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-00303

Asked by: Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 October 2011
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 November 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive whether tenant farmers relinquishing their tenancy have a right to compensation for investment made in their farms and, if so, whether the proposed agricultural holdings bill will alter this.

Question reference: S4W-03063

Asked by: Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 September 2011
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 25 October 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will change the process allowing schools to appeal students’ examination grades to the Scottish Qualifications Agency and, if so, (a) for what reason, (b) what the changes will be and (c) when they will be introduced.

The Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) has responsibility for setting and assessing qualifications. The appeals system was originally designed as a safety net for use in exceptional circumstances (for example, where a candidate is absent through bereavement or illness). However, there has been a significant rise in the number of applications in recent years and SQA has undertaken research and engagement to establish reasons for this and explore alternative arrangements. The review identified that the current system is no longer being solely used for exceptional circumstances for which it was originally designed and that stakeholders wish to return to this approach.

Alternatives have been considered at both pre-appeal and post-appeal.

SQA is currently working through the operational requirements for these alternatives and will confirm its proposals for implementation in the autumn.

Question reference: S4W-02501

Asked by: Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 02 September 2011
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 29 September 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive whether local authorities can access the Cycling, Walking and Safer Streets fund in order to fund 20 mph speed limits around schools.

Question reference: S4O-00258

Asked by: Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 September 2011
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 6 October 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive how planned reductions in the NHS workforce will impact on newly qualified nurses and midwives.

Question reference: S4W-02793

Asked by: Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 September 2011
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 27 September 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are in place to prevent land managers from destroying species-rich grassland.

Land managers who are in receipt of subsidy must adhere to Cross Compliance rules. Under these rules, Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition (GAEC) measures 12, 13 and 14 are in place to protect ‘pasture of high environmental value’ and ‘semi natural areas’ such as species-rich grassland.

For all three of these measures, if a farmer is considering doing improvement works on these types of area such as ploughing, draining, reseeding, spraying etc. he/she should first seek consent.

Consent in this context means prior written consent from Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) in relation to Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and Special Areas of Conservation (SAC), or from Scottish Ministers for land under an agri-environment agreement or works that require approval under the Environmental Impact Assessment (Agriculture)(Scotland) Regulations 2006.

In addition, under the Cross Compliance System there is also a Statutory Management Requirement (SMR 5) that protects flora and fauna on land designated as an SAC and protects plants that are European Protected Species.

Question reference: S4W-02792

Asked by: Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 September 2011
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 22 September 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive how much species-rich grassland was lost between 1983 and 2005 and has been lost since.

Question reference: S4W-02794

Asked by: Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 September 2011
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 22 September 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive what incentives are available under the Scotland Rural Development Programme for land managers to enhance areas of species-rich grassland.

There are two options within the rural priorities element of the Scotland Rural Development Programme which provide support for the creation and/or management of species-rich grassland. Uptake figures for these options are provided below.

Option

Applications with Option

Committed

Funding

Management of Species Rich Grassland

1,688

£7,005,759

Creation and Management of Species Rich Grassland

422

£1,908,758

Further information about these options, including the type of support available and payment rates, is available on the Rural Priorities website:

www.scotland.gov.uk/topics/farmingrural/srdp/ruralpriorities.

Question reference: S4W-02583

Asked by: Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 12 September 2011
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 21 September 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive how many convictions there have been under regulation 5 of The Environmental Protection (Restriction on Use of Lead Shot) (Scotland) (No. 2) Regulations 2004.

Question reference: S4W-02584

Asked by: Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 12 September 2011
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 21 September 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to review the effectiveness of legislation intended to ensure that Scotland complies with its international obligations under the Afro-Eurasian Waterfowl Agreement.

Question reference: S4W-02581

Asked by: Elaine Murray, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Monday, 12 September 2011
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 21 September 2011

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidelines there are to assist police forces in enforcing The Environmental Protection (Restriction on Use of Lead Shot) (Scotland) (No. 2) Regulations 2004.

Guidelines on these controls are set out in Protecting Waterfowl from Lead in Wetlands – A Practical Guide to the Lead Shot Regulations in Scotland published jointly by the then Scottish Executive, Scottish Natural Heritage and the British Association of Shooting and Conservation. A link to the guidance follows:

http://www.basc.org.uk/en/utilities/document-summary.cfm/docid/D5C9615C-C762-40F1-8AD9E3509B0B46E2.