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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-17015

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 06 September 2013
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 17 September 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how the new round of single outcome agreements will ensure that central and local government work together to ensure that air quality objectives are met.

Local authorities have statutory responsibilities for managing air quality in their areas under the Environment Act 1995 and associated regulations. These place clear expectations on local authorities to pursue air quality objectives. The Scottish Government provides practical and financial support to assist local authorities in undertaking these duties.

The Scottish Government places no separate expectation on community planning partnerships (CPPs) to reflect a local authority's air quality objectives in their single outcome agreements (SOAs). CPPs have developed their latest SOAs in accordance with guidance jointly published by the Scottish Government and COSLA in December 2012. It is for CPPs to establish the content of their SOAs, based on their understanding of local place and with partnership working at their heart. Their emphasis is towards themes on which integrated working can make a real difference to improving outcomes, preventing harm and reducing inequalities.

Question reference: S4W-17013

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 06 September 2013
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 17 September 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to include the need to meet air quality objectives in the Scottish Planning Policy.

The Scottish Government works closely with local authorities, Transport Scotland, SEPA and other partners to ensure that air quality objectives are achieved. The planning system has a key role to play in this process.

The Scottish Government is currently reviewing the Local Air Quality Management system – a consultation concluded on 6 September 2013:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2013/06/5955/0.

Draft Scottish Planning Policy (SPP), which was published for consultation from 30 April to 23 July 2013, highlights the important role of the planning system in encouraging and approving development which protects and enhances natural resources including air. SPP will be finalised by June 2014.

Question reference: S4W-17005

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 06 September 2013
Current Status: Answered by Margaret Burgess on 17 September 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what action it has taken in Fife to reduce child poverty since 2007.

The Scottish Government takes a national approach to tackling child poverty, with action at a local level being the responsibility of the local authority. We are working with local authorities, the NHS and others through the collective investment of £272 million in the Early Years Change Fund and over £125 million across government and our agencies to support young people towards and into work across Scotland.

Individual examples of nationally funded projects in Fife include the Communities and Families Fund project with the Ceres Nursery Trust, a group which delivers a nursery lunch club linking the morning and afternoon sessions; and Open Secret which provides art, play and talking therapy activities to children up to the age of eight and their families who have experienced a period of trauma including abuse. The Scottish Government continues to support the STV Appeal which has helped a number of charities throughout Scotland including specific projects in Fife such as the Save the Children Families and Schools Together initiative.

However, only with access to our own resources and the ability to join up policy across devolved and reserved areas, can we make the substantial difference we need to and tackle child poverty for good.

Question reference: S4W-16775

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 August 2013
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 12 September 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is regarding the use of electronic shock collars on (a) dogs and (b) other animals.

The Scottish Government is aware of concerns about the use of electronic shock collars on dogs and other animals and will work with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the industry to produce improved guidance on the proper use of these training aids. The misuse of shock collars or any other training aids in a way that causes unnecessary suffering would be an offence under the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006.

Question reference: S4W-17016

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 06 September 2013
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 12 September 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how many responses it received to its recent consultation on local air quality management and how many called for a Scottish air quality action plan.

Question reference: S4W-16779

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 August 2013
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 11 September 2013

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish its annual report on wildlife crime for 2012.

Question reference: S4W-16790

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 August 2013
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 10 September 2013

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-15500 by Richard Lochhead on 14 June 2013, in light of figures from the National Fallen Stock Company suggesting that, in the last year, there has been a 50% increase in fallen stock recorded on farms in Scotland, what additional measures and resources it will deploy.

This year’s severe winter weather resulted in a significant number of livestock deaths across Scotland. The Scottish Government has made £6.5 million compensation available to farmers, with more than £730,000 going directly to over 4,000 farmers for fallen stock collection costs.

The Scottish Government continues to ensure that the welfare needs of livestock in Scotland are met and continues to encourage pro-active farm health planning and best practice.

Question reference: S4O-02374

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 September 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 12 September 2013

To ask the Scottish Government when it is meeting Cluff Natural Resources and what matters will be discussed.

Question reference: S4W-16263

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 July 2013
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 9 August 2013

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to ban the commercial extraction of peat by 2020.

The commercial extraction of peat is permitted only where planning permission has been granted. There are no current plans to put in place an absolute ban on commercial extraction of peat, but we are aware of calls by Scottish Environment LINK to do so. Local development plans should protect areas of peatland and permit extraction only in areas which have been significantly damaged by human activity and where the ecological impact is low.

The main target of Scottish Government policy is to reduce the demand for peat, e.g. by developing and promoting alternatives as growing media. This should ultimately reduce the number of extraction sites.

The current Scottish Planning Policy states:

“230. Commercial peat cutting raises particular environmental concerns, and will only be acceptable in areas of degraded peatland which has been significantly damaged by human activity and where the conservation value is low and restoration is not possible. All areas of peatland that retain a high level of natural heritage conservation interest, archaeological interest or are of value as carbon stores should be protected through development plans and development management decisions”. The Scottish Government will continue to monitor the health of Scotland’s peatland and has announced proposals to restore up to 21,000 hectares of peatland per annum over the period up to 2027. This action will be supported by development of the peatland plan in partnership with stakeholders.

Question reference: S4W-16266

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 July 2013
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 6 August 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on meat from cattle that has tested positive for bovine tuberculosis being sold for human consumption.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has advised me that the risk to consumers from eating meat from tuberculosis reactor animals is very low. Both the Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food and the European Food Safety Authority support this view following their own risk assessments in 2010, 2003 and 2013 respectively.

Cooking the meat would be an additional safety step, but the FSA emphasises that the risk even before cooking is very low. The FSA is not aware of any documented human case of bovine tuberculosis which has been acquired through the consumption of meat.