Parliamentary questions

Elaine Murray

2,411 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

16 Jun 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-24240 by Roseanna Cunningham on 9 June 2009, whether it will waive charges for registration under Schedule 4 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 pending the implementation of legislation abolishing the requirement for breeders to register their …

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Breeders will be required to pay the registration fee for species listed on Schedule 4 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act until the amendments to current legislation come into force on 21 September 2009.

16 Jun 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-24240 by Roseanna Cunningham on 9 June 2009, when it expects the legislation abolishing the requirement for breeders of falcons to register their birds under Schedule 4 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to come into force.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Legislation which will reduce the number of species listed on Schedule 4 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act is expected to come into force on 21 September 2009.

16 Jun 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether employers can re-employ apprentices whom they have made redundant and claim support under the Adopt and Apprentice scheme.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Employers wishing to re-employ apprentices whom they have made redundant may be able to claim support under the Adopt an Apprentice scheme. However, they would need to demonstrate that the circumstances which led to the redundancies have changed and that the …

16 Jun 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether employers can claim retrospectively under the Adopt an Apprentice scheme for employing redundant apprentices before June 2009.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The financial incentive available through the Adopt an Apprentice scheme is available to employers who have recruited a redundant apprentice on or after the start date of 10 June 2009.

15 Jun 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it issues guidance on the sale of alcohol at primary school functions, such as barbeques, where pupils are present.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 will come fully into force on 1 September 2009. Under the act, it will be possible for representatives of voluntary organisations to apply for an occasional licence. The Licensing Board must refuse the application if it cons…

12 Jun 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects that an Inshore Fisheries Group incorporating the Solway Firth will be established.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-24834 on 25 June 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/B…

12 Jun 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration is being given to including the Solway in the Clyde Inshore Fisheries Group.

12 Jun 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration is being given to setting up a Solway Inshore Fisheries Group.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Six pilot Inshore Fisheries Groups (IFGs) were established between January and March this year in the south-east, Clyde, Outer Hebrides, north-west, Moray Firth and small isles and Mull. There will be an early review of the pilot IFGs at the end of this year.…

5 Jun 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-24239 by Richard Lochhead on 5 June 2009, whether it is aware that the UK Government Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has issued a consultation on the welfare of racing greyhounds.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government is aware that the UK Government Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has issued a consultation on the welfare of racing greyhounds.

5 Jun 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-24371 by Richard Lochhead on 5 June 2009, whether it will reinstate the Moray Firth seal management plan section of its website so that stakeholders can see documents such as the Moray Firth Seal Management Code of Practice.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: We are currently updating the seal management section of the Scottish Government website. Full information on seal management in the Moray Firth, including the Code of Practice, will be available shortly. The Code of Practice was a working document d…

5 Jun 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-24371 by Richard Lochhead on 5 June 2009, when the Scottish Seals Forum will next meet to start consideration of the animal welfare issues arising from the proposed licensing scheme for seal killing.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: No date has been fixed for the next meeting of the Scottish Seals Forum. It is likely to take place in the autumn, when it will discuss the proposed new seal licensing system.

4 Jun 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has examined the animal welfare benefits of raising salmon smolts in closed containers.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The recently published renewed strategic framework for Scottish aquaculture, A Fresh Start, has as an outcome for one of its working groups that the aquaculture industry will use the most appropriate equipment or facilities for containment at freshwat…

4 Jun 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has examined the environmental benefits of raising salmon smolts in closed containers.

4 Jun 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of the National Salmon Fjords initiative in Norway and whether it considers that a similar designation could be introduced for Scottish sea lochs that have important native salmon and sea trout runs.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: We are aware of this initiative. There is an existing presumption against aquaculture development on the east coast of the Scottish mainland. Nevertheless, the Scottish Government is keen to share learning with the Norwegian Government, and hopes to do so und…

4 Jun 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has considered phasing out the practice of raising salmon smolts in open net-pens in freshwater rivers and lochs that have native migratory fish populations.

4 Jun 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider introducing regulations under the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 to ban the use of wild animals in circuses.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government is unable to introduce secondary legislation under the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 to ban the use of wild animals in circuses because the Radford Report, issued on 20 November on the welfare of non-domesticated animal…

3 Jun 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that setting point targets for combating climate change without considering cumulative emissions increases the possibility of climate feedback by exceeding a safer level of total emissions over the longer term and thereby mitigating any point reduction achieved.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The cumulative effect of greenhouse gas emissions is recognised by the emissions reduction framework in the Climate Change (Scotland) Bill. By setting batches of annual targets based on expert advice there will always be between 12 and 17 years for …

3 Jun 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that setting cumulative targets for reductions in greenhouse gas emissions is vital in combating climate change.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: International action to reduce emissions is vital in combating climate change. The Scottish ministers recognise the importance of showing leadership on climate change. That is why the Climate Change (Scotland) Bill commits to reducing Scotland''s gre…

3 Jun 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will follow the advice of Friends of the Earth Scotland, the Scottish Climate Change Business Delivery Group, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) and others and set a cumulative target for greenhouse gas reductions as well as a point target thereby fixing the traj…

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The annual target approach in the Climate Change (Scotland) Bill contains many of the key elements inherent in a cumulative emissions budget. By setting batches of statutory annual targets based on expert advice and designed to deliver the point ta…

2 Jun 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether central heating systems installed under the (a) current and (b) previous central heating programmes are guaranteed and, if so, what the guarantee period is.

Answer · Alex Neil: All central heating systems installed under the central heating programme and under Stage 4 of the Energy Assistance Package are covered by a full parts and labour warranty for 12 months, following the date of installation.

1 Jun 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will encourage the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) to extend the waiving of charges for the registration of septic tanks.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: No. The waiving of SEPA''s charges for registering septic tanks has already been extended by two months to 31 May 2009, in response to a significant increase in septic tank registrations at the end of March, when the overall waiver of SEPA''s charges for most…

1 Jun 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of problems with the online registration of septic tanks in (a) March and (b) May 2009.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: I am aware that the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) experienced some minor problems with their systems for handling online registrations of septic tanks at points during March and May 2009 when the charge for registration was waived. This was an…

1 Jun 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what actions were taken to inform the public that the charges for registration of septic tanks, waived in March 2009, would be reintroduced on 1 June 2009.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: This is an operational matter for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, and I have asked the Chief Executive, Dr Campbell Gemmell, to write to you.