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: S5W-14246

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 January 2018
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Fergus Ewing on 1 February 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made��with the commencement of a scientific trial of electro-fishing for razor clams.

A scientific trial of electro-fishing for razor clams commences on
1 February 2018 and will initially involve up to 26 fishing vessels operating in Scottish fishing waters. The trial has been developed following a consultation in 2016 about the potential use of the method, which itself followed a research study undertaken in 2014 by Marine Scotland Science. The trial will be conducted under strict controls applied to the places where vessels may fish, the electrical equipment on-board, the time that may be spent at sea and the amount of razor clams which may be caught and landed. Now that the trial has commenced, other fishing for razor clams will be prohibited, except for hand gathering of clams from the beach (up to a maximum of 30 clams), for personal consumption.

Vessels which will be involved in the trial were selected after an application process that was open to all UK registered fishing vessels. Applications were assessed and selected by a cross-departmental panel, which included the Scottish Government, the Health and Safety Executive and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency.

The Scottish Government considers that there is significant potential for positive economic benefit for relevant coastal communities from an appropriately managed electro-fishery for razor clams. The trial will seek to provide useful evidence about how this fishery can be managed effectively and sustainably and about any longer term effects of the specified equipment on the marine environment. The findings from the trial will be considered carefully before any decision is made about the future approach to such fishing.

It is expected that the trial will continue for a number of fishing seasons. The trial has been notified to the European Commission, as is required under EC Regulation 850/98.

Question reference: S5O-01692

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 January 2018
Submitting member has a registered interest.
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 17 January 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to encourage children from school into higher education.

Every young person should have the advice and support to help them make the best choice in what they will do after leaving school, whether that be university, college, work-based learning or employment.

Recent UCAS statistics show a record number of Scottish applicants (34,830) have been accepted through UCAS to study at a Scottish university this year (an increase of 3%).

We are committed to access to higher education based on ability to learn, not ability to pay, and to ensuring that all of our young people have an equal chance of going to university.

That is why we maintain free tuition and why we established the Commission on Widening Access and subsequently accepted all 34 of its recommendations in full.

Question reference: S5O-01593

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 06 December 2017
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 13 December 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what impact the UK Government's financial and economic policies��will have on the Scottish Budget.

Alongside last month's Autumn Budget, the OBR slashed its forecasts on productivity, economic growth and pay growth for the UK economy. After seven years of failed austerity Britain’s economy is now expected to grow at below its long-term trend growth until well into the next decade.

Over the ten years to 2019-20, the UK Government's financial and economic policies will have seen the Scottish Government’s discretionary budget being cut by £2.6 billion in real terms (8%).

Despite these challenges, the Draft Budget I plan to bring before parliament tomorrow will provide the resources necessary to deliver the bold vision set out in the Programme for Government and balance the impact of UK austerity with the need to protect public services and strengthen the social contract.

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Question reference: S5W-12991

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 24 November 2017
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Shona Robison on 29 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its��plans to introduce the role of Independent National Whistleblowing Officer for the NHS (Scotland).

Legislation will be brought forward in 2018 so that the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO) can take on the new role of Independent National Whistleblowing Officer for the NHS in Scotland (INWO).

The INWO will be given statutory powers to provide independent scrutiny of Health Boards’ handling of whistleblowing cases, for whistleblowers in our NHS who are not satisfied with the internal investigation. Scrutiny will cover the application of local process and decision making. As part of this the INWO will also look at the Health Board’s culture and approach to whistleblowing, particularly where a whistleblower claims to have been unfairly treated as a result of raising a concern.

The aim is to have a health service where staff can speak up in the knowledge that an independent, external body can review their case if they feel it has not been handled appropriately – and bring it to a clear, final and fair conclusion.

The SPSO will develop a clear set of standards on which Health Boards` will base their handling of whistleblowing cases. To complement these standards, the SPSO will lead on work, with our partners, to develop model whistleblowing procedures. The focus will be on resolution at the earliest possible time, continuous improvement, best practice, recording and reporting and learning from whistleblowing cases. This will give Health Boards the opportunity to learn and improve from the cases they handle and the INWO the basis to provide feedback to Health Boards - which will ultimately drive improvements.

We are working closely with the SPSO to have the INWO role in place as soon as possible taking into account the parliamentary process and the impact of other commitments the SPSO have. We anticipate this will be in late 2018.

Question reference: S5O-01516

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 November 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the action it is taking to manage flood risk in the south of Scotland.

Question reference: S5O-01485

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 November 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what action it is taking to end the illegal trade in puppies.

Question reference: S5O-01470

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 November 2017
Current Status: Answered by Annabelle Ewing on 15 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has invested in the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.

Question reference: S5O-01402

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 1 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what the impact on the devolution settlement could be of the proposals in the EU Withdrawal Bill.

The EU (Withdrawal) Bill, as drafted, would turn the founding principle of devolution on its head: that principle states that all matters which are not reserved are devolved. Instead, the Bill would reserve to the UK Government and Parliament control over all matters currently covered by EU law, even in clearly devolved areas such as the protection of the environment, agriculture or justice. In addition, the powers in the Bill do not give UK and Scottish Ministers or parliaments their constitutionally appropriate roles in preparing our laws for the disruption of EU withdrawal. UK Ministers are given the power to make changes in devolved areas without the involvement of devolved institutions; and devolved ministers and legislatures are given only limited powers to amend retained EU law, even in devolved areas.

The amendments which the Scottish and Welsh Governments jointly proposed would address the Bill's approach to the devolution settlements, giving Scottish Ministers and the Scottish Parliament their appropriate roles in the regrettable, but necessary, task of preparing our laws for the effects of EU withdrawal.

Question reference: S5O-01361

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 October 2017
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 25 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has undertaken of housing needs in the south of Scotland.

Question reference: S5O-01325

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 September 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 October 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the Law Society of Scotland's warning that ending freedom of movement may deter medical professionals from moving here and have implications for people already living and working here.