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.

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Question reference: S4W-10736

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 October 2012
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 14 November 2012

To ask the Scottish Government how it monitors the success of the planning system in protecting and enhancing the (a) natural and (b) built environment.

Development plans require Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) under the Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005. Schedule 3 of the 2005 Act requires provision of a statement on proposed monitoring of environmental impacts within the Environmental Report. At the national level, monitoring of the National Planning Framework is undertaken on an ongoing basis. Monitoring findings, including those arising from the SEA, are set out in the NPF2 Monitoring Report, published in March 2012.

Question reference: S4W-10727

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 October 2012
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 14 November 2012

To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that the National Planning Framework for Scotland 3 and the reviewed Scottish Planning Policy contribute to achieving the targets set out in the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009.

The Scottish Government is undertaking a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) of National Planning Framework 3 (NPF3) and the Scottish Planning Policy (SPP), as required by the Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005. SEA is undertaken to ensure that the environmental effects of plans, programmes and strategies, and reasonable alternatives to them, are identified and taken into account. The findings of the assessment will be set out in an Environmental Report, which will be published for public consultation alongside the Main Issues Report for NPF3 and the Draft SPP in March 2013.

Development of NPF3 will also include use of the Scottish Government’s Spatial Planning Assessment of Climate Emissions tool, to inform understanding of the likely relative greenhouse gas emissions arising from alternative policy options.

Question reference: S4W-10729

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 October 2012
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 14 November 2012

To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that the National Planning Framework for Scotland 3 and the reviewed Scottish Planning Policy help deliver the requirements of the Planning etc. (Scotland) Act 2006 that functions relating to preparation of (a) the National Planning Framework for Scotland by ministers and (b) development plans by planning authorities must be exercised with the objective of contributing to sustainable development.

Planning legislation requires Ministers to exercise their functions in relation to the preparation of the National Planning Framework with the objective of contributing to sustainable development. Similar requirements are placed upon planning authorities in exercising their functions with regard to development planning. guidance on the five guiding principles of sustainable development is set out in the existing Scottish Planning Policy.

Question reference: S4O-01492

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 November 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 15 November 2012

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what its position is on recognising an employee forum for members' staff and engaging with it on corporate body decisions that will impact on its members.

Question reference: S4W-10733

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 October 2012
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 8 November 2012

To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that its policies contribute to achieving the whole of its stated purpose rather than solely to increasing sustainable economic growth.

The central Purpose of the Scottish Government is to focus the Government and public services on creating a more successful country, with opportunities for all of Scotland to flourish, through increasing sustainable economic growth.

The Government Economic Strategy identifies six Strategic Priorities – including Equity - that together will deliver sustainable economic growth, provide opportunities for all to flourish, and deliver the Scottish Government’s important social, regional and inter-generational equity objectives. These priorities continue to inform all policy and spending decisions, including the fundamental shift towards preventative spend.

A progress report was published on 10 September 2012 which provides an update on the series of actions which are being taken forward across the public sector in order to deliver the ambitions of the Government Economic Strategy. More information can be found at:

Question reference: S4W-10731

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 October 2012
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 8 November 2012

To ask the Scottish Government how it considers sustainable development to differ from sustainable economic growth.

As set out in the Government Economic Strategy, the Scottish Government’s desired characteristics of sustainable economic growth cover social and regional equity (Solidarity and Cohesion) alongside inter-generational equity (Sustainability). Growth that promotes equity and sustainable development therefore underpins the delivery of the Scottish Government’s Purpose and the National Outcomes.

Our focus on sustainability is explicit within the National Outcomes and associated National Indicators, incorporating all of the aspects of sustainable development, from reducing Greenhouse Gas emissions and improving resource efficiency to preserving Scotland’s natural environment. As our Government Economic Strategy highlights, as well as being a desired characteristic of growth, Sustainability is also an important long-term driver of sustainable economic growth and will be key if we are to maximise Scotland’s economic potential.

Question reference: S4W-10725

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 October 2012
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 7 November 2012

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding has been allocated in the draft budget 2013-14 to support work on the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route.

Question reference: S4O-01429

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 October 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 November 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the aims of Land Action Scotland.

Question reference: S4W-09985

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 October 2012
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 29 October 2012

To ask the Scottish Government whether there is legislation in force that could achieve the same effect as the US law, the Animal Crush Video Prohibition Act of 2010 and, if not, whether it will consider introducing measures to do so.

The Animal Crush Video Prohibition Act 2010 outlaws the creation, sale, marketing, advertising, exchange or distribution of “animal crush” videos. An “animal crush” video is defined as any photograph, film, video or digital recording which (a) is obscene and (b) depicts conduct in which one or more non-human mammals, birds, reptiles or amphibians is intentionally crushed, burned, drowned, suffocated, impaled or otherwise subject to serious bodily injury.

In Scotland, the publication, sale, distribution or supply of such videos would be an offence under section 51 of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 concerning obscene material.

The acts of crushing an animal or of allowing an animal to be crushed would inevitably lead to significant distress and injury for any animal concerned and both are offences under section 19 of the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006.

Question reference: S4W-10130

Asked by: Patrick Harvie, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 08 October 2012
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 25 October 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that all abortion and other sexual and reproductive health services are fully supportive of women's reproductive rights.

In 2011 the Scottish Government launched the Sexual Health and Blood Borne Virus Framework which sets out five high level outcomes for the NHS and others to deliver in Scotland. These outcomes include that we wish to see fewer sexually transmitted infections and fewer unintended pregnancies in Scotland; that there should be a reduction in health inequalities in sexual health; and that sexual relationships should be free from coercion and harm.

The Scottish Government is investing £29 million per year into Framework activities and is working with local authorities and NHS boards to increase access to sexual health services, including specialist services for young people and those most at risk of poor sexual health; to increase the provision of longer acting reversible contraception; and to reduce the numbers of unintended and teenage pregnancies.

All NHS boards in Scotland provide abortion, and almost all abortions carried out in Scotland are provided by the NHS, unlike in other parts of the UK. The framework specifically states that women who attend for termination should be made aware of the availability of sexual health services and where appropriate that Longer Acting Reversible Contraception (LARC) should be provided as well as advice about other methods of contraception. This is supported by NHS Quality Improvement Scotland Sexual Health Standards which set targets for the prescription of intrauterine and implantable contraceptives.

The Sexual Health and Blood Borne Virus Framework also identifies that high quality, integrated sexual health services should be available throughout Scotland. The government has promoted the integration of sexual health and family planning services in NHS boards, to ensure that specialist services are set up in such a way that they can provide holistic care based on the needs of the individual.