many species. For example, Scottish crossbills, goshawks and large populations of songbirds and woodpeckers all use Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) plantations. In advance of any tree harvesting…

16 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) red squirrels were killed and (b) red squirrel dreys were disturbed during the breeding season as a result of commercial forestry operations, in each year since derogated licensing provisions were granted by NatureScot to Forestry and Land Scotland.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: There are no records of adult squirrels being killed by forest operations on Scotland's national forests and land. The estimated number of squirrels disturbed during the breeding season by forest operations on Scotland's national forests and land is as follo…

16 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what licensing provisions Forestry and Land Scotland has in place regarding the disturbance of red squirrels during commercial forestry operations.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) take the protection of priority species within our woodlands, such as red squirrels, very seriously, and when appropriate conduct their operations out with the Red Squirrel breeding season to avoid disturbance. FLS adhere to …

16 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps are being taken on public land that is managed by Forestry and Land Scotland to ensure that nests of (a) raptors, (b) red squirrels and (c) other protected woodland fauna are protected during the harvesting of commercial woodlands and at the time of their respective breeding s…

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) take the protection of (a) raptors, (b) red squirrels and (c) other protected woodland fauna within our woodlands very seriously, and when appropriate conduct our operations outwith their breeding seasons to avoid disturbance.…

9 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the recommendations in the Scope research publication, Disability Price Tag 2023: the extra cost of disability.

Answer · Emma Roddick: The Scottish Government recognises the findings that have been highlighted within the Disability Price Tag 2023 report, that disabled people have been disproportionately impacted by the current cost-of-living crisis. One of the First Minister’s first acts up…

9 May 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to increase the use of camera technology to tackle littering and fly-tipping.

Answer · Lorna Slater: Our 2022 consultation on a new National Litter and Flytipping Strategy included proposals to explore the role of technology to obtain better data, deter litter and flytipping and aid enforcement of offences. ‘Littercam’ technology is currently being trialled …

18 Apr 2023 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason there has been a delay in announcing the projects that will form phase 3 of the Learning Estate Investment Programme.

12 Apr 2023 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the recent report by Independent Age, which states that one in seven people in Scotland over the State Pension age live in poverty.

20 Mar 2023 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether it is appropriate for the chief executive of Circularity Scotland to be paid a reported annual salary of £300,000.

15 Mar 2023 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to tackle the reported exodus of dentists from NHS dentistry.

14 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Scottish Animal Welfare Commission’s Final Report of the Exotic Pet Working Group, including its recommendations to (a) introduce a "positive list" of species that are legally permitted to be kept as pets and (b) ban the importation of wild-caught animals for …

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: I very much appreciated the report on exotic pets by the Scottish Animal Welfare Commission and have noted their recommendations. Consideration of exotic pets is only one part of a large body of ongoing work to improve the lives of Scotland's pets. The report…

13 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made in working with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to agree an increased noise budget for projects within the 50km safeguarding zone at Eskdalemuir, and when it expects that any announcement will be made on the agreed way forward.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Safeguarding the Eskdalemuir Seismic Array is the responsibility of the Ministry of Defence and any decision to amend the seismic noise budget for the array is a decision for the UK Government. The Scottish Government and Ministry of Defence have been workin…

12 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the number of businesses with existing contracts to collect glass from commercial premises that may lose business as a result of the introduction of the Deposit Return Scheme.

Answer · Lorna Slater: During the development of Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme (DRS), a number of documents were produced, including the Full Business Case and Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment which look at the expected impacts to business and others of this scheme.…

12 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the last date is that producers will be able to register with the Deposit Return Scheme and be able to trade their products in Scotland from the proposed launch date of 16 August 2023.

Answer · Lorna Slater: Producers who want to sell scheme articles to consumers in Scotland on or after 16 August 2023 must be registered with SEPA. The DRS scheme administrator, Circularity Scotland Ltd (CSL) estimates that the registration process takes approximately six weeks to…

12 Mar 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many businesses in total have registered with the Deposit Return Scheme to date, and how this compares with the number of businesses that were expected to register.

Answer · Lorna Slater: More than 670 businesses have registered so far, representing 95% of products sold in Scotland. The number of companies in the drinks industry inevitably changes over time and, at the outset of developing a deposit return scheme, approximately 4,500 companie…

23 Feb 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the full value of the Destination Net Zero Vehicle Charge Point Tourism Recovery Fund has been spent, and, if not, how much has been spent in total.

Answer · Ivan McKee: The Destination Net Zero Vehicle Charge Point Tourism Recovery Fund was administered by Energy Saving Trust on behalf of VisitScotland and the Scottish Government. The full value of the Destination Net Zero Vehicle Charge Point Tourism Recovery fund has not y…

8 Feb 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has spent on administering the Low Emission Zone Support Fund for eligible businesses.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Scottish Government is providing £11.6 million in grant funding to Energy Saving Trust (EST), an independent organisation working to administer the Scottish LEZ Support fund. The LEZ Support Fund for households is a part of this LEZ Support Fund, and doe…

8 Feb 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has spent on administering the Low Emission Zone Support Fund for eligible households.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Scottish Government is providing £11.6 million in grant funding to Energy Saving Trust (EST), an independent organisation working to administer the Scottish LEZ Support Fund. The LEZ Support Fund for households is a part of this LEZ Support Fund, and doe…

8 Feb 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has spent on administering the Destination Net Zero Vehicle Charge Point Tourism Recovery Fund.

Answer · Ivan McKee: The Scottish Government has spent £39,525 +VAT on administering the Destination Net Zero Vehicle Charge Point Tourism Recovery Fund. The Fund was administered by Energy Saving Trust on behalf of VisitScotland and the Scottish Government. For this work, Energy…

8 Feb 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has spent on administering the Low Emission Zone Retrofit Fund.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Scottish Government is providing £11.6 million in grant funding to Energy Saving Trust (EST), an independent organisation working to administer the Scottish LEZ Support fund. The LEZ Support Fund for households is a part of this LEZ Support Fund, and doe…

8 Feb 2023 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has spent on administering the Plugged-in Communities Grant Fund.

Answer · Jenny Gilruth: The Scottish Government has provided funding to Energy Saving Trust (EST), an independent organisation working to address the climate emergency, to administer the Plugged-in Communities Grant Fund each year since 2020. The administrative costs, which include …