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: S5W-09166

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 08 May 2017
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Fergus Ewing on 9 May 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding the arrangements that the UK Government is making to enable the new EU school milk scheme to come into effect on 1 August 2017.

The UK Government, as EU member state, has responsibility for sharing information, seeking input from devolved administrations at appropriate stages and co ordinating the work being undertaken by devolved administrations to ensure that the UK strategy can be submitted in time to allow continued participation under the new EU school milk scheme.

The UK strategy must be submitted to the EC by 1 August 2017 (the same date the new scheme arrangements begin).

The Rural Payments Agency (RPA) administer the EU school milk scheme on behalf of Scotland, England and Wales. Due to the changes to the scheme, new secondary legislation is required to be in place by 1 August 2017 to allow RPA to continue in this role.

Earlier in the process we had been led to believe that a UK SI would be prepared to allow all four UK nations to continue claiming under the new EU school milk scheme. However in March, Defra advised that they preferred devolved administrations to enact their own legislation, leaving Scotland with just 12 weeks to draft and lay a SSI (and undertake necessary stakeholder consultation) to ensure it can complete its Parliamentary journey before the Scottish Parliament begins recess on 30 June 2017.

Due to the UK General Election (GE) being called, the UK Government recently advised that they no longer feel they are in a position to share much of the information that we had hoped to share with stakeholders, as we undertake necessary consultation and engagement prior to the SSI being laid in the Scottish Parliament. This includes the strategy, the application forms and accompanying guidance. The GE does not cause the same issues for the UK Government consultation or SI as their Parliament does not rise until several weeks after our own.

Both of these factors - the lack of definitive material on which to consult and the slowness on the part of Defra in communicating its decision on secondary legislation - are most unfortunate. Nevertheless, we have moved quickly to allow stakeholders to consider the proposed approach in Scotland and to ensure the necessary legislative changes are made to allow Scotland’s schoolchildren to continue to benefit from the subsidised school milk scheme. A consultation on the EU School Milk scheme began on 5 May and can be accessed via the following link:-

https://consult.scotland.gov.uk/food-and-drink/eu-milk-scheme/

Question reference: S5W-09121

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 May 2017
Current Status: Initiated by the Scottish Government. Answered by Fergus Ewing on 3 May 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what the current situation is with regard to the risk of an incursion of avian flu to Scottish poultry.

The risk of incursion of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N8 into poultry or captive birds in Scotland, either from non-migratory wild birds or contaminated environment was assessed by experts on 18 April, as being “LOW” (reduced from “MEDIUM”). This means “rare but could occur” and falls within the parameters of what we consider to be “typical” of the disease risk from AI in Scotland, year-round.

Wild bird surveillance in Scotland shows that since 1 December 2016, 51 birds were tested in Scotland and only one tested positive (on 23 Dec 2016) for HPAI H5N8. Furthermore, all suspect notifiable disease investigations in domestic flocks, reported over the same time period, were negated.

Based on the information above and in consultation with ornithological experts and vets, Scottish Ministers took the decision not to renew the Avian Influenza Prevention Zone when it expired on 30 April 2017.

Of course, it is essential that bird keepers maintain effective biosecurity throughout the year, and not just when a prevention zone is in place. Any businesses with existing contingency plans should also consider reviewing them, given the new perspective this season’s outbreaks of H5N8 has provided.

Question reference: S5O-00932

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 April 2017
Current Status: Answered by Mark McDonald on 3 May 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve the attractiveness of a career in the early learning and childcare sector.

The Scottish Government values greatly, those who undertake the vital role of caring for our youngest children and our Blueprint for 2020 Action Plan sets out a range of actions we will take, over the course of the next year, to improve the attractiveness of a career in the ELC sector. These include:

Increasing the number of ELC Modern Apprenticeships by 10% year on year up to 2020.

Launching a recruitment marketing campaign in autumn 2017.

Working with Skills Development Scotland to produce updated guidance on opportunities in ELC for careers advice organisations; and

Working with delivery partners, who already have excellent links to communities across Scotland, to raise the profile of a career in ELC amongst underrepresented groups.

We are also encouraging Fair Work practices across the ELC Sector and will provide up to £50 million of additional revenue to extend payment of the Living Wage to all childcare staff delivering the funded entitlement in private and third sector nurseries by the end of this parliament.

Question reference: S5O-00883

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 12 April 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 April 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that homes in the private rented sector are energy efficient.

Question reference: S5W-08162

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 16 March 2017
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 28 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that the NHS could lose doctors and nurses because of the outcome of the EU referendum.

Scotland’s health and social care sectors benefit enormously from the contribution of staff from across the EU. We greatly value our non-UK EU citizens and their wider contribution to our society; we are working to see that their rights and place in our nation are protected. Any reports that the NHS in Scotland could lose any doctors and nurses are deeply concerning and underlines the real risk the UK Government’s hard Brexit policy poses to our health and social care services.

Question reference: S5W-07377

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 2 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what action it takes to encourage supermarkets to stock Scotch lamb all year.

Question reference: S5O-00728

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 2 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to identify European E-road routes on road signs after the UK leaves the EU.

Question reference: S5W-07375

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 1 March 2017

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-04921 by Roseanna Cunningham on 30 November 2016, whether it will provide an update on what progress it is making regarding tackling the illegal trafficking of puppies through (a) Cairnryan and (b) other ports, and what discussions it has had or plans with (i) the Ulster Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (USPCA), (ii) the Northern Ireland Executive and (iii) Northern Irish local authorities regarding this.

Scottish Government officials have had discussions with their counterparts in other UK administrations and the Republic of Ireland about the movement of puppies through Cairnryan and the other routes that puppies from elsewhere in Europe enter the UK. Further discussions are planned in the near future to share information about recent enforcement operations in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

No specific discussions with USPCA or Northern Irish local authorities are planned, but we are aware that there is good liaison between the Scottish SPCA, USPCA and local authorities in Scotland and Northern Ireland on this subject.

Scottish Government funded research on the scale of the illegal trade, what motivated buyers to obtain puppies from illegal sources and the most effective ways in which this can be addressed is making good progress. It is expected a report will be available by the middle of 2017.

Question reference: S5W-07080

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 February 2017
Current Status: Answered by Angela Constance on 28 February 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the research published by the charity, Feniks, which suggested that, following the EU referendum, European nationals living in Scotland felt safer than those in England.

The Scottish Government greatly values both the contribution that non-UK EU nationals bring to our economy and society, and the benefits of freedom of movement enjoyed by our own citizens. Non-UK EU nationals are an important part of Scotland’s future, in terms of contributing to sustainable economic growth, mitigating the effects of demographic change and enriching our culture and communities. In Scotland, we have not seen the same evidence of a ‘spike’ in hate crime as has been reported elsewhere. Nevertheless, we remain vigilant and would encourage anyone who believes they may have been a victim of a hate crime to report it to the Police.

Question reference: S5F-00940

Asked by: Emma Harper, MSP for South Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 20 February 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 February 2017

To ask the First Minister what discussions the Scottish Government has held regarding the future of broadcasting in Scotland.