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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

Filter your results Hide all filters

Displaying 3530 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S4W-17064

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 September 2013
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 19 September 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the Pet Advertising Advisory Group's suggested minimum standards for classified websites that advertise the sale of pet animals, and whether it considers that introducing these would improve animal welfare standards among online advertisers and protect people from acquiring sick, dangerous or illegal animals.

The Scottish Government recognises that the sale of pets online is a growing animal welfare concern. We have met with stakeholders to discuss the issue of pet vending, including online pet sales. It is clear from those discussions that there is a need for a better public understanding of the risks involved in purchasing pets via the internet.

We therefore support the work of the Pet Advertising Advisory Group (PAAG) and fully endorse their recently launched minimum standards for the online advertisement of companion animals. Widespread uptake could have a significant positive impact on both animal welfare and customer satisfaction. We will endeavour wherever possible, to promote these standards to the general public and to advertising websites.

Question reference: S4W-16397

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 July 2013
Current Status: Answered by Frank Mulholland on 31 July 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how many people have been reported to the Procurator Fiscal for offences concerning snaring since 11 March 2010 and with what outcome.

31 persons have been reported to the Procurator Fiscal for offences concerning snaring since 11 March 2010.

There was insufficient, admissible evidence to take action against nine persons.

Eight persons received Procurator Fiscal warnings in cases in which, in the particular facts and circumstances, it would have been inappropriate to institute court proceedings.

Prosecutions were raised against 14 persons in the Sheriff Court.

Proceedings against one person were deserted by the court and proceedings against another were discontinued as a result of the “Cadder” decision.

Seven persons have been convicted. One was admonished and the remaining six were fined sums ranging between £160 and £1,500.

Prosecutions remain active against five persons.

Question reference: S4W-16394

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 July 2013
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 25 July 2013

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-12369 by Paul Wheelhouse on 30 January 2013, how many snare users had attended the training required to qualify for an identification number for the purpose of setting snares by 1 April 2013.

Question reference: S4W-16396

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 July 2013
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 25 July 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how many snare users who attended the training required to qualify for an identification number for the purpose of setting snares had obtained an identification number from the chief constable of their local police force by 1 July 2013.

Question reference: S4W-16395

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 09 July 2013
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 25 July 2013

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-12369 by Paul Wheelhouse on 30 January 2013, how many snare users attended the training required to qualify for an identification number for the purpose of setting snares between 1 April 2013 and 1 July 2013.

Question reference: S4F-01457

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 10 June 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 13 June 2013

To ask the First Minister whether the Scottish Government has been in contact with the UK Government regarding illegal surveillance activities in Scotland.

Question reference: S4O-02228

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 30 May 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 6 June 2013

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will consider procuring a resident cat as a humane mouse deterrent.

Question reference: S4F-01397

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 20 May 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 May 2013

To ask the First Minister whether the Scottish Government will consider piloting a domestic violence disclosure scheme.

Question reference: S4F-01377

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 13 May 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 16 May 2013

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's position is on the use of electronic tagging of offenders as an alternative to short-term sentences.

Question reference: S4W-13060

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 11 February 2013
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 7 March 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how many people have received free personal care in each year, broken down by (a) parliamentary constituency and (b) NHS board.

Information on the number of people receiving free personal care in each year is collected at local authority level. It is not available by (a) parliamentary constituency, but the local authority has been used to estimate the number of people receiving free personal care in each (b) NHS board area:

Table: Estimate of all people aged 65+ receiving free personal care at home or in a Care Home, 2003-04 to 2011-12

NHS Board	2003-04	2004-05	2005-06	2006-07	2007-08	2008-09	2009-10	2010-11	2011-12
NHS Ayrshire and Arran	5,180	5,510	5,690	5,920	6,370	6,780	6,820	6,970	6,880
NHS Borders	1,630	1,790	1,860	1,780	1,760	1,770	1,810	1,820	1,840
NHS Dumfries and Galloway	2,240	2,180	2,170	2,180	2,370	2,630	2,360	2,490	2,920
NHS Fife	5,200	5,320	5,350	5,440	5,370	5,560	5,570	5,360	4,930
NHS Forth Valley	3,290	3,480	3,620	3,650	3,710	3,840	4,070	4,230	4,210
NHS Grampian	6,920	7,050	7,490	7,900	7,920	7,820	7,810	7,750	7,610
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde	15,960	17,380	19,230	17,900	18,410	18,460	19,230	19,150	19,480
NHS Highland	3,930	4,050	4,340	4,350	4,270	4,570	4,550	4,460	4,410
NHS Lanarkshire	5,270	5,750	6,890	6,660	7,040	7,230	7,540	7,430	7,140
NHS Lothian	8,990	9,150	9,450	9,670	10,060	10,130	10,650	10,800	10,870
NHS Orkney	270	270	290	280	270	320	350	350	330
NHS Shetland	300	300	280	290	320	330	350	340	340
NHS Tayside	5,030	5,390	5,290	5,210	5,260	5,380	5,740	5,750	5,580
NHS Western Isles	610	600	640	640	620	640	650	640	640
Scotland	64,760	68,160	72,560	71,850	73,730	75,480	77,480	77,530	77,110

Source – Free Personal and Nursing Care, Scotland, 2010-11

Note: All figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 2011-12 figures are provisional.

NHS board figures are estimated based on the Local Authority funding the support not the area of residence, which may be different.