- Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 December 2019
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 19 December 2019
To ask the Scottish Government how its planning policy and guidance to local authorities on takeaway food outlets take account of its policies on healthy eating.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 19 December 2019
- Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 December 2019
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 11 December 2019
To ask the Scottish Government how it promotes rural tourism, and how much it invests in this work.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 11 December 2019
- Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 November 2019
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 4 December 2019
To ask the Scottish Government what progress it is making with plant passporting.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 4 December 2019
- Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 14 November 2019
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Current Status:
Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 25 November 2019
To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with young people regarding the design and implementation of its proposed deposit return scheme.
Answer
The Scottish Government has been keen to hear the views of young people on its proposals for a deposit return scheme for single-use drinks containers, with Young Scot participating in a workshop prior to the public consultation. That organisation also contributed to the development of the Equality Impact Assessment undertaken in respect of our proposals.
The Scottish Government will continue to explore opportunities for engagement with the public, including children and young people, as we prepare for the scheme’s implementation.
- Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 October 2019
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 9 October 2019
To ask the Scottish Government what the impact has been on the number of EU tourists coming to Scotland this year of any uncertainty caused by Brexit.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 9 October 2019
- Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 September 2019
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 25 September 2019
To ask the Scottish Government what impact UK Government welfare reforms have had on Scottish social security spending.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 25 September 2019
- Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 03 September 2019
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Current Status:
Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 12 September 2019
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports of a golden eagle found with an illegal trap on its legs, what action it is taking to protect wild birds as a matter of urgency ahead of the publication of the findings of the Grouse Moor Management Group (the Werritty report).
Answer
The Scottish Government is strongly committed to safeguarding the welfare of all animals, including wild birds such as raptors.
The illegal persecution of our birds of prey is an extremely serious issue and, as we announced in our Programme for Government for 2019-2020, we will bring forward a Bill increasing the maximum penalties for certain wildlife offences, including those associated with illegal killing or injuring of wild birds. This will deliver a commitment to implement the recommendation to increase wildlife crime penalties in the review undertaken by Professor Poustie.
We also committed in the Programme for Government that we will respond to the independent review on grouse moor management. The review is examining how we can ensure that grouse moor management is sustainable and complies with the law and it would not be appropriate to make decisions in advance of its report. We will carefully consider the recommendations in the report and other relevant evidence when deciding our response.
The measures on wildlife crime penalties build upon a range of other work we have undertaken to tackle this issue, including: supporting the use of satellite tags to monitor birds of prey; introducing new offences for harassing birds of prey or damaging their nesting places; setting up a poisons disposal scheme to remove poisons used to kill wild birds; strengthening Police Scotland wildlife crime resources, including in the Cairngorms; and introducing vicarious liability so that landowners can be held responsible for crimes against wild birds committed by their employees.
- Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 June 2019
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Current Status:
Answered by Ash Denham on 20 June 2019
To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the reported 5% increase in crime in the area, what its position is on whether Midlothian Council’s disbandment of its community safety teams is in the public interest and appropriate.
Answer
The Scottish Government remains committed to tackling crime across Scotland. Over the last decade official statistics show that recorded crime in Scotland has fallen by more than a third, with a 43% decrease in violent crime.
While there was a small increase in crimes of attempted murder and serious assault recorded by police in Midlothian in 2017-18 compared to 2008-09, recorded statistics for Midlothian show that crime recorded by the police has fallen by a fifth over the same period.
The Scottish Government recognises that local community safety structures and approaches rightly vary based on local circumstances, and it is for Midlothian Council to decide what is best for the local area.
- Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 June 2019
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 27 June 2019
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on SEPA classifying the sea water at Fisherrow in Musselburgh as poor in 2018-19, and the potential impact that this has on tourism, and the health of people bathing, in the area.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 27 June 2019
- Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 May 2019
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 29 May 2019
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the report on the fact-finding visit to the UK by the UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 29 May 2019