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 MSPs 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-02053

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 April 2018
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 3 May 2018

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will ban the export of live animals for slaughter.

As I stated in the response to your oral question of 6 February 2018 there is currently no export of live animals to continental Europe for the purpose of slaughter from Scotland. And as I have also made clear previously, the Scottish Government is committed to the welfare of all animals during transport, whether within the United Kingdom or for export purposes. Animals should be exported only in line with strict welfare standards, which ensure freedom from harm and sufficient rest and nourishment.

The UK Government has issued a call for evidence on this issue and we have supported that call but reiterated and reserved our position of not making any changes to current EU legislation that could disadvantage Scottish agriculture.

Question reference: S5O-02084

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 May 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 May 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of recent issues regarding TSB's online banking service and further branch closures, including by Santander, whether it will carry out an assessment of their impact on businesses and people who find it difficult to access or use online or telephone banking.

Question reference: S5W-15655

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 March 2018
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 1 May 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-14474 by Fergus Ewing on 13 March 2018, how many of the (a) cattle, (b) sheep, (c) pigs and (d) goats that were exported in 2017 for (i) slaughter, (ii) breeding and (iii) fattening/production had (A) Northern Ireland, (B) the Republic of Ireland, (C) France, (D) Belgium, (E) Spain, (F) Italy, (G) Germany and (H) the Netherlands as their final destination.

The Scottish Government takes the welfare of transported animals seriously, whether within the United Kingdom or for export purposes. Animals should be exported only in line with strict welfare standards, which ensure freedom from harm and sufficient rest and nourishment, and ensure that transport welfare rules are fully complied with. The Scottish Government has consented to a UK-wide call for evidence whilst reserving our position of not making any changes to current EU legislation that could disadvantage Scottish agriculture.

The following tables set out the number of animals exported to the requested destinations in 2017, based on information supplied by the Animal and Plant Health Agency.

Northern Ireland	Cattle	Sheep	Pigs	Goats
Slaughter	5,397	3,282	17,220	0
Breeding	1,292	9,081	0	25
Fattening/Production	170	0	0	0

Republic of Ireland	Cattle	Sheep	Pigs	Goats
Slaughter	671	2,456	0	0
Breeding	362	271	0	0
Fattening/Production	32	617	0	0

France	Cattle	Sheep	Pigs	Goats
Slaughter	0	0	0	0
Breeding	301	0	0	0
Fattening/Production	0	0	0	0

Belgium	Cattle	Sheep	Pigs	Goats
Slaughter	0	0	0	0
Breeding	32	38	0	0
Fattening/Production	0	380	0	0

Spain	Cattle	Sheep	Pigs	Goats
Slaughter	0	0	0	0
Breeding	272	3	0	0
Fattening/Production	5,199	0	1	0

Italy	Cattle	Sheep	Pigs	Goats
Slaughter	0	0	0	0
Breeding	12	21	763	0
Fattening/Production	304	0	0	0

Germany	Cattle	Sheep	Pigs	Goats
Slaughter	0	0	0	0
Breeding	162	72	0	0
Fattening/Production	0	0	0	0

Netherlands	Cattle	Sheep	Pigs	Goats
Slaughter	0	0	0	0
Breeding	10	41	0	0
Fattening/Production	0	0	0	0

Question reference: S5F-02192

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 26 March 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 March 2018

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's position is on the role of food banks.

Question reference: S5W-14484

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 09 February 2018
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 23 March 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, further to its announcement regarding banning the use of electric shock collars on dogs, what its position is on the (a) view that it cannot do so on the basis that it may be subject to judicial review and (b) judgement in the action between The Queen on the application of Petsafe Ltd and The Electronic Collar and Manufacturers Association and the Welsh Ministers of 8 October 2010, where a challenge to regulations in Wales was rejected.

Question reference: S5W-14474

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 February 2018
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 13 March 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5T-00925 by Fergus Ewing on 6 February 2018 (Official Report, c. 7), in light of the cabinet secretary's comment that "the export of live animals from Scotland is done for other reasons—breeding and production. Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs has indicated that the value of that totals £50 million a year", how many animals have been exported for (a) slaughter and (b) breeding and production in each year since 2015, broken down by breed.

Information supplied by the Animal and Plant Health Agency lists 48,883 animals as having been exported for slaughter, breeding and production from Scotland to Northern Ireland and countries outside the UK for 2017. Information is not held for 2015 and 2016. Data broken down by breed is not available.

2017 Live Exports	Cattle	Sheep	Pigs	Goats
Breeding	2,663	9,703	763	25
Fattening / Production	5,705	997	1	0
Slaughter	6,068	5738	17,220	0

Question reference: S5W-14485

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 February 2018
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 13 March 2018

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5T-00925 by Fergus Ewing on 6 February 2018 (Official Report, c. 7), in light of the cabinet secretary's comment that "the export of live animals from Scotland is done for other reasons—breeding and production. Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has indicated that the value of that totals £50 million a year", what information it has regarding how HMRC calculated the figure, including how much of this represents exports for (a) breeding and production and (b) slaughter.

Question reference: S5W-14765

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 February 2018
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 28 February 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what the economic impact of the Borders Railway has been in each year since its opening.

The full economic impact of the Borders Railway will be assessed at the Stage 2 Evaluation, which typically takes place 5 years on from project completion (in line with our Rail Evaluation Guidance ).

To date, a Stage 1 evaluation was carried out after year 1 and repeated after year 2; and these high level assessments have confirmed that key objectives of the Borders Railway are being met through improved connectivity and access to new opportunities, enhancing social inclusion and modal shift from road to rail.

Question reference: S5T-00925

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 05 February 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 6 February 2018

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it does not support a ban on the export of live animals.

Question reference: S5T-00908

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 29 January 2018
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 January 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on concerns regarding the occurrence of stop-skipping by ScotRail.