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: S2O-04483

Asked by: Dr Sylvia Jackson, MSP for Stirling, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 December 2004
Current Status: Answered by Peter Peacock on 9 December 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures can be put in place to improve school discipline.

Question reference: S2O-04513

Asked by: Dr Sylvia Jackson, MSP for Stirling, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 December 2004
Current Status: Answered by Andy Kerr on 9 December 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are being put in place to prevent the spread of hospital-acquired infections.

Already, the level of methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection has begun to stabilise and there are signs pointing to its possible reduction.

Combating healthcare-associated infection is a major priority for the Executive and the NHS. A substantial programme is in place, working at several levels, and managed with the advice of the Healthcare Associated Infection Task Force. National cleaning specifications have been set, an additional 137 infection control nurses recruited and recruitment and training of 3,500 cleanliness champions is underway. In addition, a code of practice for local management of hygiene and infection control has been put in place, the firstin the UK.

There is still more that we can do and further initiatives are under consideration for implementation in the new year.

Question reference: S2O-04385

Asked by: Dr Sylvia Jackson, MSP for Stirling, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 November 2004
Current Status: Answered by Ross Finnie on 2 December 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive when enhanced measures to improve the environment through Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reform will take effect.

I announced on 9 September the Cross Compliance conditions under CAP reform that farmers will be required to respect in order to receive the Single Farm Payment. These conditions will be introduced from 1 January 2005.

Cross Compliance conditions concern the promotion of more environment-friendly and sustainable farming in Scotland. As such they are pivotal in raising the general environmental standard in farming practice - and provide a key element of the rationale for continuing support payments.

Question reference: S2W-12334

Asked by: Dr Sylvia Jackson, MSP for Stirling, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 November 2004
Current Status: Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 1 December 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive what considerations it takes into account when deciding whether to grant a licence under the Conservation of Seals Act 1970 authorising the killing or taking of seals for the prevention of damage to fisheries and whether it requires an applicant for a licence to have attempted to use non-lethal means of seal deterrence first.

Applicants must provide evidence of serious damage occurring, or likely to occur, to the fishery. The type of evidence required includes regular seal count information, evidence of declining fish stocks and evidence of damaged fish in catches. Advice in respect of each application is sought from Fisheries Research Services, Scottish Natural Heritage, and the Sea Mammals Research Unit.

The application form for a licence requires the provision of details of non-lethal, anti-predation measures that have been used and why they are not considered sufficient.

Question reference: S2W-12335

Asked by: Dr Sylvia Jackson, MSP for Stirling, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Thursday, 18 November 2004
Current Status: Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 1 December 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive what conditions it would normally attach to a licence granted under the Conservation of Seals Act 1970 authorising the killing or taking of seals for the prevention of damage to fisheries.

Each licence issued specifies:

· The maximum number of seals of each species that may be shot, and that a return be made by a specified date recording the numbers actually shot (nil returns are required);

· The period during which seals may be shot;

· The location within which seals may be shot, and

· That any licence may be suspended or revoked, and surrendered to the Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department immediately this revocation happens.

In addition, a copy of the licence is sent to the police station from which the applicant, or his agent, obtained the necessary firearms certificate.

A licence may be refused where an applicant or his agent has failed to comply with the terms of any previous licence.

Question reference: S2W-10858

Asked by: Dr Sylvia Jackson, MSP for Stirling, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 September 2004
Current Status: Answered by Tom McCabe on 9 November 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in reducing the misuse of fireworks.

The Fireworks (Scotland) Regulations 2004 came into force on 7 October. These will prohibit the use of fireworks between 11.00 pm and 7.00 am, with exceptions for 5 November, 31 December, Chinese New Year and Diwali when modest extensions are permitted. Local authorities will be able to grant a dispensation from the prohibition in certain circumstances.

The Fireworks Regulations 2004, which came into force on 7 August 2004, impose restrictions on the possession and noise of fireworks. Among other things, they also introduce, as from 1 January 2005, a licensing scheme for the supply of fireworks outside specified periods.

Taken together, these measures will be important in tackling the anti-social use of fireworks.

Question reference: S2W-11129

Asked by: Dr Sylvia Jackson, MSP for Stirling, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 01 October 2004
Current Status: Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 28 October 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive how many licences were granted under the Conservation of Seals Act 1970 in (a) 2001, (b) 2002 and (c) 2003 allowing persons to kill seals (i) to prevent damage to fish farms and (ii) for other purposes.

Licences are not granted to shoot seals in order to prevent damage to fish farms.

The following numbers of licences were granted in order to prevent damage to fisheries:

2001 - 13

2002 - 15

2003 – 13.

The following is a corrected answer (published on 12 November 2004); see below.

Lewis Macdonald: Licences are not granted to shoot seals in order to prevent damage to fish farms.

The following numbers of licences were granted in order to prevent damage to fisheries:

2001 - 12

2002 - 13

2003 - 13.

Question reference: S2W-11128

Asked by: Dr Sylvia Jackson, MSP for Stirling, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 01 October 2004
Current Status: Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 28 October 2004

Question reference: S2W-11130

Asked by: Dr Sylvia Jackson, MSP for Stirling, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 01 October 2004
Current Status: Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 25 October 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive whether licences granted under the Conservation of Seals Act 1970 authorising persons to kill seals are (a) limited in respect of duration and (b) subject to a condition limiting the number of seals that may be killed.

Question reference: S2W-11127

Asked by: Dr Sylvia Jackson, MSP for Stirling, Scottish Labour
Date lodged: Friday, 01 October 2004
Current Status: Answered by Ross Finnie on 13 October 2004

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that exotic animals are only kept as pets by those with sufficient knowledge to care properly for their health and welfare.