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: S4O-03801

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 December 2014
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 December 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to encourage more new homes to be built in town centre locations.

Question reference: S4W-23403

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 24 November 2014
Current Status: Answered by Aileen McLeod on 3 December 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what action it (a) has taken and (b) plans to prevent farmland being flooded in winter 2014-15.

The Scottish Government is working to reduce flood risk across the whole of Scotland through the implementation of the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009. We are committed to building up flood resilience in rural communities and the farming sector, and we continue to provide funding through the local government settlement for local authorities to invest in flood protection schemes. We have also invested significantly in improving Scotland’s flood warning service, which is resulting in better flood forecasting and warning information being made available to the public throughout Scotland. We are also supporting the public and others to take practical actions through our additional funding for the Scottish Flood Forum.

The interaction between agriculture, river dredging and flooding is complex, and the Scottish Government is keen to ensure the most sustainable balance between agricultural production, environmental protection and flood risk management.

Following representations from NFUS, among others, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency has reviewed the issue of maintaining agricultural flood embankments, and is seeking to raise awareness among farmers of the regulatory and licensing requirements that pertain to repair work carried out by land managers. This should give the farming community greater confidence in carrying out necessary repairs to flood defences.

Question reference: S4W-23402

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 24 November 2014
Current Status: Answered by Aileen McLeod on 3 December 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency regarding the dredging of rivers.

The Scottish Government meets regularly with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA). A joint meeting was held with National Farmers Union Scotland (NFUS) earlier this year, which resulted in the publication of detailed guidance on dredging for land managers. This can be obtained by visiting the following link:

http://www.sepa.org.uk/water/water_regulation/guidance/river_clearance_and_dredging.aspx.

Not all works require a SEPA licence: large and complex projects in larger rivers do, but simpler rules apply to activities like ditch clearance and silt removal from already straightened burns.

For more significant engineering works permission may be required. As these, if carried out in the wrong place and in the wrong way, can result in serious environmental damage and a risk of increased erosion and flooding elsewhere. SEPA assesses licence applications for dredging on a case by case basis, and encourages applications to be part of sustainable, long-term catchment solutions to sediment management issues. However, SEPA staff are always available to discuss any river management work, and to provide appropriate advice.

Both the Scottish Government and SEPA are aware of the challenges facing farmers and land managers during spells of extreme wet weather, and SEPA continues to liaise closely with NFUS on this important issue.

Question reference: S4W-23401

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 24 November 2014
Current Status: Answered by Aileen McLeod on 3 December 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on dredging the River Isla in Perthshire to prevent flooding.

Dredging can have a role to play in flood risk management, but carried out in the wrong way and in the wrong place can result in significant environmental damage, and increased flooding and erosion downstream.

The Scottish Government is working with local authorities, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and Scottish Water and the other responsible authorities, to deliver strategic flood risk management plans for Scotland. These will set out objectives for reducing flood risk in potentially vulnerable areas across Scotland, and the best combination of measures to achieve this. These measures may include dredging where it is appropriate and is part of a sustainable, long-term catchment solution to sediment management issues.

We believe this is the best approach to managing flood risk across the whole of Scotland, rather than focussing on one single issue which is not a ‘cure all’ for flooding.

Question reference: S4W-23409

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 24 November 2014
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 2 December 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to establish a clinical pathway for adults with cerebral palsy.

The Scottish Government funds the National Neurological Advisory Group (NNAG), whose aim is to improve the patient journey from the point of referral into the service, and to ensure that every patient with a neurological disorder such as cerebral palsy experiences a quality of care that gives confidence to the patient, clinician and carer.

The NNAG is currently looking at pathways across neurological conditions with a view to publishing a library of good practice pathways that can be adapted to meet the needs of individual boards.

Question reference: S4W-23408

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 24 November 2014
Current Status: Answered by Maureen Watt on 2 December 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what support with mobility it provides to people with cerebral palsy who are over 50.

Cerebral palsy is a condition where birth injury results in damage to the brain leading to impairment of movement in the limbs, sometimes problems with speech and language, and sometimes associated learning difficulties which may impact on daily activities and independence. These can persist into adulthood, and may require ongoing help with physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and where appropriate help with benefits and social support.

Physiotherapy can offer assessment and advice which may be followed by treatment and/or equipment provision, however it is for local NHS boards to determine the level of service they provide based on local priorities and clinical need.

Services for adults with cerebral palsy fall within core local authority social work service functions generally supported by the Scottish Government. Access to services is based on an individual assessment of need.

Question reference: S4W-23097

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 10 November 2014
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 19 November 2014

To ask the Scottish Government how many trees have been planted under the initiative that it launched in 2010 to plant 100 million trees by 2015, broken down by (a) species and (b) acreage.

In 2010 Scottish Ministers pledged to plant 100 million trees by 2015 as part of the Climate Group’s States and Regions Alliance Billion Trees initiative. This Scottish figure of 100 million trees was based on achieving 50,000 hectares of woodland creation over that period at an average stocking of 2,000 trees per hectare.

On this basis, planting over the period 2010-14, to date, equates to 66 million trees – 9,300ha of conifers (18.6 million trees) and 23,700ha of broadleaves (47.4 million trees).

I note that planting in Scotland, over the period 2010-14, constituted 65% (33,000 hectares) within a total of 50,900 hectares (101.8 million trees) planted across the UK.

Question reference: S4W-23078

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 07 November 2014
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 19 November 2014

To ask the Scottish Government how Scottish Natural Heritage determines the socio-economic impact of applications for close season culling licences under the Deer (Scotland) Act 1996.

Although the Deer (Scotland) Act 1996 does not place a specific requirement on Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) to consider the socio-economic impact of authorisations for close season culling, when making such decisions SNH applies the balancing duty under the Natural Heritage (Scotland) Act 1991 to take account of the need for social and economic development in Scotland, the regulators’ duty under the Regulatory Reform (Scotland) Act 2014 to contribute to achieving sustainable economic growth, and the balancing duty in the Deer (Scotland) Act 1996 to take account of factors including the size and density of the deer population and its impact on the natural heritage, and the interests of owners and occupiers of land. Decisions by SNH to issue licences to cull deer will also be taken with regard to the Code of Practice on Deer Management, which sets out actions intended to support the environment, sustainable economic development and social well-being, as well as safeguarding the welfare of wild deer.

Question reference: S4W-23074

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 07 November 2014
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 18 November 2014

To ask the Scottish Government how many applications for close season culling licences under the Deer (Scotland) Act 1996 have been rejected by Scottish Natural Heritage in each of the last five years, broken down by the reason for rejection.

Year	Number of authorisations rejected	Reason for rejection
2010-11	4	No evidence of damage (4)
2011-12	2	No evidence of damage (2)
2012-13	3	No evidence of damage (1); general authorisation applied (1); covered by section 7 control agreement/negotiation (1)
2013-14	9	Deer welfare (1); no evidence of damage (1); could have taken other reasonable means (2); general authorisation applied (5)
2014-15	3	Deer welfare (1); other reasonable means (1); covered by section 7 control agreement/negotiation (1)

Note: A further 99 applications were voluntarily withdrawn over the five year period following discussion between the applicant and Scottish Natural Heritage.

Question reference: S4W-23076

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 07 November 2014
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 18 November 2014

To ask the Scottish Government how many applications for close season culling licences under the Deer (Scotland) Act 1996 have been approved by Scottish Natural Heritage in each of the last five years but with restrictions set on the number of deer that could be culled, broken down by the reason for setting a restriction.

Two authorisations have been issued which have specified limits on the number of deer to be taken, both in 2014-15. One limited the number of female deer plus calves to be taken with an agreement having been reached between the applicant and owners of neighbouring properties. The second authorisation limited the number of adult male deer to be taken following ongoing discussions within the deer management group about the sustainable harvest of stags and the potential socio-economic impacts of repeated close season culling.