Murdo Fraser

5 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much it expects to raise from each sector from the Higher Property Rate in 2021-22.

Answer · Kate Forbes: The Scottish Budget 2021-22 maintains the most competitive non-domestic rates regime in the UK. This includes an extension to the COVID-19 relief for properties in the retail, hospitality, leisure and aviation sectors, and newspaper publishing, for all of 202…

4 Feb 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what impact the prohibition of culling of mountain hares could have on the operation of licensed falconry on land with a significant hare population, and what consultation it had with operators before it introduced the prohibition.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: From 1 March 2021, in order for NatureScot to consider granting a licence that includes falconry as a method of taking mountain hares an applicant will need to demonstrate that it is for a licensable purpose under Section 16 of the Wildlife and Countryside Ac…

1 Feb 2021 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government what impact there will be on the Crown Office budget as a result of any payments of compensation to individuals involved in the administration and liquidation of Rangers FC, following the admission that they were victims of malicious prosecution.

21 Jan 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government from which of its budget lines any sums were paid to individuals involved in the administration and liquidation of Rangers FC, following the admission that they were victims of malicious prosecution.

Answer · James Wolffe QC: Additional funding will be provided to COPFS to meet these costs. The additional allocation of funding comes from careful budget management across the Scottish Government budget and is not ascribed to a single budget line. Budget transfers will be reported to…

21 Jan 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government on what date the Lord Advocate will update the Parliament in relation to the malicious prosecutions of individuals involved in the administration of Rangers FC.

Answer · James Wolffe QC: I made a statement to the Scottish Parliament on 9 February 2021. In that statement I committed the Crown to continuing to support public accountability in relation to this matter.  

21 Jan 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will establish an independent inquiry into the actions of Police Scotland and the Crown Office in connection with the malicious prosecutions of individuals involved in the administration of Rangers FC.

Answer · James Wolffe QC: I am committed to supporting public accountability about these cases and have committed to a process of inquiry once all related matters are concluded. In my view this should be independent and led by a judge.  

21 Jan 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what settlement payments have been paid in relation to (a) Police Scotland and (b) the Crown Office subsequent to the admission that certain individuals involved in the administration and liquidation of Rangers FC have been the victims of malicious prosecution.

Answer · James Wolffe QC: I can only speak for COPFS but to date £24,427,293.67 has been paid in damages and legal costs.  

21 Jan 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether any individuals have resigned or been removed from their positions following the admission that certain individuals were victims of malicious prosecution in relation to the administration and liquidation of Rangers FC.

Answer · James Wolffe QC: Given that there live proceedings before the court, it would be inappropriate to comment at this time; in any event, I do not comment on individual staffing matters.  

11 Jan 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether NHS Scotland uses cycles higher than 35 for PCR (polymerase chain reaction) COVID-19 tests and, if so, how often this is done as a percentage of all tests.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Each manufacturer of the RT-PCR test will recommend a differing maximum amplification cycle number to determine presence of SARS CoV-2 when interpreting results, but a maximum of around 40 amplification cycles is normally used. The Scottish Government does n…

11 Jan 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to start trials of the drug, Ivermectin, in light of its reported effectiveness at all stages of COVID-19 and research on the drug being supported by the World Health Organization through its Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Potential new therapeutic approaches to COVID-19 are tested through the UK-wide platform trials, including RECOVERY, PRINCIPLE and REMAP-CAP. These trials are active in Scotland. An independent COVID-19 Therapeutics Advisory Panel (UK-CTAP) advises on what tr…

8 Jan 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what representations it has received regarding continuing business rates relief for the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors in full or in part in 2021-22.

Answer · Kate Forbes: The Scottish Government has been in regular contact with individual business as well as business representatives, including from the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors. It is clear from this, and extensive correspondence, that certainty over the future o…

5 Jan 2021 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the most recent COVID-19 regulations have removed welfare dog grooming from the list of essential services.

Answer · Ben Macpherson: The Scottish Government has not removed welfare dog grooming from the list of essential services. The Scottish Government recognises that the lack of access to professional pet grooming services has the potential to impact on the welfare of certain breeds of…

22 Dec 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it has changed the reporting of COVID-19 cases in local authority areas so that they are reportedly no longer available for the general public to view and, if it was concerned that the previous approach risked breaching patient confidentiality, whether it will publish the…

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Reporting of COVID-19 cases by local authority is published by Public Health Scotland (PHS) on the COVID-19 Daily Cases Dashboard . The dashboard is updated daily and includes data for neighbourhoods (intermediate zones) where there are 3 or more confirmed …

22 Dec 2020 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what discussions it is having with local authorities regarding fly-tipping.

9 Dec 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance on 9 December 2020 (Official Report, c.13), in light of the cabinet secretary's comment that "approximately £500 million [in Barnett consequentials] is to be allocated to support transport services and cover pandemic-related …

Answer · Kate Forbes: The allocation of approximately £500 million in consequential funding referred to in the question is broken down as follows: Category £m Transport 200 Registers of Scotland Income Shortfall 22 Devolved taxes shortfall 150 Scottish Courts and Tribunal…

9 Dec 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance on 9 December 2020 (Official Report, c.13), in light of the cabinet secretary's comment that "around £600 million [in Barnett consequentials] is to be allocated to health and social care, wider public health initiatives and w…

Answer · Kate Forbes: The allocation of around £600 million in consequential funding referred to in the question is broken down as follows:   Category £m Vaccinations, Track and Trace and other costs 240 £500 bonus 177 Sport 30 Sport loans 25 Winter Social Plan 100 F…

2 Dec 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the decision in the case of R Quincy Bell and A v. Tavistock & Portman NHS Trust & others in the English High Court, what steps it will now take to review the provision of services for children with gender dysphoria, including the prescription of puberty blockers.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: Whilst the ruling from the High Court on 2 December has no formal status in Scotland we are examining it with intent. The law in Scotland on the capacity of young people to consent to medical treatment is different to that in England and Wales. Under the Age …

2 Dec 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will announce details of its financial assistance to tenants in the private rented sector who have been impacted by COVID-19.

Answer · Kevin Stewart: The Tenant Hardship Loan Fund, as announced in August’s Programme for Government, opened for applications on 7 December 2020. Communications regarding this support scheme have been distributed by Scottish Government and our key partner organisations, via sta…

1 Dec 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether any formal Ministerial Direction was issued in relation to its legal position in the case of Alex Salmond vs Leslie Evans & Scottish Ministers.

Answer · Kate Forbes: The Principal Accountable Officer for the Scottish Administration (the Permanent Secretary) and Accountable Officers designated by them for parts of the Scottish Administration are under a statutory duty to obtain written authority (sometimes called Ministeri…

25 Nov 2020 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to research by Age UK, which suggests that 157,000 over-65s in Scotland are expecting to feel lonely over the festive season.

12 Nov 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what funding packages are available to businesses that use birds of prey and are involved in what is considered a globally-significant conservation project.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The Scottish Government is not aware of any globally-significant conservation projects for birds of prey in Scotland. There is no requirement on the Scottish Government to compensate bird keepers for the measures that apply under an Avian Influenza Prevention…

12 Nov 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of Scotland being declared an Avian Flu Prevention Zone, what funding is available to businesses that are affected by both COVID-19 and avian flu restrictions, potentially leaving them with no revenue stream.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: There is no requirement on the Scottish Government to compensate bird keepers for the measures that apply under an Avian Influenza Prevention Zone (AIPZ). Most of these mandatory measures are considered as best practice biosecurity measures, which should be i…

11 Nov 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much of the £8.2 billion that the UK Government has committed to provide to it has been received, also broken down by how much has been allocated to each portfolio area.

Answer · Kate Forbes: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-33171 on 24 November 2020 All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusines…

11 Nov 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much it has received in Barnett consequentials since 23 March 2020, also broken down by how much has been allocated to each portfolio area. 

Answer · Kate Forbes: At the UK Main Estimates published on 4 May, the Scottish Government received an additional £3,063m in Barnett consequentials in response to the COVID pandemic. The remainder of the guaranteed £8.2 billion of additional funding for 2020-21 will be allocated t…

11 Nov 2020 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government on what basis the constitution secretary stated that an independence referendum would take place in 2021.

27 Oct 2020 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government how its planning policy supports the delivery of new housing developments.

26 Oct 2020 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support is being given to hospitality businesses that cannot operate due to COVID-19 restrictions.

9 Oct 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when regulations will be published regarding exemptions from low-emission zones under the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019.

Answer · Michael Matheson: It is intended that Regulations regarding exemptions from low-emission zones under the Transport (Scotland) Act 2019 will be laid in Parliament in late January 2021, with Regulations coming into force by late May 2021.

15 Sep 2020 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it has put in place in schools to reinforce the message that pupils need to adhere to social distancing guidelines.

9 Sep 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much of the £5.3 million it has spent on COVID-19-related campaigns across all media channels has been allocated to expenditure on (a) Facebook, (b) Instagram, (c) Newsquest, (d) local newspapers, (e) national newspapers, (f) (i) online, (ii) television and (iii) radio advertising an…

Answer · Kate Forbes: Please note that the £5.3 million figure has subsequently been corrected to £5.8 million.   a - Facebook   £246,543 Note - Facebook & Instagram spend is recorded together rather than by site b - Instagram c - Newsquest           £40,174 Spend in…