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Following the recent Scottish Government announcement on XL Bully dog safeguards, Scottish Government officials are continuing to engage regularly with various stakeholders about the impact of the new safeguards on XL Bully dogs on kennels and re-homing centres.

These stakeholder engagements provide an opportunity to regularly assess any emerging issues on rescue centre capacity.

This is an operational matter for Police Scotland. Police Scotland has advised that all Police Scotland Dog Handlers receive training in dangerous dogs as part of their initial training course. There are currently 74 Handlers/Instructors across Police Scotland.

Armed Policing are also trained in how to deal with dangerous dogs.

It is a matter for Police Scotland to consider the enforcement of the new safeguards in relation to XL Bully dogs and any operational issues that arise.

The Scottish Government is committed to ongoing engagement with Police Scotland as we move through the two-stage process for the new safeguards in relation to XL Bully dogs, in order to consider any issues, concerns, or barriers to effective implementation.

Yes, the definition used for an XL Bully dog will be the same as the UK Government set out for England and Wales.

Helpful and practical support and guidance has been published on the Scottish Government website to ensure owners are made aware of how to comply with the new safeguards on XL Bully dogs, with further information to be published in the coming period: https://www.gov.scot/publications/xl-bully-dog-rules/ .

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-23651 on 7 December 2023 as advised in the answer, the Scottish Government understands that the rule that a marriage is voidable by reason of permanent and incurable impotency is little used.

The available civil justice statistics indicate that between 2012-13 and 2021-22, five court actions were raised seeking a declarator of nullity of marriage and the courts disposed of six actions in the same period. These figures will include actions raised on the basis that the marriage was void (of no effect) from the outset, for example because one of the parties was incapable of consenting to marriage, as well as any such actions raised on the ground of impotency.

The answer to S6W-23651 also referred the member to the then Scottish Executive’s 2000 White Paper Parents and Children . On the issue of whether to abolish the rule, paragraph 10.9 states “a majority of the few respondents to Improving Scottish Family Law that focussed on this issue (7 out of 11) suggested that the existing situation should be maintained. In one response, it was pointed out that impotency is recognised as a ground for declaration of nullity by the Roman Catholic Marriage Tribunals and that the concept of a voidable marriage on this ground in civil law would provide a solution to couples who would otherwise be required to seek divorce, against their religious beliefs.”

If a change was in contemplation, we would need to consult carefully with a broad range of potentially interested religious and other bodies. However, as my response to S6W-23748 advised, we have no plans to consult in this area.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers .

My statement to Parliament on 18 January 2024 reiterated the Scottish Government’s commitment to ‘deed not breed’, and committed to work with key stakeholders and interested parties to look at any improvements that could be made to the Control of Dogs (Scotland) Act 2010 to strengthen and enhance the approach to preventative measures in the medium term.

The Scottish Government will engage with a wide range of stakeholders with an interest including, but not limited to, local authorities, the National Dog Warden Association, the Dog Control Coalition, Dogs Trust, the Scottish SPCA, Scottish Community Safety Network, COSLA and Police Scotland.

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-24444 on 22 January 2024. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers .

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-24498 on 23 January 2024. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers .

I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-24444 on 22 January 2024. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers .

The Scottish Government currently has no plans to undertake a feasibility study into a Demolition Levy. Whilst the Scottish Government shares the Chartered Institute of Building’s concerns around carbon emissions from demolition and the preservation of our built environment, introducing a new fiscal measure is a lengthy and complex process. The Scottish Government believes the most expedient and appropriate solution is for the UK Government to address the VAT imbalance between new build and retrofit / refurbishment.

The Scottish Government has regular discussions with the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service on a wide range of matters, which includes battery storage facilities to ensure the service is able to respond to incidents with the appropriate resources.