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-12956

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 07 February 2013
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 14 March 2013

To ask the Scottish Government, in view of the European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy’s recent call for swift and decisive action in relation to the use of neonicotinoid pesticides, what advice it will give to farmers regarding their use on (a) oilseed rape and (b) other plants attractive to bees.

The Scottish Government’s position is based on the scientific advice it receives from the Advisory Committee on Pesticides (ACP), its own scientists in SASA (Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture), and through other sources such as the European Food Safety Authority.

This scientific advice has highlighted there are concerns and gaps in the knowledge about the effects of neonicotinoids on pollinators. It is also important to take into account the potential risks at levels of exposure to neonicotinoids which are realistically likely to occur in the field.

The ACP has been asked urgently to produce new advice taking account of the latest scientific data. As part of this process, the ACP has commissioned independent reviews of key research findings. ACP’s advice following their reviews will then inform the Scottish Government’s view on next steps, and advice for farmers.

Question reference: S4W-13160

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 February 2013
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 14 March 2013

To ask the Scottish Government under what conditions it would consider it necessary to gather and release pesticide application records or other such information on pesticides.

The Scottish Government’s Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture (SASA) collect data on pesticide application annually from farmers’ records. This data is published in summary form for Scottish Agriculture as a whole.

In addition, farmers have to meet a range of pesticide related requirements including recording details of each individual pesticide application. Scottish Government inspectors annually check approximately 250 farmers’ individual pesticide records during routine inspections to establish whether pesticides have been applied in line with the product label.

The Scottish Government can also request sight of individual pesticide application records if there are good reasons to do so, for example, an alleged breach of conditions of pesticide application.

Third parties may request access to information on pesticide application records obtained by the Scottish Government under the Freedom of Information Act or the Environmental Information Regulations. Any request would be considered in accordance with the rules in that legislation.

Question reference: S4W-13459

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 04 March 2013
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 14 March 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what preparations it is making to ensure that its IT systems can cope with the new area payments system for landowners.

We have commenced a significant programme of work to re-engineer the business and IT processes which underpin the delivery of rural payments and inspections and to deliver CAP Reform. This is a long term programme of IT enabled business change, which will deliver significant improvements to the services which customers receive in the coming years. As part of this, a competitive tender was issued late last year to secure an IT delivery partner. During this year and through 2014, we will be engaging directly with our customers to get their views on what can be improved and how the new systems will operate.

Question reference: S4W-13465

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 March 2013
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 14 March 2013

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-12852 by Nicola Sturgeon on 4 March 2013, when it was announced that the two schemes on the A9 would be brought forward and whether they have been affected by the additional £394 million of capital allocated in the 2012 Autumn Statement.

The announcement to start construction of the Luncarty to Birnam scheme in 2017 was made on 31 January 2012. The announcement to start construction of the Kincraig to Dalraddy scheme in 2015-16 was made on 26 June 2012.

These two schemes were therefore not affected by the additional £394 million of capital allocated in the 2012 Autumn Statement. The update on the progress of dualling works on the A9 included in the answer to question S4W-12852 was provided as additional information.

Question reference: S4W-13244

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 25 February 2013
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 11 March 2013

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-12993 by Nicola Sturgeon on 25 February 2013, for what reason copies of the document were provided to The Sun and BBC Scotland prior to it being made available to all members and on what date it provided copies to (a) The Sun, (b) BBC Scotland, (c) the Presiding Officer and (d) the Referendum Bill Committee.

I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-12993 on 25 February 2013. BBC Scotland was provided with a copy of the document on 4 February 2013 under embargo until 5 February. The Sun was not provided with a copy of the document in advance of its publication. 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-13171

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 February 2013
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 11 March 2013

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-12319 by Richard Lochhead on 25 January 2013, what information on pesticides is collected by (a) farmers and (b) Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture and how often.

Under European pesticide legislation, farmers are required to keep at least three years of records of the pesticides they use, which includes the name, the time and the dose of application, the area and the crop where the pesticide was used.

The Scottish Government’s Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture (SASA) collect data on pesticide use on arable crops, soft fruit crops, vegetable crops and protected edible crops biennially, and pesticide use on grassland and fodder crops once every four years.

The pesticide data collected by SASA includes the rate applied, total quantity/volume used, area treated at each application, crop treated, details of which products are applied in the same tank, and date of application. This data is collected from a sample of farmers designed to be representative of Scottish pesticide use.

Question reference: S4W-12858

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 February 2013
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 11 March 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what new programme pipeline works were included in the Infrastructure Investment Plan 2011: Updated Programme Pipeline (January 2013) compared with the Infrastructure Investment Plan 2011.

Question reference: S4W-13345

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 February 2013
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 7 March 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what recent (a) meetings and (b) communications it has had with government officials from (i) Argentina, (ii) Brazil, (iii) China, (iv) Iceland, (v) Ireland, (vi) Qatar and (vii) Spain and on what issues.

Question reference: S4W-13245

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 27 February 2013
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 7 March 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take in light of decision 017/2013 by the Scottish Information Commissioner in relation to the provision of sea lice data for salmon farms.

Question reference: S4W-12862

Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 February 2013
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 4 March 2013

To ask the Scottish Government when it will give potential developers notice of the additional capital works to be added to the programme in 2014-15 as a result of the £394 million in additional capital resources allocated in the 2012 Autumn Statement.