Parliamentary questions

Elaine Murray

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

23 Dec 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it defines an agricultural animal and whether this definition includes equines.

Answer · Ross Finnie: There is no definition of “agricultural animal”, however, the Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1968 defines “livestock” as “any creature kept for the production of food, wool, skin, or fur or for use in the farming of land or for such purpose as the…

23 Dec 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what procedures it uses to serve enforcement notices and actions under the Weeds Act 1959.

Answer · Ross Finnie: All written complaints about ragwort are investigated by the Executive. Where the complaint relates to other than agricultural land, the complaint is passed on to the relevant authority.In cases where the occupier of agricultural land fails to take act…

23 Dec 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many enforcement orders it has served over the last five years in respect of each of the injurious weeds identified in the Weeds Act 1959, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Ross Finnie: No enforcement orders have been served over the last five years in respect of spear thistle, creeping or field thistle, curled dock or broad-leaved dock.The number of enforcement orders served over the last five years in respect of ragwort, broken down…

23 Dec 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many enforcement orders it has served in each of the last five years in respect of each of the injurious weeds identified in the Weeds Act 1959.

Answer · Ross Finnie: No enforcement orders have been served over the last five years in respect of spear thistle, creeping or field thistle, curled dock or broad-leaved dock.The number of enforcement orders served in each of the last five years in respect of ragwort is sho…

23 Dec 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many animals have died from ragwort poisoning in the last five years.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Executive does not collect information on the number of animals which die from ragwort poisoning.Disease surveillance is carried out by the Scottish Agricultural College Disease Surveillance Centres. I have asked the college to contact the member d…

23 Dec 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many complaints it has received in each of the last five years regarding injurious weeds listed in the Weeds Act 1959, in total and broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The number of sites referred to in complaints received in each of the last five years regarding injurious weeds listed in the Weeds Act 1959, in total and broken down by local authority area is shown in the following table:<table border=1 cellspacing=0 ce…

23 Dec 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the forthcoming Animal Welfare Bill will provide any additional protection to that afforded by the Weeds Act 1959 in respect of the control of ragwort infestation in, or in proximity to, pastures used for the production of forage crops to be consumed by horses or cattle.

Answer · Ross Finnie: No.

23 Dec 2004 · Written Question

Answer · Ross Finnie: No.

20 Dec 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what legislation applies to inheritance by children when the deceased parent (a) has and (b) has not written a will and what the provisions of such legislation are in both circumstances.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The relevant legislation is the Succession (Scotland) Act 1964. The Executive has published a brief guide to the act called “Rights of Succession” and this is available at <a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library/documents-w10/ros-00.htm">www.scotland.gov.…

20 Dec 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-12769 by Peter Peacock on 17 December 2004, how it interprets the phrase "official status" with regard to the Gaelic and English languages.

Answer · Peter Peacock: There are varying interpretations of this phrase which depend on the aim being pursued and the context in which it is used. The Executive understands this phrase to mean that the Gaelic language is recognised in the administrative policies and procedures of g…

20 Dec 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-12769 by Peter Peacock on 17 December 2004, how it interprets the phrase "equal status" with regard to the Gaelic and English languages.

Answer · Peter Peacock: There are varying interpretations of this phrase which depend on the aim being pursued and the context in which it is used. The Executive understands the Gaelic community’s aspiration for “equal status” to be that the Gaelic language should not be regarded as…

10 Dec 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will extend the conditions for a grant under its central heating programme to enable Eaga Partnership Ltd to authorise the installation of underfloor central heating, if this is considered to be the only viable option.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I am not aware of any cases whereunderfloor heating has been described as the only viable option. There are no plansat present to include underfloor heating as part of the options available underthe programme.

8 Dec 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to make representations to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport regarding the National Lottery Bill, in particular regarding the potential impact of clauses 7 and 8 on the Heritage Lottery Fund in Scotland.

Answer · Patricia Ferguson: The Scottish Executive has maintained a constant dialogue with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) during the drafting of the National Lottery Bill.Clause 7 is a power for the Secretary of State to reallocate money from the account of on…

6 Dec 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to announce the appointment of the chair of the new body, Architecture and Design Scotland.

Answer · Patricia Ferguson: I am happy to be able to announce the appointment of Raymond Young OBE as the Chair of Architecture and Design Scotland, the new public body being established by the Scottish Executive as the national champion for good architecture, design and planning in the…

6 Dec 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether land grazed by horses will be eligible under the single payment scheme.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Land grazed by horses will be eligible land under the Single Farm Payment Scheme and will receive a payment if such land is used to support an established entitlement. The key tests will be that land is kept in good agricultural and environmental condition an…

2 Dec 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether English has legal status as an official language of Scotland and, if so, what legislation confers this status.

Answer · Peter Peacock: There is no legislation that recognises English as an official language of Scotland.

1 Dec 2004 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken in schools to help people who have dyslexia.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The Scottish Executive has a range of measures in place to support education authorities working with pupils with dyslexia. This includes the provision of £8.4 million in 2004-05 to education authorities for the training and development of staff working with …

29 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Scottish Childminding Association regarding qualifications for childminders.

Answer · Euan Robson: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-12693, on 14 December 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at:<ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.…

29 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to introduce compulsory qualifications for childminders.

Answer · Euan Robson: The Scottish Executive will consider whether and, if so, how, through their registration with the Care Commission, to require childminders to be qualified or working towards a qualification. Other early education and child care workers will require to do so u…

26 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any circumstances in which its regulations prevent Eaga Partnership Ltd from sanctioning the use of existing radiators within the Executive’s central heating installation programme for the replacement of obsolete central heating systems in the homes of people aged over 8…

Answer · Johann Lamont: I have asked Angiolina Foster, the Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows:There are no circumstances in the regulations, covering the central heating programme for the over 80s, which prevent Eaga Partnership Ltd…

25 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many medical students (a) were registered to study in and (b) graduated from Scottish universities in each year since 1997.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The numbers of students entering, and graduating from, courses in clinical and pre-clinical medicine at Scottish higher education institutions are given in the following tables for the years 1996-97 to 2002-03.Entrants to Clinical and Pre-Clinical Medi…

25 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-9767 by Mr Tom McCabe on 12 August 2004, when it now expects to publish its response to the consultation, Modernising NHS Dental Services in Scotland.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: We now expect to issue the response early in the New Year.

25 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidelines exist in respect of the placing of radiators installed under its central heating installation programme and whether there is any flexibility in their application.

Answer · Johann Lamont: I have asked Angiolina Foster, the Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows:The Technical Specification provides guidance on the positioning of radiators and allows for flexibility on where radiators are placed. Pr…

25 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is any legislation that determines the placing of radiators installed under its central heating installation programme and, if so, what the legislation is.

Answer · Johann Lamont: I have asked Angiolina Foster, the Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows:There is no legislation governing the placing of radiators under the Scottish Executive central heating programme, but guidance is provide…

23 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what legislation pertains to the operation of community councils and their relationship with local authorities.

Answer · Tavish Scott: The legislation governing the establishment and general purpose of community councils is contained at sections 51-55 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 (as amended) and section 22 of the Local Government etc (Scotland) Act 1994.

23 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance is issued to local authorities in respect of their relationship with community councils.

Answer · Tavish Scott: Guidance on the relationship between local authorities and community councils is contained in the former Scottish Office booklet “Local Authorities and Community Councils – Enhancing the Relationship”. I am arranging for a copy of the booklet, which is also a…

19 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance there is, or is planned, regarding the use of powered vehicles to drive deer.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Deer Commission for Scotland, under section 37(5)(b) of the Deer (Scotland) Act 1996, is required to prepare and from time to time, revise, a code of practice for the use of vehicles for the purposes of deer management. A copy of the current code is avail…

19 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what actions are permitted under section 14 of the Deer (Scotland) Act 1996 which would otherwise be an offence under the act.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Under section 14 of the Deer (Scotland) Act 1996, where a person performs an act at the request of or under the authority of the Deer Commission for Scotland in pursuance of a control agreement; a control scheme; or section 10 of the act, the person shall not…

18 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what reduction or increase in Supporting People funding will be received by each local authority in 2005-06.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I announced revised final allocations on 23 December and these are listed below and compared to the 2004-05 allocations.<table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td> Council </td> <td> 2004-05 Allocations…

8 Nov 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it is making in relocating public sector jobs to Dumfries and Galloway.

Answer · Tavish Scott: We have made good progress. I am pleased to announce that we will relocate the National Health Service Central Register (NHSCR) to Dumfries. The NHSCR, part of the General Register Office for Scotland, has the core function of maintaining and operating…