Parliamentary questions
Tavish Scott
2,683 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
8 Oct 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many fields are subject to reassessment under the common agricultural policy Basic Payment Scheme: revised provisional payment region scheme, broken down by Rural Payments and Inspections Directorate office area as at 30 September 2015.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: According to our database records approximately 16,300 fields (land parcels) out of over 400,000 land parcels on our Land Parcels Identification System have been subject to a request for reassessment of the payment region. The breakdown by area offices is set…
29 Sep 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what recent (a) discussions and (b) correspondence it has had with Loganair regarding the reliability of flights between Shetland and mainland Scotland.
Answer · Derek Mackay: Scottish Government officials met with Loganair on 17 August 2015 and I met with Loganair on 15 September 2015. The reliability of flights was discussed at both meetings. The Scottish Government corresponds regularly with Loganair about a variety of issues in…
23 Sep 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-27206 by Humza Yousaf on 17 September 2015, whether it has had discussions with the charity, Reprieve, about whether the case of Shaker Aamer was raised by the First Minister at her meeting with the US Deputy Secretary of State.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government has had no discussions with Reprieve about the meeting.
23 Sep 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-27206 by Humza Yousaf on 17 September 2015, whether it has asked the UK Government if it would assist it in securing the release of Shaker Aamer if Scottish ministers informed MSPs in parliamentary answers whether the case was raised by the First Mi…
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government has made no such approach to the UK Government.
23 Sep 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-27206 by Humza Yousaf on 17 September 2015, whether ministers will reconsider their decision to withhold from parliamentary answers information about whether case of Shaker Aamer was raised at the meeting between the First Minister and the US Deputy…
Answer · Humza Yousaf: No. I refer the member to the answer to S4W-26869 on 24 August 2015. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusine…
23 Sep 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-27205 by Humza Yousaf on 17 September 2015, what details of the meeting between the First Minister and the US Deputy Secretary of State it has reported to the UK Government.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: A report of the meeting was not sent to the UK Government. The British ambassador attended the meeting.
23 Sep 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-27205 by Humza Yousaf on 17 September 2015, which sub-sections of section 32 of the Freedom of Information Act (Scotland) 2002 it considers allow it to refuse to confirm or deny whether the case of Shaker Aamer was raised at the meeting between the …
Answer · Humza Yousaf: Scottish Ministers apply the principle that some conversations with overseas governments should remain private where circumstances are relevant. I referred to provisions in the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 as an illustration of the general accep…
23 Sep 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-27205 by Humza Yousaf on 17 September 2015, whether, in light of Mr Yousaf's statement on Good Morning Scotland on 8 September 2015 that the UK Government should share international and security information with party leaders, it will share with Sco…
Answer · Humza Yousaf: I refer the member to the answer to S4W-26869 on 24 August 2015. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/2…
14 Sep 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government who the members are of the Stakeholder Advisory Group set up to consider future management options for the Crown Estate.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The first meeting of the Stakeholder Advisory Group on the Crown Estate, chaired by myself, was held on Wednesday 16 September 2015. The group provides a forum for a range of stakeholders to outline their views on the development of a new framework for manag…
14 Sep 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the proposed retention period under the Scottish Upland Sheep Support Scheme is six months.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The aim of the scheme is to support active farmers working some of our most challenging land. It must not be a source of support to large inactive landowners, which is why eligibility rests on home-bred ewe hoggs. As Mr Scott will know from his background in …
14 Sep 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether crofters with a common grazings share are eligible for the Scottish Upland Sheep Support Scheme.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The scheme is open to all eligible farmers with sheep, whether crofters or not and whether they have common grazing shares or not. If crofters apply and they have shares in common grazings, we will use this information to assess eligibility.
14 Sep 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, given that the application period closes on 16 October 2015, when full details on eligibility will be available to agricultural units wishing to apply to the Scottish Upland Sheep Support Scheme.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: I announced details of the Scottish Upland Sheep Support Scheme when I delivered details of my decisions on Common Agricultural Policy reform to the Scottish Parliament in June 2014. I subsequently wrote to all Scotland’s farmers in July 2014 with basic detai…
14 Sep 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what agency or body is responsible for labelling meat as non-stun.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: There is currently no agency responsible for labelling meat as non-stun. The labelling of meat for human consumption is governed by European Commission Regulation 1169/2011 on the provision of food information to customers. Meat producers must provide inform…
14 Sep 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will designate porcine epidemic diarrhoea (PED) as a notifiable disease.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government is currently working with stakeholders to address the implications and practicalities of designating porcine epidemic diarrhoea as a notifiable animal disease.
14 Sep 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the veterinary schools regarding the number of vets in practices in the Highlands and Islands.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government has no locus to discuss the number of vets in practices in the Highlands and Islands with the veterinary schools. That is a matter for the veterinary practices, as private businesses, to discuss with potential employees.
14 Sep 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure the (a) recruitment and (b) retention of vets in Highlands and Islands practices.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: Veterinary practices in the Highlands and Islands, as elsewhere in Scotland, are private businesses. As such, their recruitment policies will be determined by them in terms of the current and potential clients that they attract. The Scottish Government incen…
14 Sep 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it will reach a decision on whether to endorse the proposed closure of the Inverness Surveillance Veterinary Centre by the Scottish Rural Affairs College.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government is awaiting an update from the Scottish Rural Affairs College (SRUC) on their proposals on the change to the network of veterinary disease surveillance centres and the future of their private business. These proposals will be consider…
7 Sep 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government on what legal basis Police Scotland assisted in the seizure of the boat, Echo, which belongs to the Dutch-registered Sea Shepherd ship, the MV Sam Simon, on 1 September 2015 in Lerwick.
Answer · Frank Mulholland QC: On the basis of an international letter of request received from the Faroese authorities, I authorised the Procurator Fiscal at Lerwick to crave a warrant under Section 18 of the Crime (International Co-operation) Act 2003. The warrant was granted by the Sher…
3 Sep 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what selection criteria are included in the retendering process for the emergency services' communication system, which is currently run by the company, Airwave, and what input the Scottish Government has had in ensuring that the new system meets rural and island needs.
Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: Since 2011, the Scottish Government has been participating in the UK Government led Emergency Services Mobile Communications Programme, which has been working to procure a replacement emergency services network for when the existing Airwave contracts begin to…
3 Sep 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government where the independent police monitors who visit the cells in Lerwick police station on an unannounced basis are based.
Answer · Michael Matheson: This is a matter for the Scottish Police Authority, which has a statutory duty to maintain and manage an independent custody visiting scheme to monitor the welfare of people detained in police custody facilities throughout Scotland. Independent Custody Visito…
3 Sep 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-26185 by Humza Yousaf on 8 July 2015, what response it has received from the UK Government to the concerns raised by the First Minister.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: From November 2015, Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) qualifications will no longer be recognised by UK Visas and Immigration to demonstrate English language skills for settlement and citizenship applicatio…
31 Aug 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what price per litre (a) it pays and (b) its agencies pay dairy producers based in Scotland, and what information it has regarding how this compares with the cost of production.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government does not purchase milk. Milk is procured as part of the Scottish Government’s overall catering contract with Sodexo who advise an average price paid of 69 pence per litre (ppl) across all pack sizes. The price varies according to how m…
31 Aug 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much (a) it spends and (b) its agencies spend on the services of non-Scotland based dairy producers, and what proportion of the total spent on such services this represents.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government does not purchase milk. Milk is procured as part of the Scottish Government’s overall catering contract with Sodexo who advise an expenditure of approximately £80,000 per annum. Milk purchased by public agencies is 100% Scottish.
25 Aug 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-26869 by Humza Yousaf on 24 August 2015, whether there have been topics discussed at its meetings with the (a) Qatari and (b) Chinese Government that it will decline to confirm or deny were raised.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-27201 on 17 September 2015. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamenta…
25 Aug 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-26869 by Humza Yousaf on 24 August 2015, who took the decision to decline to confirm or deny whether the Shaker Aamer case was raised at the meeting.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: Scottish Ministers took the decision.
25 Aug 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-26869 by Humza Yousaf on 24 August 2015, whether its policy position of not commenting in Parliamentary answers about certain topics discussed at meetings with foreign governments was taken to prior to the minister making his comments about the UK G…
Answer · Humza Yousaf: That discussions with representatives of overseas governments must sometimes remain private is a well-established principle, as recognised in legislation such as the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002.
25 Aug 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-26869 by Humza Yousaf on 24 August 2015, whether the US Government has been consulted on which topics discussed at the meeting between the First Minister and the Deputy Secretary of State can be referred to in parliamentary answers.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: No.
25 Aug 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-26869 by Humza Yousaf on 24 August 2015, whether the US Government was provided with a draft of its news release listing the topics discussed at the meeting between the First Minister and the Deputy Secretary of State and, if so, whether the US requ…
Answer · Humza Yousaf: No.
25 Aug 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-26869 by Humza Yousaf on 24 August 2015, whether the US Government asked it to refuse to confirm or deny if the Shaker Aamer case was raised at the meeting.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The US Government made no such request and was not consulted by the Scottish Government about the release of information relating to the First Minister’s meeting with the US Deputy Secretary of State.
25 Aug 2015 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-26869 by Humza Yousaf on 24 August 2015, with which countries since 2011 it has had discussions where it has decided to decline to confirm or deny whether certain topics were discussed.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government has had discussions a number of countries since 2011, many of which need to remain private for the reasons I gave previously.