- Asked by: Alison Johnstone, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 31 August 2015
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 1 September 2015
To ask the Scottish Government how it would invest the £500 million that the UK Government has announced to build nuclear-armed submarine infrastructure to benefit the Scottish economy and create jobs.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 1 September 2015
- Asked by: Alison Johnstone, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 16 July 2015
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 20 August 2015
To ask the Scottish Government, in view of the 98% consultation response in favour of a ban, when it will introduce legislation to ban the use of wild animals in circuses.
Answer
We are currently considering the options for introducing a ban on ethical grounds and I hope to set out my time-table for action shortly.
- Asked by: Alison Johnstone, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 June 2015
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Current Status:
Answered by Aileen McLeod on 13 July 2015
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-25792 by Aileen McLeod on 9 June 2015, whether wild pollinators will be covered by its insect pollinator strategy and what resources it has committed to support the monitoring of wild pollinators.
Answer
The Insect Pollinator Strategy covers both wild and managed pollinators.
The main resource input to monitoring pollinators is currently through the National Pollinator and Pollination Monitoring scheme. The aims of this project are to design and test a scheme that will provide the evidence for possible changes in UK pollinator populations (abundance, diversity, species composition and distribution) and consequences for pollination services to crops.
This project will help us to understand the status of insect pollinator populations in UK and Scotland, and how these communities are changing over time in agricultural landscapes and the wider environment. It will also help us to understand if and how pollination services are changing over time. The project started in March 2014 and will run to March 2016. Progress reports will be produced at six month intervals and the final report will be submitted to peer review and the results published on the internet.
This is a significant initiative to which the Scottish Government has contributed £25,000, while Scottish Natural Heritage provides representation on the steering group.
- Asked by: Alison Johnstone, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 June 2015
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Current Status:
Answered by Derek Mackay on 10 June 2015
To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) fixed penalty notices and (b) summonses were issued to motorists in 2014 for exceeding a 20-mph limit, broken down by local authority area.
Answer
This information is not held by the Scottish Government. This is a matter for Police Scotland.
- Asked by: Alison Johnstone, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 28 May 2015
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Current Status:
Answered by Aileen McLeod on 9 June 2015
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-15634 by Paul Wheelhouse on 25 June 2013, what progress Scottish Natural Heritage has made on its bee action plan and whether it has taken action to monitor the effects of the ban on neonicotinoids.
Answer
Since the answer to question S4W-15634 was published, Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) has produced a document called ‘The Insect Pollinator Strategy’ which is currently being considered by the Scottish Government for comment on matters under its responsibility, namely honey bee health, apiculture and pesticide regulations. Once the document has been finalised, it will then be published for consultation.
SNH will continue to support the monitoring of wild bees and other pollinators, which will indicate changes occurring since the neonicotinoid restrictions came into force in December 2013. At present it has been too short a time since the restrictions came into force to quantify any significant impact on pollinators.
- Asked by: Alison Johnstone, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 May 2015
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Current Status:
Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 5 June 2015
To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to tackle dog fouling in light of the responses received to its consultation on promoting responsible dog ownership in early 2014.
Answer
The consultation on promoting responsible dog ownership invited respondents to suggest ways in which dog fouling might be tackled more effectively. A number of those suggestions are currently under consideration by Scottish Ministers.
The Scottish Government is aware that a number of local authorities already have existing schemes in place and many are taking innovative steps to tackle the problem of dog fouling. We are interested to learn more about the different approaches being taken across the country and have written to local authorities to seek examples of best practice. These will be collated and shared, enabling local authorities to see what is being tried and what has been successful in different parts of the country.
- Asked by: Alison Johnstone, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 May 2015
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Current Status:
Answered by Fergus Ewing on 2 June 2015
To ask the Scottish Government how it provides micro businesses with information regarding accessing financial support.
Answer
The Scottish Government recognises how crucial it is for viable businesses to be able to access financial products that aid their development, growth and internationalisation. Advisory support is available through Business Gateway, Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise to help companies improve their chances of securing funding. Business Gateway has qualified growth advisers experienced in helping all companies, regardless of size, to find the funds they need. The Scottish Business Portal (www.business.scotland.gov.uk) includes advice on sourcing finance and there is also a dedicated finance hub (www.finance.scotland.gov.uk) which provides practical information and support on accessing finance.
We are also working closely with the UK Government to ensure that UK schemes, including the work of the British Business Bank, delivers benefits for Scottish businesses and complements Scottish initiatives.
- Asked by: Alison Johnstone, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 May 2015
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Current Status:
Answered by Fergus Ewing on 2 June 2015
To ask the Scottish Government how it (a) coordinates and (b) offers support for micro businesses across (i) its directorates and (ii) non-departmental public bodies.
Answer
The Scottish Government and its non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) work collaboratively to support micro businesses. Through Scotland’s Economic Strategy (http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2015/03/5984), partners’ activities are aligned to increase competiveness and tackle inequality. The Scottish Government’s Economy Board oversees the implementation of the strategy and brings together NDPBs with local government to monitor performance, explore policy issues and responses. The Local Economic Development Partnership Forum, chaired by the Minister for Business, Energy and Tourism and the COSLA Spokesperson for Development, also brings together key organisations involved in local economic development and providing business support and they have considered support for micro businesses.
- Asked by: Alison Johnstone, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 May 2015
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Current Status:
Answered by Fergus Ewing on 2 June 2015
To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of the (a) Scottish Enterprise and (b) Highland and Islands Enterprise budget was spent on supporting (i) large, (ii) medium, (iii) small and (iv) micro businesses in each of the last five years.
Answer
Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise work to support economic development across Scotland. They offer a range of business support and services to businesses of all sizes across Scotland. Support is not differentiated by business size but by the potential for realising their business growth potential. More information about how the enterprise agencies use their budget can be found in their business plans (http://www.hie.co.uk/about-hie/policies-and-publications/operating-plan.html and http://www.scottish-enterprise.com/about-us/what-we-do/business-plan).
- Asked by: Alison Johnstone, MSP for Lothian, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 May 2015
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Current Status:
Answered by Fergus Ewing on 2 June 2015
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has published a policy on supporting micro businesses.
Answer
The Scottish Government recognises the valuable contribution that micro businesses make to our economy and is committed to maintaining a supportive environment to help them thrive.
Scotland’s Economic Strategy (SES), published in March 2015 (http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2015/03/5984), sets out the government’s approach to achieving sustainable economic growth across Scotland. It sets out an overarching framework for achieving the two mutually supportive goals of increasing competitiveness and tackling inequality in Scotland for all public bodies to deliver. Small and micro businesses are benefiting from a range of policies underpinned by the SES framework to improve business support, strengthen innovation, reduce the burden of taxation and regulation, improve access to finance, help recruitment, and influence entrepreneurial behaviour and attitudes.
The Scottish Government website (www.gov.scot) includes further information on SES. In addition, the Scottish Business Portal (www.business.scotland.gov.uk) offers a range of information and advice for businesses that builds on the priorities of the SES to address the needs of all businesses.
