Parliamentary questions

Christine Grahame

3,532 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

18 Apr 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-14775 by Ross Finnie on 17 April 2001, of the 582 applications under the Livestock Welfare (Disposal) Scheme received by 9 April 2001, (a) how many had been processed, (b) how many had been rejected and (c) how many of those passed for slaughter had …

Answer · Ross Finnie: Since 17 April, the Intervention Board Executive Agency have entered all applications to the Livestock Welfare (Disposal) Scheme on to a database which has enabled duplicate applications to be identified. Consequently, I am now advised by IBEA that there were…

18 Apr 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-14773 by Ross Finnie on 17 April 2001, whether the Intervention Board is meeting the target of making payments to farmers under the Livestock Welfare (Disposal) Scheme within 21 days of slaughter and, if not, what timescales it is achieving.

Answer · Ross Finnie: I am advised by the Intervention Board Executive Agency that to date, 55% of payments have been made within 21 days of slaughter and the remaining 45% have been made within 30 days of slaughter. The Intervention Board assure me that all efforts are being made…

18 Apr 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-14776 by Ross Finnie on 17 April 2001, why separate figures are not available for Scotland regarding the number of slaughtered animals under the Livestock Welfare (Disposal) Scheme and whether it will ensure that separate figures are made available.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Livestock Welfare (Disposal) Scheme is operated by the Intervention Board Executive Agency on behalf of the GB Agriculture Departments. In the initial phases of the scheme, the main priorities within the Intervention Board lay in establishing the operatio…

18 Apr 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which abattoirs which have applied for approval by the Intervention Board for slaughter purposes under the Livestock Welfare (Disposal) Scheme still await a determination, giving the date when the application was lodged for each abattoir.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Intervention Board Executive Agency advise me that the abattoir at Annan submitted a tender to operate Livestock Welfare (Disposal) Scheme on 19 March, Kilmarnock on 4 April, Biggar on 23 March, Brechin on 21 March and Hawick on 20 March. All except Hawic…

18 Apr 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-14773 by Ross Finnie on 17 April 2001, whether it will provide on a weekly basis figures for the numbers of animals slaughtered under the Livestock Welfare (Disposal) Scheme and whether it will provide the figures now for those slaughtered from 9 Apr…

Answer · Ross Finnie: In the period 9 to 18 April, 92 cattle, 12,120 sheep and 5,840 pigs were slaughtered in abattoirs in Scotland under the Livestock Welfare (Disposal) Scheme. These figures exclude any livestock unfit to travel that would have been slaughtered on farm and do no…

3 Apr 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which slaughterhouses approved by the Intervention Board Agency since the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease as being suitable for slaughtering under the Livestock Welfare (Disposal) Scheme are being utilised.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Slaughter under the Livestock Welfare (Disposal) Scheme began at Brechin abattoir on 6 April and at Annan abattoir on 10 April, with slaughter at Kilmarnock abattoir projected to commence during the course of week ending 13 April.

3 Apr 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which slaughterhouses have been approved by the Intervention Board Agency since the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease as being suitable for animal disposal under the Livestock Welfare (Disposal) Scheme.

Answer · Ross Finnie: As of 9 April, abattoirs at Annan, Kilmarnock, Brechin have agreed a contractual relationship with the Intervention Board Executive Agency to slaughter animals entered into the Livestock Welfare (Disposal) Scheme. I am advised that the Intervention Board inte…

3 Apr 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many animals have been slaughtered under the Livestock Welfare (Disposal) Scheme since the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease.

Answer · Ross Finnie: I am advised by the Intervention Board Executive Agency, who operate the scheme across Great Britain, that that 93,162 animals had been slaughtered under the Livestock Welfare (Disposal) Scheme by the end of 9 April. This represents 66,154 sheep, 23,345 pigs …

3 Apr 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications for animal disposal under the Livestock Welfare (Disposal) Scheme have been (a) submitted and (b) validated since the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Intervention Board Executive Agency operates the Livestock Welfare (Disposal) Scheme on behalf of the GB Agriculture Departments. They advise me that over 4,000 applications have been received for nearly 1.8 million animals across all of Great Britain. Ap…

3 Apr 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications for animal disposal under the Livestock Welfare (Disposal) Scheme have been processed to slaughter since the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease.

Answer · Ross Finnie: I refer the member to the answer to question S1W-14775.

3 Apr 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the timescale is for processing animal disposal under the Livestock Welfare (Disposal) Scheme from (a) application submission to validation or otherwise, (b) validation to slaughter and (c) slaughter to payment of compensation.

Answer · Ross Finnie: I am aware that producers who have entered stock into the Livestock Welfare (Disposal) Scheme have experienced delays in their claims being processed and consequently their stock have not been slaughtered as quickly as they hoped. Since this became apparent, …

28 Mar 2001 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to alleviate pensioner poverty in Scotland.

Answer · Jackie Baillie: In our Social Justice Strategy, we have set long term targets of ensuring older people are financially secure and that increased numbers enjoy independent and healthy lives.The first Social Justice Annual Report, which was published on 13 November 2000, se…

6 Mar 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to look at the emergency planning procedures used in other European countries and, in particular, the procedures used in Scandinavian countries in relation to maintaining power supplies during adverse weather conditions.

Answer · Iain Gray: Emergency planning across Europe and elsewhere reflects the particular threats, risks, hazards and possibility of occurrence relative to the country in question. We already have excellent emergency planning liaison with our European neighbours, including Swed…

6 Mar 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it plans to take arising from the recent failure to maintain power supplies in the Scottish Borders area due to adverse weather conditions.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: As is standard in the aftermath of any such event, emergency plans will be reviewed to discover if there are any lessons to be learned.

6 Mar 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what emergency powers it had and which of these it invoked with regard to reopening the A7 and A68 which were closed for four days due to snow blockage.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive does not need emergency powers to reopen roads previously closed by snow blockages. Roads are reopened in consultation with the police when it is considered safe to do so.

6 Mar 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what difference de-trunking the A7 and A68 has made to snow clearing operations.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The A7 in Scotland north of Galashiels was de-trunked in 1996. The A7 south of Galashiels and the A68 have not been detrunked.Trunk roads are given priority for winter maintenance treatment. The de-trunked section of the A7 may therefore be expected to rec…

6 Mar 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what emergency powers it has and which of these it invoked in the recent power cuts in the Scottish Borders area due to adverse weather conditions.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: Throughout the emergency, the Executive worked closely with agencies such as Lothians and Borders Police, the Scottish Borders Council emergency planning team and Scottish Power in the areas worst affected to restore power as soon as possible. We will conside…

6 Mar 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it plans to make to Scottish Power arising from the recent failure to maintain power supplies in the Scottish Borders area due to adverse weather conditions.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: None. Throughout the emergency, Scottish Power kept Ministers fully informed about its strenuous efforts to reconnect customers who had lost power as a result of the recent appalling weather conditions which caused such severe damage to the electricity networ…

6 Mar 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it plans to have with Scottish Borders Council arising from the recent failure by Scottish Power to maintain power supplies to the Borders area.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: None. Scottish Borders Council initiated its local emergency plan and acted upon this in conjunction with Scottish Power, Lothian and Borders Police and other emergency services. Throughout the emergency, officials kept in close touch with Scottish Power and …

28 Feb 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much each holder of a concessionary bus pass has to pay annually for this pass in each local authority area.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-13568 on 9 March 2001.

16 Feb 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the statement by the First Minister on 15 February 2001 (Official Report, col. 1302) regarding the possibility that the trunk road maintenance contracts could be suspended or retendered after investigation by the Transport and the Environment Committee, what the cost implicat…

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The First Minister addressed the hypothetical situation where the report of Audit Scotland or the committee convinced ministers that there are serious difficulties with the contract. He further stated that there is no evidence whatever at this stage to justif…

15 Feb 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S1W-3125 and S1W-9076 by Susan Deacon on 22 December 1999 and 8 January 2001 respectively, whether, in the light of the report published on 15 February 2001 in the journal Thorax, it will initiate an inquiry to investigate any age discrimination in NHS…

15 Feb 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to its summary of the National Nutritional Audit of Elderly Individuals in Care dated August 2000, when it was presented with the original findings by the Clinical Resource and Audit Group.

Answer · Susan Deacon: A draft of the report of the National Nutritional Audit was received by the Clinical Resource and Audit Group (CRAG) on 27 April 2000 and, in line with normal procedures for submission of a final report for a CRAG-funded project, was circulated for peer revie…

14 Feb 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-12469 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 9 February 2001, whether it will detail the projects which have received funding from the #2 million towards retraining; what the allocation was to each project and when each payment was made.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: The £2 million is based on estimates provided by Local Enterprise Companies of the costs of helping redundant textile employees find new employment in the last six months of 2000. Support was tailored to suit local and individual needs and included customised…

14 Feb 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-12469 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 9 February 2001, who received payments under the Engineering Technicians programme; what the level of payment was in each case and when each payment was made.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: No payments have so far been made to KLITRA, the training body offered funding by DTI under this scheme. KLITRA is currently setting up this training programme which is due to begin in May. Payments will be made retrospectively against claims for setting up t…