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-14804

Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 10 May 2013
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 28 May 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it is undertaking to ensure enforcement of the Environmental Impact Assessment (Agriculture) (Scotland) Regulations 2006 in order to protect freshwater pearl mussel beds in rivers.

The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) (Agriculture)(Scotland) Regulations 2006 came into force in Scotland on 1 January 2007 and constrain operations to carry out intensive agricultural operations on uncultivated or semi-natural land, or large scale restructuring projects on agricultural land, where the result would have a significant impact on the environment.

Freshwater pearl mussels are filter feeders and are therefore vulnerable to water pollution and the siltation of rivers. Projects which are covered by the EIA (Agriculture) (Scotland) Regulations 2006 and which could impact upon populations of freshwater pearl mussels include drainage works and the modification of watercourses.

EIA screening decisions on these types of projects are taken by rural payments and Inspections Division Area Offices who also carry out farm visits with land managers to check whether proposed activities fall within the EIA Regulation. Where activities are within the scope of the regulation they proceed to a formal screening which is recorded on the Scottish Government EIA register. The screening decision may require an Environmental Statement (full EIA) to be carried out. When this is submitted the project may be approved or rejected depending upon the impact identified.

Question reference: S4W-15016

Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 May 2013
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 28 May 2013

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-13913 by Derek Mackay on 18 April 2013, what changes have been made to (a) the issuing of planning and energy consents and (b) monitoring and enforcement to ensure that the freshwater pearl mussel is protected from the environmental impacts of development.

Scottish Government online renewables planning advice on hydro schemes (last updated in July 2012) states that:

“Planning authorities should generally encourage developers to appoint Ecological Clerks of Works to ensure that agreed designs and construction techniques are followed following planning approval.”

No other specific changes have been made to (a) planning and energy consents, or (b) monitoring or enforcement.

It is routine practice where a hydro scheme requires an environmental impact assessment, that the Environmental Statement (ES) should state whether or not appropriately qualified environmental scientists or ecologists are to be used as Clerks of Works or in other roles during construction to provide specialist advice. Details of emergency procedures to be provided could be identified in the ES.

Question reference: S4W-15018

Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 May 2013
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 28 May 2013

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-13915 by Derek Mackay on 18 April 2013, what action is taken when planning authorities fail to take appropriate action to protect the freshwater pearl mussel.

The Scottish Government expects a partnership approach between planning authorities, its agencies Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) and others as regulators to provide the necessary actions. The member is also referred to the answers previously given to S4W-14153 on 1 May 2013 and S4W-13923 on 17 April 2013.

All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

Question reference: S4W-15017

Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 May 2013
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 28 May 2013

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-13914 by Derek Mackay on 18 April 2013, what action it will take with regard to planning authorities that fail to ensure that planning conditions are adequate to protect the freshwater pearl mussel.

Question reference: S4O-02165

Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 May 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 May 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking in light of the findings of the Audit Scotland report, Managing early departures from the Scottish public sector.

Question reference: S4W-14522

Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 26 April 2013
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 14 May 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what information will be required by the crofting register in terms of common grazings.

Question reference: S4W-14524

Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 26 April 2013
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 13 May 2013

To ask the Scottish Government whether the first purchase of a tenanted croft will be registered in the crofting register.

According to current crofting legislation, crofts are expected to be registered following purchase when the first regulatory action takes place and the need for registration when regulatory action takes place will become mandatory from 1 December 2013. However, there is nothing to prevent registration of any croft on a voluntary basis and, indeed, until 30 November 2013 crofters can benefit from a 22% discount in the fee if registering as a group of 10 or more crofts from a township, or where all of the crofts in a township with fewer than 10 crofts register as a group.

Question reference: S4W-14520

Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 26 April 2013
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 13 May 2013

To ask the Scottish Government how many entries there are in the crofting register.

As of 30 April 2013, one croft and five common grazings are registered in the Crofting Register. In addition to the one croft already registered, the Crofting Commission is currently processing a further nine applications.

Until 30 November 2010, crofts registered on a voluntary basis benefit from a 22% cost reduction when registered as a group of 10 or more crofts from a crofting township or when all of the crofts in a township with less than 10 crofts are registered jointly.

The Crofting Commission has issued draft registration packs to around 150 grazings committees. In addition to the five common grazings currently registered, Registers of Scotland have the forms which should permit a further eight grazings to be registered shortly.

The Crofting Commission and Registers of Scotland have planned further events to raise awareness of the Register. Awareness sessions are planned for Shetland and Caithness in early June 2013 and others will follow. Registers of Scotland has also arranged to take part in a number of events with the Scottish Crofting Federation over the summer, commencing in late May at the Dingwall Sheep Show.

Question reference: S4W-14525

Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 26 April 2013
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 13 May 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what alternative insecticides are available to treat oilseed rape if neonicotinoids are banned.

The European Commission’s restrictions would apply from 1 December 2013 to three out five neonicotinoids currently being used in agriculture. One neonicotinoid, thiacloprid is currently authorised for use on oilseed rape but is not included in the Commission’s restrictions, and could still be used on oilseed rape.

Several other products are also available for use on oilseed rape. Currently over 100 products are approved for oilseed rape, these are mainly pyrethroids, but also carbamates, pyridine and oxadiazine compounds. All of these alternatives are contact insecticides, applied as foliar sprays rather than systemic insecticides applied as seed treatments.

Question reference: S4W-14521

Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 26 April 2013
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 8 May 2013

To ask the Scottish Government whether common grazings will be treated as crofts in their own right in terms of the crofting register.

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