Parliamentary questions
Alasdair Morgan
518 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
29 Oct 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many student grant applications to the Student Awards Agency for Scotland in 1998 were turned down because of late submission which would have otherwise been valid.
Answer · Henry McLeish: For the academic year 1998-99 the Agency's records indicate that 91 applications for support were refused on the grounds of late submission without an acceptable explanation. Such applications are not processed but it is probable that the majority of them wou…
29 Oct 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of vehicular traffic on the A76 Dumfries-Cumnock section, A75 Dumfries-Stranraer section and A77 Stranraer-Girvan section is HGV traffic, and what is the average percentage for all Scottish roads.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The average percentage of HGV traffic on the section of the A76 between Dumfries to Cumnock is 19%, 14% on the A75 between Dumfries and Stranraer and 14% on the A77 between Stranraer and Girvan. The average percentage for all Scottish major routes (i.e. trunk…
29 Oct 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which projects have been aided under the Trunk Road Cycling Initiatives in the last five years, and how much was spent on each project.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: Those projects which have been aided by the Trunk Road Cycling Initiative in the last five years and the estimated amount spent or committed to each project to date are set out in the two tables below. Table 1 (total £3.4 million) represents the outlay on tru…
28 Oct 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give an assurance that any reduction in funding to the Scottish Prison Service will not result in the closure of Penninghame open prison.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I can give no such undertaking. Having taken decisions on the distribution of the funds available to the Justice programme, it is now for the Board of the Scottish Prison Service to decide on the adjustments to be made by the Agency which they plan to do with…
29 Sep 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive to specify, for each Procurator Fiscal office, in each of the last five years, the number of cases (a) marked no proceedings (b) dealt with by fiscal warnings, and (c) the total number of cases dealt with.
Answer · Andrew Hardie: The information requested is as follows:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 BORDERCOLOR="#000000" CELLPADDING=2 WIDTH=673><TR><TD WIDTH="12%" VALIGN="MIDDLE" ROWSPAN=2> </TD><TD WIDTH="16%" VALIGN="MIDDLE" COLSPAN=3><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=1><P>FY 1994-95</TD><T…
29 Sep 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive to specify, for each sheriff court in each of the last five years, the number of cases dealt with by (a) summary procedure and (b) on indictment; and, for each district court in each of the last five years, the total number of cases dealt with, under summary procedure.
Answer · Andrew Hardie: I attach tables showing, for each Sheriff Court in each of the last five years, the number of cases reported to the Procurator Fiscal in which proceedings were raised on indictment and by means of summary complaint respectively. Statistics showing the number …
26 Aug 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to be able to make an announcement with regard to lifting the beef-on-the-bone ban.
Answer · Susan Deacon: As stated in The Partnership for Scotland Agreement, we look forward to ending the ban on beef-on-the-bone as soon as medical advice indicates that it would be safe to do so. The matter is still being considered by our medical advisers.
26 Aug 1999 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to be able to make an announcement with regard to lifting the beef-on-the-bone ban.
Answer · Susan Deacon: As stated in The Partnership for Scotland Agreement, we look forward to ending the ban on beef-on-the-bone as soon as medical advice indicates that it would be safe to do so. The matter is still being considered by our medical advisers.
25 Aug 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what announcements were made and what information was released regarding the awarding of the contract to conduct the Scottish section of the programme of managed development of herbicide tolerant genetically modified crop trials to the Scottish Crop Research Institute in April 1999.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The answer to this question is covered by S1W-1125.
25 Aug 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what announcements were made and what information was released regarding any commitments given in relation to Scottish participation in the programme of managed development of herbicide tolerant genetically modified crop trials in October 1998.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The announcement of the decision to award the contracts for the joint UK Government and Scottish Executive programme of farmscale evaluations of the management of genetically modified herbicide tolerant crops to a consortium consisting of the Institute of Ter…
25 Aug 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it can withdraw from or implement a moratorium on Scottish participation in the programme of managed development of herbicide tolerant genetically modified crop trials and, if so, whether it will do so.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The consent to proceed with the trials in the UK has already been issued under the stringent procedures required by European law. Hence the consent holders can proceed to plant, having first given warning of and publicised the locations of the sites. None ha…
25 Aug 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what announcements it has made and what information it has released since 1 July 1999 regarding Scottish involvement in the programme of managed development of herbicide tolerant genetically modified crop trials.
Answer · Ross Finnie: In October 1998, Michael Meacher announced to the House of Lords Select Committee that agreement had been reached in principle with the plant breeding industry for a jointly-funded programme of managed development of herbicide tolerant genetically modified cr…
25 Aug 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much money it is allocating to the programme of managed development of herbicide tolerant genetically modified crop trials on sites in Scotland.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The answer to this question is covered by S1W-1082.
25 Aug 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what monitoring will be undertaken into the possible ecological effects from genetically modified organism cross-pollination outwith the trial sites during the programme of managed development of herbicide tolerant genetically modified crop trials in Scotland.
Answer · Ross Finnie: No Scottish sites have yet been identified for the programme of managed development of herbicide tolerant genetically modified crop trials.<FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2><P>All crops in the farm-scale evaluations are being grown in accordance with the SCIMAC (Supp…
25 Aug 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what procedures have been undertaken to ensure that the programme of managed development of herbicide tolerant crop trials in Scotland does not contravene EU Directive 96/220/EEC.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The consent to proceed with the trials in the UK was issued under the stringent procedures required by European law (including Directive 90/220).
25 Aug 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which Scottish scientific, environmental and consumer health groups, were involved in the consultation period prior to the announcement of the programme of managed development of herbicide tolerant genetically modified crop trials.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Scottish Natural Heritage were the Scottish organisation consulted in addition to a wide range of UK environmental and other organisations.
24 Aug 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive to specify the number of Scottish sites involved in the programme of managed development of herbicide tolerant genetically modified crop trials, the location of each of these sites, the si'e of each site and the dates on which the trials commenced at each site.
Answer · Ross Finnie: No decision has yet been taken on the number of Scottish sites which will be involved in the programme of farmscale evaluations of the management of genetically modified herbicide tolerant crops, the location of any sites, the size of each site nor the dates …
24 Aug 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of the total costs of the Scottish section of the programme of managed development of herbicide tolerant genetically modified crop trials it is contributing and, if this is less than 100%, what are the other funding sources.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The programme of farmscale evaluations of the management of genetically modified herbicide tolerant crops is being organised on a UK basis. The total cost of the UK programme, is £3.3m over 4 years, starting in 1999/00, to which the Scottish Executive is cont…
24 Aug 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to ensure the security and safety of sites in Scotland being used for the programme of managed development of herbicide tolerant genetically modified crop trials from environmental group interference; whether it will meet the cost of any security arrangements for these s…
Answer · Ross Finnie: This is a matter for the consent holder, the relevant land owner or the police as appropriate.
24 Aug 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation it has had with Her Majesty's Government regarding the programme of managed development of herbicide tolerant genetically modified crop trials on sites in Scotland.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The research programme is a joint one between the UK Government and the Scottish Executive and there is regular and frequent contact in the course of managing the programme.
24 Aug 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects a Scottish abattoir to be designated as "export only".
Answer · Ross Finnie: Any decision to apply for dedicated status under the Date Based Export Scheme is a matter of commercial judgement by those involved. At present in Scotland, we are aware that one plant is giving serious consideration to applying for DBES status and that work …
24 Aug 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to the effects on the farming and the meat processing industries of (a) short-term and (b) long-term sales of Intervention Board beef; and whether it will make a statement on this matter.
Answer · Ross Finnie: <B><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2>The</B> Scottish Executive supports the thrust of the Agenda 2000 beef reforms which are designed to phase-out intervention as a means of supporting the beef sector, and by so doing eventually eliminating the various problems…
24 Aug 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive to specify the amount and market value of Intervention Board beef held in Scotland on the first day of each calendar month since March 1996.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Since intervention purchasing recommenced in March 1996 intervention beef has been held, in up to 7 cold stores, located in Scotland. The quantities held in store on the first day of each month and their average book value as declared to the European Com…
24 Aug 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive further to the answer to question S1W-136 by Ross Finnie on 17 June 1999, what consultation has taken place with regard to a replacement for Rural Forum.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Officials have met with interested groups and organisations on various occasions. I am also aware that discussions are taking place between interested organisations, including Local Rural Partnerships.
24 Aug 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive further to the answer to question S1W-164 by Ross Finnie on 23 June 1999, how many times the Ministerial Committee on Rural Development has met to date; how often its meetings are held; what subjects have been discussed, and what action has resulted from the meetings of the Committee.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The Ministerial Committee on Rural Development held its first meeting on 1 September, when it had an initial discussion about how it would take forward its work and the priorities which it would set. The Committee agreed to meet again in early October, w…
24 Aug 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidelines are in place to ensure that there is no cross-pollination between fields involved in the programme of managed development of herbicide tolerant genetically modified crop trials and fields growing non genetically modified commercial crops.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The answer to this question is covered by S1W-741.
27 Jul 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to request the Chief Medical Officer for Scotland to conduct a separate review from that of the Chief Medical Officer for the UK of the Beef-on-the-bone ban and, if not, whether it will explain the reason for this.
Answer · Susan Deacon: e Scottish Executive will be guided by advice from the Chief Medical Officer for Scotland when reaching a view on the Beef Bones Regulations. But there is free movement of live cattle and meat within the UK. In addition the main market for our high quality ca…
22 Jul 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to address the unemployment situation in (a) Wigtownshire and (b) Upper Nithsdale.
Answer · Henry McLeish: The Scottish Executive is very conscious of the particular employment problems of areas such as Wigtownshire and Upper Nithsdale. We will work with the local authority, local enterprise company and other local agencies to provide new employment opportunities …
9 Jul 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to prevent the potato disease, Brown Rot, spreading within the Scottish potato crop.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Potato brown rot has never been found in the Scottish potato crop and a number of measures are already in place to prevent this. Scottish grown potatoes and material entering Scotland from both within and outwith the European Community are inspected for symp…
9 Jul 1999 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to ensure that the work of Rural Forum Scotland is continued.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Steps are being taken to find other means to take forward work relating to the management of the EU Objective 5b Programme in Rural Stirling and Upland Tayside, and by the Scottish Churches Housing Agency in respect of the Rural Housing Service. I and m…