Questions and answers

Question reference: S4O-03799

Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 03 December 2014
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 10 December 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it is making on implementing the recommendations of the Commission for Developing Scotland's Young Workforce.

We have already made excellent progress since publication of the report in June 2014. £5 million of the initial funds of £12 million in 2014-15 are supporting measures such as new regional employer partnerships, pilots of ‘foundation’ and ‘advanced’ apprenticeships, and a new Investors in Young People accolade for business.

As I said moments ago, I look forward to saying more about how we plan to implement the recommendations of the Commission for Developing Scotland’s Young Workforce next week in the Chamber.

Question reference: S4O-03761

Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 26 November 2014
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 3 December 2014

To ask the Scottish Government how it supports the teaching of foreign languages in schools.

Question reference: S4W-22940

Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 October 2014
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 5 November 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the closure of the A83 trunk road on 28 October 2014 due to landslides at the Rest and Be Thankful, Glen Kinglas and Ardgarten and what additional action it will take at each of these locations to minimise the occurrence of further landslides.

The Scottish Government has already invested nearly £7.5 million on the A83 around the Rest and be Thankful and this is a clear sign of our intent to find solutions to keep the A83 open and operational. The landslide on the 28 October 2014 was the largest in the last 10 years. The works carried out so far included debris netting, which was successful in stopping large boulders ending up on the A83 and the Old Military Road diversion, which was opened as fast as possible after two other landslides were cleared on other areas of the A83 on either side of the Rest. Work is in progress to increase the resilience of the A83 to the west of the Rest and be Thankful in Glen Kinglas, where a further £750,000 is being invested this financial year.

Question reference: S4O-03624

Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 October 2014
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 October 2014

To ask the Scottish Government how it will take forward the recommendations of the Wild Fisheries Review.

Question reference: S4O-03525

Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 September 2014
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 September 2014

To ask the Scottish Government how it supports the provision of accessible GP services for people in remote and rural areas.

Question reference: S4W-22517

Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 August 2014
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 17 September 2014

To ask the Scottish Government how many notifications, as required by part 2, section 5(3)(b) of the Trade in Animals and Related Products (Scotland) Regulations 2012, have been received for invertebrates since the commencement of the regulations; which species or subspecies these notifications relate to, and what the country of origin was of the consignment.

The number of notifications made for invertebrates being imported directly into Scotland since July 2012 is set out in the following tables. Information on the importation of honey bees has however only been held centrally since 2013.

Bees:

Year	Description	Countries of Origin	Number of Notifications
2013	Bumble bees	Belgium	2
2013	Honey bees	Italy, Greece, Slovenia, France, Poland, Germany, Austria	11
2013	Honey bees	New Zealand	1
2014	Honey bees	Italy, Slovenia, Greece, Cyprus, Germany	13
2014	Honey bees	New Zealand	3

Other invertebrates:

Year	Description	Country of Origin	Number of Notifications
2012	Pacific oysters	Guernsey	3
2012	Mussels	Rep of Ireland	11
2012	King scallops	Norway	1
2013	Pacific oysters	Guernsey	17
2013	Mussels	Rep of Ireland	43
2013	King scallops	Norway	4
2014	Pacific oysters	Guernsey	12
2014	Mussels	Rep of Ireland	27
2014	King scallops	Norway	1
2014	Purple sea urchin	Rep of Ireland	1
2014	Cotton spinner sea cucumber	Rep of Ireland	1

Question reference: S4W-22518

Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 August 2014
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 17 September 2014

To ask the Scottish Government how many licences under the Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2011 have been issued for the release of non-native invertebrates since the Act's commencement; which species or subspecies these licences relate to, and what the reason was for their release.

Licences for the release of non-native invertebrates are issued under section 16 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 which has been amended several times, most recently by the Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Act 2011.

Scottish Natural Heritage is the licensing authority for such licences and has provided the following summary of licences issued since 2011.

2011 - 1 licence issued:

Steinernema carpocapsae (Steinernematidae; Rhabditida) (a nematode) for the control of large pine weevil. (Root damaging species.)

2012 - 6 licences issued:

Eretmocerus eremicus (a parasitic wasp) for the control of whitefly pests in Integrated Crop Management systems. (Leaf eating species.)

Heterorhabditis bacteriophora (a nematode) for the control of black vine weevil in gardens, soft fruit and nursery stock; and for garden chafer. (Root damaging species.)

Heterorhabditis bacteriophora (a nematode) in the products known as 'Larvanem' for the control of black vine weevil in soft fruits and ornamental crops and 'Terranem' for the control of the larvae of scarabaeidae beetles (white grubs) in turf. (Root damaging species.)

Steinernema carpocapse, steinernema feltiae and heterorhabditis bacteriophora (a nematode) for the control of vine weevil, wireworm, strawberry root weevil, carrot fly maggot, cutworms, leatherjackets, larvae of sciaidae family, cabbage worm and chafer grub in ornamentals, nursery stock, soft fruit, vegetable crops and turf. (Root damaging species.)

Neoseiulus californicus (a mite) for the control of two-spotted spider mites and fruit tree spider mite in Integrated Crop Management systems. (Leaf eating species.)

Macrolophus pygmaeus (an insect) for the control of whitefly pests and other pests in Integrated Crop Management systems. (Leaf eating species.)

2013 - 11 licences issued:

Amblyseius swirskii (a mite) for the control of glasshouse whitefly, tobacco whitefly, western flower thrips and two-spotted spider mite. (Leaf eating species)

Amblydromalus limonicus (a mite) for the control of glasshouse whitefly, tobacco whitefly, western flower thrips and onion thrips. (Leaf eating species)

Delphastus catalinae (a beetle) for the control of glasshouse whitefly, tobacco whitefly. (Leaf eating species)

Heterorhabditis bacteriophora (a nematode) for the control of black vine weevil in gardens, soft fruit and nursery stock; and for garden chafer. This licence was later amended for a name change. (Root damaging species.)

Heterohabditis bacteriophora (a nematode) for (a) the control of chafer on golf greens and fairways (excludes rough areas, sand dunes, dune slacks or other parts of golf courses which have not been reseeded with sports turf grasses) and sports fields and (b) the control of black vine weevil larvae in greenhouses and nurseries. (Root damaging species.)

Steinernema carpocapsae (a nematode) for the control of leatherjacket larvae in turf and caterpillars in greenhouses. This licence permits the licensee to sell this species to growers and growers to release the species subject to compliance with the conditions of this licence. (Root damaging species.)

Heterohabditis bacteriophora (a nematode) for (a) the control of chafer on golf greens and fairways (but excluding rough areas, sand dunes, dune slacks or other parts of golf courses which have not been reseeded with sports turf grasses) and sports fields and (b) the control of black vine weevil larvae in greenhouses and nurseries. (Root damaging species.)

Heterorhabditis downesi (a nematode) for the control of black vine weevil larvae, chafer grubs and pine weevil larvae on nursery crops, soft fruit, home gardens, golf courses, sports fields, spruce and pine stumps. (Root damaging species.)

Steinernema carpocapsae (a nematode) for the control of leatherjackets in turf and gardens, pine weevils in forests, codling moth in orchards and dipteran pests in greenhouses. (Root and fruit damaging species.)

Steinernema carpocapse, steinernema feltiae and heterorhabditis bacteriophora (all nematodes) for the control of vine weevil, wireworm, strawberry root weevil, carrot fly maggot, cutworms, leatherjackets, larvae of sciaidae family, cabbage worm and chafer grub in ornamentals, nursery stock, soft fruit, vegetable crops and turf. (Root and fruit damaging species.)

Rhizophagus grandis gyll (a beetle) in any location in southern Scotland for the control of spruce bark beetle. The spruce bark beetle attacks forestry plantations.

2014 - 2 licences issued:

Steinernema carpocapse, steinernema feltiae and heterorhabditis bacteriophora (all nematodes) for the control of vine weevil, wireworm, strawberry root weevil, carrot fly maggot, cutworms, leatherjackets, larvae of sciaidae family, cabbage worm and chafer grub in ornamentals, nursery stock, soft fruit, vegetable crops and turf.

New Zealand flatworms - release as a result of moving soil holding the species to an adjacent site (which already had this species present).

Question reference: S4W-22331

Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 11 August 2014
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 21 August 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what performance penalties have been payable each year under the public service contract with Argyll Ferries.

Question reference: S4T-00777

Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 August 2014
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 19 August 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to help the food and fishing sectors affected by the Russian Government's recent decision to implement an import ban on EU food exports.

Question reference: S4O-03493

Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 13 August 2014
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 20 August 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with stakeholders about the Air Weapons and Licensing (Scotland) Bill.

Argyll Ferries Limited – Contract Year	Performance Deductions (£)
2011-12	50,611.44
2012-13	5,223.27
2013-14	5,661.29

Chamber and committees