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.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

Filter your results Hide all filters

Displaying 251 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S3W-30844

Asked by: Mike Pringle, MSP for Edinburgh South, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 18 January 2010
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 1 February 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to its news release of 28 September 2009, Building better schools, when the second tranche of (a) primary and (b) secondary schools will be announced.

Question reference: S3W-30403

Asked by: Mike Pringle, MSP for Edinburgh South, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 05 January 2010
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 19 January 2010

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the US Government in the last two years regarding its ban on importing Scottish haggis.

The US import ban on haggis remains in place. It''s a great pity that the American authorities are denying ex-pat Scots and other US consumers the chance to enjoy the delights of this world renowned delicacy, with Burns Night just around the corner.

Given that haggis is perfectly safe to eat, the US market could have real potential for our producers and Scottish ministers hope that the American authorities will reconsider this longstanding import ban.

Question reference: S3W-29325

Asked by: Mike Pringle, MSP for Edinburgh South, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 November 2009
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 9 December 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the primary one class size restriction proposed by the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning in September 2009 will apply to the 2010-11 primary school intake.

Question reference: S3W-29327

Asked by: Mike Pringle, MSP for Edinburgh South, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 November 2009
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 9 December 2009

Question reference: S3W-29326

Asked by: Mike Pringle, MSP for Edinburgh South, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 November 2009
Current Status: Answered by Keith Brown on 9 December 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive what analysis it has made of the impact of the primary one class size restriction proposed by the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning in September 2009 on primary schools at which primary one pupil intake has previously exceeded 25 by more than five pupils and accommodation is not available to provide facilities for extra classes; whether it will publish any such analysis, and, if so, when.

Question reference: S3O-08080

Asked by: Mike Pringle, MSP for Edinburgh South, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 October 2009
Current Status: Answered by Jim Mather on 8 October 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment has been carried out of the impact on the economy of restructuring Scottish Enterprise.

Question reference: S3O-07953

Asked by: Mike Pringle, MSP for Edinburgh South, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 September 2009
Current Status: Answered by Nicola Sturgeon on 24 September 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive what funding mechanisms are available to NHS Lothian for the development of new surgical techniques.

Question reference: S3W-26476

Asked by: Mike Pringle, MSP for Edinburgh South, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 14 August 2009
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 25 August 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive what powers local authorities have to ensure that graffiti are removed swiftly from private property such as parking equipment, post boxes, bins, walls and houses where owners fail to do so.

The Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004 provides powers for local authorities to serve a graffiti removal notice on any responsible person where a relevant surface in that local authority''s area has been defaced. A relevant surface includes any building, structure, apparatus, plant or other object on a public road. These provisions are designed to encourage the owners to work in partnership with local authorities to ensure that graffiti is removed from their property.

The act also provides that a person who sells spray paint to those under 16 in Scotland commits an offence. Anyone who contravenes this legislation is guilty of a criminal offence and liable to a fine of up to £1,000. This is a useful step in preventing the misuse of spray paint by persons in acts of vandalism and is intended to work in concert with other approaches.

Question reference: S3W-26202

Asked by: Mike Pringle, MSP for Edinburgh South, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 July 2009
Current Status: Answered by Frank Mulholland on 25 August 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish the statement given to the media in response to allegations reported in Scottish newspapers on the conduct of the Crown Agent in handling evidence at the Lockerbie trial.

On 17 July 2009, Christine Grahame MSP issued a press release highlighting unfounded allegations she had made to Lothian and Borders Police. These allegations have subsequently been dismissed by the police as having no basis.

To help with questions from the media about Ms Grahame''s press release, the following note to editors was provided:

We have been made aware of serious allegations made by Christine Grahame against the Crown Agent, Norman McFadyen, in relation to the Lockerbie trial.

These are defamatory and entirely unfounded allegations of the most serious kind. Norman McFadyen is a man of the utmost integrity who is held in the highest regard by the Law Officers.

Not only is the allegation false in itself, but Mrs Grahame appears to have misunderstood the process because the documents which she has referred to were not part of and had absolutely nothing to do with it.

The whole process was fully considered by the trial court which thanked the then Lord Advocate for the Crown''s efforts to bring as much information as possible before the court. By the end of the process, information made available to the Crown by the US authorities was made available to the defence, the trial court and also the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission in the form in which it was received from the US authorities.

The commission extensively and fully investigated the process. The commission concluded that there was no basis to refer the issue to the appeal court.

Question reference: S3W-26201

Asked by: Mike Pringle, MSP for Edinburgh South, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Tuesday, 28 July 2009
Current Status: Answered by Frank Mulholland on 25 August 2009

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish a formal response to allegations reported in Scottish newspapers regarding the Crown Agent’s handling of evidence at the Lockerbie trial.