Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)

Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Testing questions body text for accordion

Question reference: S6W-01911

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 July 2021
Current Status: Answered by Mairi McAllan on 26 August 2021

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of recent reports regarding deaths and people getting into difficulty in the water, what plans it has to review the funding arrangements for the park rangers of Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park.

In light of the tragic incidents over the weekend of 24 th & 25 th July 2021, the LLTTNPA have held a series of urgent meetings with each of the local authorities, Police Scotland and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service. These partnership meetings are aimed at reviewing existing water safety measures and identifying any potential further actions to be taken both in the short and the longer term.

The next Scottish Government annual budget review will take place in September 2021 for 2022-2023 period. The review will provide LLTNPA with an opportunity to outline to the Scottish Government their planned and committed expenditure and any additional needs for funding taking into account developments and events over the last 12 months.

Question reference: S6O-00085

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 August 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 September 2021

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its plans to support new entrants to the agriculture sector.

Question reference: S6O-00055

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 June 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with the business sector regarding the current COVID-19 regulations.

Question reference: S6W-00440

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 June 2021
Current Status: Answered by Tom Arthur on 16 June 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether planning regulations need reforming, and what its response is to reports of decisions by East Dunbartonshire Council being overturned by Ministers, leading to pressure on local infrastructure and loss of greenbelt land.

The Scottish Government is currently progressing a programme of reform of Scotland’s planning system, including implementation of the Planning (Scotland) Act 2019.

The right to appeal certain planning decisions made by local planning authorities is a long-established and important part of the planning system, recently supported by the Scottish Parliament in passing the Planning (Scotland) Act 2019. In the vast majority of appeals independent reporters from the Scottish Government’s Planning and Environmental Appeals Division (DPEA) are appointed to decide the appeal. In all cases the reporter is required by statute to make the final decision on the planning merits of the case, in accordance with the development plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise. The reporter takes full account of submissions made by all parties involved in the appeal, including those made by members of the local community.

Since 1 January 2018 reporters have made the final decision on 8 planning appeals in East Dunbartonshire Council area - refusing the appeal on six occasions and allowing the appeal and granting planning permission on two occasions. One of the proposals granted planning permission was an extension to the Bearsden Golf Club and the other for residential development in Bishopbriggs. In both appeals the reporter found that the proposal conformed with the Development Plan.

Question reference: S6T-00024

Asked by: Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 24 May 2021
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 May 2021

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the recent Audit Scotland report, which highlighted that the gap between colleges funding and expenditure has grown to £54 million.

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