Alex Fergusson

21 Mar 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what (a) research and (b) impact assessments have been carried out on the impact of offshore (i) wind, (ii) wave and (iii) tidal installations on the marine biodiversity of the west coast, including migrating sharks and the breeding cycles and habitats of fish species, and whether this in…

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government has published a Research Implementation Strategy to inform the development of offshore renewable energy in Scottish waters. The strategy aims to address the gaps in current knowledge that have been identified through the ongoing progra…

21 Mar 2012 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the changes being made to the structure and remit of the Inshore Fisheries Groups (IFG), whether stakeholders will be invited to (a) contribute to inshore fisheries management (i) in any revised IFG structure and (ii) through the National Fisheries Management and Conservation…

Answer · Richard Lochhead: As implementation of the Inshore Fisheries Strategy 2012 is taken forward, stakeholders will continue to be involved in the revised IFG structure, and the Fisheries Management and Conservation Group. Key stakeholders will also be invited to participate in the…

29 Feb 2012 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when Scottish Natural Heritage will publish further guidance on the "cumulative impact [of wind farms] and a range of additional guidance on siting and landscape matters" to which the Minister for Energy, Enterprise and Tourism referred in the Members' Business debate on 1 December 2011. …

27 Feb 2012 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what steps have been taken to deal with Schmallenberg virus if it spreads to Scotland.

8 Feb 2012 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to improve access to treatments for people with Tourette's syndrome.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Tourette’s syndrome usually appears in childhood and adolescence, and is normally treated in a multi-disciplinary CAMHS team. This provides thorough bio-psycho-social assessment, and appropriate treatment which can include behavioural and pharmacological inte…

7 Dec 2011 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the Dunragit bypass on the A75 will be completed.

5 Dec 2011 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what percentage of the £60 billion that the Scottish Government has allocated for infrastructure projects over the next 15 years will be spent on roads.

5 Dec 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the annual income from licensing fees has been in each year since 2009, broken down by (a) local authority and (b) rateable value category.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Data on income from licensing fees for the financial year 2009-10 is in the public domain and is contained within Annex F of the Scottish Local Government Financial Statistics. It can be found on the Scottish Government website at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk…

9 Nov 2011 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on Scottish Natural Heritage's proposal to remove the site of special scientific interest designation from Pibble Mine in Wigtownshire.

8 Nov 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to amend the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 to change the period of time in which a licensing board's licensing policy is in force.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government is currently considering whether changes to the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 are required.

8 Nov 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to reduce the hours during which alcohol can be sold through off-sales.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government is currently considering whether changes to the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 are required.

8 Nov 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to amend the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 to place a general duty on licensing boards to promote the Act's licensing objectives.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government is currently considering whether changes to the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 are required.

8 Nov 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what recommendations in the Alcohol Focus Scotland report, Re-thinking alcohol licensing, it plans to implement.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government is aware of the recommendations of the Alcohol Focus Scotland report and is considering its response.

8 Nov 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to amend the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 so that the locality for assessment of overprovision can be the entire licensing board area.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government is currently considering whether changes to the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005 are required.

8 Nov 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S4O-00271 by Kenny MacAskill on 27 October 2011 (Official Report c. 2833) when it will commission the independent review of the system of alcohol licensing fees and what the timescale of the review will be.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Officials will begin work shortly on the preparation of the specification required to commence a tendering process. We are not yet in a position to set a timescale for the review.

5 Oct 2011 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to revisit the basis under which businesses are assessed for a licence to sell alcohol under the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005.

15 Sep 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much financial support it and its agencies provide to Scottish Environment Link; for what specific purposes, and how this investment is evaluated.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Details of funding provided to Scottish Environment LINK since 2007-08 are available in the annual reports and accounts on the Scottish Environment Link website: http://www.scotlink.org/public/publications/annual_report.php. The Scottish Government is pro…

7 Sep 2011 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth last met Dumfries and Galloway Council and what matters were discussed.

Answer · John Swinney: I last met Dumfries and Galloway Council on 8 August, as part of the programme of events associated with the Stranraer Summer Cabinet.

29 Jun 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what efforts were made to identify the number of rural registered homeless people when carrying out the 2011 Census.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: To ensure that everyone who was homeless was included in the Census, the Registrar General collaborated closely with local authorities and with voluntary bodies involved in the care of homeless people. The census questionnaire did not ask people whether or no…

15 Jun 2011 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Wellbeing and Cities Strategy last met officials from NHS Dumfries and Galloway and what issues were discussed.

2 Jun 2011 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to produce new guidelines for local authorities on the siting of large-scale onshore wind farms.

8 Feb 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that all households continue to have access to the internet in the event of internet service providers discontinuing dial-up connections.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: Telecoms regulation isreserved and the issue raised is a matter for OFCOM.</p>

31 Jan 2007 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied that the law pertaining to asset seizure in drug-related cases is being evenly applied.

Answer · Elish Angiolini: Yes, we are satisfied the lawin this area is applied evenly.</p><p>The law enforcement agenciesare using the provisions of the Proceeds of Crime Act to great effect. I announcedearlier this week, a total of over £10 million has been recovered through criminal…

7 Dec 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive for which properties in Scotland the Forestry Commission has made an offer in each of the last five years, showing which of these offers were successful and the amount of each successful offer.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: The following table providesthe information on properties for which Forestry Commission Scotland has made anoffer since April 2001. The information is listed in date order.</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td width=193 valign=t…

10 Oct 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the 2006 single farm payment will be paid before the end of the calendar year.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The payment window for the SingleFarm Payment Scheme in the current year, as set in European Legislation, opens on1 December 2006, and closes on 30 June 2007.My department aims to deliver payments to producers with eligible claims as earlyas possible in the p…

10 Oct 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will take steps to release hill land that is currently owned by the Forestry Commission but which remains unplanted for agricultural purposes.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: The nationalforest estate is owned by Scottish ministers and managed by Forestry CommissionScotland. We have no plans to release the remaining unplanted hill land on the national forest estate for agriculturalpurposes. Unplanted hill land is an integralpart o…

14 Sep 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what figures the traffic flow figures were at each collection point along the A75 in each year since January 2000.

Answer · Tavish Scott: The Scottish Executive has 27traffic monitoring sites on the A75 trunk road. The site locations and details of the traffic flows from 2000 to 2006 are as follows:</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <tr> <td width=124 nowrap valign=bottom> <p al…

14 Sep 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-21784 and S2W-21736 by Tavish Scott on 17 and 20 January 2006 respectively, whether any schemes considered for, but not included in, the A76 Route Action Plan will be considered for Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance appraisal and possible inclu…

Answer · Tavish Scott: The Strategic Transport ProjectsReview which is currently under way will provide an opportunity to consider themajor public transport and road transport priorities for the future. This reviewwill take into account issues of national or strategic importance af…

14 Sep 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-21784 and S2W-21736 by Tavish Scott on 17 and 20 January 2006 respectively, whether the schemes identified in the A76 Route Action Plan at Polquhirter, Brackenhill and Cample will be subject to Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance in the context o…

Answer · Tavish Scott: Yes, the schemes identified inthe A76 Route Action Plan at Polquhirter, Brackenhill and Cample will be subjectto Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance in the context of the current StrategicTransport Projects Review.</p><p>Transport Scotland hasthe operationa…

14 Sep 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21735 by Tavish Scott on 23 January 2006, whether it will update the information provided, showing traffic flows and final data for 2005.

Answer · Tavish Scott: There are 12 permanent automatictraffic counters located on the A76 trunk road. The site locations and the finalAnnual Average Daily Flows (AADF) for 2005 are as follows:</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td valign=top> <p al…