Alex Fergusson

23 Apr 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many abattoirs have closed since 2007.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: According to information provided by the Food Standards Agency, Scotland, 14 abattoirs have closed since 2007.

23 Apr 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what proportion of lambs raised in Scotland was slaughtered in abattoirs in Scotland in the last year for which information is available.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: In 2012 just under 54 percent of the lambs born and raised in Scotland were processed in abattoirs in Scotland.

28 Mar 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to impose conditions that would limit the use of sea lice data for scientific purposes.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: No. Data or information released by the Scottish Government would have no conditions’ limiting its use.

28 Mar 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to prevent the publication of sea lice data being published in peer-reviewed scientific journals.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: No. The content of publications is determined by scientific needs. The Ministerial Group on Sustainable Aquaculture Working Group on Science and Research will take forward discussion of how best to coordinate and maximise the impact of resources deployed on r…

28 Mar 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether arrangements are in place to (a) retain and (b) make available sea lice data that it has gathered for (i) scientific and (ii) academic research.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: All of the primary data is owned and retained by private third parties. Marine Scotland Scientists will retain sea lice data or access to the data that has been used to publish research results in line with scientific professional practice which is to be able…

28 Mar 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what arrangements it has in place with the salmon farming industry for the provision of sea lice data for the purpose of scientific research and whether these will be extended to include weekly counts of sea lice at each farm.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: As indicated during stage 2 of the Bill, the Scottish Government has a commitment from the Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation to provide Marine Scotland with access to sea lice information at farm management area level to support defined areas of research…

28 Mar 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether its policy on the publication of sea lice data was influenced by the 2012 study by Jensen et al on sea lice and salmon farming that was published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: While the Scottish Government continue to welcome all scientific consideration, including the study by Jensen et al, the Scottish Government’s clear preference has always been, and continues to be, to deliver necessary improvements in data availability throug…

28 Mar 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the data used in the sea lice dispersal model for Loch Linnhe was not made available prior to being published in the Journal of Fish Diseases and on what date Marine Scotland Science received the data.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: At no point during this project’s progression have data been withheld. Marine Scotland Science received the information by 30 October 2012 and further work on the model using this information is being carried out, given the dispersal modelling still has a yea…

5 Mar 2013 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to encourage the use of air source heat pumps.

30 Jan 2013 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what measures are being taken to improve access to GP services.

16 Jan 2013 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to encourage new business start-ups.

9 Jan 2013 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what training is given to teachers to help pupils with additional support needs.

19 Dec 2012 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its plans are for Shambellie House and grounds in the event of the National Museums of Scotland confirming its decision to close the National Museum of Costume. 

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: As I said during the members’ business debate on 21 November 2012, the Scottish Government is open to suitable proposals about the future use of Shambellie House from the local community or wider Dumfries and Galloway region, should National Museums Scotland …

4 Dec 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding from the Rural Priorities scheme has been allocated to each Regional Proposal Assessment Committee region in each year since 2007, broken down by axis.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Funds are not allocated to the Regional Priority Assessment Committee (RPAC) regions, rather the RPACs themselves recommend projects to be allocated funds. This is done based on the score that each project has been judged fit to receive by the individual case…

21 Nov 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when Scottish Natural Heritage will publish its phase 2 wild land mapping exercise, which was to have been published in the spring of 2012.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Following the consultation by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) on a map of relative wildness for all of Scotland, discussions are ongoing between SNH and the Scottish Government about next steps. No decision has yet been taken about when any further output fro…

21 Nov 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the usefulness of Scottish Natural Heritage’s Natural Heritage Indicator N3, Visual influence of built development and land use change, in establishing a baseline of protected landscapes with the aim of ensuring adequate protection for the natural heritage.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: This indicator shows the theoretical visibility of built development on land and at sea. As such it is useful as one measure of change in human influence across all of Scotland’s landscapes. It does not focus on protected landscapes. Protection for the natur…

21 Nov 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has sought an update of Scottish Natural Heritage's Natural Heritage Indicator N3, Visual influence of built development and land use change, last produced in June 2010, and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The Scottish Government is aware that Scottish Natural Heritage is working to update this indicator. The methodology which underpins the indicator is being redeveloped because of changes in the methodology used by the Centre of Ecology and Hydrology to produc…

21 Nov 2012 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will be in a position to confirm which company will be responsible for trunk road maintenance in south west Scotland for the next contract period.

12 Nov 2012 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on whether the National Museums Scotland should make its collection available throughout the country.

5 Nov 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many shared equity purchases have been made through its Open Market Shared Equity Scheme in (a) remote and (b) accessible rural areas, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Margaret Burgess: The Scottish Government does not hold this data centrally. However, I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-08694 on 9 August 2012, as it contains the number of completions for the Scottish Government’s shared equity schemes by local authority area o…

29 Oct 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the costs of wind energy development will be over the lifetime of the contracts that have been issued, including costs related to transmission and paid by consumers.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: Contracts between renewable generators and the purchasers of their output are a commercial matter. Forecasts accompanying the recent review of the Renewables Obligation (RO) mechanism suggest that the annual cost of the RO to domestic consumers is currently a…

29 Oct 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish its cost-benefit analysis of wind energy.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: Support for wind generation and all other eligible renewable technologies are delivered through the Renewables Obligation (RO) legislation. The support levels vary between those technologies, and are based on detailed assessments of their costs and deployment…

10 Aug 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the fourth generation contract for the South West Unit Trunk Road Operating Company will be announced; for what reason the original tender date of May 2012 was missed; when the work will start, and which agency will provide on-going maintenance and winter services until then.

Answer · Keith Brown: Transport Scotland is currently evaluating the tenders for the South West (and North West) contracts in accordance with the Public Contracts (Scotland) Regulations 2006. As this is a live procurement exercise it would be inappropriate to disclose any details …

8 Aug 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the annual cost is of (a) diagnosing and (b) treating Lyme disease in humans; what the average amount of days lost at work are, and how much this costs the economy.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: This information is not held centrally as NHS boards are not required to report this information to Scottish Government.

27 Jun 2012 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what consultation was carried out prior to deciding that all refurbished and new-build hospitals would comprise single-room only accommodation for patients.

30 May 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to address the non-availability of the lipace inhibitor, Orlistat.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The non-availability across the UK of the lipase inhibitor, Orlistat is a matter for the principal manufacturer concerned. I understand that Roche Products Ltd, the main manufacturer of Orlistat (Xenical®), has experienced ongoing manufacturing issues since …

30 May 2012 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met the Chief Constable of Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary and what matters were discussed.

23 May 2012 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what powers police forces have to deal with illegal cockle fishing.

25 Apr 2012 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to review its proposal on General Binding Rule 18, which would prevent fertiliser and pesticides being applied to land with a slope greater than 12 degrees.

28 Mar 2012 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when work will commence on the construction of the Dunragit bypass on the A75.