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-17627

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 09 July 2018
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 30 July 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how many incidents of animal cruelty were reported in each year from 2012 to 2017.

The number of offences recorded by the Police in Scotland that specifically relate to animal cruelty, between 2012-13 and 2016-17 are shown below. The National Statistics for 2017-18 will be published in September this year.

The number of offences of animal cruelty recorded by Police Scotland, 2012-13 to 2016-17
	2012-13	2013-14	2014-15	2015-16	2016-17
Cruelty to animals (ex dogs) inc killing and maiming cattle	34	28	26	22	32
Cruelty to dogs	44	48	59	81	52
Cruelty to wild animals	27	22	38	23	24
Total	105	98	123	126	108

Question reference: S5W-17638

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 09 July 2018
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 27 July 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has spent on social security in each year from 2012 to 2017.

The only elements of social security spending in Scotland which were funded by the Scottish Government during this period were Scottish Welfare Fund awards and Discretionary Housing Payments. The Scottish Government began funding these benefits in 2013-14. All other elements of social security spending were within the competence of, and were funded by the UK Government. The following table shows the amounts spent by the Scottish Government, by financial year:

	2013-14	2014-15	2015-16	2016-17	2017-18
Scottish Welfare Fund budget allocations	£32,995,000	£32,995,000	£32,995,000	£32,995,000	£32,995,000
Discretionary Housing Payments management information	£20,000,000	£35,099,000	£35,811,000	£35,263,000	£57,863,000
Total	£52,995,000	£68,094,000	£68,806,000	£68,258,000	£90,858,000

Figures are rounded to the nearest thousand, and the 2017-18 figure for Discretionary Housing Payments is the expected actual amount that will be spent, although payments have not yet been made to local authorities.

Question reference: S5W-17639

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 09 July 2018
Current Status: Answered by Shirley-Anne Somerville on 27 July 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how many social security claimants there were in Scotland in each year from 2012 to 2017.

With the exception of Scottish Welfare Fund awards and Discretionary Housing Payments, all elements of social security spending, during this period, were within the competence of the UK Government. The Scottish Government does not hold information on the overall number of social security claims made to the UK Government each year. Statistics are published separately for each benefit by the Scottish Government or UK Government.

Question reference: S5W-17628

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 09 July 2018
Current Status: Answered by Mairi Gougeon on 26 July 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to tackle animal cruelty.

The Scottish Government takes animal welfare seriously and is continuing to take forward its Programme for Government 2017-18 commitments to provide the highest standards of protection for all animals.

To date the Scottish Government has consulted on a modern system of registration and licensing of animal sanctuaries and rehoming agencies with legislation being prepared; consulted on the introduction of compulsory video recording of slaughter at abattoirs in Scotland; agreed guidance with welfare stakeholders to tightly control the use of electronic dog training collars; is preparing for consultation on dog, cat and rabbit breeding and dealing; held an evidence based social media campaign to enhance public awareness of the irresponsible or illegal breeding and sale of dogs in preparation for a wider marketing campaign later this year; and is seeking primary legislation which will permit the maximum sentences for cruelty to domestic and captive animals to be increased.

The Scottish Government has also committed to increase the maximum available penalties for wildlife crime offences during the current Parliament, including those involving cruelty to wild animals.

Question reference: S5W-17635

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 09 July 2018
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 23 July 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to improve NHS waiting times.

I have been very clear that one of my key priorities for NHSScotland is the improvement of waiting times and that I fully expect all Boards to make significant progress in eradicating long waits in the coming year. In May the Scottish Government announced it was making an additional £50 million available to NHSScotland in 2018-19 to improve acute hospital waiting times. NHS Boards have initially received a share of £25 million and further £25 million later this year. This additional funding will build up capacity and make sure all patients are seen and treated in a more timely fashion.

Question reference: S5W-17630

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 09 July 2018
Current Status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 20 July 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to reduce the number of drug-related deaths, in light of reports that they are at an all-time high.

Question reference: S5W-16989

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 04 June 2018
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 3 July 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how many trains travelling between Edinburgh and Glasgow in 2018 have had delays of (a) less and (b) more than five minutes.

In the period 2nd January - 2nd June 2018 (inclusive), the number of trains which have had delays of less than five minutes and more than five minutes is as follows, with the numbers of trains which ran on time, and the total number of trains run, included for context:

Trains run 2 Jan - 2 June 2018	On-time	Delayed less than five minutes	Delayed more than five minutes
17,191	9,056	5,776	2,359

Question reference: S5W-16986

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 04 June 2018
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 3 July 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how many trains are scheduled to travel between Edinburgh and Glasgow in 2018.

Question reference: S5W-16987

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 04 June 2018
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 3 July 2018

To ask the Scottish Government how many trains have travelled between Edinburgh and Glasgow in 2018.

Question reference: S5W-16992

Asked by: Jamie Greene, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 04 June 2018
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 3 July 2018

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of delays on trains between Edinburgh and Glasgow in the last 12 months have been due to signalling problems.

Route	Trains scheduled to run
Edinburgh-Glasgow via Falkirk High	38,548
Edinburgh-Glasgow via Bathgate	38,849
Edinburgh-Glasgow via Shotts	16,783
Edinburgh-Glasgow via Carstairs	3,913
Total	98,093