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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-06271

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 January 2017
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 31 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has received a report from Scottish Natural Heritage on its review of snaring legislation and whether it plans to publish this.

The Scottish Government has received a report from Scottish Natural Heritage on its review of snaring legislation and intends to lay a copy of the report before the Scottish Parliament as soon as practicable, in accordance with Section 11F(5) of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended by the Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2011). The Scottish Government will also publish a copy of the report on its website.

Question reference: S5W-06273

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 January 2017
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 27 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how often the Partnership for Action Against Wildlife Crime in Scotland (PAW Scotland) (a) plenary and (b) executive group has met in the last year, and how many meetings are planned for 2017.

Question reference: S5O-00567

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 January 2017
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 18 January 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the Scottish Parent Teacher Council’s comments that parents were "puzzled" and "felt excluded" by its consultation on the review of school governance.

I am committed to empowering teachers, parents and schools to drive improvement in education and believe that, wherever possible, decisions about children’s learning and school life should be made at school level.

We have received almost 1,100 written responses to the Governance Review consultation and spoken to over 700 people in public engagement sessions across the country. The parents that I spoke to at those events had clear views about the strengths and the weaknesses of our current system. Parliament will note that the Scottish Parent Teacher Council state in their response “the status quo cannot simply continue”.

Question reference: S5O-00491

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 December 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 December 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to amend the Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Act 2002, in light of the review by Lord Bonomy.

Question reference: S5W-04974

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 6 December 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to figures in the National Diet and Nutrition Survey, calculated by Cancer Research UK, which show that 11 to 18-year-olds eat and drink three times the recommended amount of added sugar, with sugary drinks being the main source of this.

There are clear health benefits associated with reducing sugar consumption as part of a healthy diet. While we welcome the creation of a sugary drinks levy, it cannot in isolation address the levels of obesity in the country.

We support the work of Public Health England in setting sugar reduction targets across a range of food categories and are inputting to this through Food Standards Scotland.

We have announced our intention to set out and consult on the development of our new Diet and Obesity Strategy in 2017, building on our wide range of activity to make it easier for people – including children and their families – to be more active, eat less, and eat better.

Question reference: S5O-00421

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 November 2016
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 1 December 2016

To ask the Scottish Government when ministers last met the president of COSLA to discuss the spending review and the local government settlement.

Question reference: S5W-04773

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 30 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what agreement has been reached with the chair of the national review of health and social care targets and indicators regarding a timetable and outputs.

Question reference: S5W-04778

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 30 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) remit and (b) membership is of the national review of health and social care targets and indicators.

Further to my answer to question S5W-04508 on 15 November 2016. The final remit has been circulated to the group for agreement by 2 December 2016. The chair has also invited the Coalition of Carers for Scotland to nominate a representative to join the group.

All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

Question reference: S5W-04776

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 30 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how members of the public and other stakeholders can contribute to the national review of health and social care targets and indicators.

Question reference: S5W-04774

Asked by: Colin Smyth, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 17 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 30 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide details of the targets and indicators that are included in the national review of health and social care targets and indicators.