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-12152

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 January 2013
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 23 January 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how many people in Fife who have been charged with (a) murder and (b) a knife crime have been (i) remanded in custody, (ii) granted bail and (iii) granted bail despite opposition from the Crown Office prosecutors in each of the last five years.

Question reference: S4W-11776

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 07 December 2012
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 21 December 2012

To ask the Scottish Government when it will have completed the 2012 single farm payments to farmers.

As at 19 December, we paid 88% of expected claims, equating to some 16,590 farmers and a total of £382 million by value. In comparison with 2011, this is a 3% improvement in the number of farmers paid. This means some 2,300 claims are still to be processed. My officials are working through these outstanding claims with the aim of paying valid claims as soon as possible. I cannot give a firm date when this work will be completed because that depends on individual circumstances and payment cannot be made until all scheme eligibility checks have been completed. Based on our past experience, however, it is likely to be around March 2013.

Question reference: S4W-11730

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 07 December 2012
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 21 December 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what independent testing has been carried out to evaluate the impact of (a) Larsen Mate and (b) Elgeeco cage traps on (i) protected species and (ii) species not targeted by the devices.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-11729 on 21 December 2012. The Scottish Government are similarly not aware of any independent testing of the impact of these traps on protected species or any non-target species. Scottish Natural Heritage also intend to commission independent research in 2013 to gather objective evidence in this respect.

It is the responsibility of any operator of any trap to ensure that they are not used in such a way so as to likely catch any protected species other than those specified under a specific or general licence. Intentionally or recklessly catching any protected species that is not covered by a specific or general licence is an offence.

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: S4W-11733

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 07 December 2012
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 21 December 2012

To ask the Scottish Government whether independent evidence establishing a need to supplement a trap with a (a) Larsen Mate and (b) Elgeeco cage trap is required before a general licence for its use can be granted.

No such evidence is required. It is the responsibility of anyone using a general licence to be satisfied that their actions are compliant with the terms of that licence. Scottish Natural Heritage proposes to work with practitioners in 2013 to develop a Code of Practice for use of traps under general licence. The Code of Practice will provide detail on trap design and use and will aim to ensure greater clarity about what general licences do and how they are used. It is likely that issues such as this will be covered in the development of the code.

Question reference: S4W-11732

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 07 December 2012
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 21 December 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on issuing general licences for untested cage traps.

Species licensing functions, including the issue of General Licences was delegated to SNH in July 2011.

The general licences list the types of traps that can be used for the purposes set out in the licence. SNH policy is that decisions made about the inclusion or exclusion of certain traps should be evidence-based. Where the available evidence is not available, Scottish Natural Heritage will commission research to provide evidence.

Larsen Mate and Elgeeco cage traps, have been used in Scotland since 2009, and in the absence of any evidence indicating adverse welfare effects, Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) believe that it would be disproportionate to prohibit the use of these traps. SNH propose to rigorously and independently test these traps in 2013. If evidence does come to light indicating that they pose unacceptable risks, then any General Licence permitting their use could be revoked at any time.

Question reference: S4W-11729

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 07 December 2012
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 21 December 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what independent testing has been carried out to evaluate the risk of injury to birds and other animals from (a) Larsen Mate and (b) Elgeeco cage traps.

The Scottish Government are not aware that any independent testing of the welfare impacts of these traps has yet been carried out since 2009 when these traps were first used in Scotland. The Scottish Government are also not aware of any evidence of adverse welfare impacts of these traps. Some conservation and animal welfare organisations do have concerns about the potential welfare impacts and so Scottish Natural Heritage intend to commission independent research in 2013 to gather objective evidence in this respect.

Question reference: S4W-11731

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 07 December 2012
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 21 December 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what provision must be made for (a) food, (b) water and (c) shelter for (i) birds and (ii) other animals caught by a (A) Larsen Mate and (B) Elgeeco cage trap before a general licence for its use can be granted.

No such provision is currently (or has previously been) made for any animals caught by any trap under the general licence.

Scottish Natural Heritage is proposing to work with practitioners to develop a code of practice for use of traps under general licence during 2013. The Code of Practice will provide detail on trap design and use and will aim to ensure greater clarity about what general licences do and how they are used. It is likely that issues such as this will be covered in the development of the code.

Question reference: S4W-11694

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 December 2012
Current Status: Answered by Margaret Burgess on 18 December 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what the (a) demand, (b) uptake and (c) capacity was of the (i) mortgage to rent scheme and (ii) mortgage to shared equity scheme (A) nationally and (B) in Fife under the Home Owners Support Fund.

Details for the past two financial years are as follows:

2010-2011

2011-2012

	NATIONAL	FIFE COUNCIL AREA	NATIONAL	FIFE COUNCIL AREA
Number of Applications	739	68	889	74
Completed Mortgage To Rent	368	36	322	16
Completed Mortgage To Shared Equity	6	2	3	0

The capacity of the schemes is determined by a mixture of the available budget, the number of applications and the value of each application.

The outturn figures for the Home Owners’ Support Fund for the past two years are as follows:

2010-2011 £20.1 million

2011-2012 £14.4 million

The Home Owners’ Support Fund budget for 2012-2013 is £10 million.

Question reference: S4W-11693

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 06 December 2012
Current Status: Answered by Margaret Burgess on 18 December 2012

To ask the Scottish Government how much it paid out (a) nationally and (b) in Fife for the (i) mortgage to rent scheme and (ii) the mortgage to shared equity scheme under the Home Owners Support Fund.

Question reference: S4T-00160

Asked by: Claire Baker, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 10 December 2012
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 11 December 2012

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the reported increase in unconventional gas exploration.

	NATIONAL	FIFE COUNCIL AREA	NATIONAL	FIFE COUNCIL AREA
Mortgage to Rent	£19.9m	£1.55m	£14.3m	£0.7m
Mortgage to Shared Equity	£0.2m	£0.05m	£0.1m	0m
Total	£20.1m	£1.6m	£14.4m	£0.7m