Questions and answers

Question reference: S6W-37550

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 16 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason local councillors are not exempt from jury duty.

Jury service is an important civic duty, and I am grateful to all those who undertake it.

It is the view of the Scottish Government that the pool of potential jurors should be as wide as possible, to ensure that an accused person is being judged by their peers from all walks of life. This also prevents the burden of jury service falling on a narrower section of society than can reasonably be helped.

However, it is recognised that there will always be people who have difficulty in serving as jurors. Therefore, in addition to those eligible to be excused as of right as set out in Schedule 1 of the Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) Scotland Act 1980, individuals may also apply for excusal.

Clerks of Courts will be as sympathetic as they can to requests for excusal, and will consider, amongst other things; commitments at work, the cancellation of which would cause abnormal inconvenience - while at the same time balancing the need to have sufficient numbers of prospective jurors from which to ballot a jury.

Question reference: S6W-37471

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 May 2025
Current Status: Answered by Neil Gray on 15 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-25968 by Jenni Minto on 18 March 2024, whether it still anticipates that the Primary Care Data and Intelligence platform will be delivered by March 2026, and whether it will include data on the number of people in Scotland with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS).

Question reference: S6O-04668

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 May 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 May 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that those identified with dyslexia at school leave education with the appropriate supporting information needed to secure reasonable adjustments in the workplace.

Question reference: S6W-36270

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 28 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what due diligence Scottish Enterprise undertook prior to its ministers announcing the grant offer of £1.7 million for Bhagat Holdings in relation to the former Pinneys of Scotland plant in Annan.

Prior to the announcement of support for Bhagat Holdings, Scottish Enterprise's due diligence included appraisal of the project and its benefits to the Scottish economy, assessment of eligible Scottish Enterprise support and consideration of the conditions attached to any support offered. Checks on bank accounts and funds, money laundering checks and Human Rights (level 1) checks were also undertaken. The company was required to sign all contracts relating to the offer of support.

Question reference: S6W-36269

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 28 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government on what date Bhagat Holdings first had contact with its (a) ministers and (b) agencies in relation to the former Pinneys of Scotland plant in Annan.

Question reference: S6W-36771

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 24 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what further consideration it has given to the protected status for feral goats in the Eskdale area, in light of media and public interest, including the reported gathering of 4,000 signatures by campaigners.

As set out in my answer to S6W-35250 on 5 March 2025, the Scottish Government does not intend to provide feral goats with protected status. Feral goats are a non-native species and it is an offence to release any non-native species without a licence from NatureScot.

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-36770

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 April 2025
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 24 April 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with local residents regarding concerns in relation to reports of a goat cull being carried out by Oxygen Conservation, and what assurances have been sought that the existing population will be maintained albeit at lower levels.

As set out in my answer to S6W-35250 on 5 March 2025, as the landowners, it is for Oxygen Conservation Limited to consider how any reduction in the feral goat population should be achieved in practice. I understand that the landowner is not calling for eradication of the feral goats and that all future herbivore management will be informed by monitoring the species.

To address concerns on this issue, Oxygen Conservation have produced a question and answer document as well as a newsletter which has been circulated to all local residents.

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: S6O-04490

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 March 2025
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 26 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support local authorities with managing planning applications.

Question reference: S6W-35715

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 17 March 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 31 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government whether it is permissible for private businesses to fund the employment of assistant registrars to carry out marriage ceremonies.

Question reference: S6W-35716

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 17 March 2025
Current Status: Answer expected on 31 March 2025

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration has been given to digitalising the M10 Marriage Notice - Scotland form.

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