Questions and answers

Question reference: S5W-04921

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 30 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to reduce illegal puppy trafficking from taking place at Cairnryan.

Unfortunately the movement of puppies originating from Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland via Cairnyan is only part of a wider long-running issue of national concern including the illegal or irresponsible breeding and sale of puppies and other pet animals in Great Britain as well as imports from elsewhere in Europe. The Scottish Government supports the excellent work that has been done by the Scottish SPCA and local authorities in conjunction with other enforcement bodies in intercepting illegal consignments at Cairnryan, as well as enforcing existing legislation on licensing of commercial puppy breeders and dealers in Scotland by prosecuting those found to be selling animals illegally elsewhere.

The Scottish Government is currently considering the issues of advertising, movement and sale of pet animals in an ongoing review of pet animal welfare as well as the possibility of amending the maximum penalties available for animal cruelty offences. The Scottish Government is also working closely with key animal welfare stakeholders to explore what more can be done to address the need for greater public awareness of the risks of buying illegally bred or imported puppies and the most effective way to reinforce the vital message that puppies should only be purchased from reputable breeders and always seen with their mother at the breeder’s premises before sale.

Question reference: S5W-04826

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Friday, 18 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 30 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what mechanism is in place to report safety concerns on core paths, and to whom these concerns should be reported.

Question reference: S5W-04867

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 21 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 28 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how many children have been removed from school education in the last two years, broken down by (a) local authority area and (b) age.

Question reference: S5O-00392

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 24 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how many FoI requests have been made to Transport Scotland in the last 12 months and, of that number, how many have been fully answered on time.

Question reference: S5O-00402

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 November 2016
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 30 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government how many GPs have been recruited in Dumfries and Galloway through the bursary incentive, and how many posts remain vacant.

Question reference: S5W-04484

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 11 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the culling of farmed fish stocks that are affected by amoebic gill disease.

AGD is not a notifiable disease under EU fish health legislation. Statutory powers available under aquatic animal health legislation in relation to notifiable diseases are therefore not applicable to the culling of fish farm stocks affected by Amoebic Gill Disease.

The aquaculture industry is responsible for managing Amoebic Gill Disease through the use of treatments, including freshwater baths or hydrogen peroxide, or by humane culling where such treatments are either inappropriate or ineffective. Statutory powers in relation to the culling of fish farm stock on welfare grounds may be exercised if required.

Question reference: S5W-04483

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 11 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what economic modelling it is aware of on the impact of amoebic gill disease on farmed salmon stocks.

Question reference: S5W-04482

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 11 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to stop the spread of amoebic gill disease from farmed salmon to wild fish.

Scottish Government, through Marine Scotland’s Fish Health Inspectorate, encourages best practice and ensures regulatory conformity with respect to biosecurity measures within aquaculture in order to prevent or minimise the spread of any diseases and to reduce any potential impacts.

Amoebic Gill Disease (AGD) is caused by Neoparamoeba perurans - a free living parasite which is ubiquitous within the marine environment. Understanding of the factors which influence the development and spread of AGD are currently limited. Until the modes of transfer of the disease are better understood then specific actions to prevent spread or potential spread are difficult to define.

Question reference: S5W-04485

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 03 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 11 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to encourage fish farms to report incidences of amoebic gill disease.

Fish farmers are required, under the Aquatic Animal Health (Scotland) Regulations 2009 to report increased fish mortality to either the Competent Authority (the Fish Health Inspectorate acting on behalf of Scottish Ministers) or to a veterinarian. In addition, the industry’s Code of Good Practice includes agreed specific thresholds above which mortality should be notified to Marine Scotland’s Fish Health Inspectorate. Mortality reports should include the reason for the mortality, if known. These requirements therefore include situations involving incidences of AGD, where mortality levels breach the agreed thresholds.

Question reference: S5O-00308

Asked by: Finlay Carson, MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 November 2016
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 9 November 2016

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to protect employment in the agricultural sector.

We are acting decisively to protect employment in the agricultural sector. We have put in place the 2016 CAP Basic Payment loan scheme to pump up to £300 million into farm businesses and indirectly, the wider rural economy this winter. When I launched this scheme I made clear my desire to see businesses use this funding to settle accounts, buy essential resources and plan investments, all of which will help to keep people in work right across the farming and food sectors.

We have announced that we will pass on in full to Scottish farmers and crofters and also Scottish stakeholders all of the funding guaranteed by the UK Government for projects and investment entered into before the UK leaves the EU.

This is on top of significant existing investment in excess of £16 million this year to develop agricultural businesses through a diverse range of support measures including advice, start-up, skills, training and innovation.

We are doing everything we can in this Government to provide clarity and certainty to protect jobs not just in the agricultural sector, but right across the rural economy. Work that has been made necessary and urgent by the UK Government planning in proposing to drag Scotland out of the EU against the democratic will of the Scottish people, out of the single market, putting at risk tens of thousands of livelihoods and jobs in the rural economy, including those of EU nationals who fulfil essential roles right across this country on farms and in food processing.

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