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Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S6W-24491

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 12 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 24 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the First Minister’s announcement on 11 January 2024 that it will, in essence, replicate in Scotland the legislation that exists in England and Wales on XL bully dogs, how it will monitor the efficacy of any proposed regulations.

Question reference: S6W-24478

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 12 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 24 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government how many meetings its ministers have had with organisations or campaign groups regarding the consideration of replicating in Scotland the UK Government’s legislation on XL bully dogs; on what date any such meetings took place; what organisations were involved, and what views were expressed by those organisations or campaign groups.

I can confirm I have met with a range of stakeholders over the winter period to discuss XL Bully dogs and the restrictions in England and Wales.

I met with:

The Scottish SPCA and the Dogs Trust on 21 November 2023

The National Dog Warden Association on 21 November 2023

Dog Control Coalition on 22 November 2023

The Kennel Club on 30 November 2023

Blue Cross on 6 December 2023

Edinburgh Cat and Dog Home on 15 December 2023

Communication Workers Union on 9 January 2023

Police Scotland on 11 January 2023

These meetings revealed concern about the UK Government decision to introduce new safeguards for XL Bully dogs in England and Wales and caution about doing so in Scotland.

However the Scottish Government has now been left with little choice given the failure of the UK Government to ensure XL Bully dog owners living in England and Wales cannot evade the new safeguards through selling or otherwise disposing of their dogs in Scotland.

Question reference: S6W-24479

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 12 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 24 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it made of how many XL bully dogs there were in Scotland before (a) the UK Government’s announcement on 31 October 2023 of the changes to the Dangerous Dogs Act that ban XL bully dogs in England and Wales and (b) the First Minister’s announcement on 11 January 2024 that the Scottish Government it will, in essence, replicate in Scotland the legislation that exists in England and Wales.

The number of XL Bully dogs in the UK and Scotland is unknown and estimates vary significantly.

During the House of Commons scrutiny of the new safeguards in England and Wales, many expert witnesses highlighted the challenges of estimating numbers as XL Bully dogs are not a recognised breed of dog. Those witnesses were concerned about how many of these dogs may be registered as crossbreeds on veterinary practice management systems and pointed towards seeing various estimates of the number of XL Bully dogs, ranging from 50,000 to 150,000 in England and Wales.

If there were 50,000 XL Bully dogs in England and Wales, this may suggest an estimated population of 5,000 XL Bully dogs in Scotland. This figure carries a considerable degree of uncertainty.

Question reference: S6W-24492

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 12 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 22 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will support the principles of the Welfare of Dogs (Scotland) Bill to introduce a code of practice specifically aimed at prospective owners of dogs, which would place various duties on them to increase responsible ownership by educating and requiring them to sign a certificate that they and the breeder have understood and complied with the code.

Question reference: S6W-24490

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 12 January 2024
Current Status: Answered by Gillian Martin on 22 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will increase the penalties that can be imposed on (a) breeders who are found to be breeding dogs to be aggressive and (b) owners who are found to knowingly fail to keep their dog(s) under control.

Dog breeding is regulated under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (Scotland) Regulations 2021. The penalties for offences committed under these regulations were increased in 2020 when the Animals and Wildlife (Penalties, Protections and Powers) (Scotland) Act 2020 came into effect. The changes introduced increased the maximum period of imprisonment from 6 to 12 months and the maximum fine from level 5 (£5,000) on the standard scale to a maximum of £40,000. Given this recent increase in penalties, the Scottish Government has no plans at this time for further revisions.

The Scottish Government will however be looking in the medium term to work with key stakeholders and interested parties to look at potential improvements to the 2010 Act that could enhance and strengthen the general preventative dog control notice regime in Scotland.

Question reference: S6O-03005

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 17 January 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 24 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what research it has undertaken on the impact of changing demographics on NHS services.

Question reference: S6O-02968

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 10 January 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 17 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK Government regarding the potential future devolution of Vehicle Excise Duty.

Question reference: S6O-02853

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S6O-02774

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 November 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 23 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what measures it has in place to reduce disruption to public services due to severe winter weather.

Question reference: S6O-02677

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 October 2023
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 November 2023

To ask the Scottish Government what data it has on rates of winter admissions to accident and emergency as a result of winter falls, since October 2020.