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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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

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Question reference: S5W-19804

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 November 2018
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 20 November 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how many Transport Scotland maintained bridges are currently out of use as a result of needing repairs, and how many have been out of use in each of the last five years for this reason.

Question reference: S5W-19695

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 01 November 2018
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 15 November 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-19440 by Michael Matheson on 31 October 2018, what the public performance measure (PPM) for each sector was at the start of the franchise commencement date, and whether all benchmarks are set in relation to this.

The Public Performance Measure (PPM) for each sector as at the start of franchise commencement is set out on the following table.

Express Sector Other	Express Sector E&G	Rural Sector	Suburban East Sector	Suburban West Peak	Suburban West Off Peak	Total
86.5	89.3	85.3	92.9	84.9	92.5	90.5

The specification for both the Cancellation and Capacity Benchmark at the start of the franchise commencement date is contained in the Franchise Agreement, with the link included in the PQ answer for S5W-19440.

Question reference: S5W-19657

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 29 October 2018
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 14 November 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the Dogs Trust’s latest report, Puppy Smuggling: When will this cruel trade end?, and what action it will take in response to the charity’s findings on the continued abuse of the Pet Travel Scheme.

The Scottish Government has noted the findings of the Dogs Trust report, Puppy Smuggling: When will this cruel trade end? and the recommendations contained therein.

The Scottish Government is committed to ending illegal and irresponsible trade in puppies and wider abuses of the EU Pet Travel Scheme. This is why our Programme for Government for 2017-18 included a commitment to work with charities and enforcement agencies to take forward the recommendations of research that we commissioned on illegal importation and sales from puppy farms. This work includes the delivery of an innovative communications campaign highlighting the risks of buying puppies advertised online to make it harder for dealers to sell illegally imported dogs to unwitting buyers. We have worked closely with the Dogs Trust and other animal welfare groups on this campaign, which has been recently launched.

As far as border checks are concerned, every pet travelling with its owner on an approved route is checked for compliance with the pet travel regime and the Border Force carry out a wide range of checks on animals arriving in the UK. Stringent penalties already exist for those found breaking the law by smuggling animals and/or using false documentation.

Question reference: S5W-19652

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 29 October 2018
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 14 November 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs regarding the illegal importation of puppies into Scotland from Central and Eastern Europe.

Question reference: S5W-19398

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 October 2018
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 14 November 2018

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason reference to prong collars was removed from its final guidance on dog training aids, and whether it supports their use.

The reference to prong collars was removed from the final published Guidance on Dog Training Aids as it was felt that it's inclusion might divert attention away from the main intended focus on electronic collars. Unlike in the case of electronic collars, the Scottish Government has received no expert advice or opinion on prong collars. We therefore have no firm evidence-based view on their use, but would ask any dog owner contemplating using a prong collar, or any other aversive dog training aid, to pay close attention to the Scottish Government Guidance on Dog Training Aids. Causing unnecessary suffering, including through the use of inappropriate training aids, is an offence under the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2006.

Question reference: S5W-19660

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 29 October 2018
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 7 November 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether it considers that it has delivered on its commitment made in January 2018 to "effectively and promptly ban" the use of electric shock dog collars.

The commitment made to Parliament in January 2018 was to issue guidance on electronic training aids under Section 38 of the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006. This commitment was fulfilled on 15th October and the guidance has been welcomed by the Kennel Club, Dogs Trust and other groups that had been campaigning for a ban. The Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee of the Scottish Parliament have also noted their support for the guidance.

Question reference: S5W-19653

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 29 October 2018
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 7 November 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether the use of electric shock collars is permitted under any circumstances, following the introduction of its new Guidance on Dog Training Aids.

Question reference: S5W-19654

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 29 October 2018
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 7 November 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether its new Guidance on Dog Training Aids will have the same effect as a full legal ban.

The use of electronic training aids is not prohibited; however the Guidance makes it clear that causing unnecessary suffering through their inappropriate use may be, depending upon the circumstances of the case, an offence under the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 if the user knew (or ought to have known) that the action would cause unnecessary suffering. A separate offence may be committed, depending upon the circumstances of the case, if a person does not take such steps as are reasonable in the circumstances to ensure that the needs of the animal for which the person is responsible are met to the extent required by good practice. These needs of the animal include its requirement to be protected from suffering and injury, its need for suitable environment and its need to exhibit normal behaviour patterns. The Guidance may also be considered relevant by the courts in any prosecution of either of these two offences relating to inappropriate training methods, but the relevance of the Guidance will depend on the facts and circumstances of a particular case.

Question reference: S5W-19655

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 29 October 2018
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 7 November 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether the use of electric shock collars is permitted if the user is not knowingly causing the dog unnecessary suffering.

The legality of the use of electronic training aids will depend on the circumstances in which they are used. The inappropriate use of any such training aids may give rise to prosecution for causing unnecessary suffering as an offence under the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 depending upon the circumstances of the case. The person would commit such an offence if they knew, or ought reasonably to have known, that the act would cause suffering or be likely to do so.

Question reference: S5O-02532

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 October 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 8 November 2018

To ask the Scottish Government when it will respond to the proposals from the five cross-border local authorities regarding a Borderlands growth deal.