Parliamentary questions
Eleanor Scott
233 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
22 May 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it defines an effective area management agreement in respect of finfish aquaculture.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: An effective area managementagreement is a written document signed by the local finfish industry and wild fishrepresentatives which informs local fish farm practices and the sharing of informationbetween the parties.</p>
19 May 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of whether the development and operation of the proposed net servicing station at Stromeferry poses any threat to the health of the local population.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: None. Responsibility for assessing what impact the proposednet servicing station at Stromeferry might have on public health rests, in thefirst instance, with the local planning authority, Highland Council. The councilhas consulted the Scottish Environment Pro…
19 May 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied that the development and operation of the proposed net servicing station at Stromeferry will comply with the requirements of the Water Environment and Water Services (Scotland) Act 2003.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: The Scottish Environment andRural Development Departmentare of the opinion that the proposed activity does not fall within the scope of the Water Environment and Water Services (Scotland) Act 2003. The developer has described a processwhereby there will be ab…
19 May 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Scottish Natural Heritage concerning the potential impact on the marine environment of the proposed net servicing station at Stromeferry.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: No substantive discussionhas taken place between the Scottish Executive and Scottish Natural Heritage(SNH) on this matter.</p><p>I understand that theproposal is being considered by the local planning authority and any decisionon a planning application is a m…
19 May 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with VisitScotland concerning the impact on tourism revenue and employment of the proposed net servicing station at Stromeferry.
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: <a name="se_IndexHeading"></a>Education Department</p><p><b> Eleanor Scott (Highlands and Islands) (Green): </b>To ask the Scottish Executive <a name=QuestionText>whatdiscussions it has had with VisitScotland concerning the impact on tourism revenueand employ…
19 May 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the job gains or losses associated with the development of a net servicing station at Stromeferry.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive hasundertaken no such assessment. An independentEconomic Impact Assessment into potential job displacement as a result of theproposed development has however been undertaken on behalf of Highlands andIslands Enterprise.</p>
19 May 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-19411 and S2W-19412 by Nicol Stephen on 10 October 2005 and to S2O-9658 by Allan Wilson on 27 April 2006, whether it will include locally produced renewable hydrogen systems in its forthcoming consultation on changes to the Renewables Obligation Sc…
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The consultation on changesto the Renewables Obligation Scotland focuses on making amendments for wave andtidal technology.</p><p>I announced on 24 Mayfunding of £1.5 million to support hydrogen and fuel cell development inScotland. We already have world lead…
12 May 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people are employed in recycling.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The information requested isnot held centrally.</p><p>There are a wide range of employmentopportunities in recycling within local authorities, the private sector and communitysector bodies. These include the collection, sorting, transportation, reprocessingan…
12 May 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many paid jobs there are in the community waste sector.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The Community Recycling Networkfor Scotland carried out a mapping study of the sector in autumn 2005.This showed that the sector employed 734 full-time equivalent staff.</p>
12 May 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what help is available to community waste groups to assist their transition from voluntary bodies to community enterprises.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive fundsthe Community Recycling Network for Scotland (CRNS) to provide development supportto community waste sector organisations. CRNS employ six Development Officers whoprovide advice and support to groups to help them move away from gra…
12 May 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the implications for community waste groups are of the expectation that they will become social enterprises.
Answer · Ross Finnie: We do not expect that all communitywaste groups will become social enterprises. However, those that do will benefitfrom generating their own income rather than relying on grants. Community wastegroups can derive income from a variety of sources including cont…
26 Apr 2006 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the UK Government about having the country of origin on Scottish meat labels identified as Scotland rather than the United Kingdom.
Answer · Ross Finnie: None. While the EU Beef LabellingRegulations require country of origin information for beef and veal at memberstate level, processors and retailers may, through the associated voluntary scheme,use the description “Scottish” (or “Product of Scotland”) provided…
19 Apr 2006 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to promote the development of marine renewable energy.
Answer · Allan Wilson: We are undertaking a wide rangeof work to promote marine renewables. At present we are considering changes to theRenewables Obligation Scotland to provide a source of long term funding to marinedevelopers. A consultation document will be published shortly.</p…
7 Apr 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it is keeping poultry farmers informed of the actions they should take following the identification of a case of avian flu.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Following the establishmentof a wild bird protection zone and wild bird surveillance zone the ScottishExecutive telephoned all registered poultry keepers in those areas. Thosecontacts were followed up by inspection visits to the premises by the State Veterina…
7 Apr 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many shots of H5N1 vaccine it has in stock and whether this number would be sufficient to carry out a ring vaccination programme against an outbreak of H5N1 avian flu.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Two million doses of vaccinehave been ordered by the UK Government to allow a vaccination programme for zoobirds if the veterinary risk assessment suggested that this would be appropriatefor the protection of avian biodiversity.</p><p>Given the limitations of…
7 Apr 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2O-9171 by Ross Finnie on 2 March 2006, what action it has taken to prepare for the use of vaccination as a disease control tool in an outbreak of H5N1 avian flu.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Current vaccines for avian influenzahave a number of limitations which would restrict their potential use as a credibledisease control tool. However, the Executive has continued to work closely withother UK Administrations and veterinary and scientific expert…
31 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-24273 and S2W-24279 by Ross Finnie on 30 March 2006, what it considers to be a reasonable and appropriate timescale to work to in considering the implications of the Waddenzee judgement and what it considers would be appropriate implementation of t…
Answer · Ross Finnie: As the sites to which your questionapply are now the subject of formal exchanges between the Scottish Executive andthe European Commission, I am unable to comment further at this stage.</p>
27 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to prevent the spread of sea lice and disease transfer from Scottish salmon farms, in light of Pan Fish's stated aim of “lowest cost production” resulting from its proposed merger with Marine Harvest.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Currently around 50% of unitsin Scotland routinely offer 18 to 22 week fetal anomaly scans.</p><p>We wish to see the developmentof practice across maternity units in Scotland that is consistent and that all pregnant women receivethe best possible antenatal ca…
27 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to safeguard standards for treatment of chemical wastes from Scottish salmon farms, in light of Pan Fish’s stated aim of “lowest cost production” resulting from its proposed merger with Marine Harvest.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: Following the introductionof the Water Environment (Controlled Activities) (Scotland)Regulations 2005 (CAR) on 1 April 2006, all discharges into the waterenvironment will be subject to authorisation by the Scottish EnvironmentProtection Agency (SEPA). CAR rep…
27 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to promote the use of sustainable feed in Scottish salmon farms, in light of Pan Fish’s stated aim of “lowest cost production” resulting from its proposed merger with Marine Harvest.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: Sustainability is at the coreof the Scottish Executive’s Strategic Framework for Scottish Aquaculture. At a recentlyconvened stakeholder workshop on feed sustainability, the main conclusion was thatfurther research is required to provide a better understandin…
27 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to reduce or end the killing of seals around Scottish salmon farms as an alternative to more expensive methods of seal control, in light of Pan Fish’s stated aim of “lowest cost production” resulting from its proposed merger with Marine Harvest.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: The Scottish Executive only permitslimited local management of seals in order to protect fisheries or fish farms wherethat is consistent with its obligations under the EC Habitats Directive.</p><p>Guidance issued by the FarmedAnimal Welfare Council, which is …
27 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to prevent the spread of sea lice and disease transfer from Scottish salmon farms, in light of Pan Fish’s stated aim of “lowest cost production” resulting from its proposed merger with Marine Harvest.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: Pan Fish has cooperated fullywith measures to increase biosecurity, such as Area Management Agreements for licecontrol and the Code of Practice for Infectious Salmon Anaemia and other diseases.The company has reported that it has reduced its costs on sea lice…
27 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to prevent escapes from Scottish salmon farms, in light of Pan Fish's stated aim of “lowest cost production” resulting from its proposed merger with Marine Harvest.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: Pan Fish’s stated aim of “lowestcost production” resulting from its proposed merger with Marine Harvest will stillrequire its operations to comply with existing legislation with regard to the notificationof suspected and actual escape incidents. Similarly, re…
27 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to ensure that the proposed merger of Pan Fish and Marine Harvest will not lead to job losses and price increases for consumers of Scottish farmed salmon.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: Ministers have invited the companyto meet and discuss their future plans for Scottish operations and how the publicsector (including Highland and Islands Enterprise) might help to ensure continuedsuccess. The meeting is scheduled to take place next month.</p>
27 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to the Office of Fair Trading and the EC Directorate-General for Competition in respect of the proposed merger of Pan Fish and Marine Harvest, in light of concerns expressed by both Highland Council and Comhairle nan Eilean Siar on this issue.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: We are in contact with the Officeof Fair Trading (OFT). It is not yet clear whether the proposed merger would fallto be considered by the OFT or the European Commission (EC) authorities. If it fallsto the EC, the OFT would still have to consider whether the c…
27 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people are directly employed on salmon farms.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: Latest figures, published inthe <i>Scottish Fish Farms Annual Production Survey 2004</i> show that 1,480 staffwere employed in salmon and smolt production in Scotland in 2004. The 2005 ProductionSurvey will be published later in year.</p>
27 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many jobs have been lost as a result of last year’s merger between Marine Harvest and Stolt-Nielsen.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: This information is not held centrally and it is difficult to estimate the number of job losses directly attributableto the merger because changes may have occurred in the businesses anyway.</p>
27 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of Scottish salmon farming production is controlled by Scottish-owned companies.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: This information is not held centrally but the EU Salmon Producers Group (EUSPG) – who’s membership is made upentirely of Scottish owned businesses - estimate they control around 15% of Scottishsalmon farming production.</p>
27 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of Scottish salmon farming production will be controlled by a single foreign-owned company following the proposed merger between Pan Fish and Marine Harvest, announced on 6 March 2006.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: Estimates based on data publishedin the <i>Scottish Fish Farms Annual Production Survey 2004</i> suggest that thenew company will control somewhere in the range of 40-50% of salmon production inScotland.</p>
24 Mar 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to amend the provisions of the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman Act 2002 to ensure that any person who has complaints against an organisation which has reported itself to the ombudsman under section 2.2 of the Act will not only be informed of the reporting as a matter …
Answer · George Lyon: The Scottish Executive has nosuch plans.</p>