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: S5W-22775

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 April 2019
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 7 May 2019

To ask the Scottish Government how much revenue raised by the business rates incentivisation scheme was retained by each local authority in the (a) 2017-18 and (b) 2018-19 financial years.

Following validation of Local Authorities' final audited 2017-18 non-domestic rates income returns the amounts eligible to be retained by individual local authorities under the Business Rates Incentivisation Scheme for 2017-18, will be confirmed shortly and published in a Local Government Finance Circular.

The amounts eligible for retention for 2018-19 will be published following validation of the 2018-19 audited non-domestic rates income returns which are due later in 2019.

Question reference: S5W-22776

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 April 2019
Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 1 May 2019

To ask the Scottish Government which local authorities used powers under the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 to reduce business rates during the 2018-19 financial year, and to what extent.

Provisional data shows that Aberdeenshire and Perth & Kinross have used their Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act powers during 2018-19.

The following table sets out the most up to date information on the amount of local discretionary rates relief local authorities are planning to award under the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 in 2018-19, based on the latest returns. These figures will be finalised once Scottish Government receives the Audited Local Authority Income returns for 2018-19 in the autumn of 2019.

Local Rates Relief (£000s)	2018-19
	(Provisional)
Aberdeenshire	32
Perth & Kinross	30
Scotland	61

Source: Local Authority Non-Domestic Rates Income Mid-Year Estimates. Figures may not sum due to rounding.

We encourage local councils to consider use of these important powers to support local businesses where there is a need to do so but ultimately it is for councils, accountable to local electorates, to determine how they prioritise their resources.

Question reference: S5T-01605

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 April 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 April 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is regarding the performance of Scotland's rail services, and what action is being taken to improve provision.

Question reference: S5W-22379

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 March 2019
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 15 April 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what assistance it will give to Perth and Kinross Council to assist in dealing with any additional pressure on the area's roads and infrastructure arising from work on the dualling of the A9.

Transport Scotland has consulted extensively with Perth and Kinross Council throughout the development and design of the A9 Dualling programme to ensure that any additional pressures on the local road network are kept to a minimum whilst these vital works are carried out.

We place a number of requirements and restrictions on the contractors responsible for the construction of the A9 Dualling. These including minimising traffic restrictions and maintaining two-way traffic flow to ensure that the A9 continues to be the most efficient route to travel between Perth and Inverness by road whilst construction works are underway.

Contractors are required to consult with Perth and Kinross Council, Police Scotland, Transport Scotland and the Trunk Road Operating Company regarding all temporary traffic management proposals in advance of implementation. The contractors also hold regular meetings with the above parties to discuss the operation of existing traffic management.

Furthermore, we have undertaken to monitor key local roads in the vicinity of the construction works so we are able to review the effectiveness of the contractors traffic management proposals as works progress. Through this process, we aim to identify and address any issues swiftly.

Question reference: S5O-03092

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 March 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 April 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to alleviate fly tipping.

Question reference: S5O-03069

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 March 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 March 2019

To ask the Scottish Government how the tax changes in its Budget will impact on its own employees.

Question reference: S5O-03033

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 March 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 21 March 2019

To ask the Scottish Government how the provision of a care and treatment hub at Pitlochry Community Hospital will improve healthcare for Highland Perthshire residents.

Question reference: S5W-21839

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 February 2019
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 12 March 2019

To ask the Scottish Government on what date the Eurasian beaver will be given protected species status, and, once this is place, (a) whether its release into the wild will be treated as wildlife crime, (b) how farmers and land managers will be able to control destructive activity by the species, and what compensation will be made available to them to cover any losses and (c) whether it will facilitate its introduction to all parts of the country.

A Scottish Statutory Instrument, granting Eurasian beavers European Protected Species status, was laid before the Scottish Parliament on Friday 22 February 2019. The legislation will come into force on 1 May 2019.

a) The release of beavers into the wild is already a wildlife crime under Section 14 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

b) A comprehensive management system which includes licensing options has been developed by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) in consultation with the Scottish Beaver Forum (a forum comprising 12 key partners including farming, fisheries and other land management interests). Many measures, including management and removal of most types of dams and excluding or deterring beavers through use of electric fencing, will not require a licence.

The focus of the management approach is to prevent beaver damage and the Scottish Government is supporting the provision of expert beaver advice and management by SNH and specialist contractors.

SNH has also established a project to work with farmers and other land managers to continue to develop practical solutions to ensure that beavers do not block field drainage systems and to help ensure that flood defences are protected.

c) The Scottish Government has no plans to facilitate beaver introductions to all parts of the country. Scottish Ministers announced in November 2016 that beaver populations in the Knapdale and Tayside areas could remain and be allowed to expand their range naturally, but made it clear that further unauthorised releases of beavers would be illegal.

Question reference: S5W-21842

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 26 February 2019
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 6 March 2019

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) prosecutions and (b) convictions there have been in each year since 2001 for illegally releasing beavers into the wild.

Question reference: S5O-02891

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 February 2019
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 February 2019

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure the full reopening of the Pitlochry minor injuries unit.