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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

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Question reference: S3W-32487

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 March 2010
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 25 March 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-24922 by Richard Lochhead on 9 July 2009, whether the code of practice on the welfare of dogs has been issued and, if so, what the uptake has been.

The Code of Practice for the Welfare of Dogs has just been published and printed copies have only been available since 18 March 2010, so it is too early to assess the degree of uptake. However, substantial numbers of copies have been requested by and distributed to major animal welfare organisations, including the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Copies have also been distributed to veterinary practices, local authorities and police forces in Scotland, to raise awareness.

Question reference: S3W-31371

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 01 February 2010
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 23 February 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will report progress on its framework to tackle poverty and income inequality, Achieving our Potential.

A senior-level Tackling Poverty Board has been established by the Scottish Government and COSLA to review policy and practice to reduce poverty in Scotland in the light of the additional challenges and opportunities created by the economic downturn and the developing experience of the Scottish Government''s performance framework and concordat with local government. Monitoring progress against the commitments set out in Achieving our Potential is part of the remit of the board. Papers associated with board meetings to date are published on the Scottish Government website at www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/People/Social-Inclusion. These and future papers will cover the work of the group in reviewing evidence of progress on Achieving our Potential.

In addition, the overview commentary of the 2008-09 Single Outcome Agreement Reports has been published at www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Government/local-government/SOA/OverviewComm2008-09AnnRep and contains a number of references to progress in tackling poverty and income inequality.

Question reference: S3W-29510

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 01 December 2009
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 15 December 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive how many cases of the misuse of pesticides or poisons were reported to the authorities in (a) 2007 and (b) 2008 and have been in 2009.

A total of 198, 179 and 158 specimens were referred to the Wildlife Incident Investigation Scheme (WIIS) operated by Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture, a Division of the Rural Payments and Inspections Directorate of the Scottish Government in 2007, 2008 and 2009 to date, respectively. In 2007, from 198 specimens, 35 were identified as cases of pesticide abuse and three as misuse; in 2008, from 179 specimens, 23 were identified as cases of pesticide abuse and no cases of misuse were identified; in 2009, from 158 specimens, 36 were identified as cases of pesticide abuse and two as misuse.

Abuse of a pesticide is defined as a form of deliberate, illegal attempt to poison an animal. Misuse is defined as the careless, accidental or wilful failure to adhere to correct practice.

Question reference: S3W-29685

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 December 2009
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 14 December 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive how many wildlife crimes in each of the five most common types of wildlife crime were committed in the Strathclyde Police area, also expressed as a percentage of all detected wildlife crimes in each year from April 1999 to April 2009.

The available information is given in the following table:

Number of Wildlife Offences Recorded, Cleared Up and Percentage Cleared Up, by Strathclyde Police force, 1999-2000 to 2008-2009

Recorded

Offence	1999-2000	2000-01	2001-02	2002-03	2003-04	2004-05	2005-06	2006-07	2007-08	2008-09
Cruelty to animals (excluding dogs) including killing and maiming cattle	15	13	17	22	43	31	40	66	27	10
Offences involving Animals (excluding dogs, birds elsewhere classified)	1	0	4	0	5	8	3	8	37	71
Offences involving birds	11	8	16	17	17	25	18	20	17	13
Hunting with dogs¹	-	-	-	0	0	0	0	0	0	4
Cruelty to wild animals¹	-	-	-	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
Offences involving badgers¹	-	-	-	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Other wildlife offences¹	-	-	-	0	0	0	0	0	0	15
Total	27	21	37	39	65	64	61	94	81	114

Cleared up

Offence	1999-2000	2000-01	2001-02	2002-03	2003-04	2004-05	2005-06	2006-07	2007-08	2008-09
Cruelty to animals (excluding dogs) including killing and maiming cattle	13	9	8	19	32	20	17	40	20	3
Offences involving Animals (excluding dogs, birds elsewhere classified)	1	0	2	0	4	7	3	6	23	49
Offences involving birds	8	7	11	11	14	19	16	17	12	5
Hunting with dogs¹	-	-	-	0	0	0	0	0	0	2
Cruelty to wild animals¹	-	-	-	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
Offences involving badgers¹	-	-	-	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Other wildlife offences¹	-	-	-	0	0	0	0	0	0	12
Total	22	16	21	30	50	46	36	63	55	72

Percentage Cleared Up (%)

Offence	1999-2000	2000-01	2001-02	2002-03	2003-04	2004-05	2005-06	2006-07	2007-08	2008-09
Cruelty to animals (excluding dogs) including killing and maiming cattle	87	69	47	86	74	65	43	61	74	30
Offences involving Animals (excluding dogs, birds elsewhere classified)	100	.	50	.	80	88	100	75	62	69
Offences involving birds	73	88	69	65	82	76	89	85	71	38
Hunting with dogs¹	-	-	-	.	.	.	.	.	.	50
Cruelty to wild animals¹	-	-	-	.	.	.	.	.	.	100
Offences involving badgers¹	-	-	-	.	.	.	.	.	.	.
Other wildlife offences¹	-	-	-	.	.	.	.	.	.	80
Total	81	76	57	77	77	72	59	67	68	63

Source: Scottish Government Justice Analytical Services.

Notes:

- Offence not active within financial year.

. Not calculated as number of offences recorded is zero.

1. In financial year 2002-03, crime codes were introduced to cover offences of Hunting with Dogs, Cruelty to Wild Animals, Offences Involving Badgers and Other Wildlife Offences, which (excluding Hunting with dogs) would have previously been recorded under a different offence; but within the same Animal/Plant category.

Question reference: S3W-29686

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 December 2009
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 14 December 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive how many wildlife crimes recorded by Strathclyde Police led to a conviction, also expressed as a percentage of the total number of convictions in each year from April 1999 to April 2009.

The available information is given in the following table.

Persons with a Charge Proved for Wildlife Crime Offences¹, in Strathclyde Police Area, 1999-2000 to 2008-09

	1999-2000	2000-01	2001-02	2002-03	2003-04	2004-05	2005-06	2006-07	2007-08
Scotland	84	72	57	51	75	72	90	110	130
Strathclyde	33	29	23	22	22	28	15	46	58
as % of total	39	40	40	43	29	39	17	42	45

Note: 1. Where main offence. Includes the offences categories of cruelty to animals (excluding dogs), animal offences (excluding dogs and birds), offences involving birds, hunting with dogs, cruelty to wild animals, offences involving badgers, and other wildlife offences.

Some caution is needed when comparing figures between recorded crime and court proceedings as a person may be proceeded against for more than one crime and there is the possibility that the crime recorded by the police may be altered in the course of judicial proceedings. In addition, a crime may be recorded by the police in one year and court proceedings concluded in a subsequent year.

Question reference: S3W-29690

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 December 2009
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 14 December 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive how many of those convicted of wildlife crimes in the Strathclyde Police area were resident in Scotland, also expressed as a percentage of those convicted, in each year from April 1999.

Question reference: S3W-29695

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 December 2009
Current Status: Answered by Jim Mather on 14 December 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive what is being done to increase the capacity of the Strathardle telephone exchange to improve broadband connectivity.

The Scottish Government announced on 9 December 2009 that it has agreed with BT a programme of upgrades to 71 Scottish rural telephone exchanges which are currently operating at, or approaching, full capacity. The first upgrades will be complete from March 2010. In addition, BT is also investigating further upgrades to a smaller number of similarly affected exchanges and we hope to be in a position to announce even more upgrades in due course. Please refer to our news release at the following website http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2009/12/09142338.

I am pleased to confirm that Strathardle, Fern and Menmuir exchanges will be upgraded in this programme. The indicative upgrade date for Strathardle exchange is 8 June 2010. The indicative upgrade dates for Fern and Menmuir exchanges will be announced in due course at the following website www.broadbandforscotland.co.uk.

Question reference: S3W-29675

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 December 2009
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 14 December 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive how many instances were recorded by Fife Constabulary of wildlife crime known to be commissioned by overseas individuals or groups, also expressed as a percentage in each year since 1999.

Question reference: S3W-29682

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 December 2009
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 14 December 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive how many of those convicted of wildlife crimes in the Fife Constabulary area were resident in Scotland, also expressed as a percentage of those convicted, in each year from April 1999.

Question reference: S3W-29689

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 December 2009
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 14 December 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive what information it holds on the types of species most commonly targeted in wildlife crime in the Strathclyde Police area, in each year from April 1999.