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-29273

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 January 2016
Current Status: Answered by Aileen McLeod on 1 February 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how it selected the list of vulnerable priority species in the Conservation of Vulnerable Priority Species section of the Environmental Co-operation Action Fund; what (a) mechanisms and (b) plans there are to review the list, and how species other than those on it can be protected through the Scotland Rural Development Programme 2014-2020.

The list of vulnerable priority species was compiled through a three-step approach:

Step 1: identifying species of international importance: those listed on the annexes of the EU Birds and Habitats Directives or, in the case of curlew, listed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature red list as "Near Threatened".

Step 2: identifying species of national importance, having suffered greater than 25 per cent decline in population in Scotland over a 25-year period.

Step 3: reviewing if there was evidence that applying the management options available under the Scottish Rural Development Programme in a coordinated way, at an appropriate scale, could effectively address the decline.

The list was produced by Scottish Natural Heritage using data compiled to inform decisions on spatial targeting of Agri-Environment Climate Scheme management options that benefit species. The spatial targeting exercise used a much longer list of Scottish Biodiversity List species, to identify which parts of Scotland would benefit the most from particular management options. The list of vulnerable priority species focusses limited resources on those species that are in most urgent need of help, and which require appropriate management to be coordinated across a considerably larger area than individual landholdings.

The Environmental Cooperation Action Fund and Agri-Environment Climate Scheme will be reviewed on an on-going basis to ensure they achieve their stated outcomes within budget commitments. The Scottish Government has the option to make changes to these schemes by submitting annual proposals for modifications to the European Commission for approval. Scottish Natural Heritage recommends that the current vulnerable priority species list is trialled for several years to assess its effectiveness as a targeting mechanism.

There are many management options and capital items available through the Agri-Environment Climate Scheme which benefit a wide variety of species, in addition to those recognised as vulnerable priority species. For example, land managed under the habitat mosaics option can provide habitat for invertebrates, small mammals, nesting and feeding birds, and also help to preserve and increase floristic diversity.

Question reference: S4W-29290

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 January 2016
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 21 January 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what (a) discussions it has had with the UK Government and (b) progress has been made to implement the recommendation in the Smith Commission Agreement that the Scottish and UK governments work together on issues relating to asylum seekers.

In the period since the Smith Commission Agreement was published, the Scottish and UK Governments have sought to progress the recommendation on issues relating to asylum seekers through regular meetings. These have included discussions on the non-legislative proposals from the commission and a demonstration of the asylum process at the Home Office in Glasgow. This inter-government work with the UK Government on asylum issues is ongoing.

Question reference: S4O-05499

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 January 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 January 2016

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service and what issues were discussed.

Question reference: S4W-29118

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 January 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 14 January 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the opportunities for Scotland from trade with Iran.

Question reference: S4W-29115

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 January 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 14 January 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what representations there have been between it (a) the Iranian Government and (b) Iranian business in the last six months.

Officials from Scottish Development International (SDI) visited Iran from 7-9 December 2015 to discuss possible future opportunities for Scottish companies in the oil and gas sector. SDI officials met with the Ministry of Petroleum, National Iranian Oil Company, Iran Investment Company and the Iran British Chamber of Commerce as well as a number of private companies in the oil and gas sector.

Question reference: S4W-29116

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 January 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 14 January 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what relationship it has with Iran, and how the lifting of international sanctions will impact on (a) the relationship and (b) its plans for future engagement with (i) the Iranian Government and (ii) Iranian business.

Question reference: S4W-28436

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 November 2015
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 26 November 2015

To ask the Scottish Government when it will be announced where the turbines for Hywind Scotland Pilot Park will be made.

Question reference: S4W-28435

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 November 2015
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 26 November 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what its contribution is to Hywind Scotland Pilot Park.

Question reference: S4W-28437

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 November 2015
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 26 November 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what contracts and subcontracts for Hywind Scotland Pilot Park will be awarded to firms based in Scotland.

To date Statoil has spent £2.5 million in Scotland on Environmental Impact Assessment, fabrication and Employment Status Indicator studies.

On Wednesday 25 November 2015 Statoil announced that Isleburn Ltd, part of the Global Energy Group, had won the contract to manufacture 15 suction anchors.

The Scottish Government and its agencies continue to work closely with Statoil to ensure the Scottish content is maximised in the project.

Question reference: S4O-04874

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 November 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 December 2015

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its progress in closing the educational attainment gap in the Mid Scotland and Fife region.