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: S5O-01530

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 November 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to reduce levels of drugs use.

Question reference: S5W-12532

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 November 2017
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 22 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to��reconsider its position��on new nuclear power in Scotland in light of its��decision to ban fracking.

There are no plans to reconsider our position on new nuclear power, which is that plants should not be replaced under current technologies.

The subsidy contract awarded to Hinkley Point C demonstrates the poor consumer value from new nuclear power, with consumers set to subsidise the station until 2060. With the costs of renewable and storage technologies falling, new nuclear capacity is not needed to meet Scotland’s long term energy needs.

The latest Contract for Difference auction delivered offshore wind at £57.50 per megawatt hour – substantially below the £92.50 awarded to Hinkley Point C. Onshore and offshore wind technologies are not only cheaper, but do not have comparable safety or decommissioning concerns as those significant challenges associated with nuclear power.

Our position will be restated in the Scottish Government's final Energy Strategy, due for publication by the end of 2017.

Question reference: S5W-12544

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 November 2017
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 22 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government��how many individual cases��regarding (a) delayed and (b) outstanding farm payments has it been made aware of.

For Pillar Two CAP Schemes there is no regulatory deadline for when payments are to be made.

However for Pillar One schemes there is a regulatory deadline to complete payments by 30 June or, if not then, by 15 October. The number and percentage of Pillar One payments made in 2015 and 2016 application years by 30 June and 15 October are set out in the following table.

Application Year 2015

Anticipated Eligible:	18,327
Paid 30 June 2016:	16,479 (89.92%)
Paid 15 Oct 2016:	18,281 (99.75%)

��

Application Year 2016

Anticipated Eligible:	17,909
Paid 30 June 2017:	16,521 (92.25%)
Paid 15 Oct 2017:	17,777 (99.26%)

In any scheme year there are always a small number of complex claims which take much longer to process. For 2016 Pillar One schemes there currently remain 25 cases awaiting payments.

Question reference: S5W-12530

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 November 2017
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 22 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how it balances the needs of farming and forestry in rural communities such as��Langholm.

I also refer member to the answer to question S5W-12529 on 22 November 2017.

The mix of farming and forestry that exists across Scotland has developed and evolved over the past century as a result of a wide range of social, economic and environmental factors. These factors often impact differently on farming and forestry, and at times can act as significant drivers for change, such as where the economic viability or profitability of one land use is better or worse than the other. Currently we are seeing growing interest, across Scotland, in establishing new woodland, much of it on lower quality agricultural land. This is being driven in part by the reduced profitability of farming compared to forestry and timber production.

The Scottish Government has adopted a target to create 10,000ha of new woodlands per year, rising to 15,000 ha per year by 2024. Regional Forestry and Woodland Strategies have been produced by each Local Authority, including by Dumfries and Galloway Council, to help identify suitable areas for woodland expansion. Landowners, including farmers are incentivised to consider woodland creation through capital and maintenance grants provided through the Forestry Grant Scheme. Applications to the SRDP Forestry Grant Scheme (FGS) for woodland expansion are prioritised using target areas within the regional forestry and woodland strategies. In developing their woodland creation proposals, applicants for FGS funding are required to take into account all relevant environmental and social considerations.

We are working proactively to support the integration of farming and forestry where possible, with the aim of encouraging farming and forestry interests to work together in partnership and consider integrated land management. This includes the provision of advice on options for forestry through the Farm Advisory Service.

All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at .

Question reference: S5W-12695

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 13 November 2017
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 22 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide��an update on the initial feasibility study��for extending the Borders Railway.

The Scottish Government has given a commitment to examining the case for an extension of the Borders Railway, along with potential improvements to the A1, A7 and A68. This work is currently being taken forward by Transport Scotland through the Borders Transport Corridors – Pre-Appraisal study which commenced in Spring 2017. Having completed an extensive engagement exercise over the summer it is now moving into the reporting phase. A series of presentations to key stakeholders is scheduled to take place in the early December with a final report expected in early 2018.

Question reference: S5W-12529

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 November 2017
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 22 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to protecting agricultural land surrounding Langholm from aggressive development.

The Scottish Government published guidance in 2013 for landowners considering woodland creation on agricultural land. Landowners developing forestry proposals on agricultural land are expected to consider the potential impacts on the local agricultural economy, taking into account the local context. Projects seeking funding under the Forestry Grant Scheme are expected to have complied with this Scottish Government guidance.

As the regulatory authority for forestry and woodland creation proposals, Forestry Commission Scotland also seeks advice from the local Scottish Government Rural Payments and inspections Division area offices to help determine whether proposals are acceptable or need to be amended. The aim is always to achieve sustainable well-integrated land use delivering a broad range of objectives. Where a planning application is required, this would be for the relevant planning authority, in this case Dumfries and Galloway, to consider.

All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at .

Question reference: S5O-01509

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 November 2017
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 22 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of outstanding repairs required to local authority schools.

Question reference: S5W-12521

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 November 2017
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 21 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how many nursery places there are in each local authority.

Question reference: S5W-12527

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 November 2017
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 21 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has made of the average cost of day nursery provision.

The Financial Review of Early Learning and Childcare (Scottish Government, 2016) estimated that the average unit cost (cost per hour per child) in local authority settings was £5.45 for 3 and 4 year olds and £7.74 for 2 year olds. In funded provider settings (private and third sector), the unit cost for 0-5 year olds was estimated to average £3.70.

The Financial Review can be found here:

Question reference: S5W-12525

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 November 2017
Current Status: Answered by Maree Todd on 21 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of capital spending on nursery provision in each of the last��five years.

Information on local authority pre-primary education capital expenditure is provided to Scottish Government by local authorities. This includes, but is not limited to, nursery provision. The most up to date data is for 2015-16 and is shown in the following table.

Local authority capital expenditure: Pre-primary Education, £ million

2011-12	£5.7
2012-13	£4.9
2013-14	£3.9
2014-15	£16.9
2015-16	£75.8

Source: Local Authority Capital Returns CR Final