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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-13132

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 February 2013
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 4 March 2013

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-10543 by Derek Mackay on 7 November 2012, what arrangements it has in place to ensure compliance with the terms of the Aarhus Convention.

The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring public access to environmental and planning information, and the participation of the public throughout the decision-making process. The Scottish Government has ensured this is achieved primarily through the 2008 amendments to the Environmental Impact Assessment (Scotland) Regulations. This amendment introduced a secondary period of consultation for members of the public and included additional advertising of determinations and greater clarification of the process through which any aggrieved party could challenge a decision.

Question reference: S4W-13133

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 February 2013
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 28 February 2013

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish its response to the questions regarding its Renewables Routemap to 2020 that it was recently asked by the Compliance Committee of the UN's Economic Commission for Europe.

A response to the Aarhus Convention Compliance Committee from the UK Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs has been published on the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe website and is available, along with the submission referred to in the response, at the following links:

http://www.unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/env/pp/compliance/C2012-68/Communication_with_Party/frUKC68_11Feb13/frUKC68_11Feb13.pdf

http://www.unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/env/pp/compliance/C2012-68/Communication_with_Party/frUKC68_11Feb13/frUKC68_11Feb13_Attachment.pdf.

Question reference: S4O-01848

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 February 2013
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 27 February 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to increase participation in higher education by people from poorer backgrounds.

Question reference: S4W-12788

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 31 January 2013
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 26 February 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had (a) nationally and (b) internationally regarding plans to deal with future environmental epidemics.

<>British Irish Council Environment Ministers’ meetings offer a specific opportunity to co-ordinate a response to threats posed by, for example tree and plant pests and parasites. Most recently on 7 September 2012, at Vogrie Country Park, ministers’ heard evidence from Joint Nature Conservation Committee and discussed strengthening co-ordination of efforts to overcome threats posed to biodiversity by invasive non-native species and exotic tree and plant pests and diseases. We have regular discussions with counterparts in Defra and in other devolved administrations about plans to address environmental threats which may have adverse consequences for the natural environment; however, international discussions are currently led, on behalf of devolved administration interests, by the UK Government.

Question reference: S4W-12789

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 31 January 2013
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 26 February 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how many sites in Scotland are infected with ash dieback.

As of 15 February 2013, as indicated in a letter of 19 February 2013 to the RACCE Committee, the number of sites in Scotland where ash-dieback had been confirmed was 42, out of 378 across the UK including two nurseries in Scotland, 32 recently planted sites and eight sites in the wider environment.

As survey work continues, infections may be found at more sites although at this time of year it should be stressed that these represent the discovery of sites already infected and not sites that have become infected since the initial rapid survey, as the disease is dormant during the winter months.

Question reference: S4F-01213

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 25 February 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 February 2013

To ask the First Minister what action is being taken to reduce the cost of NHS medical negligence claims.

Question reference: S4W-12709

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 January 2013
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 25 February 2013

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider supporting cloning as a means of ensuring the future of the Scottish wildcat.

Cloning of wildcats is not under active consideration at present as there are other more immediate options to conserve extant populations and if necessary, to captive breed and reintroduce wildcats.

The main threat to the Scottish wildcat is considered to be hybridisation with feral domestic cats. Hence many of the actions being considered are intended to reduce the threats to wildcats from domestic cats in the countryside, with this being undertaken through neutering and vaccination and the promotion of wildcat-friendly land management practices.

Other actions are likely to include further survey work to improve our knowledge of current Scottish wildcat populations, research on both genetics and hybridisation issues and on practical habitat management. A captive breeding programme and other measures, such as storing frozen gametes, are also currently being considered. Underpinning the range of conservation actions, will be the aim of promoting responsible domestic cat ownership in order to reduce the risk of further hybridisation in areas identified as priority habitats for wildcats.

Question reference: S4W-12710

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 January 2013
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 25 February 2013

To ask the Scottish Government when the findings of the Cairngorms Wildcat Project will be published.

Question reference: S4W-12711

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 January 2013
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 21 February 2013

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will consider sponsoring a follow-on programme to the Cairngorms Wildcat Project that ran from 2007 to 2012.

The Scottish Wildcat Conservation Action Group (SWCAG), which is co-ordinated by Scottish Natural Heritage, and consists of a range of organisations, is currently producing a National Conservation Action Plan for the Scottish wildcat. The Action Plan, which SWCAG hope to have agreed by Spring 2013 and published shortly thereafter, will build on the experience from the Cairngorms Wildcat Project.

Question reference: S4W-12787

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 31 January 2013
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 21 February 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what strategies are in place to deal with ash dieback.