Parliamentary questions
Elaine Murray
2,411 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
26 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how the £35.7 million outturn efficiency for Voluntary Modulation in 2008-09 was achieved, as reported in the Efficiency Outturn Report for 2008-09.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: Voluntary modulation has been permitted by European rules since 1999. Modulation is the transfer of EU CAP funds from Pillar 1 (market support expenditure and single farm payments) to Pillar 2 (rural development and agri-environmental schemes). Since 2005, mo…
26 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how the £0.097 million outturn efficiency for Veterinary Surveillance in 2008-09 was achieved, as reported in the Efficiency Outturn Report for 2008-09.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government achieved cash efficiencies amounting £80,000 by reallocated work following the occurrence of two vacancies within the network of veterinary laboratories operated by Scottish Agriculture College. A further £17,000 was made through the i…
26 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how the £4.52 million outturn time-releasing efficiency for Scottish Natural Heritage in 2008-09 was achieved, as reported in the Efficiency Outturn Report for 2008-09.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Scottish Natural Heritage''s (SNH) time-releasing efficiency of £4.52 million in 2008‘09 was delivered through: the absorption of additional work within its existing resources without adversely affecting the organisation''s performance; rationalising the syst…
26 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how the £8.46 million outturn cash-releasing efficiency for Scottish Natural Heritage in 2008-09 was achieved, as reported in the Efficiency Outturn Report for 2008-09.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Scottish Natural Heritage''s (SNH) cash-releasing efficiency of £8.46 million in 2008‘09, which includes both recurring and non-recurring savings, was delivered through the following categories: </p> <p >Shared Services (£0.1 million) “ arising from the co-…
26 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how the £0.045 million outturn efficiency for the Deer Commission for Scotland in 2008-09 was achieved, as reported in the Efficiency Outturn Report for 2008-09.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Deer Commission for Scotland outturn efficiency savings of £0.045 million in 2008‘09 arose from decreased accommodation costs associated with their co‘location with Scottish Natural Heritage in Great Glen House.</p>
26 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how the £0.12 million outturn efficiency for the Cairngorms National Park Authority in 2008-09 was achieved, as reported in the Efficiency Outturn Report for 2008-09.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Cairngorms National Park Authority''s (CNPA) outturn efficiency savings of £0.12 million arose from reductions in management and overhead costs including savings on rent, staffing costs and computer support costs.</p>
26 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how the £0.133 million outturn efficiency for the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park Authority in 2008-09 was achieved, as reported in the Efficiency Outturn Report for 2008-09.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park Authority''s (LLTNPA) outturn efficiency savings of £0.133 million arose from reductions in management and overhead costs including savings on heating, security, printing and stationery and staff travel costs.</p>
26 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how the £0.7 million outturn efficiency for Rural Pay and Inspection in 2008-09 was achieved, as reported in the Efficiency Outturn Report for 2008-09.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The efficiency saving of £0.7 million for the Rural Payments and Inspections Directorate (RPID) was achieved mainly through two measures. The first was the implementation of a multifunctional approach to farm inspections whereby multiple inspections for diffe…
26 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how the £0.04 million outturn efficiency for the Crofters Commission in 2008-09 was achieved, as reported in the Efficiency Outturn Report for 2008-09.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The savings were achieved through the deletion of two specific posts which became vacant and which were considered non-essential in view of changes to the commission''s priorities.</p>
25 Mar 2010 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to tackle wildlife crime.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: In April 2008 HM Inspectorate of Constabulary for Scotland and the Inspectorate of Prosecution in Scotland published a report of their thematic review into wildlife crime arrangements.</p> <p >The recommendations of that report - <i >Natural Justice</i> - fo…
23 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive who will attend the first meeting of the Joint Committee for Bilateral Co-operation on Aquaculture to be held in Edinburgh in November 2010.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The first meeting of the Joint Committee for Bilateral Co-operation on Aquaculture will be co-chaired by the Marine Director of the Scottish Government and the head of the Department of Aquaculture in the Norwegian Ministry of Fisheries and Coastal Affairs. O…
23 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on developing collaboration in research since its memorandum of understanding with Norway on co-operation and best practice in aquaculture was signed on 17 August 2009.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Norwegian Government sent a representative to speak at an Aquaculture Science and Research event held by the Scottish Government in Glasgow last year, and regular discussions have taken place between officials in both countries. The Memorandum of Understa…
23 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on developing best practice on engineering design standards in aquaculture since its memorandum of understanding with Norway on co-operation and best practice in aquaculture was signed on 17 August 2009.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: An Improved Containment Working Group was established on 22 September 2009 as one of six Working Groups of the Ministerial Group on Aquaculture. The group will develop a Scottish technical standard for fish-farming equipment (moorings, cages and nets) over th…
23 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on control and treatment of fish diseases since its memorandum of understanding with Norway on co-operation and best practice in aquaculture was signed on 17 August 2009.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Since August 2009, we have set up the Healthier Fish and Shellfish working group as one of the outcomes of the renewed Strategic Framework for Scottish Aquaculture. This group is chaired by Professor Randolph Richards CBE, Institute of Aquaculture, Stirling U…
23 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether its memorandum of understanding with Norway on co-operation and best practice in aquaculture, signed on 17 August 2009, has been published.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: A copy of the <i >Memorandum of Understanding</i> is available on the Marine Scotland Website at <a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/marine/Fish-Shellfish/international">www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/marine/Fish-Shellfish/international</a>.</p>
23 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the UK Aquaculture Forum held in Edinburgh on 10 February 2010 discussed possible amendment to the protected geographic indication for Scottish farmed salmon.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The protected geographic indication for Scottish farmed salmon was not included on the agenda for the UK Aquaculture Forum and the topic was not raised during discussions.</p>
23 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what was (a) discussed and (b) decided at the UK Aquaculture Forum held in Edinburgh on 10 February 2010.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The UK Aquaculture Forum discussed various issues relating to the industry, and how best to share research, development projects and regulatory approaches identified and adopted in each of the UK countries. Specific topics included <i >A Fresh Start: The Rene…
19 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it encourages local authorities to work together to develop cost-effective waste management facilities.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: It is the responsibility of each local authority to develop and deliver waste management facilities and services that meet local needs and circumstances. If local authorities wish to work in partnership to deliver waste infrastructure or services then the Sco…
19 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what role the Scottish Futures Trust will have in delivering the Scottish Government’s zero waste strategy.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The responsibility for delivering the Zero Waste strategy lies with the Scottish Government. The Scottish Future Trust (SFT) is supporting local authorities in developing and delivering solutions to meet the requirement of both the EU Landfill Directive and t…
19 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to provide improved guidance to public bodies on delivering biodiversity at a local level, as recommended in Audit Scotland’s report, Protecting and improving Scotland’s environment.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: We are planning to develop new guidance for public bodies on their biodiversity duty following the meeting of the Conference of Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity in Nagoya, Japan in October 2010. That meeting will consider future directions fo…
19 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are being taken by Scottish Natural Heritage to improve the availability and accuracy of the data used to monitor progress against Scottish biodiversity indicators, as recommended in Audit Scotland’s report, Protecting and improving Scotland’s environment.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: During the past year, Scottish Natural Heritage has revised the SNH website which now provides improved access to a broader range of indicators, including the 22 Scottish Biodiversity Indicators. The indicators are updated annually where survey data allows, t…
19 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what funding has been made available to each local authority to improve air quality in each year since 1999.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The information requested is provided in the following table for 2005-06 onwards, the period for which electronic records are available. The information for 1999 to 2005 could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. Allocations are based on an application …
19 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the single document accompanying the specification for the protected geographical indication for Scottish farmed salmon requires amendment and, if so, what consultation is required when this document is amended.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation has requested that the single document be amended to more accurately reflect the current specification of the Scottish Farmed Salmon PGI.</p>
19 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the status is of the single document that accompanies the specification that sets out the standards required to achieve protected geographical indication status.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The single document is intended for information purposes and is to contain the main points of the specification.<strong></strong></p>
19 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether organic farmed salmon is included in the protected geographical indication for Scottish farmed salmon.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: Yes, Scottish farmed salmon produced to organic standards is included in the Scottish Farmed Salmon PGI.</p>
19 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-31791 by Richard Lochhead on 3 March 2010, what advice it has received from the Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation regarding whether the original specification of the protected geographical indication for Scottish farmed salmon requires amendment.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: I understand that the Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation has decided that at this time they no longer wish to pursue an amendment to the Scottish Farmed Salmon PGI specification.</p>
19 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what financial support it makes available to voluntary sector organisations providing child contact centres and family mediation services.
Answer · Adam Ingram: The Scottish Government provide funding to 13 local family mediation services in Scotland amounting to £920,550 per annum. Some of those services run child contact centres although the Scottish Government do not fund these directly.</p>
19 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the recommendation of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) in its Consultation on Proposals for a new Border Rivers Order for the River Esk that, when enforcing legislation in the River Esk area, the Environment Agency should be able to br…
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The purpose of this byelaw is to enable enforcement officers to deal with any offences committed in-river, without having to prove on which side of the medium filum of the river the offence was committed. The medium filum in places forms the legal border betw…
19 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the recommendation of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) in its Consultation on Proposals for a new Border Rivers Order for the River Esk that the Environment Agency should not be obliged to consult on emergency byelaws affecting the Riv…
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Emergency byelaws enable the Environment Agency to deal with emergency situations. They will be time limited and any future long-term or permanent measures will require full consultation.</p>
19 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the recommendation of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) in its Consultation on Proposals for a new Border Rivers Order for the River Esk that the obligation for the Environment Agency to consult the Scottish Ministers when making byelaw…
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: These proposals reflect the position prior to the introduction of the Scotland Act 1998 and mirror the powers that the Scottish Parliament approved for the River Tweed in 2006.</p>