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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: S4W-12665

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 January 2013
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 26 February 2013

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish the criteria for access to the Rare Conditions Medicines Fund and whether the fund will be distributed on a first-come-first-served basis or allocated across NHS boards.

Question reference: S4W-12782

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 31 January 2013
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 25 February 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how many applications for species licences to use snares to capture mountain hares have been made since 2006; how many have been granted, and for what reasons licences were not granted.

Four applications for a licence to snare mountain hares were received between 2006 and June 2011 by the Scottish Government, as the appropriate licensing authority at that time. Two were granted and two were refused.

The applications that were refused did not offer sufficient detail or historical information on populations to allow the Scottish Government to satisfy itself that this proposal would not affect the favourable conservation status of mountain hares and two of the licences were therefore refused.

Following the introduction of the Wildlife and Natural Environment Act 2011, the licensing function was transferred to Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) in July 2011. SNH has received one application for the snaring of mountain hares, which was granted.

Question reference: S4W-12781

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 31 January 2013
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 25 February 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what the legal basis is for the licensing regime operated by Scottish Natural Heritage regarding the use of snares to capture mountain hares.

Mountain hares are listed on Schedule 3 of the Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 1994 Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) considers that snares are non-selective traps and a licence is therefore required under Regulation 44 of the above Regulations.

SNH is, however, aware of the recent case at Inverness Sheriff Court concerning the snaring of mountain hares. SNH will be reviewing its position in light of this case before the end of the close season on 31 July 2013.

Question reference: S4W-12780

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 31 January 2013
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 25 February 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that it complies with the Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats regarding the (a) use of non-selective traps to capture protected species and (b) the reporting requirements under article 9.2.

The requirements of the Convention on the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats as regards the use of non-selective traps to capture protected species are implemented in Scotland through the Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 1994 Schedule 3 of these Regulations lists species which may not be taken by specified means including traps which are non-selective according to their principle or their conditions of use, or any method which is indiscriminate and capable of causing its local disappearance or serious disturbance to a population. However, the Regulations allow licences to be granted under certain circumstances to permit the taking of these protected species by these non-selective methods, for example preventing serious damage to growing timber is a commonly used reason.

In order to comply with Article 9.2 of the convention, UK licensing authorities report biennially to the European Commission on the granting of all such licences.

Question reference: S4O-01836

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 February 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 27 February 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what educational opportunities there are for people who have retired.

Question reference: S4W-12848

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 February 2013
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 21 February 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how many cases of lipoedema have been recorded in each of the last five years.

Question reference: S4W-12921

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 February 2013
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 19 February 2013

To ask the Scottish Government whether the practice of using the names of deceased children as identities for undercover officers has been the practice in Scotland and, if it has not made enquiries into this matter, whether it will do so.

Question reference: S4O-01811

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 February 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 February 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the budgetary impact of the so-called bedroom tax.

Question reference: S4W-12486

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 January 2013
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 1 February 2013

To ask the Scottish Government further to the answer to question S4W-07746 by Nicola Sturgeon on 19 June 2012, how the £7.5 million is allocated, broken down by year.

The £7.5 million referred to in question S4W-07746 is comprised of £2.5 million in each of the financial years 2012-13, 2013/14 and 2014-15. In 2012-13 this is broken down as follows:

Initiatives

Community Food and Health Scotland	£723,000 *
Healthyliving Award	£592,000 *
Scottish Cooking Bus	£382,000 *
Healthyliving Programme	£268,000 *
Nutrition and Diet resource	£77,000
Research	£65,000
New Food Body Team	£120,000 *
Reformulation co-ordinator	£85,000 *
Policy Development	£95,000
Cancer prevention work	£25,000
Social Marketing	£30,000
Total for 2012-13	£2,462,000

These initiatives marked with an asterisk (*) are funded at the indicated level for three years to 2014-15.

The remainder of the budget for 2013-14 and 2014-15 is yet to be allocated.

Question reference: S4O-01731

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 January 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 January 2013

To ask the Scottish Government when it last communicated with NHS Borders and what issues were covered.