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-02224

Asked by: Angus MacDonald, MSP for Falkirk East, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 May 2013
Current Status: Answered by Derek Mackay on 6 June 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what powers it has over how local authorities structure their committees.

The Local Government and Housing Act 1989 contains provisions requiring local authorities to reflect their political balance in the composition of their committees. However, those provisions have not to date been brought into force in Scotland, although they are in force in England and Wales. Local authorities in Scotland therefore currently have the power to decide for themselves how to structure their committees.

Question reference: S4W-15162

Asked by: Angus MacDonald, MSP for Falkirk East, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 May 2013
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 6 June 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what discussion Zero Waste Scotland has had with Falkirk Council regarding food waste collection rates since June 2010 and what advice it has given regarding providing incentives for residents to recycle more food.

In 2010-11 Zero Waste Scotland (ZWS) supported Falkirk Council through the commissioning of an options appraisal to identify the best approach to deliver a household food waste collection service.

Since autumn 2011 ZWS has provided on-going advice to Falkirk Council on the delivery of its food waste collection service. This advice is part of an overall package of support, which includes £776,280 of funding, to enable the roll-out of this service.

ZWS has also produced good practice guidance and case studies to assist councils, including Falkirk, in the design and implementation of food waste collections. In February 2012 ZWS assisted the council to design its food waste service leaflets which highlight the benefits of the new service and incentivise residents to participate and recycle their food waste.

Question reference: S4W-15161

Asked by: Angus MacDonald, MSP for Falkirk East, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 May 2013
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 5 June 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what incentives the Scottish Ambulance Service provides to its volunteer drivers and what plans it has to ensure their retention.

The Scottish Ambulance Service work with approximately 200 volunteer car drivers across the country who undertake scheduled patient transport journeys where this is clinically appropriate, particularly in remote and rural areas.

Their contribution is valued and appreciated by the Scottish Government. Volunteer car drivers are managed locally by the Scottish Ambulance Service, they are provided with an induction into the organisation and receive on-going support from managers and staff.

As with all NHS volunteers, volunteer car drivers are entitled to claim reimbursement of ‘out of pocket’ expenses and the relevant NHS Chief Executive Letter can be accessed at: http://www.sehd.scot.nhs.uk/mels/CEL2011_23.pdf.

Question reference: S4O-02189

Asked by: Angus MacDonald, MSP for Falkirk East, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 May 2013
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 May 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what the reasons are for the reported sharp decline in North Sea prawn landings.

Question reference: S4W-14755

Asked by: Angus MacDonald, MSP for Falkirk East, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 May 2013
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 22 May 2013

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports that there has been an increase in imports of New Zealand lamb and that this is having a negative impact on the market in Scotland, whether it has made representations to the (a) UK Government and (b) European Commission to ask for stricter import (i) tariffs and (ii) quotas to be introduced.

Latest figures from the European Commission’s Taxation and Customs show that New Zealand useage of their sheep meat quota in 2012 was well below 100 per cent for the third consecutive year. While New Zealand lamb imports to the UK have increased in the first three months of 2013, compared to 2012 levels, industry insiders anticipate that New Zealand will again fail to take up its full quota allocation this year. Meanwhile, the Scottish Government continues to support the Scottish industry through additional funding to Quality Meat Scotland to market the Scotch brand.

Question reference: S4W-14758

Asked by: Angus MacDonald, MSP for Falkirk East, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 May 2013
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 22 May 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on reports that the World Wildlife Fund for Nature plans to withdraw from regional advisory councils.

Any withdrawal of the WWF from the Regional Advisory Councils would be regrettable as they play an important role in encouraging more sustainable fisheries. However, we have been assured by WWF that it is strongly committed to stakeholder engagement when it comes to managing fisheries and is keen to see enhanced stakeholder involvement and regionalisation delivered under the reformed Common Fisheries Policy and that WWF remains strongly committed to being represented on the RACs. It is of course a matter for WWF and others to decide how best to deploy their resources.

Question reference: S4W-14756

Asked by: Angus MacDonald, MSP for Falkirk East, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 May 2013
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 16 May 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with the European Commission regarding a review of the electronic sheep tagging regulation, EC21/2004.

I met with Commission officials on the 16 December 2011 and wrote to Commissioner Dalli on 31 January 2012. The Commission and the Commissioner were both clear in their responses that a review of the legislation was not imminent and that any future review had to be evidence based. To inform a future review we are collecting evidence through the ScotEID Research Pilot. This and other evidence will be analysed by the Centre of Expertise on Animal Disease Outbreaks and then shared with the Commission.

Question reference: S4W-14754

Asked by: Angus MacDonald, MSP for Falkirk East, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 May 2013
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 16 May 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with (a) Avondale Advanced Waste Treatment and (b) Falkirk Council regarding the proposed closure of the Avondale Material Recycling Facility site in Polmont.

The Scottish Government and its partners continue to work with the operators of the Avondale advanced waste treatment facility and affected councils, including Falkirk Council, with regards to the potential closure of the plant.

Our immediate focus is to secure positive outcomes both for Avondale’s employees and their families and for those councils who currently have recycling and disposal contracts with Avondale.

We are also helping the company explore longer term actions to maintain a presence and employment at the facility.

Question reference: S4W-14398

Asked by: Angus MacDonald, MSP for Falkirk East, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 April 2013
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 8 May 2013

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4T-00324 by Fergus Ewing on 23 April 2013 (Official Report, c.18813), what the timescale is for implementing the Scottish Mines Restoration Trust.

Question reference: S4O-02054

Asked by: Angus MacDonald, MSP for Falkirk East, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 April 2013
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 1 May 2013

To ask the Scottish Government what fishery protection services Marine Scotland provides to the rest of the UK.