Christine Grahame

1 Apr 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-14474 by Fergus Ewing on 13 March 2018, how many animals were consigned from Scotland to continental Europe on journeys via England for (a) breeding, (b) fattening/production and (c) slaughter in each year since 2017, broken down by species.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Information supplied by the Animal and Plant Health Agency lists 2,421 animals as having been consigned from Scottish holdings to continental Europe on journeys via England in 2018. 2018 Live Exports Cattle Sheep Pigs Goats Breeding 2,231 170 0 0 F…

18 Mar 2019 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister, in light of the reported travel chaos on the Borders Railway last weekend as a result of a number of train cancellations, whether the Scottish Government considers that the ScotRail franchise continues to be sustainable.

13 Mar 2019 · SPCB Oral Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body how it will mark the contribution to the Parliament of staff past and present who were here in 1999.

25 Feb 2019 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister whether the Scottish Government is confident that it will end traditional black bag waste and a range of recyclable materials being buried in the ground by its target of 2021.

4 Feb 2019 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's position is on whether learning to play a musical instrument should be a core subject in schools.

29 Nov 2018 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, further to the answer to question S5W-17225 by Andy Wightman on 25 June 2018, whether it will provide an update on how many cross party groups there are.

Answer · Andy Wightman: There are currently 106 approved Cross-Party Groups. No Groups have been dissolved since 25 June 2018 and there are no proposed Groups in the process of seeking to establish.

26 Nov 2018 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister whether the Scottish Government will ban the use of dog shock collars.

22 Oct 2018 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government’s position is on the use of Daylight Saving Time.

13 Sep 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to extend the trunking of the A7 North to Edinburgh from the A6091(A68) roundabout.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government has no plans to trunk the A7 from Galashiels to Edinburgh.  

11 Sep 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what funding is provided to local authorities to resettle and provide translation/interpreter services to Syrian refugees; how this is calculated; whether this is ring-fenced, and how much has been allocated to Scottish Borders Council in each year that funding has been provided.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: Asylum is a matter reserved to the UK Government. This includes the design, operation and funding of UK refugee resettlement programmes. The Home Office provides funding to local authorities receiving refugees under the Syrian Resettlement Programme and has …

10 Sep 2018 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will ban the export of livestock for fattening for slaughter.

5 Sep 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the First Minister's statement on the Programme for Government on 4 September 2018 in relation to Finn’s Law (Official Report, c.20), when it plans to introduce the legislation.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Proposal’s for a Scottish “Finn’s Law” will be consulted on shortly as part of the Scottish Government’s commitment to amend the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) 2006 Act. The consultation will consider our proposal to increase the maximum penalty to five…

5 Sep 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-08841 by Roseanna Cunningham on 3 May 2017, whether it has come to a view on the banning of the sale of puppies and kittens from pet shops following its review last year.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The member might be aware that the sale of puppies and kittens from traditional pet shops is extremely uncommon in Scotland. The Scottish Government committed, in the Programme for Government 2017-8, to preparing legislation for a modern system of registratio…

5 Sep 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the First Minister’s statement on the Programme for Government on 4 September 2018 regarding the establishment of an animal welfare commission (Official Report, c.20), what plans it has to make a statement to Parliament on this matter.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Scottish Government will consider making a statement on this matter to the Scottish Parliament in due course.  

5 Sep 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the First Minister’s statement on the Programme for Government on 4 September 2018, and in light of the Bonomy Review and recommendations of 2016 on the efficacy of the Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Act 2002, whether it considers that the only solution is to ban fox h…

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Almost 20,000 people responded to our consultation on Lord Bonomy’s recommendations, and the analysis of those responses was published just before the summer recess. At that point, I was appointed Minister for Rural Affairs and the Natural Environment. Since …

24 Jul 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will receive additional consequential funding in relation to the high-speed railway, HS2, and, if so, how much.

Answer · Derek Mackay: The UK Government only confirm the level of any additional consequentials for the Scottish Government at their fiscal events. This means that the next time we might expect confirmation of any additional consequentials will be either at the 2018 Autumn Budget …

24 Jul 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will next review or report on its Town Centre Action Plan.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government regularly reviews the Town Centre Action Plan and support available to local authorities and communities to progress local town centre plans, working with stakeholders such as Scotland’s Towns Partnership.

26 Jun 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to answer to question S5O-02266 by John Swinney on 21 June 2018, how the £1 million over three years in improving school libraries is to be allocated and on what criteria.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government is investing £1 million in school libraries through the School Library Improvement Fund, administered by the Scottish Library and Information Council. Local authorities apply for funding for projects. In 2016-17, £100,000 funded fiftee…

13 Jun 2018 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the action by Scottish Borders Council at Peebles High and Priorsford Primary schools, what its position is on replacing school librarians with senior pupils or volunteers.

Answer · John Swinney: This Government is clear that a good quality school library service, supported by highly skilled library staff, can make a strong contribution to our ambition to raise attainment for all our young people. That is why I intend to publish a national strategy fo…

13 Jun 2018 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body how many cross-party groups there are; how many have been dissolved in the current parliamentary session, and how many outstanding applications there are for establishing a group.

Answer · Andy Wightman: There are currently100 approved Cross-Party Groups. One Group has been dissolved in the current session, the CPG on Russia. The Convener of the Group took the decision to disband the Group as it was unable to comply with the requirements in the Code of Conduc…

11 Jun 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that Scottish Borders Council is substituting senior pupils for school librarians at Peebles High School, including concerns that these pupils might be asked to (a) enforce discipline and (b) access other pupils' personal data, and who will be legally liab…

Answer · John Swinney: A good quality school library service can make a strong contribution to our ambition to raise attainment for all our young people. That is why a national strategy for school libraries will be published this summer, and it is why we are investing £1 million ov…

6 Jun 2018 · SPCB Oral Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will provide staff to assist cross party groups set up equipment at meetings held in the Parliament after 6pm.

4 Jun 2018 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Transport Bill will make provision for discretion as to whether bus services should be council run, using the Lothian Buses model, or allow commercial operators to continue delivery.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Transport Bill was published earlier this week. The Bill ensures that local transport authorities have viable and flexible options to improve bus services in their areas. It provides them with a range of options to meet local needs and circumstances, incl…

29 May 2018 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it has taken to promote tourist attractions in the Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale constituency such as the National Mining Museum, Abbotsford, Melrose Abbey and the Great Polish Map of Scotland.

Answer · Alasdair Allan: VisitScotland has supported a variety of marketing activity in the area including a £500,000 investment in a unique three-year international marketing campaign for the new Borders Railway. VisitScotland is committed to continuing to deliver for all of Scotlan…

29 May 2018 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government's position is on suggestions by the RBS Chief Executive that post offices are the "best solution" to replace local banks that have closed.

8 May 2018 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will give consideration to providing funding to Members whose Bill is passed by the Parliament to publicise it when it becomes law.

Answer · Jackson Carlaw: The SPCB has no plans to provide funding to Members whose Bills are passed by the Parliament to publicise them when they become law. The SPCB’s funding responsibility is limited to the Parliamentary scrutiny process from introduction of the Bill through to th…

2 May 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what funding and assistance is in place for people under 65 who have advanced Alzheimer’s.

Answer · Maureen Watt: The Scottish Government will extend free personal and nursing care to everyone under 65 - including those with all forms of dementia including Alzheimer's - in 2019. In line with our national HEAT Standard, everyone newly diagnosed with dementia , including …

2 May 2018 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of recent issues regarding TSB's online banking service and further branch closures, including by Santander, whether it will carry out an assessment of their impact on businesses and people who find it difficult to access or use online or telephone banking.

24 Apr 2018 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will ban the export of live animals for slaughter.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: As I stated in the response to your oral question of 6 February 2018 there is currently no export of live animals to continental Europe for the purpose of slaughter from Scotland. And as I have also made clear previously, the Scottish Government is committed …

26 Mar 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-14474 by Fergus Ewing on 13 March 2018, how many of the (a) cattle, (b) sheep, (c) pigs and (d) goats that were exported in 2017 for (i) slaughter, (ii) breeding and (iii) fattening/production had (A) Northern Ireland, (B) the Republic of Ireland, (…

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government takes the welfare of transported animals seriously, whether within the United Kingdom or for export purposes. Animals should be exported only in line with strict welfare standards, which ensure freedom from harm and sufficient rest and…