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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: S5W-14019

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 January 2018
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 1 February 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, further to its announcement on 24 November 2017, what progress has been made by the independent group for ensuring grouse moor management practices are sustainable and legally compliant; what the remit of the group is, and what timetable it is working to.

The review group has now been established and it met for the first time on 16 January 2018. The group’s remit is to examine how to ensure that grouse moor management continues to contribute to the rural economy while being environmentally sustainable and compliant with the law. The group will recommend options for regulation, which could include licensing, and other measures which could be put in place without new primary legislation. The Scottish Government may also refer specific topics to the group that might be considered by it as part of its work. The group will report to me in Spring 2019.

Question reference: S5W-14021

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 January 2018
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 1 February 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what efforts it has made to prevent large-scale culls of mountain hares this winter.

The Scottish Government opposes large-scale culls of mountain hares. There is no current evidence to indicate that large scale culls are taking place but if evidence emerges that points to large-scale culls taking place that could cause significant population declines, locally or nationally, the Scottish Government will consider bringing forward further measures to protect mountain hares. This could include the use of Nature Conservation Orders or giving mountain hares further protection under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Recent analyses of available data by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) provides no evidence of a national decline in mountain hares. Data from the North East of Scotland suggests there may be local population declines but these are not reflected at a national scale. On 26 January, SNH published a commissioned report on ‘Developing a counting methodology for mountain hares (Lepus timidus) in Scotland’. https://www.nature.scot/snh-commissioned-report-1022-developing-counting-methodology-mountain-hares-lepus-timidus-scotland . Adoption of the recommended counting methodology by land managers will help in developing a better understanding of mountain hare population cycles and trends.

Question reference: S5W-14020

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 January 2018
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 1 February 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, further to its announcement on 24 November 2017, what plans are in place to engage (a) stakeholders and (b) the public in the work of the independent group for ensuring grouse moor management practices are sustainable and legally compliant.

Question reference: S5O-01726

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 January 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 1 February 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, whether it will provide an update on what plans it has to provide further funding for the Schools for the Future programme.

Question reference: S5W-13585

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 December 2017
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 18 January 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has on registration figures for blind and partially sighted people in each year since 2010.

There are no national figures on the number of people registered as blind or partially sighted since 2010 as the statistics and associated data collection have been under review. In 2010, 34,492 people were identified as being registered as blind or partially sighted. The following year, 125,660 people reported in the 2011 Census that they had ‘blindness or partial sight loss’.

The Scottish Government is committed to supporting adults and children who have sight loss, deafness and dual sensory loss to access the services, care and support they need through its See Hear Strategy. The Strategy is jointly endorsed by COSLA and is being delivered in local areas by partnerships between statutory and third sector organisations.

Question reference: S5W-13584

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 December 2017
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 18 January 2018

To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to publish an update on registration statistics for blind and partially sighted people, given that figures were last released in the publication, Registered Blind and Partially Sighted Persons, Scotland 2010.

NHS National Services Scotland is developing a web platform to capture diagnostic data from ophthalmologists and registration data from local authorities or agents acting on their behalf. The first full year of data collection will commence from 1 April 2018. Once complete this data for 1 April 2018 to 31 March 2019 will be subject to quality assurance and analysis by Information Services Division (ISD) Scotland, and will be published by September 2019.

Question reference: S5W-13583

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 December 2017
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 18 January 2018

To ask the Scottish Government when the new system of registration of blind and partially sighted people will come into effect, and what planning is taking place to ensure there is reliable data collection and annual reporting.

Scottish Government officials are working in collaboration with medical professionals, and local and third sector partners on the development and introduction of the new Certificate of Visual Impairment (CVI) Scotland form. This will replace the BP1 form, which is currently used by ophthalmologists to certify people as blind or partially sighted in Scotland. NHS National Services Scotland is developing a web platform to capture diagnostic data from ophthalmologists and registration data from local authorities or agents acting on their behalf. The new CVI Scotland form will be introduced in the coming weeks once appropriate local preparations are in place.

Question reference: S5O-01664

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 January 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 January 2018

To ask the Scottish Government when the full membership of the interim board for the South of Scotland Enterprise Agency will be announced.

Question reference: S5W-13618

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 21 December 2017
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 10 January 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, whether it will provide an update on its plans to increase the maximum sentence for animal cruelty, in light of the UK Government publishing a bill proposing that this should be increased to five years.

Question reference: S5O-01627

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 December 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 December 2017

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met the Secretary of State for Transport to discuss crossborder rail services.