Dr Winnie Ewing

Answer · Ross Finnie · 8 May 2002

Farmers in Scotland are not entitled to any subsidies specifically for the purpose of growing a GM crop. Such farmers are, however, entitled to the same subsidies under the normal conditions as other arable farmers.

Answer · Allan Wilson · 28 Jan 2002

Giant hogweed can cause soil erosion on riverbanks but the main problems arise when the plant is handled.<P>The Executive is participating in a GB-wide review of the current and potential threats posed by invasive non-native species, including giant hogweed. The review will consider and identify appropriate preventative and damage minimisation strategies and will report to Scottish ministers later this year.<P>Local authorities have powers to take action where the local amenity of a particular area is threatened by giant hogweed, or other invasive plant species.

Answer · Jim Wallace · 30 Oct 2001

Criminal conviction information is held by the Scottish Criminal Record Office (SCRO) Criminal History System. Under current policy, decisions on the retention and disposal of the information are based on one or more of a number of factors, for example the seriousness of the offence, the age of the person at the time of conviction and the number of years elapsed since the end of the sentence.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">A working group established by the SCRO Management Committee has been reviewing the existing policy. The aim is to develop arrangements which take account of, among other things, the Police Act 1997, the Human Rights Act 1998 and the Data Protection Act 1998.

Answer · Susan Deacon · 14 Sep 2001

The Scottish Executive Health Department and the Food Standards Agency jointly conducted an initial public consultation between July and October 2000, following recommendations by the Committee on Medical Aspects on Food and Nutrition Policy (COMA) on the fortification of wheat flour with folic acid. A summary a nalysis of the consultation responses has been published and is available on the websites of both the Scottish Executive and the Food Standards Agency.<P>Based on this, and the results of additional research which is currently being carried out, ministers will have the opportunity to consider COMA's recommendations fully, prior to deciding on any plans to introduce fortification of wheat flour with folic acid.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm · 14 Sep 2001

On matters relating to food safety the Scottish Executive is advised by the Food Standards Agency. The agency is fully committed to ensuring that food manufacturers provide relevant and meaningful information for consumers.<P>There have been increasing restrictions placed on production of ruminant mechanically recovered meat (MRM) and with effect from mid-August MRM production has been confined to pigs and poultry.<P>Separate labelling of mechanically recovered meat in the ingredients list of pre-packed meat products has been a requirement since 1997. A recent agreement on a European definition of meat reinforces this labelling requirement, and in addition places mechanically recovered meat outside the definition for the purposes of the quantitative declaration of &quot;meat&quot; ingredients in meat products. The new definition has to be implemented by January 2003.

Answer · Rhona Brankin · 30 Jul 2001

We recently laid before the Scottish Parliament legislation to provide for a Scottish decommissioning scheme. Amongst other things, the legislation will lay down basic eligibility criteria for the Scottish scheme. These will require that an applicant's vessel is registered and:<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">is over 10 metres in length;<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">has a category A licence (except a pelagic licence);<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">has spent a minimum number of days at sea on fishing trips during 1999 and 2000;<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">is at least 10 years old;<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">has a safety certificate or letter confirming completion of a satisfactory survey, and<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">is Scottish based (defined in the legislation).<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">The legislation is being introduced following consultation with industry interests. Further consultation is currently under way on the approach to be taken to the evaluation and ranking of individual decommissioning bids. Once the consultation is complete, proposals for the scheme will be finalised, detailed scheme documentation prepared and the scheme opened to bids - probably during August or September.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm · 18 Apr 2001

The Scottish Executive has no plans to issue guidance similar to that issued recently in England on social care for deafblind children and adults. I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-14638.

Answer · Angus MacKay · 12 Apr 2001

The Executive has no current plans to relocate staff from Edinburgh to Eilean Siar. Discussions have been held with Highlands and Islands Enterprise about opportunities across their area, with the agreement of the local authorities concerned.<P>Last December I announced to Parliament that detailed reviews of the Edinburgh operations of six public bodies would be undertaken to individual timetables based on lease breaks and other operational factors. The reviews will determine the most efficient and effective locations for the work concerned. No specific areas of Scotland will be targeted and equally no areas will be ruled out.<P>I also announced at that time that the Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care and the Scottish Social Services Council would not be located in Edinburgh. Mr Chisholm announced on 6 March that the national offices of these two new bodies will - if the Parliament passes the necessary legislation to enable them to be established - be located in Dundee. In addition there will be five further regional offices for the Commission. The locations being considered are the Inverness area, the Aberdeen area, the Paisley area, the Hamilton/East Kilbride area and East Lothian. Decisions on regional offices for the Commission will be announced shortly.