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-11608

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 November 2012
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 14 December 2012

To ask the Scottish Government whether a private landowner is obligated by law to remove giant hogweed.

There is no general legal obligation on land owners or occupiers to remove giant hogweed.

In certain circumstances it is possible to require specific land owners or occupiers to take action. Scottish Ministers, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, Scottish Natural Heritage and Forestry Commissioners can create Species Control Orders using powers contained in the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, if a voluntary approach to controlling invasive non-native species has failed. Such an order could require a land owner or occupier to remove giant hogweed, although the powers have not yet been used.

Alternatively, local authorities can use powers contained in the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 to address circumstances where they consider the condition of a piece of land adversely affects local amenity. In addition local authorities can use powers contained in the Environmental Protection Act 1990 to require action where they consider the state of premises to be prejudicial to health.

Question reference: S4W-11586

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 November 2012
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 14 December 2012

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4F-00909 by Alex Salmond on 25 October 2012 (Official Report, c.12688), whether it will provide a breakdown by company of each of the 11,000 jobs "employed directly in renewable energy across Scotland".

Information is not available in the format requested. I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-11359 on 6 December 2012, which provides a breakdown by sector of the estimated 11,136 jobs supported by the renewables industry and its supply chain in 2011-12. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

Question reference: S4T-00151

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 03 December 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 4 December 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to ensure that NHS boards do not manipulate waiting time figures in order to meet targets.

Question reference: S4W-11395

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 November 2012
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 3 December 2012

To ask the Scottish Government which NHS boards recommend green space recuperation therapy for people with mental illness.

Question reference: S4W-11394

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 21 November 2012
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 3 December 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to promote green space recuperation therapy for people with mental illness.

The Scottish Government recognises that the quality of the physical environment, which includes access to green spaces, has an important role to play in mental health improvement.

We also know that recovery of those with mental health issues benefits from services that support physical activity and social integration, and support people in a variety of ways including, accessing information and advice, self help approaches, bibliotherapy, counselling and exercise on prescription, using resources such as Steps for Stress and Branching Out.

The Mental Health Strategy promotes Steps for Stress, which is available as a booklet, relaxation CD and website; all of which provide evidence-based information and practical actions to bolster good mental wellbeing, and which offer easy-to-follow suggestions and tips on sustaining the advice.

Branching Out is a green space and conservation course available for those who use mental health services in seven NHS board areas, and is managed by the Forestry Commission Scotland.

Question reference: S4W-11328

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 November 2012
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 29 November 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it will take to help facilitate the erection of signs to promote Cycling Scotland's Cycle Friendly Communities initiative.

Question reference: S4W-11326

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 November 2012
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 29 November 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to promote Cycling Scotland’s Cycle Friendly Communities initiative.

Through Transport Scotland grant funding, Cycling Scotland administers and promotes the cycle friendly & sustainable communities fund. The projects funded encourage a shift away from single occupancy car use, a reduction in carbon emissions and an improvement in wellbeing of communities across Scotland by enabling more people to have more opportunities to cycle.

The fund is promoted by Cycling Scotland through direct mailing to interested bodies, communication through partner organisations and the use of social media.

More information on the fund is available on Cycling Scotland’s website at: www.cyclefriendlycommunities.co.uk

Question reference: S4W-11327

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 20 November 2012
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 29 November 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with Cycling Scotland in the last year in relation to the creation of cycle-friendly communities under its Cycle Friendly Communities initiative.

The Scottish Government, through Transport Scotland, has an observer role on the board of cycling Scotland, where many policy issues are discussed. The board meetings are held quarterly.

Following discussions with Highland Perthshire Cycling, East Dunbartonshire Cycle Co-op, Sustrans and Transport Scotland, Cycling Scotland has agreed to carry out exploratory research into the practicalities of cycle friendly communities, including elements such as an award.

At cycling Scotland’s annual conference in 2011, Highland Perthshire Cycling won the first Cycle Friendly Community of the Year award. This award was based on nominations received for the title and reviewed by an independent panel. The award winners had the opportunity to use this title for all relevant publicity. This year, the annual awards focussed on bikeability Scotland cycle training and outstanding contributions from individuals and schools in this field.

Question reference: S4O-01562

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 November 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 December 2012

To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that companies setting up or expanding activities in Scotland comply with the conditions attached to any financial assistance it has granted.

Question reference: S4W-11036

Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 November 2012
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 22 November 2012

To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures vaccine safety.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, with independent expert advice from the Commission on Human Medicines is responsible for ensuring that the quality, efficacy and safety of a vaccine is positive at the time of licensing. Post licensure systems are in place to closely monitor the safety of vaccines, using a variety of available data sources, and to ensure that the overall balance of risks and benefits remains positive throughout the product lifecycle. Regulatory action is taken to minimise risk if supported by new data.