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-22507

Asked by: Angus MacDonald, MSP for Falkirk East, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 25 August 2014
Current Status: Answered by Margaret Burgess on 22 September 2014

To ask the Scottish Government how many empty homes have been brought back into use by the Scottish Empty Homes Partnership, broken down by local authority area.

We do not hold the number of empty homes brought back into use by local authority. Councils do report to the empty homes partnership the number of homes brought back into use, however, this reporting is not uniform and will result in under-counting. In 2012-13, 76 homes were reported as being brought back into use, this then increased to 278 in 2013-14. The empty homes partnership have reported that they expect this to increase steeply by the end of 2014-15.

Question reference: S4W-22504

Asked by: Angus MacDonald, MSP for Falkirk East, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 25 August 2014
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 17 September 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what action is being taken to assess and improve the level of understanding of autism in schools.

The level of understanding of autism in schools is assessed by Education Scotland inspectors who consider how well the school meets the learning needs of children and young people with autism and publish, within school reports, notable aspects of practice.

Recent examples include:

Identifying as a key strength of the Hillpark Secondary School in Glasgow “the learning experiences and achievements of young people in the Autism Unit”; and

Daldorch House School in East Ayrshire was praised for “staff’s knowledge and understanding of autism spectrum disorders”.

To help improve the level of understanding of autism in schools, I launched the Autism Toolbox website on 29 April 2014 at Grangemouth High School. The delegates included teachers, educational support staff and pupils.

Scottish Autism has used part of its funding to produce the Autism Toolbox website to promote the use of the toolbox in schools and local authorities, including:

Contacting all education authorities with the offer of awareness sessions about the Autism Toolbox website. Sessions have already taken place in 11 authorities and have reached over 1,500 delegates, including teachers and educational support staff.

An awareness session about the website at the Scottish Learning Festival in September 2013. There will also be an information stand at this year’s festival.

Question reference: S4W-22218

Asked by: Angus MacDonald, MSP for Falkirk East, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 31 July 2014
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 28 August 2014

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to review the practice of sewage sludge spreading and the effectiveness of controls and enforcement powers.

Earlier this year I asked my officials to consider with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) the current legal regime and practices around the spreading of sewage sludge. Following these discussions I intend to commission a review on the use of sewage sludge on land to ensure that this activity meets public expectations. This review will be led by SEPA in conjunction with my officials and a wider range of stakeholders, including Scottish Water, local authorities, waste management contractors, the public and landowning interests.

Question reference: S4W-22426

Asked by: Angus MacDonald, MSP for Falkirk East, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 August 2014
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 21 August 2014

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the recent publication of research into tail injuries in working dogs by the University of Glasgow, what progress it is making in considering whether to introduce exemptions to legislation on tail docking.

Following the publication of the Glasgow University research on tail injuries in working dogs in Scotland, the Scottish Government undertook a series of discussions with key stakeholders on the findings. I have now subsequently asked the Chief Veterinary Officer for Scotland to further analyse how the exemptions allowing tail docking of working dogs have worked in practice in other parts of the UK, and how any potential exemption could be genuinely restricted to working dogs if any change was to be proposed in Scotland. Once I have that advice, we will aim to make an announcement in autumn 2014 on whether we will formally consult on any exemption for working dogs.

Question reference: S4W-22235

Asked by: Angus MacDonald, MSP for Falkirk East, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 August 2014
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 15 August 2014

To ask the Scottish Government how many female sex offenders have been incarcerated in each year since 2007.

The available information is given in the following table:

Female sex offenders¹ receiving a custodial sentence, 2006-07 to 2012-13.

Crime	2006-07	2007-08	2008-09	2009-10	2010-11	2011-12	2012-13
Lewd and libidinous practices	1	-	-	1	1	1	-
Public indecency	1	-	-	-	-	2	-
Incest	-	1	-	-	1	-	-
Rape	1	-	-	-	-	-	-
Taking, distribution, possession etc. of indecent photos of children	-	-	-	1	-	-	-
Total	3	1	-	2	2	3	-

1. Where main offences. Excludes crimes relating to prostitution.

Question reference: S4W-22234

Asked by: Angus MacDonald, MSP for Falkirk East, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 August 2014
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 15 August 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what programmes are in place for the rehabilitation of female sex offenders.

As at August 2014 there were only 24 females recorded on the Sex Offenders Register in Scotland. The small numbers of female sex offenders presents substantial problems in devising and delivering standardised programmes.

As the number of imprisoned female sex offenders is small the Scottish Prison Service manages them individually, and devises appropriate supervision, support and rehabilitative activity tailored to their individual needs and circumstances.

On release from custody, Criminal Justice Social Work Services work with female sex offenders on an individual basis rather than providing a standard rehabilitation programme, to ensure effective risk management, public protection, harm reduction and rehabilitation. This work is done in conjunction with the Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements framework, as appropriate.

Question reference: S4O-03507

Asked by: Angus MacDonald, MSP for Falkirk East, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 August 2014
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 August 2014

To ask the Scottish Government whether an independent Scotland would see an increase in funding from the EU European Maritime and Fisheries Fund and, if so, by how much.

Question reference: S4W-22246

Asked by: Angus MacDonald, MSP for Falkirk East, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 August 2014
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 12 August 2014

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has been approached regarding the introduction of a direct ferry service between Scotland and Norway and what assessment it has made of the potential for such a service.

Question reference: S4W-22248

Asked by: Angus MacDonald, MSP for Falkirk East, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 August 2014
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 12 August 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is regarding the introduction of a ferry service between Scotland and Norway and whether it would consider providing financial support for such a service.

We have been approached on a number of occasions by parties and individuals about the provision of a direct ferry service to Norway from Scotland. We want to see the expansion of direct ferry connections from Scotland and are happy to engage with potential operators.

However, given that EU state aid rules provide only limited scope for financial support, any potential ferry service would have to operate on a commercially viable basis and would be a matter for the prospective ferry operator to consider.

Question reference: S4O-03443

Asked by: Angus MacDonald, MSP for Falkirk East, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 July 2014
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 7 August 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the newly appointed Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.