Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-14866

Asked by: Siobhian Brown, MSP for Ayr, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 13 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 28 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what data it holds regarding the carbon emissions (a) directly from the operations and (b) indirectly from the impacts on blue carbon, of Scotland’s fishing industry.

The Scottish Greenhouse Gas Statistics quantify emissions from fishing vessels at sea. This is an estimate based on activity data and statistical modelling. In 2020, the latest year available, these were 0.3 mega tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent (Mt CO2-e). Marine Scotland Directorate, through ClimateXChange, commissioned research to obtain improved estimates of emissions from fishing vessels at sea. The full report can be accessed at https://www.climatexchange.org.uk/research/projects/assessing-greenhouse-gas-emissions-from-scotland-s-fishing-fleet/ .

As detailed in in response to S6W-12151 on 24 November 2022, the UK Climate Change Committee briefing on blue carbon , published in March 2022, recognised the challenges in estimating the climate change impact of fishing through disturbance to sea floor sediments and the current, significant evidence gaps. The briefing concluded that fundamental scientific uncertainties currently prevent accurate quantification of this effect. This has been an area of focus for the Scottish Blue Carbon Forum since its establishment in 2018, and we continue to develop our approaches to better understand the interaction. The latest research suggests that any disturbance of blue carbon by fisheries is not uniform, dependant on a number of factors and the consequences for blue carbon disturbed remain unknown.

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-committees/written-questions-and-answers

Question reference: S6W-14867

Asked by: Siobhian Brown, MSP for Ayr, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 13 February 2023
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 23 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what (a) plans and (b) policies it has in place to assist the fishing industry to (i) reduce its carbon emissions and (ii) ensure a just transition for the sector.

Scotland has a target to reduce the country’s greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2045. The fishing industry has an important part to play, alongside all sectors of our society, in reducing emissions and helping to create a low carbon economy with clean, green jobs – and of course it already provides a low-carbon source of food in many cases.

As part of Scotland’s Fisheries Management Strategy 2020-2030 (FFM Strategy) we have committed to developing a climate change action plan for sea fisheries in partnership with stakeholders. Our immediate focus has been on identifying and filling key evidence gaps. This has included a range of research projects, focused conversations with stakeholders and a wide-ranging survey to help us understand the industry’s attitudes and needs. We have also committed funding through Marine Fund Scotland to support innovation and development of fishing vessel adaptation solutions.

We have committed to establishing a Fisheries Climate Change Sub-group which will be part of our already established stakeholder forum – the Fisheries Management and Conservation Group (FMAC). Together with FMAC we will commence the development of a fisheries climate change mitigation project to focus activity and identify key actions for progression.

The transition to net zero will no doubt be challenging for the fishing sector, but also presents an opportunity to make a positive impact by adjusting practices and growing Scottish businesses and supply chains in a sustainable way. We are currently scoping our broader approach to Just Transition and this will be a key theme part of our climate change planning.

Question reference: S6O-01840

Asked by: Siobhian Brown, MSP for Ayr, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 January 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 February 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the potential impact on culture organisations in Scotland of the UK Government Levelling Up funding.

Question reference: S6O-01678

Asked by: Siobhian Brown, MSP for Ayr, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 December 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 14 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how the development of a Talent Attraction and Migration service will impact on the delivery of its Covid Recovery Strategy.

Question reference: S6O-01647

Asked by: Siobhian Brown, MSP for Ayr, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 November 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 December 2022

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government following the Supreme Court’s verdict on the ability of the Scottish Parliament to legislate for an independence referendum.

Question reference: S6F-01502

Asked by: Siobhian Brown, MSP for Ayr, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 07 November 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 November 2022

To ask the First Minister what measures are in place to protect Scotland from any potential risks to cyber security.

Question reference: S6O-01526

Asked by: Siobhian Brown, MSP for Ayr, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 November 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting local authorities to deliver relief for residents at risk of poverty during the cost of living crisis and in light of rising energy costs.

Question reference: S6O-01487

Asked by: Siobhian Brown, MSP for Ayr, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 October 2022
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 November 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether it can provide an update on Prestwick Airport's contribution to the South Ayrshire economy.

Question reference: S6W-10856

Asked by: Siobhian Brown, MSP for Ayr, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ash Regan on 21 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether the statistics in Section 9.3.2 of the Review of Children (Scotland) Act 1995 consultation: analysis are accurate.

Yes, the statistics you refer to are accurate. The analysis can be found at https://www.gov.scot/publications/analysis-consultation-responses-consultation-review-children-scotland-act-1995/pages/9/ . There were 254 responses to the consultation, which asked a number of questions. As noted in the table at section 9.3.1 of the analysis, 124 consultees answered yes to question 31 on amending the Child Abduction Act 1984, with 13 answering no and 117 not answering the question. 124 of 254 is 49%, which is the figure referred to in section 9.3.2 of the analysis.

Question reference: S6W-10857

Asked by: Siobhian Brown, MSP for Ayr, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 September 2022
Current Status: Answered by Ash Regan on 21 September 2022

To ask the Scottish Government whether data from the Review of Children (Scotland) Act 1995 consultation: analysis was used to prioritise the work that it committed to undertake as set out in the 2019 Family Justice Modernisation Strategy, and if this is the case, what data was used, and in what ways it informed the 2019 Family Justice Modernisation Strategy.

The Family Justice Modernisation Strategy (available at: https://www.gov.scot/publications/family-justice-modernisation-strategy/pages/1/ ), published in September 2019, is a result of the 2018 consultation on potential changes to Part 1 of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 and related matters. We remain committed to the continued implementation of the Strategy’s actions.

As I stated in my foreword, the Strategy sets out work that was ongoing at the time of publication, work to be implemented through secondary legislation and improved guidance, areas that were subsequently covered by the Children (Scotland) Act 2020, and policy areas that require longer-term development. The Scottish Government is preparing an update to the Strategy, which will outline the actions that have been completed, the actions that have been superseded, and the actions which remain to be taken forward. We will publish this update in due course.

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