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-04644

Asked by: Angus MacDonald, MSP for Falkirk East, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 September 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 September 2015

To ask the Scottish Government how it will ensure that its Infrastructure Investment Plan will help to deliver a low-carbon Scotland.

Question reference: S4W-27192

Asked by: Angus MacDonald, MSP for Falkirk East, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 August 2015
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 8 September 2015

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met Falkirk Council to discuss the Grangemouth Investment Zone national development.

Question reference: S4W-27060

Asked by: Angus MacDonald, MSP for Falkirk East, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 11 August 2015
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 8 September 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what the timescale is for the appointment of the new chief executive officer of Bòrd na Gàidhlig.

Question reference: S4W-27191

Asked by: Angus MacDonald, MSP for Falkirk East, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 25 August 2015
Current Status: Answered by Aileen McLeod on 3 September 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what progress has been made with the Forth Estuary flood risk management plan.

Scottish Environment Protection Agency published the draft flood risk management strategy for the Forth Estuary on 22 December 2014, and carried out a joint consultation with the lead local authority for the Forth Estuary (City of Edinburgh Council) on the draft strategy and Local Flood Risk Management Plan. The final strategy will be approved by Scottish Ministers and published by 22 December 2015, with the local plan being published by June 2016.

Question reference: S4O-04574

Asked by: Angus MacDonald, MSP for Falkirk East, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 September 2015
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 10 September 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it is making on repatriating the red meat levy paid by Scottish livestock producers in England.

Question reference: S4W-26830

Asked by: Angus MacDonald, MSP for Falkirk East, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 23 July 2015
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 20 August 2015

To ask the Scottish Government how many licences have been issued in each year from 2007 to allow (a) night shooting of deer and (b) shooting of deer during the closed season.

The number of licences issued by Scottish natural heritage in each year since 2007 to allow (a) night shooting of deer and (b) shooting of deer during the closed season, is set out in the following table.

	2007-08	2008-09	2009-10	2010-11	2011-12	2012-13	2013-14
(a) Night shooting	187	260	265	297	337	344	382
(b) Out of season culling	66	138	124	140	140	258*	270

Note: changes arising from the wildlife and natural environment (Scotland) act 2011 have meant that all deer culling out of season now requires authorisation from SNH, resulting in increased number of licences from 2012.

Question reference: S4W-26810

Asked by: Angus MacDonald, MSP for Falkirk East, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 July 2015
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 18 August 2015

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it has made in developing policy guidance for planning authorities on permitting huts and micro-houses with sleeping accommodation in the countryside.

The Scottish Planning Policy, published in June 2014, sets out national planning policy on huts. In addition Reforesting Scotland is developing guidance for the sustainable development of new hutting entitled New Hutting Developments: Guidance on planning, developing and managing huts. Reforesting Scotland is also preparing good practice guidance on hut building and design. Both documents will include policy guidance for planning authorities.

No policy guidance for planning authorities has been or is intended to be developed by the Scottish Government which refers specifically to micro houses.

Question reference: S4W-26640

Asked by: Angus MacDonald, MSP for Falkirk East, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 13 July 2015
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 27 July 2015

To ask the Scottish Government when it last discussed the reintroduction of a Rosyth to Zeebrugge passenger and car ferry service with DFDS Seaways.

Question reference: S4W-26641

Asked by: Angus MacDonald, MSP for Falkirk East, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 13 July 2015
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 27 July 2015

To ask the Scottish Government whether the reintroduction of a car and passenger ferry service between Rosyth and Zeebrugge was discussed at the recent tripartite talks between it, Forth Ports and DFDS Seaways.

The reintroduction of a car and passenger ferry service was not part of the recent discussions at the tripartite talks between the Scottish Government, Forth Ports and DFDS. Those discussions were focused on securing the future of the freight service ferry. We continue to work with DFDS to ensure that the freight service develops sufficient custom to ensure that it is commercially sustainable, as this could help form the basis of a viable passenger service on the route. DFDS have indicated they have no plans to reintroduce a passenger service in the immediate future.

Question reference: S4O-04504

Asked by: Angus MacDonald, MSP for Falkirk East, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 June 2015
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 24 June 2015

To ask the Scottish Government how it ensures that universities and colleges work together with local and regional schools and communities to close the attainment gap for students from the poorest backgrounds.

Mr MacDonald rightly highlights the need for the education system to work together to close the attainment gap. A good example is the Schools for Higher Education Programme which supports regional collaboration between schools, colleges and universities to raise awareness of, and aspiration to, higher education.

Already, focus on this issue seems to be making a difference, as indicated by the UCAS figures I referenced earlier showing a 50% increase since 2006 in the application rate to universities from 18 year-olds from our most deprived communities.

But there is more to do, and the Commission on Widening Access will advise ministers on meeting our full ambitions for widening access.