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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-27079

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 25 April 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 2 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on introducing legislation in Scotland similar to the UK Animals (Low-Welfare Activities Abroad) Act 2023.

The Scottish Government, at this time, does not have plans to introduce legislation similar to the UK Animals (Low-Welfare Activities Abroad) Act 2023.

The Scottish Government remains committed to improving animal welfare and will carefully consider DEFRA’s proposals for restricting advertising of animal activities abroad, once known.

Sadly the opportunity to jointly introduce this legislation was lost due to the last minute handling by the UK Government that saw Scottish Ministers given insufficient time to consider the proposals and their implications. The Scottish Government would have liked to have given their full support to these measures

Scottish Ministers will continue to engage with the UK Government and other devolved administrations where it is practical and feasible to do so.

Question reference: S6O-03379

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 April 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 2 May 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what progress is being made on the extension of the Borders Railway south to Carlisle.

Question reference: S6F-02987

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 25 March 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 28 March 2024

To ask the First Minister, further to the regulations relating to XL Bully-type dogs coming into force, to whom a dog owner can apply for advice on whether their dog fits the conformation of the XL Bully-type, in light of reports that a substantial number of dog owners in England are now applying to deregister their dogs having established retrospectively that their pet does not conform to the Defra definition of an XL Bully-type dog.

Question reference: S6W-26106

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 12 March 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 19 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-25875 by Jim Fairlie on 11 March 2024, in light of it being two years since its discussions with the UK Government on a UK-wide dog microchipping database, whether it will revisit this issue.

Question reference: S6W-25875

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 29 February 2024
Current Status: Answered by Jim Fairlie on 11 March 2024

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of reports that there are 15 separate dog microchipping databases that are compliant with the UK Government Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), and that every dog in the UK must be microchipped once they are eight weeks old, what discussions it has had with DEFRA regarding having a UK-wide microchipping database, and what the estimated cost is of the Scottish Government developing a standalone Scottish database to enable the traceability of all dogs and their owners and/or breeders in Scotland.

The Scottish Government recognises the benefits of having a single point of access to microchipping data to aid with the identifying and reuniting owners and their pets and Scottish Ministers remain committed to working jointly with other administrations where it is both sensible and logical to do so in the interests of animal welfare.

Officials had discussions with DEFRA and other UK administrations regarding the possibility of a single UK-wide microchipping data base and other possible database reforms when Defra consulted on microchipping in 2022. We have not costed a Scotland-only database as we are seeking a consistent UK approach to database reform.

The Microchipping of Dogs Regulations (Scotland) 2016 requires database operators to provide and share information with persons authorised by Scottish Ministers or a local authority.

Question reference: S6O-03106

Current Status: Withdrawn

Question reference: S6O-03023

Asked by: Christine Grahame, MSP for Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 24 January 2024
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 31 January 2024

To ask the Scottish Government what support it can offer to assist in the establishing of a small museum or exhibition centre in Galashiels to celebrate the life and times of Robert Coltart, the author of the children’s song, Ally Bally Bee.

Question reference: S6W-24484

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 who it expects would be responsible for the enforcement of any regulations in Scotland regarding XL bully dogs.

Question reference: S6W-24488

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, whether it has decided not to proceed to amend the Control of Dogs (Scotland) Act 2010 as an alternative means of protecting the public, and, if this is the case, for what reason it has taken that decision.

Question reference: S6W-24483

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 introduction in England and Wales of restrictions on XL bully dogs, and 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, when any scheme will be operational in Scotland; whether it will be part of the UK-wide scheme or standalone; who will be responsible for maintaining a register of ownership, and what discussions it has had with potential keepers of a register about whether such a register will be made publicly available.

Replicating the approach taken in England and Wales, it will be possible for owners of XL Bully dogs to retain their dogs by applying for an exemption. Details of how this can be done will be published as the scheme is launched and practical and helpful support will be provided by the Scottish Government for XL Bully dog owners.

The effect of an exemption being granted will be that an XL Bully dog will be added to the already operating index of exempt dogs. This index has operated since the 1990s and it is operated on a day-to-day basis by the UK Government for Scotland (this reflects the fact that the exemption index was established prior to devolution). There are currently no plans to change how the index operates.

Making the index publicly available would require consideration of a number of issues including data protection. The Scottish Government would be happy to raise this issue with the operator of the index as part of the process of delivering the new XL Bully dogs safeguards in Scotland.