The Scottish Parliament

Question reference: S6W-44283

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 March 2026
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 18 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has with solicitors about (a) the timely conclusion of missives and (b) conveyancing delays.

Question reference: S6W-44164

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 March 2026
Current Status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 18 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what support is available to support Scottish-domiciled students who study undergraduate courses (a) in other UK nations and (b) overseas.

Scottish domiciled students studying higher education courses in the rest of the UK can access a tuition fee loan of up to £9,535 (rising to £9,790 in academic year 2026-27) a year to cover their tuition fee costs. These students are also eligible to receive the same living cost support package that Scottish domiciled students studying in Scotland can access. This provides a maximum support of £11,400 through a combination of bursaries and student loans for the most vulnerable students. Full details of the funding available can be found on the Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) website - Undergrad Funding - SAAS - Higher Education - Student Loan - Bursary.

The Scottish Government does not generally provide support for Scottish domiciled students studying outside of the UK. However, Scottish domiciled students who study abroad for a year as part of their degree are eligible to access the same living cost support package as students studying in Scotland. Eligible students can also apply for the Study Abroad Grant if the study abroad year is a compulsory part of the course. Further information on this can be found on the SAAS website - Study Abroad Grant.

Question reference: S6W-44163

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 March 2026
Current Status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 18 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government when financial support schemes for Scottish-domiciled students who study in other UK nations were last reviewed, and when it next plans to review these.

The Scottish Government confirmed to the higher education sector in November 2025 that tuition fee loans available to Scottish domiciled student studying in the rest of the UK would increase to match the maximum rate of tuition fees announced by the UK Government. This will take effect from the start of the 2026-27 academic year to align with the increase in tuition fees for students in England that are set by the UK Government. A further increase to the tuition fee loans for Scottish domiciled students will also be introduced for the start of the 2027-28 academic year for the same reason.

Scottish domiciled students studying in the rest of the UK are entitled to the same package of living cost support available to students studying at Scottish higher education institutions. This provides a maximum support of £11,400 through a combination of bursaries and student loans for the most vulnerable students. This includes a £2,400 uplift in the form of a Special Support Loan that was introduced for the start of the 2024-25 academic year. Full details of the funding available can be found on the Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) website - Undergrad Funding - SAAS - Higher Education - Student Loan - Bursary.

Question reference: S6W-44032

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 March 2026
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 17 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to reduce the need to use combined sewer overflows.

As this is an operational matter for Scottish Water, I have asked them to respond. Their reply is as follows:

Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs) are an integral part of Scotland’s sewer networks, ensuring sewers don’t back up and flood homes, streets and sewage works during periods of heavy rainfall. However, CSOs will operate more often in light of increased rainfall due to climate change. Therefore, whilst continuing to invest in sewage networks, it will also be necessary to ensure that rainwater is not drained to sewer.

Scottish Water’s current Surface Water Policy requires alternative means for managing surface water for new developments out with the combined sewer network. Local Authorities also have a role to play through working in partnership with Scottish Water to support the development of surface water management plans, deliver blue-green infrastructure and tackle urban creep to limit the impact of climate change on the sewerage system.

Question reference: S6W-44030

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 March 2026
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 17 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-42347 by Gillian Martin on 16 December 2025, how many overflow monitors will be installed at combined sewer overflows in the Highlands and Islands region in 2026.

As this is an operational matter for Scottish Water, I have asked them to respond. Their reply is as follows:

This information is not available by parliamentary region; however Scottish Water has provided the closest equivalent which includes the local authority areas of: Shetland, Orkney, Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Highland, and the whole of Moray and Argyll and Bute.

Scottish Water currently has 306 event duration monitors (EDMs) installed in this region. This includes 198 installed with information already available on its website, 100 installed but not yet onboarded or quality assured (QA), and 8 installed and onboarded/QA due to be added to the website shortly.

Scottish Water’s approach in 2026 is to focus on getting as many of the already installed EDMs live on its online map rather than installing more new EDMs.

Question reference: S6W-44033

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 March 2026
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 17 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-42347 by Gillian Martin on 16 December 2025, how many combined sewer overflows do not currently have an overflow monitor in place.

Question reference: S6W-44031

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 March 2026
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 17 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how many combined sewer overflows there are in the Highlands and Islands region.

As this is an operational matter for Scottish Water, I have asked them to respond. Their reply is as follows:

This information is not available by parliamentary region; however Scottish Water has provided the closest equivalent which includes the local authority areas of: Shetland, Orkney, Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Highland, and the whole of Moray and Argyll and Bute. Scottish Water has 826 combined sewer overflows in this region.

Question reference: S6W-44407

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 March 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 25 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to protect public sector bodies from ransomware attacks.

Question reference: S6W-44406

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 March 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 25 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government what it estimates the total cost has been to public sector bodies from ransomware attacks, in each year since 2021.

Question reference: S6W-44411

Asked by: Tim Eagle, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 March 2026
Current Status: Answer expected on 25 March 2026

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it has allocated to the promotion of (a) Scotch Beef, (b) Scotch Lamb, (c) Specially Selected Pork and (d) game and venison, in each year since 2021.

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Question reference: S6W-44283

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