Elaine Murray

19 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many hectares of farmland have been used for organic production in each year since 1999.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government do not collect comprehensive information relating to the number of hectares of farmland used for organic production. However, we do hold information on the number hectares which have been entered each year under the Organic Aid Scheme …

15 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive for what reasons there are no provisions in the central heating programme for the installation of LPG systems.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: A working group of experts advised the last administration on which fuel types to include within the central heating programme, taking into account the efficiency of the systems and the costs of installing and running them.</p>

11 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will introduce legislative measures to record the numbers of grey and common seals shot annually.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government''s consultation <i >Sustainable</i><i > </i><i >Seas</i><i > for All “ A consultation on </i><i >Scotland</i><i >''s first marine bill</i> closed on 6 October 2008. It contains proposals for several possible changes to seal legislat…

11 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has estimates of the annual numbers of farmed salmon predated by seals.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government does not gather this information. The number of farmed salmon killed by seal predation can vary significantly from year to year. However, the Scottish Salmon Producers'' Organisation estimates that in excess of 500,000 salmon are preda…

11 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will introduce measures to prevent the shooting of lactating seals.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Conservation of Seals Act 1970 already provides for close seasons during the breeding periods to protect mothers and pups.</p>

11 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to review the Conservation of Seals Act 1970 to ascertain whether repeal or amendment is desirable.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government''s consultation <i >Sustainable</i><i > </i><i >Seas</i><i > for All “ A consultation on </i><i >Scotland</i><i >''s first marine bill</i> closed on 6 October 2008. It contains proposals for possible changes to seal legislation whic…

11 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is concerned by the reduction in the number of grey and common seals that inhabit Scottish waters.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government is committed to the conservation of seal populations in Scotland''s marine environment.</p> <p >The common seal survey of 2006 first revealed a significant reduction in common seal numbers in the Northern Isles (i.e. Orkney and Shetl…

11 Dec 2008 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting time for installation of central heating in Dumfries and Galloway is under its central heating programme.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: Information on waiting times is held for Scotland as a whole.</p> <p >The average waiting time during 2008-09 remains around six months.</p> <p >&nbsp;</p>

9 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how the figure of £0.8 million quoted in the Scottish Court Service’s consultation document Delivering a Unified Courts Administration in the Sheriffdom of South Strathclyde Dumfries and Galloway as the cost for alternative accommodation for the continued provision of a court service in A…

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The figure of £0.8 million was arrived at on the basis of current market construction costs for a 400m² building.</p>

9 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive on what grounds Annan District Court is considered to be unsuitable for summary criminal court business, as stated in the Scottish Court Service’s consultation document Delivering a Unified Courts Administration in the Sheriffdom of South Strathclyde Dumfries and Galloway.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill : The accommodation provided in the current Annan District Court building lacks the facilities necessary to provide:</p> <p >security of prisoners in custody;</p> <p >segregation of Crown and defence witnesses, and</p> <p >the wider security requirements …

8 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements are in place for the winter maintenance of the A76 between Dumfries and Sanquhar.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Transport Scotland is responsible for overseeing the management and maintenance of the trunk road network. Winter maintenance on the A76 between Dumfries and Sanquhar is carried out by Amey. The requirements for winter maintenance are set out in Schedule 7 Pa…

8 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements are in place for the winter maintenance of the A7 between Gretna and Langholm.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Transport Scotland is responsible for overseeing the management and maintenance of the trunk road network. Winter maintenance on the A7 between the National Border and Langholm is carried out by BEAR Scotland Ltd. The requirements for winter maintenance are s…

8 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements are in place for the winter maintenance of the A701 between Dumfries and Moffat.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Transport Scotland is responsible for overseeing the management and maintenance of the trunk road network. Winter maintenance on the A701 between Dumfries and the A74(M) at Beattock is carried out by Amey. The requirements for winter maintenance are set out i…

8 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which organisation is responsible for clearing snow and ice from the pavements in the High Street in Langholm, along the A7 trunk road.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Transport Scotland is responsible for overseeing the management and maintenance of the trunk road network. Winter maintenance on the A7 in Langholm, including the pavements in the High Street, is carried out by BEAR Scotland Ltd. The requirements for winter m…

8 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the use of wooden memorials for graves is permitted.

Answer · John Swinney: It is up to each local authority to determine the rules for the burial grounds it owns or manages. The Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 section 112 allows local authorities to make rules regulating the use of land they own or manage. This includes cemeter…

5 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether land in the public forest estate that had been leased to private interests would be eligible for grant payments under the Scotland Rural Development Programme.

Answer · Michael Russell: Yes, this land would be eligible for grant payments.</p> cl

5 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the biodiversity duty under the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 would apply to land in the public forest estate that was leased to private interests.

Answer · Michael Russell: Yes.</p>

5 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to enable adults over the age of 55 to visit woodlands in the public forest estate.

Answer · Michael Russell: The Woods In and Around Towns (WIAT) Programme provides the focus for Forestry Commission Scotland''s work on improving quality of life in towns and cities.</p> <p >Since 2005, WIAT has brought 8,000 hectares of woodland into active management, creating 1,00…

5 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to enable adults from the most deprived areas to visit woodlands in the public forest estate.

Answer · Michael Russell: The Woods In and Around Towns (WIAT) Programme provides the focus for Forestry Commission Scotland''s work on improving quality of life in towns and cities. Projects are being supported all over Scotland.</p> <p >Since 2005, WIAT has brought 8,000 hectares o…

5 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people are employed in the public forest estate.

Answer · Michael Russell: The number of staff currently employed by Forest Enterprise Scotland, the part of Forestry Commission Scotland which manages the national forest estate, is 779.</p>

5 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what it estimates to be the gross value added from direct visitor spend attributable to woodland visits in the public forest estate.

Answer · Michael Russell: The estimated total spend per year by visitors to the national forest estate in Scotland is £38.9 million. This figure was calculated from the All Forests Visitor Monitoring Survey which was carried out between June 2004 and June 2007.</p> <p >The report can…

5 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what gross value added it estimates to be associated with timber in the public forest estate.

Answer · Michael Russell: The Scottish timber industry alone provides 13,200 full-time jobs and is worth £460 million by the latest estimate. The National Forest Estate (NFE) currently produces 44% of the timber in Scotland, so a reasonable estimate would be that the NFE contributes a…

4 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what studies (a) are being planned, (b) are in progress and (c) have been carried out to identify potential sites for new woodlands.

Answer · Michael Russell: At a national level, research on the potential for woodland expansion was commissioned to support the revision of the Scottish Forestry Strategy in 2006. This research is published and can be viewed at: <a href="http://www.forestry.gov.uk/forestry/INFD-6MGFKY…

4 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many hectares of new woodlands have been created in each of the last five years by the (a) public and (b) private sector.

Answer · Michael Russell: The total amount of hectares of new woodland that have been created in each of the last five years are listed in the following tables. Figures for restocking are also shown.</p> <p >Public Sector</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thead> …

4 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to transfer responsibility for management and development of the forest estate under the lease arrangements proposed in its paper Climate Change and the National Forest Estate - Consultation on forestry provisions in the Scottish Climate Change Bill.

Answer · Michael Russell: Offering management leases and cutting rights is a potential option for releasing capital from the national forest estate which could be used to fund woodland creation projects to help mitigate climate change. This option is included in a public consultation …

4 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to transfer responsibility for forest protection and maintenance under the lease arrangements proposed in its paper Climate Change and the National Forest Estate - Consultation on forestry provisions in the Scottish Climate Change Bill.

Answer · Michael Russell: Offering management leases and cutting rights is a potential option for releasing capital from the national forest estate which could be used to fund woodland creation projects to help mitigate climate change. This option is included in a public consultation …

4 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to transfer responsibility for upkeep and development of forest roads under the lease arrangements proposed in its paper Climate Change and the National Forest Estate - Consultation on forestry provisions in the Scottish Climate Change Bill.

Answer · Michael Russell: Offering management leases and cutting rights is a potential option for releasing capital from the national forest estate which could be used to fund woodland creation projects to help mitigate climate change. This option is included in a public consultation …

4 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to transfer responsibility for forest planning under the lease arrangements proposed in its paper Climate Change and the National Forest Estate - Consultation on forestry provision in the Scottish Climate Change Bill.

Answer · Michael Russell: Offering management leases and cutting rights is a potential option for releasing capital from the national forest estate which could be used to fund woodland creation projects to help mitigate climate change. This option is included in a public consultation …

4 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the projected income is to Forest Enterprise Scotland from sales of timber in (a) 2008-09, (b) 2009-10 and (c) 2010-11.

Answer · Michael Russell: Details of Forest Enterprise Scotland''s projected income from sales of timber in the next three years, as set out in Forestry Commission Scotland''s Corporate Plan 2008-11, are listed in the following table:</p> <p >Projected Income from Timber Sales</p> <…

4 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the income was to Forest Enterprise Scotland from sales of timber in (a) 2003-04, (b) 2004-05, (c) 2005-06, (d) 2006-07 and (e) 2007-08.

Answer · Michael Russell: Details of Forest Enterprise Scotland''s income from sales of timber in the past five years are listed in the following table:</p> <p >Income from Timber Sales</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thead> <tr > <td width=71 valign=top >…