Questions · Elaine Murray

22 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much the Intellectual Assets Centre has contributed to the economy in each of the last four years.

Answer · Jim Mather: The assessment and evaluation of the contribution of the Intellectual Assets Centre to the Scottish economy in each of the last four years is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise in partnership with Highlands and Islands Enterprise. I have asked the …

22 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Intellectual Assets Centre is a fully owned subsidiary of Scottish Enterprise.

Answer · Jim Mather: Scottish Intellectual Management Limited (SIAM) is a Company Limited by Guarantee whose core purpose is to operate and manage the Intellectual Assets Centre. SIAM is a subsidiary of Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

22 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason it is proposing to relocate the Intellectual Assets Centre.

Answer · Jim Mather: The location for the delivery of the work carried out by the Intellectual Asset Centre is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise in partnership with Highlands and Islands Enterprise. I have asked the Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise to provide a …

22 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Intellectual Assets Centre’s staff will be subject to compulsory redundancy.

Answer · Jim Mather: The issue of compulsory redundancy for Intellectual Asset Centre staff is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise in partnership with Highlands and Islands Enterprise. I have asked the Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise to provide a response to the …

22 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason the Intellectual Assets Centre’s budget has been reduced from £1.35 million in 2010-11 to £720,000 for 2011-12.

Answer · Jim Mather: The planned budget allocations for the Intellectual Asset Centre are an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise in partnership with Highlands and Islands Enterprise. I have asked the Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise to provide a response to the membe…

22 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what funding has been provided by sportscotland to the Scottish Football Association in each of the last four years.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Football Association has received significant funding from sportscotland in each of the last four years to support the implementation of the sport''s development plan. The level of investment is an operational matter and I have asked the chief ex…

8 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether applications for seal licences for (a) grey and (b) common seals have been received by Marine Scotland for purposes other than those described in section 110(1)(f) and (g) of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 and, if so, for what purposes, broken down by seal management area.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Marine Scotland received one application for a seal licence to take grey and common seals under section 110 (1) (a) for scientific research or educational purposes across all of Scotland. It did not seek to kill any seals.

8 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what methodology Marine Scotland has required applicants for seal licences for (a) grey and (b) common seals under section 110(1)(f) or (g) of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 to use to establish how many seals they need to shoot in 2011.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Marine Scotland recommended that this assessment should be realistic and, wherever possible, based on previous experience.

8 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will verify that (a) grey and (b) common seals killed under seal licences under section 110(f) or (g) of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 were shot only as a last resort in accordance with the Scottish Seal Management Code of Practice.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Marine Scotland will review the quarterly reports submitted by licensees and consider any other available evidence.

8 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether applications for seal licences for (a) grey and (b) commons seals have been made to Marine Scotland under section 110(1)(f) and (g) of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 and, if so, whether any licences have been granted to the same applicant under both categories.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: One applicant submitted applications for grey and common seals under both sections 110 (1)(f) and 110 (1)(g). A licence was granted to this applicant under each category with appropriate consideration of possible duplication and potential impact on local seal…

8 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many fish farms seeking licences to kill (a) grey and (b) common seals under section 110(1)(f) of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 provided evidence of the cost or potential cost to the fish farm of the negative effects of seals on the health and welfare of farmed fish and what weight w…

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Marine Scotland grants licences in response to applications received rather than to individual fish farms. The Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 does not require Scottish ministers to have regard to any information about damage caused by seals or non-lethal…

8 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many seal licences for (a) common and (b) grey seals under section 110(1)(f) of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 were (i) applied for and (ii) granted to newly established fish farms on the basis of information regarding the negative effects on the health and welfare of farmed fish not …

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Marine Scotland grants licences in response to applications received rather than to individual fish farms. Therefore information received relates to applications which may or may not include individual newly established fish farms. In addition the Ma…

8 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many inspections of fish farms were undertaken by Marine Scotland to verify the use of non-lethal measures to deter grey and common seals before granting seal licences to fish farms under section 110(1)(f) or (g) of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 does not require Scottish ministers to have regard to any information about non-lethal measures in relation to licences granted under section 110(1)(f). In respect of the single application in relation to fish farms und…

8 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) common and (b) grey seals each (i) fish farm, (ii) river fishery board, (iii) marine coastal fishery, (iv) netsman and (v) other applicant for a seal licence under section 110(1)(f) or (g) of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 (A) have requested to shoot and (B) will be permitted…

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Marine Scotland grants seal licences in response to applications received rather than to any individual fish farms or fisheries. Therefore all information held on licences is on the basis of applications, including numbers of seals applicants have requested t…

8 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many seal licences for killing (a) grey and (b) common seals under section 110(1)(f) and (g) of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 have been granted to (i) individuals, (ii) seal management groups and (iii) other groups or organisations.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The total of 65 seal licences issued on 31 January 2011 consisted of four issued to seal management groups and 61 issued to other groups or organisations. No seal licences were issued to individuals.

4 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it monitors how the funding awarded to local authorities and other organisations from the Town Centre Regeneration Fund has been spent.

Answer · Alex Neil: Under the terms and conditions of the Town Centre Regeneration Fund grant, grantees are required to keep Scottish Ministers informed of the progress of their projects. They are required to submit progress reports which include details of actual expen…

28 Jan 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the level of charge that a local authority can levy on the submission of (a) outline and (b) full planning applications is set by regulation and, if so, when the regulations were last updated.

Answer · John Swinney: Planning application fees are set by Scottish ministers and planning authorities have no discretion to waive or alter fees. The fees for the submission for both planning permission in principle and full planning applications are set down in the Town and Count…

28 Jan 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what legislation regulates the charges that a local authority can levy on the submission of (a) outline and (b) full planning applications.

Answer · John Swinney: The Town and Country Planning (Fees for Applications and Deemed Applications) (Scotland) Regulations 2004, as amended, set down the fees for the submission for both planning permission in principle and full planning applications. Where an application…

27 Jan 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when construction work will begin on the A75 Hardgrove to Kinmount improvement scheme and when this work will be completed.

Answer · Keith Brown: The unprecedented £1.3 billion cut to our capital budgets has presented us with some difficult choices and we must prioritise existing projects over new as set out in the recent budget statement. Schemes which have completed their statutory process </…

26 Jan 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has issued guidance to local authorities on whether schools will be on holiday on 29 April 2011.

Answer · Michael Russell: Yes. On 20 January 2011, directors were advised that if they intended to seek ministerial consent for the exceptional closure of schools on that day, such consent would be forthcoming. A copy of the letter is available in the Scottish Parliament Information C…