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: S4O-01075

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 May 2012
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 31 May 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to expand and encourage the teaching of foreign languages in schools.

The Scottish Government welcomes the Languages Working Group Report and Recommendations published on 17 May, Language Learning in Scotland : A 1+2 Approach. The recommendation on a much earlier start to language learning for children and young people is particularly welcome.

Pilot projects will be run in 2012-13 school year to demonstrate how the 1+2 model can be implemented within Curriculum for Excellence. Resources already in system include £4 million Languages Fund and subject to parliamentary agreement of the next budget bill, we intend to match the £4 million currently in the system with an additional £4 million from 2013-14.

An Engagement Strategy is being devised with a National Languages Summit being held in the Autumn as a first step in engaging with key stakeholders.

Question reference: S4W-07321

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 18 May 2012
Current Status: Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 31 May 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive how it (a) promotes and (b) supports nature reserves.

<>The Scottish Government promotes nature reserves principally through the provision of grant-in-aid to Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH). In turn, SNH promotes Scotland's 47 National Nature Reserves (NNRs) and 61 Local Nature Reserves (LNRs) through the 'Scotland’s National Nature Reserves' website http://www.nnr-scotland.org.uk/ and the online directory of Local Nature Reserves (http://www.snh.gov.uk/enjoying-the-outdoors/where-to-go/nature-reserves-and-parks/lnrs/) respectively. SNH and VisitScotland also recently completed a high profile three-year campaign promoting National Nature Reserves.

Scotland’s nature reserves are managed to encourage the people of Scotland to experience and enjoy the best of Scotland's nature. As well as providing all or part of 38 NNRs, SNH provides support to a number of other organisations (e.g. the Scottish Wildlife Trust, the National Trust for Scotland and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) through grants and management agreements. Forestry Commission Scotland directly provides 21 nature reserves including all, or part, of four NNRs.

The Scottish Government makes a wide range of land management support payments available to private and NGO managers of nature reserves through the Scotland Rural Development Programme, and particularly through Rural Development Contracts.

Question reference: S4O-01092

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 May 2012
Current Status: Awaiting answer

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to reassess the effectiveness of acceptable behaviour contracts.

Question reference: S4W-07320

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 18 May 2012
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 30 May 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will issue guidance on the safe disposal of energy-efficient light bulbs.

It is a requirement of the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations 2006 that the producers of energy-efficient light bulbs have to fund their end-of-life collection and treatment. Collection is normally done through local authority civic amenity sites or at kerbside where a household WEEE collection exists. Once collected the bulbs are taken to authorised treatment facilities where they are managed in accordance with current guidance on safe recycling and disposal. This guidance was issued by Defra, the Scottish Executive and the Welsh Assembly Government in 2006.

The Scottish Government has no immediate plans to issue further guidance on the safe disposal of energy-efficient light bulbs.

Question reference: S4W-07326

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 21 May 2012
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 30 May 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in evaluating the transformation of flooded coal mines for geothermal power.

Question reference: S4W-07367

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 21 May 2012
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 28 May 2012

To ask the Scottish Executive how much will be paid by supermarkets as a result of the proposed public health levy.

Question reference: S4O-01032

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 May 2012
Current Status: Awaiting answer

To ask Scottish Executive whether it plans to introduce legislation regulating the use of air rifles.

Question reference: S4O-00989

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 May 2012
Current Status: Awaiting answer

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken to encourage the establishment of farmers' cooperatives to promote local produce.

Question reference: S4O-00916

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 April 2012
Current Status: Awaiting answer

To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions it has had with the UK Government on welfare reform and what impact this will have on people in Scotland.

Question reference: S4O-00889

Asked by: Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 April 2012
Current Status: Awaiting answer

To ask the Scottish Executive what it is doing to promote culture and creativity abroad in the Year of Creative Scotland.