Bruce Crawford

12 May 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to develop a rescue plan in conjunction with the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals to prevent any closure of the society's animal rescue centres.

Answer · Hugh Henry: The society has not invited the Executive to become involved in these matters.

12 May 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports the work of the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and what assessment it has carried out of the potential impact of any closure of the society's animal welfare centres.

Answer · Hugh Henry: The Executive does not at present provide financial assistance to the society. No such assessment has been carried out.

12 May 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it became aware of the current funding situation of the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and what initial support it has offered to the society.

Answer · Hugh Henry: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-40 on 3 June 2003. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at:<P><A HREF="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/web…

12 May 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals regarding its current funding situation and when any such discussions took place.

Answer · Hugh Henry: The society has not sought such discussions with the Executive. An officer of the society telephoned an Executive official on 14 May, offering an opportunity to inform the Executive in more detail about the society's current financial position and the action …

17 Mar 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to assess the potential benefits of an environmental court as a possible means of securing improved environmental justice.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive is committed to the effective and appropriate enforcement of environmental legislation. Environmental protection and environmental justice are key objectives in creating a sustainable future for Scotland. <P>The Scottish Land Court is b…

17 Mar 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how often, and in what format, it will report on achieving progress against each of the indicators set out in Indicators of Sustainable Development for Scotland.

Answer · Ross Finnie: In paragraph 49 of <I>Meeting the Needs...</I>, and in the introduction to <I>Indicators of Sustainable Development for Scotland</I>, we stated our intention to report regularly on the status of the sustainable development indicators. We are currently conside…

17 Mar 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has provided any guidance to its departments, executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies to assist in the review of spending plans against sustainable development criteria and, if so, whether it will publish this guidance.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The process followed during the Spending Review 2002, including the guidance and support for departments, is set out in <I>Building a Sustainable Scotland</I>, published on 18 December 2002.

17 Mar 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Sustainable Scotland last met; when it will meet next, and what plans it has to review and update the external membership of the committee.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Cabinet Sub-Committee on Sustainable Scotland last met on 15 January 2003. I refer the member to the answer given to question S1O-6237 on 16 January 2003, which is available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at:<P><A …

17 Mar 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it has taken, or plans to take, to ensure that all the indicators in Indicators of Sustainable Development for Scotland have targets and action plans, and what its timetable is for the publication of a revised set of indicators with complete targets and action plans.

Answer · Ross Finnie: As stated in the introduction of the report, we intend to set targets for some indicators in light of further policy and scientific work but for others it is more appropriate to monitor the trend than set a target. Action on each indicator is set out in the r…

17 Mar 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when a comprehensive strategy on sustainable development will be prepared.

Answer · Ross Finnie: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-34855 on 25 March 2003. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at <A HREF="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/w…

17 Mar 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken, or plans to take, to broaden the indicators in to include indicators addressing (a) soils, (b) farmland biodiversity, (c) landscapes, (d) areas of ancient and semi-natural woodland, (e) areas of woodland and (f) sustainable forestry management.

Answer · Ross Finnie: As stated in the introduction of the report, and in paragraph 43 of <I>Meeting the Needs...</I>, we will review the usefulness of the indicators in 2003. We will consider emerging opinion, such as that expressed at the World Summit, and we will add to the ind…

17 Mar 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which indicators in Indicators of Sustainable Development for Scotland will address access to local green space and the wider countryside.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The indicators are measures of sustainable development and do not specifically address access to local green space and the wider countryside. However, Indicators 1, 2, 4, 6-10, 17, 18 and 22-24 have some bearing on quality of, and access to, local green space…

17 Mar 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which indicators in Indicators of Sustainable Development for Scotland will address quality of surroundings.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The indicators are measures of sustainable development and do not specifically address quality of surroundings. However, depending on the definition of "quality of surroundings", many of the indicators could be said to have some relevance.

17 Mar 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which indicators in Indicators of Sustainable Development for Scotland will address effective protection of the environment.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The indicators are measures of sustainable development and do not specifically address effective protection of the environment. However, Indicators 1, 4-17 and 20 have most relevance to protection of the environment.

17 Mar 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what information was available for Indicators of Sustainable Development for Scotland that was not available for Meeting the Needs... Priorities, Actions and Targets for sustainable development in Scotland.

Answer · Ross Finnie: <I>Indicators of Sustainable Development for Scotland</I> describes in detail each of the indicators listed in <I>Meeting the Needs... </I>As stated in the introduction, the information in the report is based upon the latest figures available at the time of p…

17 Mar 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many new sustainable development targets have been set in Indicators of Sustainable Development for Scotland.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Since the publication of <I>Meeting the Needs...</I> in April 2002, we have set three new sustainable development targets and revised two others.<P>In <I>Meeting the Needs...</I> we stated that further information on transport indicators would be published la…

17 Mar 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how information was collected for Indicators of Sustainable Development for Scotland.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Sustainable Development Team collected the information from Scottish Executive policy divisions and statisticians and agencies and other bodies as appropriate. All data sources are explained, with references, in the report.

17 Mar 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many responses were received to its consultation paper, Meeting the Needs... Priorities, Actions and Targets for sustainable development in Scotland and how these responses were incorporated into Indicators of Sustainable Development for Scotland.

Answer · Ross Finnie: <I>Meeting the Needs...Priorities, Actions and Targets for Sustainable Development in Scotland</I> was not a consultation paper. As explained in paragraph 42 of <I>Meeting the Needs...</I>, the Scottish Executive launched its consultation, <I>Checking for Cha…

17 Mar 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1F-2038 by Mr Jack McConnell on 5 September 2002, whether a copy of its "clear strategy" on sustainable development is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre and, if so, what the strategy is called.

Answer · Ross Finnie: In April 2002, we published <I>Meeting the Needs... Priorities, Actions and Targets for sustainable development in Scotland</I>, which sets out our vision for sustainable development in Scotland. We have identified resource use, energy and travel as the main …

5 Mar 2003 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the licensing of genetically modified crops for commercial use.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Decisions to authorise the commercial importation or cultivation of any GM crop will be taken by the EU member states collectively, working with the European Commission, in the context of Directive 2001/18. These decisions are taken on a case-by-case basis in…

21 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to further reduce climate change gases to meet the EU's overall Kyoto target of 8% below 1990 levels.

Answer · Allan Wilson: The UK share of the EU Kyoto target is a 12.5% reduction in 1990 levels of greenhouse gas emissions by 2008-12. The Executive is working in partnership with the UK Government to meet this commitment and latest projections suggest that the UK is well on course…

21 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the levels were of climate change gases emitted in (a) 1999, (b) 2000, (c) 2001 and (d) 2002.

Answer · Allan Wilson: Data on emissions of greenhouse gases in the UK and its constituent countries are available in a publication entitled <I>Greenhouse Gas Inventories for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland</I>. The latest available data are for 1999 and can be found …

13 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to build a processing plant for energy crops and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

Answer · Ross Finnie: No. Any plan for the construction and operation of a processing plant for energy crops is a commercial decision for those in the renewables industry and agriculture sector to consider. The Executive does not enter into commercial ventures of this nature.

13 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the air quality concentrations were at all monitoring sites for (a) lead, (b) particulate matter 10 emissions, (c) nitrogen dioxide, (d) carbon monoxide, (e) ground level o'one and (f) sulphur dioxide in (i) 1999, (ii) 2000, (iii) 2001 and (iv) 2002.

Answer · Allan Wilson: The information requested is provided in the following tables. Figures are annual means for those sites in Scotland which form part of the UK monitoring network.<P>Local authorities also undertake air quality monitoring as part of their responsibilities under…

13 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the levels of emissions of carbon dioxide were in (a) 2000, (b) 2001 and (c) 2002, broken down by source.

Answer · Allan Wilson: UK greenhouse gas emissions data, including carbon dioxide, has been disaggregated to England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland annually since 2000, when data for 1990 and 1995 was first published. The most recently published data, for 1999, are available…

3 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any plans to introduce regulations to make it compulsory for businesses to recycle commercial packaging waste.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 1997, as amended, already do this.

3 Feb 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what regulations are in place to ensure that the target is met of recovering 50% of packaging waste by 2005, as required by European Parliament and Council Directive 94/62/EC on packaging and packaging waste.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Directive 94/62/EC requires a minimum of 50% of packaging to be recovered by 30 June 2001. The Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 1997 were introduced to achieve this.

27 Jan 2003 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Presiding Officer whether British Energy has renewed, or has indicated that it intends to renew, its membership of the Scottish Parliament and Business Exchange.

Answer · David Steel: This is a matter for British Energy to decide, once they receive a request to renew their subscription.

22 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the level of spending per pupil to be provided by Stirling Council for St Mary's Episcopal Primary School in Dunblane for 2003-04 is satisfactory.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The level of spending per pupil to be provided by Stirling Council in any of its local authority funded schools would be a matter for the council.

22 Jan 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Stirling Council regarding the funding of St Mary's Episcopal Primary School in Dunblane and what guidance it has provided to the council about the future funding of the school

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Executive has had discussions with Stirling Council each year regarding the school's annual recurrent grant. The Executive has not provided any formal guidance to the council regarding the future funding of the school.