Questions and answers

Chamber and committees

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 ��˿�� 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

Filter your results Hide all filters

Displaying 1663 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S5W-08140

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 29 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how NHS Fife is performing with regard to the waiting time targets for neurology.

NHS Fife performance for a first outpatient appointment in neurology was 69.6% of patients seen within the 12 week standard on 31 December 2016. Of the 21 NHS residents who were treated as inpatient or day cases within the specialty of Neurology during the quarter end 31 December 2016, 86% of patients were seen within the 12 week treatment time guarantee. 75% of patients were seen within the 18 week referral to treatment standard during the month of December 2016.

Question reference: S5W-07900

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 28 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made in establishing the independent rural stakeholders group to advise on rural support beyond 2020, which was agreed by the Parliament in the debate on motion S5M-03463 on 19 January 2017.

The Scottish Government is currently working up proposals for an external group to provide advice on future agricultural support, including how this new group should fit with the work being taken forward by the four Agriculture Champions - Education and Training Champion Henry Graham; Food and Drink Champion Archie Gibson; Sustainability Champion John Kinnaird; and Public Value Champion Marion MacCormick. Members will be updated in due course.

Question reference: S5W-07776

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 15 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what work it is undertaking to develop a vision for the uplands.

A report and advice prepared by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) on ‘Scoping a Strategic Vision for the Uplands’ was submitted to the Scottish Government in early February. This work was commissioned to deliver Proposal 5 in the Land Use Strategy 2016-2021, which committed the Scottish Government to ‘scope the potential to develop a strategic vision for the uplands, exploring the multiple benefits they deliver and how they can contribute to climate change targets’. The Scottish Government will consider and respond to the SNH report in due course and the report will also be published.

Question reference: S5W-07699

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 03 March 2017
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 14 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether guidance is provided to local authorities regarding the setting of fees for licensing (a) pet shops and (b) dog breeding facilities.

The Pet Animals Act 1951 and The Breeding of Dogs Act 1973 provide the fees regime for the licensing of pet shops and dog breeding facilities respectively. Each of these Acts provide that it is for the relevant local authority to determine the fees that it charges.

The potential benefit to animal welfare of standardising fees for these activities is being considered as part of an ongoing review of pet welfare.

Question reference: S5W-07775

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 14 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how many meetings it has had since November 2016 with (a) Police Scotland, (b) the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, (c) the Scottish SPCA and (d) other stakeholders to discuss the potential granting of additional powers to the Scottish SPCA to assist in reducing and detecting wildlife crime.

Scottish Government officials met Police Scotland on 20 February 2017 to discuss wildlife crime and related matters, including the potential granting of additional powers to the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA).

Since November 2016, the Scottish Government has not met with the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, the SSPCA or any other stakeholders to discuss the potential granting of additional powers to the SSPCA.

Question reference: S5W-07635

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 14 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what actions, identified by the Scotland's Rural College’s marginal abatement cost curve as cost-effective, appear as policies in its draft Climate Change Plan.

The Marginal Abatement Cost Curve (MACC) was a key guide when drafting the Agriculture chapter of the draft Climate Change Plan. Actions such as improving synthetic Nitrogen use, improving organic Nitrogen planning, the adoption of precision farming, the use of catch and cover crops, soil compaction, improving livestock health and nutrition etc. were all highlighted in the MACC and are all addressed throughout the policy outcomes.

For example;

Outcome one - is to provide the industry with the advice, information and the practical demonstrations needed to be able to adopt mitigation measures including the ones mentioned above on farms.

Outcome two - is aimed at reducing the emissions associated with excessive Nitrogen use by improving use efficiency and improving the condition of the soils it is being applied to.

Outcome three - is aimed at reducing the emissions from livestock production through addressing areas such as livestock health and nutrition as well as improving fertility and reducing mortality.

Question reference: S5W-07314

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Friday, 17 February 2017
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 8 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-00171 by Derek Mackay on 3 June 2016, and in light of the publication of the City of Edinburgh Council’s report, what project-specific detail will be considered in relation to Balfron High School as part of its review of NPD and PFI/PPP projects.

The safety of people in public buildings is an absolute priority and the Scottish Government is concerned by some of the findings highlighted in this report.

Following publication of the Cole Report, on 9 February 2017 the Minister for Local Government and Housing wrote to local authorities and the Scottish Futures Trust wrote to local authorities and other public sector bodies highlighting the issues identified and recommendations made in the report, underlining the importance of adhering to building regulations, technical standards and inspection processes.

Question reference: S5W-07361

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 6 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government to what extent the research that it used to underpin its consultation on unconventional oil and gas extraction, Talking Fracking, explored the environmental impacts of fracking.

The Scottish Government continues to take a cautious, evidence-led approach to unconventional oil and gas. In September 2013, the Scottish Government convened an Independent Expert Scientific Panel to report on the scientific evidence relating to unconventional oil and gas, published in July 2014. The Panel’s remits included delivering “a well-developed narrative on the environmental and regulatory issues associated with the potential development of unconventional oil & gas in Scotland”.

In November 2016, the Scottish Government published a series of independent research projects which examined the potential environmental, health and economic impacts of unconventional oil and gas:

• Transport - Understanding and mitigating community level impacts (Ricardo).

• Decommissioning, site restoration and aftercare – obligations and treatment of financial liabilities (AECOM)

• Understanding and monitoring induced seismic activity (the British Geological Survey)

• Economic impacts (KPMG)

• Climate Change Impacts – (UK Committee on Climate Change)

• Health Protection Scotland has also undertaken a Health Impact Assessment

These reports have informed our four-month public consultation, Talking “Fracking”, which was published on 31 January.

Responsibility for environmental regulation in Scotland lies with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA). As part of our cautious and evidence-led approach to unconventional oil and gas, the Scottish Government hosted a one-day event for key regulators to examine regulatory gaps, including SEPA, in October 2016. Summaries of the workshop and current regulatory framework are available on the Scottish Government website at: .

Question reference: S5W-07554

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 27 February 2017
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 6 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government when the appeal decision will be made in relation to the executive housing and sports development on land at Park of Keir, Dunblane.

Question reference: S5O-00766

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 02 March 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 9 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will work with Sodexo to improve the Food for Life catering mark in the Garden Level Restaurant from Bronze to Silver.