Rhoda Grant

5 Jun 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made with the renovation and building of schools.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: Significant progress is being made. On 25 June, Cathy Jamieson and I announced support for capital investment of £1.15 billion in Scotland's schools - across all 15 local authorities which submitted bids. This emphasises the strong commitment of Scottish mini…

28 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how the establishment of the Cairngorms National Park will be taken forward following the earlier consultation by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH).

Answer · Allan Wilson: The report by SNH, as the reporting body under section 3 of the National Parks (Scotland) Act 2000, was submitted to Scottish ministers on 21 August, 2001. We have considered this report very carefully. <P>We are satisfied that the Cairngorms area meets the c…

23 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-6545 by Susan Deacon on 26 June 2000, what progress has been made by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate in addressing the effects of exposure to organophosphate poisoning.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: In December 1999 the UK Government announced its four-point plan on organophosphates (OPs). This included funding a comprehensive series of research studies into areas of uncertainty that had been identified in the 1999 report from the Committee on Toxicity o…

23 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what medical treatment is available to treat sufferers of organophosphate poisoning.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Poisons Information Bureau is the main source of advice to the NHS on treatment of poisoning for a wide variety of toxic substances including organophosphates. Their TOXBASE database gives details of treatment options for organophosphate poisonin…

21 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many successful awards made under the Rural Stewardship Scheme were to farmers and crofters with IACS holdings, not including common gra'ings, of under 10 hectares.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Thirty-three awards made under the Rural Stewardship Scheme were to farmers and crofters with an IACS holding, not including common grazings, of 10 hectares or below in area.

20 Feb 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance is available to the agriculture industry in the Highlands and Islands.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Farmers and crofters in the Highlands and Islands benefit from the same support arrangements as farmers in all other parts of the country. This includes advice and information from SEERAD and its agencies as well as the main Common Agricultural Policy subsidi…

30 Jan 2002 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Presiding Officer when it will publish the farm income figures for 2001.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive is today publishing the Scottish farm income figures. The estimated figures show that Total Income from Farming (TIFF) rose by 11% in 2001 to £273 million.<P>Compensation payments for animals culled due to foot-and-mouth disease do not …

9 Jan 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is undertaking in order to improve children's services.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Securing better outcomes for children and young people in Scotland is one of our top priorities. We have established a new Cabinet Sub-Committee on children's services, chaired by the First Minister, to drive this forward. This met for the first time in Decem…

5 Dec 2001 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to consult crofters and farmers about the implementation of a new Less Favoured Areas Support Scheme.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive consulted widely on support for farming in Scotland's less favoured areas when the scheme was initially introduced. It has also been working closely with the Industry Working Group in amending the scheme for 2002. Any future changes wil…

13 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive (a) what information it has received about (i) any fixed Sheep Annual Premium (SAP) to be agreed by the Agriculture Council of the European Union on 20 November 2001 and (ii) the year in which any such SAP would first be payable, and (b), should any such SAP not be payable in 2002, what p…

Answer · Ross Finnie: I attended the Agriculture Council on 20 November in the expectation that changes would be agreed to the EU sheepmeat regime. Unfortunately, negotiations foundered but there were positive elements contained in the latest Presidency proposal which I have suppo…

29 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the #2.8 million saved from the Less Favoured Area Support Scheme 2001 will be allocated to the 2002 budget for the scheme and whether specific consideration will be given to addressing any geographic disadvantage in the disbursement of the funds.

Answer · Ross Finnie: I intend to increase the Less Favoured Area Support Scheme budget for 2002 by £2 million - the likely underspend from 2001. The joint Industry/Executive Working Group is currently considering how this money should be used.

29 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why the current year's Less Favoured Area Support Scheme budget of #63.4 million is projected to underspend by #2.8 million.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The underspend arose for two reasons. 2001 was the first year of the new scheme and certain assumptions had to be made about the correct split of improved pasture and rough grazing. These were subsequently adjusted. The second reason was that the 2001 scheme …

23 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which ministers will have responsibility for the Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care and the Scottish Social Services Council, established under the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001.

Answer · Henry McLeish: The Minister for Health and Community Care will have responsibility for the Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care, and the Minister for Education, Europe and External Affairs for the Scottish Social Services Council. Clearly, the remits of the two bo…

4 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) cattle and (b) sheep and how much arable ground were claimed for under the (i) Suckler Cow Premium Scheme, (ii) Beef Special Premium Scheme, (iii) Extensification Premium Scheme, (iv) Sheep Annual Premium Scheme and (v) Arable Area Payment Scheme in 2000-01 and 2001-02 to dat…

Answer · Ross Finnie: The livestock numbers and arable land area in scheme years 2000 and 2001, for all Scottish producers, are given in tables 1 &amp; 2. The 2001 figures are partial, as they include only information on the IACS applications processed so far. Table 3 shows &quot;…

4 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what total (a) forage and (b) arable area was covered by claims for area aid under the Integrated Administration and Control System by small producers in (i) 2000-01 and (ii) 2001-02 to date, broken down by each Environment and Rural Affairs Department area office in the Highlands and Isl…

Answer · Ross Finnie: The total area of forage and arable land in scheme year 2000 is given in the table. &quot;Small producers&quot; were assumed to be those who earned a total of €1,250 or less in subsidy payments. Processing of the 2001 IACS is on-going and totals are not avail…

4 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what total (a) forage and (b) arable area was covered by claims for area aid under the Integrated Administration and Control System in (i) 2000-01 and (ii) 2001-02 to date, broken down by each Environment and Rural Affairs Department area office in the Highlands and Islands area.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The total hectarage declared on area aid applications in scheme years 2000 and 2001 is given in the table. <TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=604><TR><TD WIDTH="28%" VALIGN="TOP"><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2><P>ERAD Highlands &amp; Islands Area Offi…

4 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many businesses claimed less than ?1,250 under the (a) Sheep Annual Premium Scheme, (b) Suckler Cow Premium Scheme, (c) Beef Special Premium Scheme, (d) Extensification Premium Scheme and (e) Arable Area Payment Scheme from 1 April 1999 to date, broken down by each Environment and Rur…

Answer · Ross Finnie: The numbers of producers who claimed less than €1,250 under the schemes requested are given in the table. Figures for 2001 have not been supplied as scheme payments are continuing.<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=510><TR><TD WIDTH="48%" VALIGN=…

4 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many businesses (a) have submitted applications and (b) have received funding under the (i) Sheep Annual Premium Scheme, (ii) Suckler Cow Premium Scheme, (iii) Beef Special Premium Scheme, (iv) Extensification Premium Scheme and (v) Arable Area Payment Scheme from April 1999 to date, …

Answer · Ross Finnie: The information you require for the 1999 and 2000 scheme year is shown. Information has not been supplied for the 2001 scheme year because the payment information is incomplete.<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=2 WIDTH=604><TR><TD WIDTH="14%" VALIGN="TO…

28 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the third supplementary answer to question S1F-1256 by Henry McLeish on 27 September 2001, what representations it has made or is making to Her Majesty's Government in order to gain a public service obligation in respect of the Inverness to Gatwick air link.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive supports the case by The Highland Council for the imposition of measures to ensure access to Gatwick from Inverness. I am writing to the UK Government with a formal request to impose a Public Service Obligation on the Inverness-Gatwick …

5 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what targets it has set for the Scottish Agricultural Science Agency in 2001-02.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The agency's performance against its targets in 2000-01 was published in full in its Annual Report and Accounts laid before the Scottish Parliament in August. (Bib. no. 15417)<P>For 2001-02 I have set the agency the following key performance targets:<U><FONT …

1 Aug 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the work of the group set up to investigate the impact of the less favoured areas support scheme is proceeding according to schedule and, if not, whether it will change the level at which the safety net will operate in 2002 from 80% to 90%.

Answer · Ross Finnie: I am grateful to members of the Less Favoured Areas Support Scheme (LFASS) Steering Group for the work they are doing reviewing the scheme. This work was held up initially until most of the payments had been finalised. It is now back on schedule.<P>I believe …

1 Aug 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether, if the working group set up to investigate the impact of the less favoured areas support scheme finds that many crofters and farmers have suffered financial loss as a result of the scheme, it will introduce a new scheme.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Because I was able to negotiate the 90% safety net, any losses under the new scheme have been restricted to within 90% of the previous year's payments. There is no prospect of the EU agreeing to the introduction of a new scheme at this stage.

1 Aug 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive on what dates the working group set up to investigate the impact of the less favoured areas support scheme has met or is expected to meet.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The working group first met on 10 November 2000. Subsequent meetings were held on 15 December 2000, 23 February 2001 and 3 August 2001. The next meeting was scheduled for 21 August 2001, but because a number of industry representatives found that they could n…

1 Aug 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when its analysis of the impact of the less favoured areas support scheme on individuals and on regions within Scotland will be completed and whether this analysis will be published.

Answer · Ross Finnie: An analysis of payments under the new scheme is being finalised and will be placed with the Parliament's Reference Centre next month.

26 Jun 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many planning applications were called in by it and the Scottish Office in each of the last five years within the Highland Council area and of these how many were called in on the recommendation of the Trunk Roads Authority.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The latest available information is given in the table.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY"><TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=609><TR><TD WIDTH="35%" VALIGN="TOP"><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2><P>Year</TD><TD WIDTH="31%" VALIGN="TOP"><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2><P ALIG…

9 May 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will set out its latest strategic position with regards to sea fisheries matters.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: The Scottish Executive recognises the importance of strategic thinking in order to secure a long-term, sustainable future for the Scottish fishing industry. I launched, this week, a <I>Strategic Framework for the Scottish Sea Fishing</I> <I>Industry</I>. This…

8 May 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the consultation document on the proposed Review of Woodland Grant Scheme/Farm Woodland Premium Scheme will be published and how long the consultation period will be.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: I am launching today a wide-ranging consultation paper on future support for forestry in Scotland. Interested organisations and individuals will have until 30 September 2001 to respond.

15 Mar 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the produce from any genetically modified trial or control sites will be certified as for human or livestock consumption.

Answer · Ross Finnie: It is a condition of the deliberate release consent that the entire GM crop is destroyed and does not enter the human or animal food chain. The proportion of the control crop growing within the stipulated separation distance is also destroyed at the same time.

15 Mar 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any organic farmers who lose their certification status or customers as a result of pollen contamination from field trials of genetically modified crops will be entitled to compensation and, if so, who will be liable to pay any such compensation.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive's priority is to protect human health and the environment.<P>The environmental implications of field trials of genetically modified crops are fully considered by our expert advisory bodies before consent is granted. These bodies are sat…

13 Mar 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made with the implementation of the Red Tape Review recommendations, particularly in relation to communications with farmers.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Good progress has been made on the Red Tape Review recommendations. I have today issued an external communications strategy which responds to a major recommendation of the Red Tape Review Report. This covers all aspects of communications between SERAD and pro…