Michelle Ballantyne

19 Aug 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it will provide to Midlothian Council to help clean up the River Esk, in light of reports that it has been polluted in recent months with sewage and mineral waste run-off.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Midlothian Council is participating in the response to the recent pollution of the River Esk along with other public bodies that have responsibility for its clean up. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is leading this work in conjunction with S…

12 Aug 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many livestock rustling incidents were reported in each of the last two years, also broken down by how many led to a subsequent (a) prosecution and (b) conviction.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government does not hold information on the number of livestock rustling incidents. The Scottish Government collects data on the numbers of crimes and offences recorded by the police, and prosecutions and convictions. This information is publish…

12 Aug 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it plans to introduce to reduce levels of livestock rustling.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government is a member of the Scottish Partnership Against Rural Crime (SPARC), a multi-agency group chaired by Police Scotland which is committed to tackling crime in Scotland's rural communities. SPARC's Rural Crime Strategy 2019-2022 sets out …

12 Aug 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support is available for farmers who have lost livestock due to rustling.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Police Scotland has a dedicated Rural Crime team, and chairs the Scottish Partnership Against Rural Crime (SPARC), a multi-agency group committed to tackling crime in Scotland's rural communities. The SPARC Rural Crime Strategy 2019-2022 sets out the Partners…

12 Aug 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many calls the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service has received since 1 March 2020 specifically in relation to home visits or visits to care homes.

Answer · Ash Denham: Home Fire Safety Visits (HFSV) and visits to care homes are operational matters for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS). SFRS have confirmed that since 1 March 2020 they received 762 calls to their HFSV booking line to arrange a HFSV, and been in con…

12 Aug 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many recently retired (a) firefighters and (b) specialist fire and rescue staff have been asked to return to frontline duties to cover absences and other staff shortages.

Answer · Ash Denham: Staffing issues such as decisions on the deployment of staff are operational matters for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS). The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service undertook a variety of business continuity measures to ensure the maximum number of fro…

12 Aug 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what data it has on the number of firefighters that have been (a) diagnosed with COVID-19 and (b) required to self-isolate.

Answer · Ash Denham: Staffing issues, including absence management, are operational matters for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS). The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service has however been providing the Scottish Government with regular updates on workforce absences through…

12 Aug 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason a pipe or silver band cannot practise outside while social distancing under the current COVID-19 restrictions.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The decisions announced on 20 August as part of updates to Phase 3 of the route map allow such outdoor activities to re-commence from 24 August.  

12 Aug 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the COVID-19 restrictions on pipe and silver bands (a) practising and (b) performing will be lifted.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Outdoor activities, including rehearsals and seated live events, are allowed to re-commence from 24 August in accordance with physical distancing and hygiene guidance for events – available at https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-events-sec…

12 Aug 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what meetings it has had with the pipe and silver band community regarding the easing of COVID-19 restrictions.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Scottish Government officials held discussions with the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association on 29 July and 6 August. Jason Leitch, National Clinical Director, along with other Scottish Government officials held discussions with a representative of the Royal …

12 Aug 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many businesses in the (a) South Scotland region and (b) East Lothian constituency have had their applications to the Aquaculture Hardship Fund refused, and for what reasons.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: Scottish Government received a total of 5 applications to the Aquaculture Hardship Fund from trout businesses which were subsequently refused. All of these applicants are producers of trout for the recreational sector. Hardship payments made under this schem…

11 Aug 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the NFU Mutual report, A Challenging Time for the Countryside, and in light of its suggestion that there had been a 44.1% increase in rural crime in Scotland in 2018-19, whether it will confirm how many such crimes were reported in each of the last two years, also…

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government welcomes the publication of the NFU Mutual’s report, and its contribution to our understanding of rural crime. The Scottish Government are members of the Scottish Partnership Against Rural Crime (SPARC), chaired by Police Scotland, whi…

11 Aug 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many agricultural vehicles have been stolen in each of the last two years; how many have been recovered, also broken down by the number returned to their owners, and how many incidents led to a subsequent (a) prosecution and (b) conviction.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: This information is not held centrally. The Scottish Government collects data on the numbers of crimes and offences recorded by the police, and prosecutions and convictions. This information is published in the Recorded Crime and Criminal Proceedings Nationa…

11 Aug 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what initiatives it has introduced since January 2020 to help lower levels of rural crime, and what further measures it plans.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government is a member of the Scottish Partnership Against Rural Crime (SPARC), a multi-agency group chaired by Police Scotland which is committed to tackling crime in Scotland's rural communities. SPARC's Rural Crime Strategy 2019-2022 sets out …

28 Jul 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether firefighters are required to wear PPE or face coverings while making home visits or visits to care homes, and what data it has on whether face coverings are being worn by firefighters during such visits.

Answer · Ash Denham: Home fire safety visits are an operational matter for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS). SFRS continue to follow all guidance as set out by Health Protection Scotland, which includes appropriate PPE and social distancing measures being in place for …

9 Jul 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-29884 by Michael Matheson on 22 June 2020, what guidance it has provided to driving test centres and driving instructors regarding the safety of learning to drive as the country enters a different phase of lockdown.

Answer · Michael Matheson: The Scottish Government is developing guidance on the safe restart of driving lessons, which will be published as soon as practical. Driving tests are a reserved matter for the Driving and Vehicle Standards Agency.

7 Jul 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether the Aquaculture Hardship Fund is open to applications from all producers of trout, salmon and shellfish.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Aquaculture Hardship Fund (currently closed to applications) supports table producing shellfish and trout businesses specifically at risk from the disappearance of export and domestic food markets due to COVID-19 as required by the EC Temporary Framework …

2 Jul 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what progress it is making towards achieving the development of a wild salmon strategy by September 2020.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Wild Salmon Strategy has been delayed due to the diversion of resources to deal with the COVID-19 outbreak. The Scottish Government recognise the need to conserve wild Atlantic salmon populations, and a suite of measures to tackle the wide range of pressu…

18 Jun 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking in response to reports of large numbers of salmon smolts trapped in the Muirtown Lock on the Caledonian Canal.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The decline in the numbers of Scottish wild salmon is of great concern and we are determined to safeguard the future of this important species. We recognise the problem is down to a range of complex factors and have identified 12 high level groups of pressure…

3 Jun 2020 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to ensure that public transport is safe and practicable for people using it during the COVID-19 outbreak.

27 May 2020 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to help reduce flytipping and littering.

19 May 2020 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government on what scientific evidence regarding a threat to public health the health secretary and First Minister have based the decision to continue the lockdown measures, and how this has been balanced against a threat to the economy.

19 May 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many aquaculture businesses in the South Scotland region are in receipt of support from the Aquaculture Hardship Fund that has been set up in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, also broken down by home many do not (a) farm trout and (b) grow shellfish.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: Since 15 April 2020, the Aquaculture Hardship Fund has awarded a total of £54,000 of COVID-19 support to two trout farmers in the South Scotland Region.

19 May 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether aquaculture companies are required to be part of the direct food supply chain to be eligible to apply to the Aquaculture Hardship Fund that has been set up in response to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government acknowledges the enormous challenge facing Scottish aquaculture at this time. The Aquaculture Hardship Fund was designed to support those shellfish and trout businesses specifically at risk from the disappearance of export and domestic…

30 Mar 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what guidelines there are for a household with a person who has a high risk of contracting COVID-19 regarding non-residential contact between a child in that household and a parent who lives elsewhere.

Answer · Ash Denham: During this unprecedented situation, it is expected that everyone should be staying at home wherever possible. One of the exceptions set out in the Health Protection (Coronavirus)(Restrictions)(Scotland) Regulations 2020 for leaving the house is if children…

24 Mar 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the delivery of contingency plans on free school meals during the COVID-19 outbreak varies between local authorities.

Answer · John Swinney: Free school meals are a vital measure for families, children and young people across the country and the Scottish Government is very grateful for the work that local authorities have already done, by quickly putting measures in place to ensure that children a…

24 Mar 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with local authorities to discuss the expansion of council tax relief during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Answer · Ben Macpherson: My officials have been in regular contact with COSLA and local authorities concerning the covid 19 pandemic and council tax. Through this we have put in place measures to ensure those directly impacted by current events are not asked to pay council tax they c…

20 Mar 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the current Chief Executive of Social Security Scotland will leave his post, and by what date his successor will be in place.

Answer · Kate Forbes: There are no plans for the current Chief Executive of Social Security Scotland to leave his post. Under the Civil Service Commission Recruitment Principles of appointment by fair and open competition, the role was advertised across the UK Civil Service recent…

19 Mar 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to help those whose income may be affected by COVID-19 to pay their (a) energy and (b) council tax bills, particularly people who are vulnerable or would not normally access such support.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: Scottish Ministers announced on 18 March that we are making available £350 million of funding to support local government, the third sector, communities and people during this unprecedented public health emergency. This includes an extra £45 million for the S…

18 Mar 2020 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish the guidance that it provides to non-domestic rate assessors on its approach to renewable energy installations.

Answer · Ben Macpherson: The valuation of all non-domestic property, including renewable energy installations, is a matter for Scottish assessors, who are wholly independent of central and local Government. Ministers do not publish guidance on valuations and have no locus to interven…