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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: S4F-01655

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 04 November 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 November 2013

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government’s position is on Shelter Scotland's statement that around 5,000 children will be housed in temporary accommodation over Christmas and that the law must be changed to enable families to challenge inadequate temporary accommodation.

Question reference: S4F-01616

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 07 October 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 October 2013

To ask the First Minister, in light of the Specialist Crime Division's responsibilities for organised crime, counter terrorism and intelligence, what its role will be in relation to the National Crime Agency, which sets the UK's overall operational agenda for tackling these matters.

Question reference: S4W-17337

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 20 September 2013
Current Status: Answered by Liam McArthur on 2 October 2013

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether the amendment to the Parliament’s salary scheme to include the deduction of a member’s salary by 90% if on remand is ECHR compliant and whether the salary deducted plus any notional interest accruing together with pensionable service and entitlement will be payable if the member is not subsequently given a prison sentence or convicted.

Appropriate legal advice was taken on this matter and consideration was given to all the relevant issues before we reached the decision to bring the motion before Parliament.

The core principle behind the motion remains the availability of a Member, whilst in prison, to carry out the clear majority of the tasks for which he or she is paid. This applies equally to any such person on remand as it does to others imprisoned.

The SPCB is examining consequential pension and salary issues in order to identify any adjustments that should be made.

Question reference: S4W-17160

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 September 2013
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 25 September 2013

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-05956 by Kenny MacAskill on 8 March 2013, how many (a) investigations have been carried out and (b) control notices have been issued by each local authority in each year since 5 March 2012.

Based on the most recent information provided to the Scottish Government by individual local authorities, the following table provides a breakdown of the number of investigations carried out and the number of Dog Control Notices served by each local authority during the period 27 February 2012 to 26 February 2013. The Control of Dogs (Scotland) Act 2010 came into force on 26 February 2011 and so the period covered in the table below represents the second full year of operation of the 2010 Act.

Local Authority	Number of Dog Control Notices served during period 27 February 2012 to 26 February 2013	Number of investigations conducted during period 27 February 2012 to 26 February 2013
Aberdeen City Council	4	317
Aberdeenshire Council	14	198
Angus Council	0	80
Argyll and Bute Council	5	43
Clackmannanshire Council	0	51
Dumfries and Galloway Council	4	17
Dundee City Council	0	136
East Ayrshire Council	9	17
East Dunbartonshire Council	0	20
East Lothian Council	4	5
East Renfrewshire Council	0	1
Edinburgh City Council	4	164
Falkirk Council	4	82
Fife Council	37	159
Glasgow City Council	1	5
Highland Council	8	38
Inverclyde Council	1	3
Midlothian Council	1	39
Moray Council	0	99
North Ayrshire Council	1	24
North Lanarkshire Council	0	13
Orkney Council	0	1
Perth and Kinross Council	1	36
Renfrewshire Council	9	89
Scottish Borders Council	8	35
Shetland Islands Council	2	9
South Ayrshire Council	0	21
South Lanarkshire Council	4	48
Stirling Council	1	8
West Dunbartonshire Council	7	55
West Lothian Council	18	214
Western Isles Council	0	53
Total	147	2,080

Question reference: S4W-17063

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 September 2013
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 19 September 2013

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answers to questions S4W-03974, S4W-10157 and S4W-11225 by Richard Lochhead on 21 November 2011, 12 November 2012 and 28 November 2012 respectively, whether it plans to introduce secondary legislation under the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 regarding the (a) sale of pets, including internet sales, (b) use of animal sanctuaries, (c) use of wild animals in circuses, (d) regulation of equine establishments, (e) use of electronic shock collars for dog training and (f) breeding and sale of dogs and, if so what the timetable is.

The Scottish Government met with stakeholders on 22 March to discuss the sale of pets, including internet sales, and we are currently considering what further action might be taken.

A consultation regarding a possible ban on the use of wild animals in circuses has been drafted; we are currently awaiting clarification of the legal position of any ban before issuing.

An informal survey on the matter of equine establishments was carried out in 2012. A number of options are currently under consideration.

The latest Defra-funded research into the effect of electronic shock collars found no evidence of long-term or significant harm to dog welfare. Based on this evidence the Scottish Government do not believe that there are sufficient grounds for a ban.

Question reference: S4W-17064

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 September 2013
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 19 September 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the Pet Advertising Advisory Group's suggested minimum standards for classified websites that advertise the sale of pet animals, and whether it considers that introducing these would improve animal welfare standards among online advertisers and protect people from acquiring sick, dangerous or illegal animals.

The Scottish Government recognises that the sale of pets online is a growing animal welfare concern. We have met with stakeholders to discuss the issue of pet vending, including online pet sales. It is clear from those discussions that there is a need for a better public understanding of the risks involved in purchasing pets via the internet.

We therefore support the work of the Pet Advertising Advisory Group (PAAG) and fully endorse their recently launched minimum standards for the online advertisement of companion animals. Widespread uptake could have a significant positive impact on both animal welfare and customer satisfaction. We will endeavour wherever possible, to promote these standards to the general public and to advertising websites.

Question reference: S4W-16397

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 July 2013
Current Status: Answered by Frank Mulholland on 31 July 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how many people have been reported to the Procurator Fiscal for offences concerning snaring since 11 March 2010 and with what outcome.

31 persons have been reported to the Procurator Fiscal for offences concerning snaring since 11 March 2010.

There was insufficient, admissible evidence to take action against nine persons.

Eight persons received Procurator Fiscal warnings in cases in which, in the particular facts and circumstances, it would have been inappropriate to institute court proceedings.

Prosecutions were raised against 14 persons in the Sheriff Court.

Proceedings against one person were deserted by the court and proceedings against another were discontinued as a result of the “Cadder” decision.

Seven persons have been convicted. One was admonished and the remaining six were fined sums ranging between £160 and £1,500.

Prosecutions remain active against five persons.

Question reference: S4W-16395

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 July 2013
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 25 July 2013

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-12369 by Paul Wheelhouse on 30 January 2013, how many snare users attended the training required to qualify for an identification number for the purpose of setting snares between 1 April 2013 and 1 July 2013.

Question reference: S4W-16394

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 July 2013
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 25 July 2013

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-12369 by Paul Wheelhouse on 30 January 2013, how many snare users had attended the training required to qualify for an identification number for the purpose of setting snares by 1 April 2013.

Question reference: S4W-16396

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 July 2013
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 25 July 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how many snare users who attended the training required to qualify for an identification number for the purpose of setting snares had obtained an identification number from the chief constable of their local police force by 1 July 2013.