Parliamentary questions
Finlay Carson
905 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
20 May 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what financial support will be available to farmers adopting (a) methane suppressing feed additives and (b) improved manure management practices.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: The Scottish Government is exploring the potential role of methane suppressing feed products (MSFPs) in reducing agricultural emissions, including how appropriate uptake could be recognised in future. Any future support would be and aligned with wider agricul…
20 May 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure equitable access to funding for land use change across all regions of Scotland.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: As part of our over-arching Just Transition approach, key sectors are taking steps to support our rural and island communities as we work to reduce our carbon emissions, in particular providing equitable access to funding, ensuring anyone who meets the eligib…
20 May 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of any potential cultural impacts of livestock reductions on rural communities.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: The Scottish Government recognises the vital cultural, social, and economic role that livestock farming plays in Scotland’s rural and island communities which is why we remain fully committed to supporting livestock production and rural communities thro…
20 May 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Climate Change Committee's projection of a 36% reduction in cattle and sheep numbers by 2045, how it would manage any such reduction while maintaining rural economic viability.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: The Climate Change Committee’s projection of a 36% reduction in cattle and sheep numbers by 2045 is based on UK-wide dietary modelling and does not reflect Scotland-specific market dynamics. The Scottish Government has no policy to reduce livestock numb…
20 May 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on how it will engage with crofters and smallholders in the transition to low carbon land use.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Scottish Government has committed to co-design the development of future support structures and delivery with rural partners. It is right that we take the time necessary to develop the detail of our policies with the people directly affected by them, whic…
20 May 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to support rural employment through land-based climate action.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Scottish Government is committed to supporting rural employment and providing ongoing opportunities for those involved or wanting to be involved in our land-based sectors, which each contribute to climate action. We do this through many different initiati…
20 May 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what steps it is taking to support livestock farmers in reducing methane emissions, in line with the Climate Change Committee's 2045 net zero pathway.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: The Scottish Government remains committed to supporting our livestock farmers in playing a full part in Scotland’s journey to net zero, including by reducing methane emissions in ways that strengthen farm productivity and resilience. The Scottish Govern…
20 May 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that rural and island communities are not disproportionately affected by any land use changes required to meet carbon budgets.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Scottish Government is grateful for the latest advice from the Climate Change Committee on Scotland’s Carbon Budgets.We will carefully consider the Committee’s advice before bringing forward regulations to set carbon budget levels for Scotland…
20 May 2025 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the improvements to the A75.
30 Apr 2025 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the net zero secretary has had with the rural affairs secretary regarding the potential environmental and biodiversity impact of the proposed Galloway National Park.
22 Apr 2025 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what funding will be available to help infrastructure projects in south west Scotland.
21 Mar 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-30074 by Mairi Gougeon on 27 September 2024, and in light of recent media coverage, including a video showing discarded fish on the seabed, how the suite of measures in place to manage fisheries and safeguard fish stocks are tackling illegal …
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The fishing industry is heavily regulated, with many rules in place designed to limit unwanted catch. The Scottish Government is tackling illegal discarding primarily through the enforcement of the Landing Obligation, which mandates that all catches of quota …
13 Mar 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to its freedom of information (FOI) release FOI/202400430534, which states that it was "working towards a launch date for the Changing Places Toilets fund and we will provide an update in due course", whether it will confirm what progress has been made toward…
Answer · Maree Todd: I can confirm investment of £10 million over the next two years to increase the number of Changing Places Toilets in Scotland.I expect to launch the Fund in Summer 2025, with funding awards confirmed in the Autumn. Development work on the Fund is well u…
12 Mar 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much will be spent on (a) the maintenance of and (b) staffing for the rural payments IT system in each of the next two years.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: The expenditure of a) and b) in 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 is expected to be broadly similar to 2024-2025. In addition to rural payments systems this budget will be used to maintain and support a number of other IT systems such as the Land Parcel Identification …
12 Mar 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much was spent on IT staff in relation to all rural payment systems in each of the last four years.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: The IT staff in the Agriculture and Rural Economy Directorate (including those in Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture (SASA)) are involved in a range of digital activities from maintaining and supporting current services to developing the future servi…
12 Mar 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much was spent on the maintenance of all rural payment systems in each of the last four years.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: The Scottish Government’s Agriculture and Rural Economy (ARE) Directorate relies on several IT systems, integrations and infrastructure to conduct its business with appropriate cyber security and supporting applications to protect and operate these syst…
12 Mar 2025 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to tackle rural crime.
11 Mar 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to review or update the current farmed fish industry-developed code of good practice by replacing or supplementing it with official guidance that provides prescriptive detail on meeting welfare obligations, and, if so, what consultation process will be carried out with s…
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Code of Good Practice for Scottish Finfish Aquaculture is independent of Scottish Government which is not responsible for any review or updates made to the Code.The Scottish Government, in its response to the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee (13 March …
11 Mar 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what measures are in place or planned to ensure that enforcement bodies and the fish farming industry fully understand and comply with legal welfare requirements for farmed fish across their entire lifecycle.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) are responsible for considering welfare complaints and investigating potential breaches in welfare legislation.APHA veterinarians have the professional knowledge and training to assess against the welfare needs set ou…
11 Mar 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the farmed fish sector has a non-binding industry code of good practice regarding the legal obligations for keepers and industry stakeholders under the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 and the Welfare of Animals at the Time of Killing (Scotland) Regulations …
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Although not formally adopted under the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 nor the Welfare of Animals at the Time of Killing (Scotland) Regulations 2012, the finfish sector’s Code of Good Practice supports producers to deliver on their welfar…
26 Feb 2025 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government how the total funding that it has provided for local government has changed over the last decade in real terms and as a proportion of total spending.
20 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the largest number of section 16AA licences is that has been granted to a single landholding in recognition of the assignation of sporting rights to different persons.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: This data is not held centrally.
14 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the largest number of section 16AA licences is that have been granted to a single landholding under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: This data is not held centrally.
14 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether (a) a landowner can assign sporting rights under the terms of a lease to a sporting tenant and (b) the area assigned under the terms of any such lease may not necessarily reflect the ownership boundary of a landholding.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: This is a matter of law, therefore the Scottish Government do not hold a position on these issues. Lease agreements will vary depending on the circumstances and individuals should take their own legal advice.
14 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether any section 16AA licence holders, granted under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, have specified the land to which the licence is to relate as the area immediately surrounding a line of grouse butts.
Answer · Jim Fairlie: No section 16AA licences have been granted which specify the land to which the licence relates as the area immediately surrounding a line of grouse butts.
12 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has any plans to develop financial incentives to encourage young people to stay in rural communities, in light of the reported issues with rural depopulation.
Answer · Kaukab Stewart: The Scottish Government’s 2024 Addressing Depopulation Action Plan sets out our strategic approach to supporting communities facing population decline. We have established an Addressing Depopulation Fund and, as part of this, provided five local authori…
12 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to increase job opportunities for young people in rural communities.
Answer · Kate Forbes: One of the key roles of our enterprise agencies is to support job creation, through the advice and assistance they provide to businesses and projects and by attracting investment into their regions. They have a keen focus on maximising opportunities for young…
12 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to address any housing affordability issues, and what plans it has to support young people with buying their first home.
Answer · Paul McLennan: The draft budget for 2025-26 proposes planned investment of £768 million in the Affordable Housing Supply Programme, an increase of more than £200m compared to the 2024-25 published budget. This will help tackle the housing emergency while contrib…
12 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what support it is offering to young people in rural areas experiencing difficulties due to the cost of living crisis and any high levels of taxation.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The Scottish Government recognises the pressure on household budgets which is why the 2025-26 budget continues to allocate over £3bn a year to policies which tackle poverty and the cost of living, including providing free bus travel for all children and…
12 Feb 2025 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to support single young people experiencing financial difficulties in (a) general and (b) rural areas.
Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The Scottish Government recognises the pressure on household budgets which is why the 2025-26 budget continues to allocate over £3bn a year to policies which tackle poverty and the cost of living, including providing free bus travel for all children and…