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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

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

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Question reference: S6W-25214

Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 05 February 2024
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 20 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has any plans to provide additional funding to (a) Police Scotland and (b) local authorities for the enforcement of any legislation relating to XL Bully-type dogs.

The Scottish Government met with Police Scotland this month, with further engagement planned to discuss any issues, concerns or barriers from a policing perspective in relation to implementation and enforcement of the new safeguards in relation to XL Bully dogs.

In addition the Scottish Government has also written to Councillor Maureen Chalmers, COSLA Spokesperson for Community Wellbeing, to provide information on the Scottish Government’s policy approach and to offer to meet to discuss any local authority issues, concerns or barriers from a local authority perspective on the implementation of the new safeguards.

My officials have also set up an implementation forum to bring together the Scottish Government, Police Scotland, local authorities and COSLA to collectively consider any operational / enforcement issues that arise, and to help inform any consideration of requests for additional funding.

Question reference: S6W-25213

Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 05 February 2024
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 16 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what work it has been doing to prevent XL Bully-type dogs coming into Scotland from England and Wales since the Dangerous Dogs (Designated Types) (England and Wales) Order 2023 came into force on 31 December 2023.

The Scottish Government previously asked the UK Government to confirm whether XL Bully dog owners who live in England and Wales would be committing the offence of sale of an XL Bully dog if a dog owner sought to do that outside of England and Wales. The UK Government were unable to give a definitive answer indicating it would be ‘unlikely’ an offence would be committed in such a situation.

As a result and in a decision not made lightly, the Scottish Government considers it necessary to introduce similar safeguards in Scotland to address growing public safety and animal welfare concerns.

The Scottish Government has worked at pace to develop regulations to introduce the first stage of new safeguards on XL Bully dogs. Subject to approval by Parliament, from 23 February 2024 it will be illegal to rehome, sell, buy, or transfer ownership of an XL Bully dog to another person.

Question reference: S6W-25212

Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 05 February 2024
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 14 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what work it has done to establish how many XL Bully-type dogs have arrived in Scotland from England and Wales since the Dangerous Dogs (Designated Types) (England and Wales) Order 2023 came into force on 31 December 2023.

I have met with a range of stakeholders to discuss the operational challenges and wider impacts associated with the new safeguards on XL Bully dogs.

As I stated in response to question S6W-24479 on 24 January 2024, there is a significant degree of uncertainty across the UK as to the size of the population of XL Bully dogs. It is clear from the number of applications received from XL Bully owners in England and Wales seeking exemption for their dogs that the initial estimate of 10,000 dogs was a significant underestimate.

It is also evident from press and social media coverage that some XL Bully dogs have been transported to Scotland. It is this context of uncertainty and the failure of the UK Government to ensure XL Bully dog owners in England and Wales cannot evade the new safeguards by selling their dogs outside of England and Wales that has led to the decision by the Scottish Government to introduce similar safeguards in Scotland.

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: S6T-01780

Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 05 February 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 6 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to comments made by the chief executive of the Scottish Prison Service that prisoners may need to be released early due to overcrowding.

Question reference: S6O-03081

Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 January 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 February 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the UK Covid-19 Inquiry, what its response is to reports that Scottish Government decisions appeared to have been taken for "purely political" reasons, including comments made by the former First Minister's chief of staff regarding seeking a "good old-fashioned rammy" with the UK Government.

Question reference: S6W-24689

Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 19 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 30 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many cells within police buildings have closed since the creation of Police Scotland, broken down by each of the 13 geographical policing divisions.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information. The management of custody facilities is a matter for Police Scotland. However, I will ask the Chief Constable if the service is able to provide the member with this information directly.

The level of custody facilities required on a local and divisional basis is very much a consideration within Police Scotland's Estates Strategy and the ongoing consultation around a number of properties.

Question reference: S6O-03030

Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 January 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 31 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to prevent drugs being smuggled into prisons.

Question reference: S6O-03018

Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 January 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 25 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the statistics that it has published on criminal justice social work for 2022-23.

Question reference: S6O-02899

Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 December 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had regarding the sale of low-welfare pets ahead of the Christmas period.

Question reference: S6W-23359

Asked by: Russell Findlay, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 November 2023
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 11 December 2023

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide details of any discussions that it has had with the Scottish Police Authority regarding the Chief Constable of Police Scotland’s reported 120-mile journey in a police vehicle from Edinburgh to Durham.