Parliamentary questions
Eleanor Scott
233 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
4 Nov 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of statements of government policy in relation to Ramsar sites under the Ramsar Convention in England and Wales and whether it intends to publish a similar statement in relation to Scotland.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive is aware of all UK Government policy statements on the protection of Ramsar sites.</p><p>The Scottish Executive issued Guidance on the EC Habitats and Birds Directives in June 2000. This Guidance states that it is Scottish Executive pol…
4 Nov 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Lewis Peatlands are listed as a Wetland of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention and, if so, what the extent of the site is and under what criteria the site qualifies.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Lewis Peatlands are listed as a Wetland of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention (Site code UK13028). The site is 58,984.23 ha in extent and advice from Scottish Natural Heritage is that it qualifies under the following criteria:</p><p>Rams…
29 Oct 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that new less favoured areas regulations will provide sufficient support to enable agriculture to remain viable in the most deprived areas of Scotland.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The provisions forcontinuing support for less favoured areas (LFA) for the period 2007‑13are included in the new Rural Development Regulation. Discussions on a draft ofthis Regulation have started in Brussels and we are closely involved with these. One …
29 Oct 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what advice its Environment and Rural Affairs Department (SEERAD) is giving to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) in respect of the UK negotiating position on the European Council’s draft rural development regulation.
Answer · Ross Finnie: We are working closely with Defraand the other UK administrations in developing the UK negotiatingposition on the European draft Rural Development Regulation for 2007-13. Scottishministers have made their initial views known and SEERAD officials interact regu…
29 Oct 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the total agricultural subsidy payments in Scotland will be in 2004, broken down into Pillar 1 and Pillar 2.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Outturn figures for the year2004 will not be known for some time yet as claims are still being processed andpayments are ongoing. We expect to pay around £404 million for Pillar 1 schemesand £101 million for Pillar 2 schemes. Figures for 2003 were published i…
29 Oct 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has the power to change the way in which single farm payments are calculated in Scotland.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Any change to the Single FarmPayment regime would require agreement by the EU Council of Ministers. Thesystem will be reviewed at EU level, at the latest, by 2009.</p>
28 Oct 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding it is making available to local authorities to enable them to carry out their duty under the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 to further biodiversity.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The duty under the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 does not give local authorities new functions. Instead it requires them to review the way they carry out their existing functions, to maximise the benefits for biodiversity. Many public bodies, includ…
28 Oct 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the timetable is for the proposed Crofting Reform Bill.
Answer · Ross Finnie: We expect the bill to be issued for consultation for a period of twelve weeks early in 2005. A final decision on when the bill will subsequently be introduced in the Parliament has yet to be taken by mnisters.</p>
28 Oct 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Croft House Grant Scheme will contain measures to ensure that croft houses built under the scheme are warm homes.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The design of any house built under the new scheme and the materials used are a matter for the crofter. The new scheme will not impose any requirements beyond those set out in building control standards. However, the large increase in support for renovation s…
28 Oct 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to require that grants from Communities Scotland provide new houses that are not only affordable to rent or buy but are also affordable to heat, light and maintain.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. Her response is as follows:</p><p>Ministers are committed to providing good quality, sustainable and affordable housing for all.</p><p>Specifically in relation to Communities S…
28 Oct 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many licences for killing seals have been granted in each year since 2000 and to whom.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The following table providesdetails of the number of licences granted for killing seals from 2000 until 2003.</p><table class=MsoNormalTable border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3 width=464> <thead> <tr> <td> <p>Year</p> </td> <td> <p align=right>No …
28 Oct 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are equivalent grants to those available to farmers for organic conversion of abattoirs, cutting rooms, butchers, tanneries, woollen mills, dairies and other processors of organic livestock products.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Conversion or upgrading of abattoirs and food processing premises to meet organic standards are eligible for support under the Agriculture Processing and Marketing Grant Scheme. Applications are considered on a competitive basis by an independent review panel…
20 Oct 2004 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the decision to make single farm payments based on historical levels of subsidy can be reviewed and modified if necessary.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Any change to the payment regime under the Single Farm Payment would require agreement by the EU Council of Ministers. The system will be revised at EU level, at the latest, by 2009.</p>
17 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what funding is available to help with the running costs of small abattoirs.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Current agriculture State Aid rules prohibit assistance being made available towards the running costs of abattoirs.</p>
17 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what funding is available to establish small abattoirs in rural areas.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Grants are available on a competitive basis under the Agriculture Processing and Marketing Grant Scheme towards the construction of new facilities, or the upgrading of existing facilities, as well as the purchase of plant and equipment. In certain circumstanc…
17 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to increase the number of rural abattoirs.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The establishment of abattoirs in rural or other areas is a commercial decision for independent operators. The Executive is not aware of any current plans to establish new abattoirs in rural areas.</p>
23 Aug 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its strategy is for the development of hydrogen as a transport fuel and what steps are being taken to ensure that Scotland is in the forefront of the development of hydrogen-related technologies and applications.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive fully supports the UK Government strategy to promote the development, introduction and take up of alternative fuels such as hydrogen and ensure that the UK automotive industry is involved in the new hydrogen technologies. The UK’s <i>Po…
23 Aug 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to ensure that crofters do not need to decroft their house site in order to obtain a mortgage to comply with the new crofter housing grant scheme.
Answer · Allan Wilson: We do not believe that the new croft housing scheme will have a significant impact on rates of decrofting.</p>
6 Jul 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2O-2979 by Ross Finnie on 1 July 2004, whether community recycling and waste management groups that have been excluded from local authority Strategic Waste Fund areas will be given priority for direct funding from the Strategic Waste Fund.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Community waste sector organisations can apply for support from the new Strategic Waste Fund : Community Sector 2004-05, 2005-06. We are currently seeking a body to manage this £5 million funding scheme on our behalf and expect applications to be invited late…
6 Jul 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2O-2979 by Ross Finnie on 1 July 2004, how information about the Temporary Fund is disseminated.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Information about the Temporary Fund was disseminated by Scottish Executive News Releases (8/1/04 and 14/5/04), by ENTRUST (administrators of the scheme) and by the Community Recycling Network for Scotland.</p><p>ENTRUST contacted all Environmental Bodies in …
6 Jul 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2O-2979 by Ross Finnie on 1 July 2004, how many community recycling and waste management groups have applied for funds from the Temporary Fund and, of these, how many have been (a) successful and (b) unsuccessful.
Answer · Ross Finnie: 35 organisations applied to the Strategic Waste Fund: Community Sector (temporary support) scheme. 26 of these were successful. The remaining nine did not meet eligibility criteria and were therefore unsuccessful.</p>
6 Jul 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many community recycling and waste management groups there are.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The information requested is not held centrally.</p><p>The Executive provides funding to the Community Recycling Network for Scotland (CRNS) to provide support to community waste sector organisations. To date CRNS has recruited over 120 members.</p>
23 Jun 2004 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what mechanisms are in place, or will be put in place, to continue the work of environmental tourism managers and analogous posts from the existing tourist boards in the new local tourism hubs network.
Answer · Frank McAveety: We are increasing our emphasis on environmental tourism, which is a rapidly growing part of the market, and one in which Scotland has a great deal to offer our visitors. VisitScotland will use the integrated tourism network to promote Scotland’s beauty and un…
23 Jun 2004 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the fact that one community-recycling business in the Highlands has recently gone out of business and that four others are faced with closure due to their exclusion from contracts arising from the strategic waste fund.
Answer · Ross Finnie: We recognise the important role which the community sector has to play indelivering the National Waste Plan. As a result we are providing support to community waste management organisations both directly and through local authority Strategic Waste Fund awards…
15 Jun 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many responses it has had to its consultation on the European Commission's consultation on its chemical regulation, the Regulation, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals (REACH).
Answer · Ross Finnie: The consultation on the European Commission’s new chemicals policy known as REACH has been jointly issued by the UK Government and the Devolved Administrations. Twenty responses to the consultation have so far been received by the UK Government. Two of these,…
17 May 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-7393 by Malcolm Chisholm on 4 May 2004, on what date it will publish the conclusions of Towards Better Oral Health in Children and announce its decision on fluoridation of drinking water and, if no such date has yet been set, what the reasons are for…
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The views expressed during theconsultation process have been independently analysed and are being carefully considered.The outcome will be announced as soon as our consideration is complete.</p>
28 Apr 2004 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it proposes to triple the number of businesses and organisations in the accreditation scheme for green tourism, as stated in the ministerial statement on tourism on 11 March 2004.
Answer · Frank McAveety: VisitScotlandaim to increase by a third each year for the next three years the membership of the Green Tourism Business Scheme. How they achieve this aim is an operationalmatter for VisitScotland and the Tourism and Environment Forum.</p>
21 Apr 2004 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to encourage the use of Green Tourism Business Scheme accredited accommodation.
Answer · Frank McAveety: There is a growing market fortourism businesses which can demonstrate their green credentials to visitors. Thatis why we have asked VisitScotland to work with the Tourism Environment Forum toincrease membership of the Green Tourism Business Scheme by a third …
14 Apr 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether its livestock improvement schemes were in breach of European State Aid rules and, if so, whether it sought a derogation.
Answer · Allan Wilson: There has never been a formalruling as to the status of the Livestock Improvement Schemes under European Unionstate aid rules. However, concerns have been expressed by the Department of EnvironmentFood and Rural Affairs (which is responsible for ensuring UK c…
14 Apr 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether discussions were held with the European Commission regarding its livestock improvement schemes.
Answer · Allan Wilson: None. However, we have been approached on this matter by the Department of Environment Food and Rural Affairs (which is responsible for ensuring UK compliance with the Community Guidelines for State Aidin the Agricultural Sector).</p>