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: S5W-29091

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 May 2020
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 2 June 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how many spot-checks of licensees for the lethal control of beavers were carried out in the calendar year, 2019.

Scottish Natural Heritage has not carried out spot checks on beaver licence compliance, but continues to work with those in receipt of licences. Compliance checks are made as part of checking licence returns.

Those carrying out lethal control are required to be accredited to ensure best practice is followed and that accredited controllers are familiar with beaver ecology. Scottish Natural Heritage ran a series of training events to ensure that practitioners have the correct skills and knowledge to undertake any lethal control humanely.

Question reference: S5W-29088

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 May 2020
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 2 June 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how many beavers were killed under licenced lethal control measures in the calendar year 2019, also broken down by what information it has regarding the (a) date of each incident, (b) number of family groups of beavers that were killed and how many were in each group and (c) sex and age of the beavers, and how many of the beavers were subject a post-mortem by the agency or its agents to verify that there was compliance with the appropriate animal welfare regulations.

87 beavers were killed under licensed lethal control measures in 2019.

a) All the records of beaver control have a date.

b) The controller return data obtained does not currently allow a comprehensive answer to be provided on the size of family groups and the numbers of beavers killed in each group. Scottish Natural Heritage has cross-referenced the licence returns with the territories established in the 2017-18 survey. This indicates that lethal control or live-trapping has taken place within around 13% of territories. In addition , lethal control was carried out in two territories not previously recorded in this survey.

c) 56 of 87 records have a classification as adult, sub-adult or kit. The sex of the animal was not included on the template due to the difficulty of determining this in the field. The carcases of two beavers shot under licence have been provided by licence-holders and subjected to a post-mortem examination.

Question reference: S5W-29089

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 May 2020
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 2 June 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether Scottish Natural Heritage has discussed with the Scottish SPCA any concerns regarding the (a) licence process for the lethal control of beavers, including the process for the verification of whether killings under licence are carried out humanely and (b) the charity’s willingness and ability to assist in post-mortem examination of beavers killed under licence.

Question reference: S5W-29083

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 May 2020
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 2 June 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what estimate Scottish Natural Heritage has made of the number of beavers that were (a) killed and (b) suspected of being killed in the calendar year 2019 because the person responsible (i) did not have an appropriate and (ii) failed to comply with the terms of their lethal control licence.

Question reference: S5W-29094

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 May 2020
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 2 June 2020

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of experience gained from the first year of the management of beavers as a protected species, what plans Scottish Natural Heritage has to review the Beaver Management Framework to (a) reduce the requirement for the need for lethal control in response to animal welfare concerns and (b) facilitate an expansion of the population to occupy suitable habitat (i) inside and (ii) outside its current range.

The Beaver Management Framework is intended to be adaptive and will be subject to ongoing review with input from the Scottish Beaver Forum.

a) We expect the forum to hold further discussion of the licensing figures and to consider how the Forum membership can collectively seek to balance the needs of land managers and reduce the ongoing need for lethal control.

b) (i) Scottish Natural Heritage intends to consider opportunities for conservation translocations of beavers within existing catchments from high to low conflict areas to improve the resilience of existing populations.

(ii) In conjunction with the Scottish Government, Scottish Natural Heritage will also consider other alternative measures as part of a wider beaver national strategy.

Question reference: S5W-29085

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 May 2020
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 2 June 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how many beaver lethal control licences were issued in the calendar year 2019 by Scottish Natural Heritage without a site visit being carried out by the agency or its agents in the six months prior to the issue to verify that each licence was required as a last resort.

Scottish Natural Heritage issued 21 beaver lethal control licences in 2019 without a visit being undertaken by them or their agents.

The licensing process requires that the licensing tests are examined in each case;

i. That action is necessary to prevent serious damage to agriculture

ii. That there is no other satisfactory solution

iii. That licensed actions will not be detrimental to the conservation status of beavers

Scottish Natural Heritage uses a combination of information and photographic evidence provided by the land managers, details of site topography and the knowledge of issues on neighbouring properties which has been built up over time by staff and contractors, combined with the use of site visits where appropriate to inform the assessment of these criteria.

Question reference: S5W-29079

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 May 2020
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 2 June 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how many licences authorising the killing of beavers under the Beaver Management Framework have been issued by Scottish Natural Heritage since 1 January 2019.

Scottish Natural Heritage has issued 42 licences authorising the killing of beavers under the Beaver Management Framework since 1 January 2019.

Details of beaver licences issued by Scottish Natural Heritage in 2019 are provided in the Scottish Natural Heritage Beaver Licensing Summary report which was published on 28 May 2020 and is available on their website at https://www.nature.scot/snh-beaver-licensing-summary-1st-may-31st-december-2019 .

Question reference: S5W-28386

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 April 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 1 June 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what advice it has issued in relation to the COVID-19 outbreak with regard to the (a) frailty assessment of patients with autism and learning difficulties being treated for the condition and (b) rationing of ventilators if intensive care units are overwhelmed.

There are not and have not been any plans to ration medical equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic. Every effort is being made to ensure that the capability and capacity needed are quickly put in place and to date that has been achieved.

The Chief Medical Officer published COVID-19 Clinical Advice on 3 April, which supported health and care professionals with clinical decision making during this pandemic. This guidance is currently being updated to make it clear that the Clinical Frailty Score (CFS) should be used as part of a general assessment that is recorded clearly. Clinicians should have awareness of its limitations, particularly in younger adults (those below 65 years of age) and those with stable long-term disabilities (for example, cerebral palsy, learning disabilities or autism). For these groups, alternative person-centred assessments may be more appropriate.

This guidance is subject to an Equalities Impact Assessment which started at the end of April. The Scottish Consortium for Learning Disabilities has agreed to take part in the EQIA.

Question reference: S5W-29153

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Monday, 18 May 2020
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 28 May 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has conducted any polling on the level of support for low emission zones.

The Scottish Government conducted market research surveys in February and March 2019 to gather data on the understanding of, and support for, plans to introduce Low Emission Zones into Scotland’s four biggest cities. Of those surveyed, 84% of the general population and 79% of businesses agreed that Low Emission Zones are a good option to tackle poor air quality.

The Scottish Government also published two consultations in 2017 and 2020 to help inform Low Emission Zone legislation development. 95.3% of individuals were in overall support of the principle of Low Emission Zones in 2017. The 2020 consultation responses are currently being analysed.

Question reference: S5W-28343

Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 April 2020
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 20 May 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding participation in the EU procurement of therapies for COVID-19.

The Scottish Government is involved in discussions with the UK Government on participation in the EU procurement of COVID-19 therapeutics. This important work will supplement the enormous efforts already being undertaken by Scotland, both independently and in direct collaboration with the UK Government, other Devolved Administrations, and international partners. As the UK is a signatory to the EU Joint Procurement Agreement, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) represents the UK, including Devolved Administrations, on the EU’s Joint Procurement Steering Group where joint procurements are discussed. Scottish Government officials are in regular contact with DHSC officials to ensure that any future UK participation in EU Joint Procurement exercises takes into account the health and social care needs of Scotland during the COVID-19 crisis.