Parliamentary questions
Peter Chapman
215 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
21 Nov 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to comments by a senior clinician from the University of Glasgow’s School of Veterinary Medicine that "the presence of B. venatorum in the UK represents a new risk to humans working, living, or hiking in areas with infected ticks and livestock, particularly sheep.”
Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: The risk of contracting this infection is believed to be low, Lyme disease remains the most commonly acquired tick borne infection in Scotland. The best way to minimise the risk from tick-borne infections is to avoid being bitten by a tick.
20 Nov 2019 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what the level of investment in the north east has been as part of the Scottish Growth Scheme.
12 Nov 2019 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking in response to warnings from NHS Grampian regarding its ageing workforce.
28 Oct 2019 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government how it proposes to spend the £160 million in convergence money to support agriculture.
1 Oct 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much it has received from the UK Government in Barnett consequentials arising from Brexit preparations, and how it plans to allocate this.
Answer · Derek Mackay: The Scottish Government has been allocated £139.4 million from the UK Government as a consequential of EU Exit preparation funding over 18-19 and 19-20. £98.7 million of this has been received and of this, £98.25 million has been spent on a raft of preparator…
24 Sep 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it (a) plans to introduce compulsory electronic tagging for new born calves and (b) envisages whole cattle herds being electronically tagged.
Answer · Mairi Gougeon: The EU legislation that enables the introduction of electronic identification (EID) for bovine animals will come into force on April 2021. In preparation for this a voluntary industry led pilot for the adoption of electronic identification of cattle is underw…
23 Aug 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many farm businesses in (a) the Highlands, (b) Aberdeenshire and (c) each parliamentary region are waiting to receive 2017-18 CAP basic payments.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: Information regarding the payments for scheme year 2017 has been provided in the response to S5W-24923 on 17 September 2029. Nationally, for 2018 we have paid 98.65%. A) There are 4 businesses waiting to receive a payment for scheme year 2018 in the Highland…
23 Aug 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-21629 by Fergus Ewing on 12 March 2019, whether it will provide an update on how many farm businesses in (a) the Highlands, (b) Aberdeenshire and (c) each parliamentary region are waiting to receive 2016-17 CAP basic payments.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The updated position is as follows: There are now no payments due for scheme year 2016. A) There is 1 business waiting to receive payment in the Highlands for scheme year 2017 and a further 1 is currently under assessment. B) There are 6 businesses waiting…
19 Jun 2019 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the use of patrol boats at Rockall in response to Irish fishing vessels.
13 Jun 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding its consultation, Stability and Simplicity, what plans it will put in place to improve the environmental performance of Scottish agriculture as part of a new support system for farming.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: Uncertainties around Brexit mean that the Scottish Government, but more importantly our farmers, crofters, foresters, land managers and rural businesses are unable to plan with any certainty for the future. A no deal scenario has not been ruled out altogether…
13 Jun 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding its consultation, Stability and Simplicity, what plans it has to introduce a pilot approach to expanding capital support for Scottish agriculture.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-23777 on 27 June 2019. 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/parliamentarybusiness/2…
13 Jun 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding its consultation, Stability and Simplicity, what progress it has made on analysing and consulting on the potential capping of payments as part of a future support system for Scottish agriculture.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-23777 on 27 June 2019. 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/parliamentarybusiness/2…
13 Jun 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding its consultation, Stability and Simplicity, what plans it has to improve the administrative efficiency of the Knowledge Transfer and Innovation Fund.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government has already made a number of improvements to the administration of the Knowledge Transfer and Innovation Fund (KTIF). By way of example there is now an automated payment system in place which has improved the efficiency of payments to…
13 Jun 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding its consultation, Stability and Simplicity, what discussions it has had with stakeholders regarding developing a future, more transparent, penalty regime as part of a future agricultural support system.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: The penalty regime was one of the priorities identified in the consultation and by the Task Force to explore how to simplify and streamline. The Taskforce is currently considering options to achieve this. As the membership consists of representatives and indi…
13 Jun 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding its consultation, Stability and Simplicity, what plans it will put in place during the implementation period for Scottish agriculture.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: With just over four months to go until Brexit, it is not even known if there will be an implementation period. That would require the UK Parliament to agree the Withdrawal Agreement. At this stage the uncertainties around Brexit mean that the Scottish Governm…
13 Jun 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding its consultation, Stability and Simplicity, what analysis it has carried out of the social and environmental impact of capping agricultural payments.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-23777 on 27 June 2019. 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/parliamentarybusiness/2…
13 Jun 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding its consultation, Stability and Simplicity, what discussions it has had with stakeholders regarding introducing key performance indicators for sustainability and productivity in future agricultural policy.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-23777 on 27 June 2019. 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/parliamentarybusiness/2…
13 Jun 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government, regarding its consultation, Stability and Simplicity, what plans it has to expand capital support for Scottish agriculture.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-23777 on 27 June 2019. 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/parliamentarybusiness/2…
13 Jun 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government when it plans to bring forward regulations to review the charging arrangement for the recovery, removal and storage of vehicles.
Answer · Humza Yousaf: Regulations to introduce a new pricing matrix for the removal, storage and disposal of vehicles will be laid before Parliament on 26 June 2019 with a coming into force date of 10 October 2019.
12 Jun 2019 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether multi-level teaching is the most effective way for pupils to learn.
5 Jun 2019 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of children in the NHS Grampian area who have mental health issues are being seen within the 18-week referral to treatment target.
29 May 2019 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to invest in the Scottish Ambulance Service.
8 May 2019 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to review the signage for the AWPR.
1 May 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to introduce management and licensing schemes for beavers, in light of their protected status now being in force.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) has already introduced a management and licensing scheme for beavers, in advance of them being afforded protected status on 1 May 2019. Details of both schemes can be found on the SNH website at https://www.nature.scot/profes…
24 Apr 2019 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much compensation has been paid to NHS Grampian staff in each year since 2016 for incidents or injuries in the workplace.
5 Apr 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government how much has been awarded from the Regeneration Capital Grant Fund in each of the last five years, also broken down by local authority.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: In each of the previous five years of the Regeneration Capital Grant Fund (RCGF), grant offer recommendations have totalled: £27,591,462 in 2014-15; £14,343,059 in 2015-16; £23,297,674 in 2016-17; £23,387,077 in 2017-18, and; £27,045,746 in 2018-19. 18 proje…
27 Mar 2019 · Portfolio Question
To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to introduce an agriculture bill.
13 Mar 2019 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Government how many farm businesses are awaiting Basic Payment Scheme payments for 2016.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: For 2016 we have paid 17870 businesses. There is currently one business awaiting a 2016 Basic Payment Scheme Payment. As in any year there can be a number of complex cases which require investigation to determine eligibility. In this case the issues have now …
7 Mar 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether the Road Traffic Act 1988 prevents a member of the public driving a tractor on the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (AWPR) and, if so, which specific law they would be breaking, and what the penalty would be.
Answer · Michael Matheson: The Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route is a “special road”, being a road provided under a scheme made under section 7 of the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984. The relevant schemes for the AWPR are the A90 (Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route) Special Road Scheme 20…
19 Feb 2019 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Government what assistance it will provide to farmers and landowners to access maps until the new land-parcel identification system becomes fully operational and accessible.
Answer · Fergus Ewing: Map information currently being maintained in the new LPIS is already being loaded into the existing on-line mapping ‘viewer’ in Rural Payments and Services (RPS). These map details will also be available in the on-line SAF application 2019. This is a syste…