Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-34459

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 19 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its work to develop legislation on the welfare of farmed fish.

The Scottish Government does not have any immediate plans to develop further legislation in relation to the welfare of farmed fish. The Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 protects farmed animals from ‘unnecessary suffering’ and places a duty of care on those caring for animals to meet their welfare needs.

Scottish Government recognises the importance of protecting the welfare of farmed fish, including at the time of slaughter and is considering the UK Animal Welfare Committee report and recommendations published in 2024. We are currently developing guidance based on the report’s recommendations to protect the welfare of farmed fish at the time of slaughter. When this work has progressed to an appropriate stage, we will be engaging with the industry and other stakeholders, including animal welfare organisations. Scottish Government is also contributing to the Devolved Administrations Trout Working Group to assist with the development of voluntary guidelines for the trout sector.

Question reference: S6W-34368

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 03 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 19 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to promote Reusable Nappy Week.

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of promoting reusable nappies during Reusable Nappy Week. Content will be posted across Parent Club’s social media channels and will highlight the benefits of reusable nappies and answer common questions people have about them.

Social media posts will also direct users to the Parent Club website which has recently been reviewed with up-to-date content on ‘How to use reusable nappies’. This is available at: https://www.parentclub.scot/articles/how-use-reusable-nappies.

Question reference: S6W-34369

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 03 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 19 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met with (a) COSLA and (b) each local authority to discuss reusable nappy schemes.

The Scottish Government regularly meets with COSLA and local authorities to discuss areas of shared interest. The Scottish Government has focussed efforts on supporting families to make informed choices about reusable nappies by raising awareness of their benefits on the Parent Club website. Our Circular Economy and Waste Route Map commits to facilitating the sharing of best practice examples on reusable items, such as North Ayrshire Council's Real Nappy Incentive Scheme, to encourage uptake in other areas.

Question reference: S6W-35072

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 February 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 4 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on when it will bring forward legislation to prohibit the use of peat in horticultural products.

Question reference: S6W-35013

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 February 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 4 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken to develop an industry around the decommissioning of oil and gas sites.

Question reference: S6W-34490

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 05 February 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 18 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-23094 by Angela Constance on 30 November 2023, how many people have been convicted of an offence under section 40 of the Regulatory Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 each year.

Question reference: S6W-34304

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 18 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to tackle the reportedly growing issue of retailers selling nicotine products to children.

Scottish Ministers are concerned about the use of novel nicotine products such as nicotine pouches and, in particular, their appeal to children and young people.

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill, if passed, will introduce a range of restrictions – for example around age of sale and advertising- applicable to these products, taking on board concerns raised by members previously about novel products becoming more prevalent on the market and their appeal to children and young people.

The purchase of vaping products is already age restricted and it is illegal to sell to, or buy them for, anyone under the age of 18. Trading Officers are using every tool at their disposal - including fixed penalty notices - to ensure retailers are not selling vaping products to under 18s. Border Force and HMRC also have an important role to control the illicit vape trade and we continue to work with them on this.

We are currently the only nation in the UK with a functioning Tobacco and Nicotine Vapour Product Register. The Tobacco and Vaping Framework set out our intention to consider how the register could be improved. A refreshed digital product went live in January 2025. This will ensure that the register is a more effective and efficient tool for enforcement as well as for engagement with retailers on compliance with current and future legislation.

Question reference: S6W-34303

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 January 2025
Current Status: Answered by Jenni Minto on 18 February 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the current legislative framework is appropriate for tackling the reportedly growing issue of retailers selling nicotine products to children.

The purchase of vaping and tobacco products is age restricted. It is illegal to sell to, or buy them for, anyone under the age of 18.

Our Tobacco and Vaping Framework, launched in 2023, is our roadmap to 2034 and a tobacco free Scotland.

Our Framework is underpinned by a wide range of legislation including legislation to support the Register of Tobacco and Nicotine Vapour Product Retailers. We recently launched a new digital Register platform which will help to ensure accurate data and help Trading Standards with enforcement of current and future regulations.

A key strand of the first implementation plan of the Framework is the work that has taken place across the four nations on creating a smoke free generation and tackling youth vaping, which has led to the introduction of the UK-wide Tobacco and Vapes Bill.

Measures within the Bill include the introduction of a wide definition of a nicotine product, which is designed to cover products currently on the market such as nicotine pouches, as well as any future nicotine products. If passed with the consent of the Scottish Parliament the Bill will make it an offence to sell all nicotine products to under 18’s, stopping the next generation from becoming addicted.

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill, if passed, will also expand both the register and enforcement powers to cover herbal smoking products and nicotine products.

Question reference: S6W-34941

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 February 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 13 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will bring forward amendments at stage 2 of the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill to include urban areas.

Question reference: S6W-34947

Asked by: Monica Lennon, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 February 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 13 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with Equinor since December 2023.

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