Emma Harper

6 Sep 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding whether Scotland will have access to the level of EU funding that helps support (a) the  farm structure survey, (b) the farm business survey, (c) the sheep and goat inventory and (d) animal health testing and surveillance after…

Answer · Fergus Ewing: Discussions with the UK Government are focussing on domestic readiness, trying to identify measures etc, that will need to be in place for the day after we exit the EU. Several funding issues have been identified that will need addressing, but at this stage t…

6 Sep 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many non-UK EU nationals work in Scotland (a) as veterinarians and (b) in other professions, and what information it has regarding how many have been resident for fewer than five years.

Answer · Jamie Hepburn: 128,000 non-UK EU nationals were in employment in Scotland in 2016. This estimate is obtained from the Annual Population Survey, January to December 2016. There is no information available on the number of non-UK EU national veterinarians who work in Scotland…

6 Sep 2017 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to assess the models of healthcare that are used in primary and community services.

17 Aug 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many people are signed-up to the Know and Respond service, which provides voicemail, SMS and email alerts on air pollution episodes.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-10548 on 15 August 2017. 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…

17 Aug 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how often mobile air quality sensors loaned to schools are used, and whether it considers that there are enough to meet demand.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-10550 on 15 August 2017. 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…

17 Aug 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many hits there have been on the website, scottishairquality.co.uk.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-10549 on 15 August 2017. 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…

7 Aug 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has engaged further with the European Commission on an extension to the deadline for 2016 CAP payments and, if so, what the commission’s response was.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government wrote to the European Commission on 21 June to request an extension to the end-June deadline for CAP Pillar 1 payments. The Commission responded to indicate that it does not propose to offer an extension and, as noted in the answer giv…

24 May 2017 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it can take to encourage increased uptake of carbon auditing among farmers.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Carbon audit tools can help farmers and crofters manage and reduce the carbon footprint of farming and crofting. By using resources more efficiently it can also potentially improve profitability. The agriculture chapter in our draft Climate Change Action Pla…

16 May 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress is being made with the proposed trial on electro-fishing, and when it will commence.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: Marine Scotland is organising two workshop events (one in Glasgow and on in the North West) in early June which will be focussed on obtaining industry stakeholder views on the location of the proposed electrofishing trials. The findings from these workshops w…

8 May 2017 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding the arrangements that the UK Government is making to enable the new EU school milk scheme to come into effect on 1 August 2017.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The UK Government, as EU member state, has responsibility for sharing information, seeking input from devolved administrations at appropriate stages and co ordinating the work being undertaken by devolved administrations to ensure that the UK strategy can be …

2 May 2017 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the current situation is with regard to the risk of an incursion of avian flu to Scottish poultry.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The risk of incursion of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) H5N8 into poultry or captive birds in Scotland, either from non-migratory wild birds or contaminated environment was assessed by experts on 18 April, as being “LOW” (reduced from “MEDIUM”). Thi…

26 Apr 2017 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve the attractiveness of a career in the early learning and childcare sector.

Answer · Mark McDonald: The Scottish Government values greatly, those who undertake the vital role of caring for our youngest children and our Blueprint for 2020 Action Plan sets out a range of actions we will take, over the course of the next year, to improve the attractiveness of …

11 Apr 2017 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to ensure that homes in the private rented sector are energy efficient.

15 Mar 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that the NHS could lose doctors and nurses because of the outcome of the EU referendum.

Answer · Shona Robison: Scotland’s health and social care sectors benefit enormously from the contribution of staff from across the EU. We greatly value our non-UK EU citizens and their wider contribution to our society; we are working to see that their rights and place in our natio…

22 Feb 2017 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to identify European E-road routes on road signs after the UK leaves the EU.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The system of route numbering on the motorway and trunk road network in Scotland aligns with the approach taken in the rest of the UK. This approach provides consistency on continuous journeys throughout the UK. European route numbers are not currently used o…

21 Feb 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it takes to encourage supermarkets to stock Scotch lamb all year.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government and Scotland Food and Drink engages regularly with grocery retailers to encourage increased sourcing of Scottish produce. Recently Marks and Spencer announced a commitment to stock 100% Scottish Lamb all year round. Additionally Qualit…

21 Feb 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-04921 by Roseanna Cunningham on 30 November 2016, whether it will provide an update on what progress it is making regarding tackling the illegal trafficking of puppies through (a) Cairnryan and (b) other ports, and what discussions it has had or pla…

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Scottish Government officials have had discussions with their counterparts in other UK administrations and the Republic of Ireland about the movement of puppies through Cairnryan and the other routes that puppies from elsewhere in Europe enter the UK. Further…

20 Feb 2017 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what discussions the Scottish Government has held regarding the future of broadcasting in Scotland.

9 Feb 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the research published by the charity, Feniks, which suggested that, following the EU referendum, European nationals living in Scotland felt safer than those in England.

Answer · Angela Constance: The Scottish Government greatly values both the contribution that non-UK EU nationals bring to our economy and society, and the benefits of freedom of movement enjoyed by our own citizens. Non-UK EU nationals are an important part of Scotland’s future, in ter…

30 Jan 2017 · Topical Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update following the meeting of the Joint Ministerial Committee on 30 January 2017.

18 Jan 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many people are employed in the smartphone application development sector in Scotland.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: There is no specific category for the smartphone application development sector using the UK Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) 2007, produced by the Office for National Statistics. However, data are available for the ‘Computer programming, consultanc…

18 Jan 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the value of the smartphone application development sector is to the Scottish economy.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: We have no specific information regarding the value to the economy of businesses involved in smartphone application development. However, data for the 'computer programming, consultancy and related activity' sector, of which smartphone application development…

18 Jan 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has carried out on the impact on the smartphone application development sector in Scotland of the decision by Apple to increase the price of its apps following a fall in the value of the pound as a result of the Brexit vote, and what representations it has made to the UK…

Answer · Fergus Ewing: We have not conducted any analysis of the effects that this particular decision might have. Apple is one of a number of companies across different sectors who have stated their intention to increase consumer prices due to the recent devaluation of the pound. …

17 Jan 2017 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it takes to ensure that the health advice it produces is accessible to people with hearing loss and deafness.

17 Jan 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it will undertake with the sheep farming sector on maintaining Scotland’s position in the single market, in light of reports that Scottish farmers may be exposed to significant competition resulting from a proposed trade deal between the UK and New Zealand.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: We are having regular engagement with the food and drink industry on a range of Brexit related issues, most recently at the Food and Farming summit that I hosted last week in Edinburgh. The National Sheep Association was represented at the summit and we discu…

13 Dec 2016 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its work to protect the marine environment.

7 Dec 2016 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it can take to ensure that water meters are placed in accessible locations.

7 Dec 2016 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government what advice it has commissioned from the Committee on Climate Change on a new Climate Change Bill.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government has commissioned advice from the Committee on Climate Change on the appropriate levels, forms and mechanisms for future Scottish greenhouse gas emission reduction targets. The Committee will be issuing a call for evidence in relation t…

6 Dec 2016 · Inspired Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the implementation of the Beef Efficiency Scheme.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: An important milestone has been reached this week with BES scheme members being notified of the animals that have been selected for genotyping analysis. As of today the animals selected will be visible for the applicants to see on the BES data base. Following…

28 Nov 2016 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister whether she will provide an update following her visit to Dublin.