Questions and answers

Question reference: S5W-12680

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 13 November 2017
Current Status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 24 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether HMP Dumfries will be included in the strategic and corporate plans to modernise the prison estate.

Question reference: S5W-12835

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 20 November 2017
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 24 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how many children have been excluded from school in each of the last three years, broken down by local authority area.

Data about the number of pupils excluded by Local Authority in 2014-15 is published in table 21 of the exclusions supplementary datasets, available on the Scottish Government website here:

http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/Browse/School-Education/exclusiondatasets/exclusionsdataset2015

Table 21 shows the number of pupils subject to temporary exclusion and pupils removed from the register.

Exclusion data is collected by the Scottish Government on a biennial basis so no data is held for 2015-16. Data for 2016-17 is due to be published on the
12 December 2017.

Question reference: S5W-12537

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 November 2017
Current Status: Answered by Jeane Freeman on 23 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government when ministers last met the Children and Young People's Commissioner Scotland, and what issues were discussed.

Question reference: S5W-12531

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 November 2017
Current Status: Answered by Humza Yousaf on 23 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how many complaints Transport Scotland has received in each of the last five years.

Question reference: S5W-12539

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 November 2017
Current Status: Answered by John Swinney on 23 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the SAMSON maths programme developed by Neil Armstrong.

The Dumfries and Galloway Primary School where the SAMSON mathematics programme, developed by Neil Armstrong, has been applied have identified significant improvements in attainment. The programme is to be assessed by the Dumfries and Galloway Delivering Excellence and Equity in Numeracy Group and the report will be finalised in 2018 and shared with Education Scotland and the Scottish Government.

Question reference: S5O-01530

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 22 November 2017
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 29 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to reduce levels of drugs use.

Question reference: S5W-12530

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 November 2017
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 22 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how it balances the needs of farming and forestry in rural communities such as Langholm.

I also refer member to the answer to question S5W-12529 on 22 November 2017.

The mix of farming and forestry that exists across Scotland has developed and evolved over the past century as a result of a wide range of social, economic and environmental factors. These factors often impact differently on farming and forestry, and at times can act as significant drivers for change, such as where the economic viability or profitability of one land use is better or worse than the other. Currently we are seeing growing interest, across Scotland, in establishing new woodland, much of it on lower quality agricultural land. This is being driven in part by the reduced profitability of farming compared to forestry and timber production.

The Scottish Government has adopted a target to create 10,000ha of new woodlands per year, rising to 15,000 ha per year by 2024. Regional Forestry and Woodland Strategies have been produced by each Local Authority, including by Dumfries and Galloway Council, to help identify suitable areas for woodland expansion. Landowners, including farmers are incentivised to consider woodland creation through capital and maintenance grants provided through the Forestry Grant Scheme. Applications to the SRDP Forestry Grant Scheme (FGS) for woodland expansion are prioritised using target areas within the regional forestry and woodland strategies. In developing their woodland creation proposals, applicants for FGS funding are required to take into account all relevant environmental and social considerations.

We are working proactively to support the integration of farming and forestry where possible, with the aim of encouraging farming and forestry interests to work together in partnership and consider integrated land management. This includes the provision of advice on options for forestry through the Farm Advisory Service.

All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

Question reference: S5W-12532

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 November 2017
Current Status: Answered by Paul Wheelhouse on 22 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to reconsider its position on new nuclear power in Scotland in light of its decision to ban fracking.

There are no plans to reconsider our position on new nuclear power, which is that plants should not be replaced under current technologies.

The subsidy contract awarded to Hinkley Point C demonstrates the poor consumer value from new nuclear power, with consumers set to subsidise the station until 2060. With the costs of renewable and storage technologies falling, new nuclear capacity is not needed to meet Scotland’s long term energy needs.

The latest Contract for Difference auction delivered offshore wind at £57.50 per megawatt hour – substantially below the £92.50 awarded to Hinkley Point C. Onshore and offshore wind technologies are not only cheaper, but do not have comparable safety or decommissioning concerns as those significant challenges associated with nuclear power.

Our position will be restated in the Scottish Government's final Energy Strategy, due for publication by the end of 2017.

Question reference: S5W-12544

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 November 2017
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 22 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government how many individual cases regarding (a) delayed and (b) outstanding farm payments has it been made aware of.

For Pillar Two CAP Schemes there is no regulatory deadline for when payments are to be made.

However for Pillar One schemes there is a regulatory deadline to complete payments by 30 June or, if not then, by 15 October. The number and percentage of Pillar One payments made in 2015 and 2016 application years by 30 June and 15 October are set out in the following table.

Application Year 2015

Anticipated Eligible:	18,327
Paid 30 June 2016:	16,479 (89.92%)
Paid 15 Oct 2016:	18,281 (99.75%)

Application Year 2016

Anticipated Eligible:	17,909
Paid 30 June 2017:	16,521 (92.25%)
Paid 15 Oct 2017:	17,777 (99.26%)

In any scheme year there are always a small number of complex claims which take much longer to process. For 2016 Pillar One schemes there currently remain 25 cases awaiting payments.

Question reference: S5W-12529

Asked by: Oliver Mundell, MSP for Dumfriesshire, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 09 November 2017
Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 22 November 2017

To ask the Scottish Government what consideration it has given to protecting agricultural land surrounding Langholm from aggressive development.

The Scottish Government published guidance in 2013 for landowners considering woodland creation on agricultural land. Landowners developing forestry proposals on agricultural land are expected to consider the potential impacts on the local agricultural economy, taking into account the local context. Projects seeking funding under the Forestry Grant Scheme are expected to have complied with this Scottish Government guidance.

As the regulatory authority for forestry and woodland creation proposals, Forestry Commission Scotland also seeks advice from the local Scottish Government Rural Payments and inspections Division area offices to help determine whether proposals are acceptable or need to be amended. The aim is always to achieve sustainable well-integrated land use delivering a broad range of objectives. Where a planning application is required, this would be for the relevant planning authority, in this case Dumfries and Galloway, to consider.

All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.

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