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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.

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Question reference: S5O-04423

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 June 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 June 2020

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the economic impact on retail, hospitality and leisure businesses, what discussions the economy secretary has had with the UK Government regarding the £51,000 rateable value ceiling on eligibility for the £25,000 support grant.

Question reference: S5F-04198

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 08 June 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 June 2020

To ask the First Minister whether the Scottish Government will provide a weekly breakdown by local authority of the R number for COVID-19.

Question reference: S5W-27833

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 March 2020
Current Status: Answered by James Wolffe QC on 13 March 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to introducing driver awareness courses as an alternative to penalty points for motoring offences at the lower end of culpability.

The decision to divert any case from prosecution is a matter for the relevant public prosecutor. In relation to certain road traffic offences Procurators Fiscal have discretion to refer an individual to the National Driver Alertness Course (NDAC) or the Rider Intervention Development Experience (RIDE) as a means of addressing the underlying causes of alleged road traffic offending when this is deemed the most appropriate course of action.

The NDAC and RIDE schemes are intensive, single day courses, paid for by the offender. The course addresses the reasons for the offender’s road traffic offending behaviour and if successfully completed the offender will not be prosecuted for that specific incident of offending. If the offender fails to complete the course, the Procurator Fiscal can consider raising criminal proceedings against the offender.

The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) are currently engaged with Criminal Justice partners including Transport Scotland, the Police Service of Scotland and the Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service to explore the introduction of further diversionary driving courses, including a Speed Awareness Course, as an alternative to prosecution.

Question reference: S5W-27324

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 February 2020
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 19 February 2020

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-15655 by Fergus Ewing on 1 May 2018, how many of the (a) cattle, (b) sheep, (c) pigs and (d) goats that were exported in 2018 for (i) slaughter, (ii) breeding and (iii) fattening/production had (A) Northern Ireland, (B) the Republic of Ireland, (C) France, (D) Belgium, (E) Spain, (F) Italy, (G) Germany and (H) the Netherlands as their final destination.

The Scottish Government takes the welfare of transported animals seriously, whether within the United Kingdom or for export purposes. Animals should be exported only in line with strict welfare standards, which ensure freedom from harm and sufficient rest and nourishment, and ensure that transport welfare rules are fully complied with.

The following tables set out the number of animals exported to the requested destinations in 2018 and 2019, based on information supplied by the Animal and Plant Health Agency.

Number of Animals Exported 2018

Northern Ireland	Cattle	Sheep	Pigs	Goats
Slaughter	1,564	1,321	185	0
Breeding	856	7,913	0	10
Fattening/Production	58	0	0	0

Republic of Ireland	Cattle	Sheep	Pigs	Goats
Slaughter	98	4,587	0	0
Breeding	314	46	0	0
Fattening/Production	0	6,129	0	0

France	Cattle	Sheep	Pigs	Goats
Slaughter	0	0	0	0
Breeding	177	0	0	0
Fattening/Production	0	0	0	2

Belgium	Cattle	Sheep	Pigs	Goats
Slaughter	0	0	0	0
Breeding	50	22	0	0
Fattening/Production	0	0	0	0

Spain	Cattle	Sheep	Pigs	Goats
Slaughter	0	0	0	0
Breeding	43	3	0	0
Fattening/Production	5,728	0	0	0

Italy	Cattle	Sheep	Pigs	Goats
Slaughter	0	0	0	0
Breeding	2	15	0	0
Fattening/Production	0	0	0	0

Germany	Cattle	Sheep	Pigs	Goats
Slaughter	0	0	0	0
Breeding	91	45	0	0
Fattening/Production	0	0	0	0

Netherlands	Cattle	Sheep	Pigs	Goats
Slaughter	0	0	0	0
Breeding	121	10	0	0
Fattening/Production	0	0	0	0

Number of Animals Exported 2019

Northern Ireland	Cattle	Sheep	Pigs	Goats
Slaughter	3,184	31	273	0
Breeding	1,147	5,428	3	0
Fattening/Production	163	0	0	0

Republic of Ireland	Cattle	Sheep	Pigs	Goats
Slaughter	0	1,559	0	0
Breeding	138	505	4	0
Fattening/Production	0	8,679	0	0

France	Cattle	Sheep	Pigs	Goats
Slaughter	0	0	0	0
Breeding	184	9	0	0
Fattening/Production	0	0	0	0

Belgium	Cattle	Sheep	Pigs	Goats
Slaughter	0	0	0	0
Breeding	10	11	0	0
Fattening/Production	0	0	0	0

Spain	Cattle	Sheep	Pigs	Goats
Slaughter	0	0	0	0
Breeding	22	18	1,805	0
Fattening/Production	2,802	0	0	0

Italy	Cattle	Sheep	Pigs	Goats
Slaughter	0	0	0	0
Breeding	2	27	460	0
Fattening/Production	0	0	0	0

Germany	Cattle	Sheep	Pigs	Goats
Slaughter	0	0	0	0
Breeding	36	49	0	0
Fattening/Production	0	0	0	0

Netherlands	Cattle	Sheep	Pigs	Goats
Slaughter	0	0	0	0
Breeding	135	37	0	0
Fattening/Production	0	0	0	0

Question reference: S5F-03978

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 17 February 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 February 2020

To ask the First Minister what concerns the Scottish Government has regarding difficulties that people with visual impairment can have in accessing medical services because a digital by default approach is increasingly being used.

Question reference: S5F-03782

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 09 December 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 11 December 2019

To ask the First Minister whether the Scottish Government will ban the use of snares.

Question reference: S5T-01903

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 02 December 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 December 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what assistance it can give to Scottish Borders Council and the staff and pupils of Peebles High School should it remain closed beyond Christmas, including pupils preparing for their exams.

Question reference: S5W-26335

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 11 November 2019
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 25 November 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the review of mineral permissions, which includes peat extraction, currently taking place every 15 years, what its position is on whether this should be shortened, given changing attitudes to the importance of peat to the environment and habitats.

Question reference: S5O-03807

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 14 November 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 November 2019

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, with reference to its policy that does not permit parliamentary-funded publications to be issued within three months of a UK parliamentary general election or referendum, and, in light of the frequency of such events since 2015, whether it plans to revise its rules in this regard.

Question reference: S5W-22449

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 01 April 2019
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 26 April 2019

To ask the Scottish Government, in the event of a no deal Brexit, what measures are in place to secure the welfare of animals sent through England for export to the rest of Europe.

Existing EU regulations will be retained in UK law in the event of an exit from the EU. Technical amendments to both this retained EU law and Scottish animal transport legislation have been made to ensure the continued operation of relevant animal welfare rules post-exit, including in the event of a no deal exit.

Authorisation for the export of live animals are determined on behalf of the Scottish Ministers by the Animal and Plant Health Agency. That Agency will only authorise transport plans which contain clear contingency measures to assure the welfare of animals on export journeys that could be delayed as a result of travel disruption.