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: S4W-05622

Asked by: Claudia Beamish, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 13 February 2012
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 7 March 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what funding has been provided for the protection of the red squirrel in each year since 2007-08.

The following funding has been provided for the protection of red squirrels in Scotland.

	2007- 08	2008-09	2009-2010	2010-11	2011-12
Scottish Government SRDP	0	0	£148,740	£276,945	£413,845
Scottish Natural Heritage	0	£150,000	£175,000	£175,000	£175,000
Forestry Commission Scotland	£68,700	£56,800	£104,200	£97,900	£90,900
Total	£68,700	£206,800	£427,940	£549,845	£679,745

Question reference: S4W-05624

Asked by: Claudia Beamish, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 13 February 2012
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 7 March 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what groups it provides with funding for work related to the conservation of the red squirrel.

The Scottish Government and its agencies provide funding to the following partnerships groups who carry out work in relation to the conservation of red squirrels in Scotland:

Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels - Scottish Wildlife Trust, Scottish Natural Heritage, Forestry Commission Scotland and Scottish Land and Estates (formerly Scottish Rural Property Business Association).

Red Squirrels in South Scotland - Scottish Wildlife Trust, Scottish Natural Heritage, Forestry Commission Scotland, the Southern Uplands Partnership and the Red Squirrel Survival Trust.

Red Squirrels of the Highlands - Forestry Commission Scotland, Scottish Natural Heritage and the Cairngorms National Park Authority.

Squirrelpox Surveillance Programme - Red Squirrels in South Scotland, the Moredun Institute and the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, Edinburgh.

Funding is also available for land managers under the Scotland Rural Development Programme (SRDP) option Control of invasive non-native species for the targeted control of grey squirrels.

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/farmingrural/SRDP/RuralPriorities/Options/Controlofinvasivenon-nati.

This option is available to land managers in control areas identified in the Scottish Red Squirrel Action Plan 2006-2011 (Red Squirrel Action Plan 2006-2011) who have evidence of grey squirrels on their land, or to land managers who have a stand of broadleaf woodland that has been identified by Forestry Commission Scotland as being part of a Biodiversity Action Plan priority habitat or other high biodiversity value.

http://www.snh.org.uk/pdfs/species/Squirrel/Red%20Squirrel%20Action%20Plan%20-%20final%20version%20-%20July%202006%20.pdf.

Question reference: S4W-05626

Asked by: Claudia Beamish, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 13 February 2012
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 7 March 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to prevent the spread of the squirrel pox virus.

The Red Squirrels in South of Scotland Project is carrying out grey squirrel control to isolate squirrelpox virus outbreak zones and establish pox containment around these areas in the south of Scotland.

The Squirrelpox Surveillance Programme, which is made up of a partnership of Red Squirrels in South of Scotland, the Moredun Institute and the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, Edinburgh, tests diseased red squirrel specimens for signs of squirrelpox and other pathogens, and undertakes antibody and tissue tests in grey squirrels to detect and map exposure to squirrelpox virus.

Question reference: S4W-05631

Asked by: Claudia Beamish, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 13 February 2012
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 21 February 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will lay before the Parliament a draft report on proposals and policies for meeting annual targets to cover the period 2023-2027 as stipulated by section 35 of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009.

Question reference: S4W-05025

Asked by: Claudia Beamish, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 16 January 2012
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 24 January 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to review any guidance that it has made available to local authorities in relation to setting (a) kinship and (b) foster carer allowance.

Question reference: S4W-05024

Asked by: Claudia Beamish, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 16 January 2012
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 23 January 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has made available to local authorities in relation to setting (a) kinship and (b) foster carer allowance.

The Looked After Children (Scotland) Regulations 2009 provide the legislative framework for the planning and care of children who have been identified as needing to be looked after. Regulation 33 makes provision for the payment of allowances but does not determine how much and to whom an allowance shall be paid.

We supported the introduction of these regulations by publishing comprehensive guidance and delivering training with our partners in every local authority.

Question reference: S4W-05021

Asked by: Claudia Beamish, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 16 January 2012
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 23 January 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people in each local authority area are in receipt of kinship carer allowance.

Question reference: S4W-05023

Asked by: Claudia Beamish, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 16 January 2012
Current Status: Answered by Aileen Campbell on 23 January 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made toward meeting the commitment in its concordat with COSLA to ensure that kinship carers receive an allowance equivalent to that received by foster carers.

The level of kinship care payments are the responsibility of local authorities, who are best placed to determine local need. The Scottish Government recognises progress so far on delivering kinship care payments and we are committed to working with local authorities to ensure that kinship carers receive the support they need. However, many carers have their benefits reduced as a result of receiving these payments. Therefore, the UK Government needs to play its part to ensure carers receive their allowances in full.

Question reference: S4W-04852

Asked by: Claudia Beamish, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 06 January 2012
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 19 January 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken, beyond funding provided for in the 2012-13 draft budget, to ensure delivery of the £296 million required for cycling and walking infrastructure investment in 2012 as set out in Low Carbon Scotland: Meeting the Emissions Reduction Targets 2010-22, The Report on Proposals and Policies.

Question reference: S4W-04857

Asked by: Claudia Beamish, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 06 January 2012
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 19 January 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what analysis it has carried out on the appropriate balance between public and private sector finance to ensure delivery of the (a) £508 million and (b) £1,281 million required to reduce emissions from transport in 2012 and the period 2012-14 respectively, as set out in Low Carbon Scotland: Meeting the Emissions Reduction Targets 2010-22, The Report on Proposals and Policies.

Low Carbon Scotland: Meeting the Emissions Reduction Targets 2010-22, the Scottish Government’s first climate change Report on Proposals and Policies (RPP) provides the current estimated costs for full delivery of the transport proposals contained within it.

The appropriate balance of spend between the public and private sector will be determined by how much public money is needed to deliver the necessary infrastructure and encourage private investment in more efficient and active travel. Irrespective of where the costs fall, the government will look to deliver all proposals in the most cost effective manner. Given the long timeframe that the RPP covers, it is inevitable that some of the measures that it details will develop and change as circumstances dictate and our understanding of the emissions impact of interventions improves.