Alasdair Morgan

9 Jul 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there has been any consultation with other rural development organisations prior to the discontinuance of funding to Rural Forum Scotland.

Answer · Ross Finnie: There was no discontinuance of funding to Rural Forum. Funding commitments to Rural Forum continued up until the Scottish Office was notified that the organisation had been put into liquidation by the Board.

9 Jul 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the financial position of Rural Forum Scotland has been monitored and, if so, will it provide details of such monitoring.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Monitoring of Rural Forum's overall financial position was a matter for that organisation's Board.

9 Jul 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive to specify the amount of public money in each of the past ten financial years which has been paid to Rural Forum Scotland.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The table provides details of the available information on payments made by The Scottish Office to Rural Forum since 1992-93. In some cases Rural Forum will have sub-contracted work to other organisations. Further information about other public sector suppo…

8 Jul 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will take steps to encourage supermarket chains to purchase pork, bacon and ham from pig producers in Scotland.

Answer · Ross Finnie: I will use whatever opportunities arise to impress upon both retailers and consumers the high quality of Scottish pigmeat products, as well as the very high standards applying to their production, with the aim of encouraging the consumption of high quality Sc…

8 Jul 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in relation to the labelling of meat products, it will take steps to ensure that the phrase "Produced in Scotland" means born and raised in Scotland.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Meat products are defined in EC law and the labelling requirements are largely harmonised at EC level. These requirements are implemented in Scotland by the Food Labelling Regulations 1996. They require that the particulars of country of origin or provenanc…

8 Jul 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will call for an urgent review of EU Directive 91/630 titled "Laying down the minimum standards for the protection of pigs" to ensure that the standards of animal welfare imposed upon pig farmers in Scotland are equivalent to those imposed upon pig farmers throughout the European …

Answer · Ross Finnie: A review of EU Directive 91/630 is already underway. As the first stage of this review, the Commission's Scientific Veterinary Committee has submitted a report which highlights the welfare disadvantages of tethers and close confinement stalls and which …

8 Jul 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation it has had with representatives of the Scottish pig farming industry regarding the present difficulties facing the industry.

Answer · Ross Finnie: My Department maintains regular contact with representatives of the Scottish pig industry and has done so since serious financial difficulties first beset this sector.

8 Jul 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to ensure that imported pork, bacon and ham supplied to its own and local authority catering services complies to the same standards as that to which pig producers in Scotland are obliged to comply with.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Neither the Treaty of Rome nor the rules of the World Trade Organisation allow Scotland to ban the import of meat products that have not been produced to the same husbandry standards as required here.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">However, a new EC Directive, agreed in J…