Questions and answers

Question reference: S4W-20745

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 April 2014
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 15 May 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what steps Police Scotland is taking to ensure that its staff are aware of their responsibilities regarding the protection of protected species.

The training of wildlife crime officers is a matter solely for the Chief Constable. It is not appropriate for Scottish Ministers to seek to intervene on operational policing matters.

I can advise however that since Police Scotland came into being on 1 April 2013, there have been significant changes to the structure and training for wildlife crime officers.

The strategic lead for wildlife crime which sits in the Specialist Crime Division is held by the Assistant Chief Constable. A Detective Chief Superintendent holds the portfolio lead and the post provides essential direction and governance around strategic issues relating to wildlife crime prevention and investigation.

A full time national Wildlife Crime Co-ordinator at Detective Sergeant level provides engagement with national issues relating to coordination, policy, performance and training, and supports the Detective Chief Superintendent.

In each of the 14 territorial divisions there are wildlife crime liaison officers who are supported by a Superintendent (or above). Wildlife crime officer posts can be either full or part-time and deal with crime prevention and investigation when required for operational policing issues.

It is important to highlight that the investigation of wildlife crime is not the exclusive preserve of dedicated staff, and a variety of investigative and intelligence resources and tactics are brought to bear on such matters, from local and national policing.

Question reference: S4W-20935

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 April 2014
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 15 May 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with NHS Orkney regarding renewable technologies in the design of the new Balfour Hospital.

The new Balfour Hospital project is at an early stage. Scottish Government officials are currently reviewing the outline business case for the project.

Guidance sets out that all new healthcare buildings, where the capital cost is more than £2 million, are to obtain a Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Model ‘Excellent’ rating or equivalent ‘target score’. The ‘excellent’ scoring emphasises the minimising of energy demand and consumption in buildings, and includes a mandatory assessment of renewables for each project.

As such, officials have discussed with NHS Orkney the potential for use of renewable energy technologies in the new hospital as part of their work in reviewing the business case, and they will continue to engage with the board as the project progresses with development of the procurement strategy.

Question reference: S4W-20937

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 April 2014
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 15 May 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what incentives it provides to encourage the use of renewable energy technologies when developing (a) hospitals and (b) other major public buildings.

The Scottish Government provides incentives to encourage the use of renewable energy technologies when developing hospitals and other major public buildings through a number of channels.

Specifically for developing new health facilities within NHS Scotland, NHS boards are encouraged to fully consider a range of sustainability issues, including carbon emissions, through the application of green energy including renewable sources. This issue is assessed as part of the NHS Scotland Design Assessment Process and the consideration of business cases within the Scottish Government's Health and Social Care Directorates.

More generally, Resource Efficient Scotland is a Scottish Government programme delivered by Zero Waste Scotland which offers a wide range of advice and support on renewable technologies including the implementation of decentralised renewable energy solutions. This service is available to public bodies. Further information can be found at: http://www.resourceefficientscotland.com/.

Question reference: S4W-20936

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 April 2014
Current Status: Answered by Alex Neil on 15 May 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what representations it has received regarding the potential for renewables technologies in the design of the new Balfour hospital planned for Kirkwall in Orkney.

The new Balfour Hospital project is at an early stage.

NHS Orkney will ensure that the new hospital meets the requirement that all new healthcare buildings, where the capital cost is more than £2 million, are to obtain a Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Model ‘Excellent’ rating or equivalent ‘target score’. The ‘excellent’ scoring emphasises the minimising of energy demand and consumption in buildings, and includes a mandatory assessment of renewables for each project.

NHS Orkney are keen to fully explore the potential benefits of renewables technologies for the new hospital and plan to undertake a full options appraisal exercise to fully consider the potential benefits of renewables technologies for the new hospital, and which technologies might best realise the benefits. The Scottish Government supports this approach.

Question reference: S4W-20747

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 April 2014
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 12 May 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to combat illegal raptor persecution in the Leadhills area.

The Leadhills area has been identified as a poisoning ‘hotspot’ in the maps that are published annually by the Scottish Partnership for Action Against Wildlife Crime. There have also been incidents in the area involving illegal shooting of raptors.

Operational policing and the targeting of enforcement activity in any specific area is a matter solely for Police Scotland.

The Scottish Government works closely with the police, conservation groups and landowners through the Partnership for Action Against Wildlife Crime (PAW) Scotland. The PAW Scotland Raptor Group has established a short-life working group tasked with developing a clear message that raptor persecution must stop now. The message will have the explicit backing of all PAW partners and be aimed in particular at those areas where raptor persecution is most persistent.

See also my response to S4W-20748 on 12 May 2014 which sets out the additional steps being taken by the Scottish Government and partners to combat illegal raptor persecution.

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/28877.aspx.

Question reference: S4W-20748

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 April 2014
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 9 May 2014

To ask the Scottish Government whether there is sufficient evidence to assess the effectiveness of the new enforcement measures to tackle raptor persecution announced by the Minister for Environment and Climate Change on 1 July 2013.

There is not yet sufficient evidence to assess the effectiveness of the new measures announced on 1 July 2013. A report on the review of penalties is due by the end of the year and the changes to the general licences will be fully implemented by Scottish Natural Heritage over the next few months. The use by the police of the full range of investigative techniques in raptor persecution cases is an operational matter, however it is unlikely that results would be seen less than 12 months after the announcement of new measures.

Question reference: S4W-20816

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 April 2014
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 7 May 2014

To ask the Scottish Government how many foreign language assistants there have been in schools in each year since 2005.

Since 2005 there has been a total of 1553 language assistants in Scottish schools. A breakdown of this figure is provided in the following table by each academic year since 2005. This number includes both local authority and independent schools.

Year	Total
2005-2006	278
2006-2007	263
2007-2008	254
2008-2009	244
2009-2010	188
2010-2011	126
2011-2012	58
2012-2013	69
2013-2014	73
Total	1553

The data for 2014-15 is not yet confirmed but initial indications suggest the number of language assistants will be around 100.

Question reference: S4O-03130

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 April 2014
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 April 2014

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it will take to mitigate the impact on Orkney of the move from a historic to an area basis for payments under the reformed common agricultural policy.

Question reference: S4O-03066

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 19 March 2014
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 26 March 2014

To ask the Scottish Government whether it sought legal advice on the tuition fee proposals set out in its white paper on independence.

Question reference: S4W-20081

Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney Islands, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Monday, 10 March 2014
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Allan on 24 March 2014

To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) primary and (b) secondary pupils were or have been excluded for being in possession of (i) a weapon, (ii) alcohol and (iii) illegal drugs at school in (A) 2012-13 and (B) 2013-14.

Although information on pupils excluded from school is collected by the Scottish Government, specific information on pupils excluded for possession of weapons, alcohol or illegal drugs at school is not collected. Information on exclusions, by the reasons for exclusion we collect, is published in table 17 of a supplementary dataset to the Summary Statistics for Schools in Scotland, No 4: 2013 Edition publication. A link to this dataset, which on the Scottish Government website is as follows:

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/School-Education/exclusiondatasets/exclusionsdataset2013

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