Bruce Crawford

4 Nov 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the annual costs are of storing rendered cattle carcasses that remain in storage following BSE outbreaks.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The yearly cost of storing Over Thirty Months Slaughter Scheme (OTMS) rendered products (meat and bonemeal (MBM) and tallow) peaked at around £21 million in the 2001-02 financial year when 15 MBM stores and three tallow stores were on contract throughout the …

4 Nov 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many tonnes of rendered cattle carcasses remain in storage following BSE outbreaks and at what specific locations such rendered remains are being stored.

Answer · Ross Finnie: At the start of November 85,000 tonnes of meat and bonemeal remain in storage across the UK, at various locations, including one in Scotland at Whitehill Industrial Estate, Glenrothes.<I><P>The following is a corrected answer (published on 26 November 2002); …

7 Oct 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the specific disposal routes and locations were for plants grown at GM crop trial sites other than Munlochy in the Black Isle.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The disposal of GM crops from individual trials is governed by the consents that apply to each trial and is a matter for the consent holder in each case.

7 Oct 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in regard to the harvesting and disposal of plants grown at the GM crop trial at Munlochy in the Black Isle.

Answer · Ross Finnie: None. The consent holder is accountable to the Scottish Executive's GM Inspectorate for the conditions surrounding the harvest and disposal of the GM crops grown at Munlochy.

7 Oct 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what conditions apply to contractors or any other persons that carry out harvesting of plants grown at GM crop trials.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The conditions that apply to the harvest of GM crops are specific to the individual releases and are contained within the consents. The consents are available on the public register.

7 Oct 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what licensing conditions apply to operators contracted to transport plants from GM crop trials to disposal sites.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Operators transporting GM material from a trial site for disposal are subject to the same road licensing requirements and any relevant codes of good practice as other waste hauliers. No specific conditions relating to the transport of GM material from Scottis…

7 Oct 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many landfill sites are licensed to accept plants harvested from GM crop trials.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The information is not held centrally. As agricultural waste, plants harvested from GM crop trials would be exempt from waste management controls under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 (as amended), and so would not generally be the subject of landfill l…

7 Oct 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the specific location was for the disposal of plants grown at the GM crop trial at Munlochy in the Black Isle.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The disposal of the harvest from the GM crop grown at Munlochy is a matter for the consent holder, Bayer AG, who must satisfy the GM Inspectorate that the conditions of the consent have been met. The geographical location of the disposal site is not stipulate…

7 Oct 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish any regulations and guidance for the disposal of harvested GM crops.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The conditions that apply for the disposal of harvested GM crops are contained in the consents for individual releases. Those consents are available on the Public Register.

7 Oct 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive who was responsible for drawing up any regulations and guidance for the disposal of harvested GM crops.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The conditions relating to the disposal of harvested GM crops are contained in the consents. The consents are approved by the regulatory authorities following advice from ACRE and are placed on the Public Register.

7 Oct 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Bayer AG in regard to the disposal of the GM crop plants grown at Munlochy in the Black Isle.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive's GM Inspectorate is in regular contact with consent holders about matters relating to compliance with consents.

7 Oct 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive who has monitoring responsibilities to ensure that GM crop trial plants are disposed of appropriately.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Scottish Agricultural Science Agency, the Scottish Executive's appointed GM Inspectorate, monitor compliance with the conditions of individual consents, including the disposal of the harvested GM material.

7 Oct 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the recommended disposal routes are for GM oilseed rape crop trial plants following harvesting and why plants grown at these trials need to be disposed of by these methods.

Answer · Ross Finnie: There are no recommended disposal routes for the harvested GM crop. The harvest must be disposed in a manner compliant with the terms of the individual consents.

6 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what monitoring is carried out to ensure that none of the yield from crops situated in the vicinity of GM crop trials is contaminated by the trials and that no core material so affected is able to enter the human food chain.

Answer · Ross Finnie: No specific monitoring is carried out on crops situated in the vicinity of GM crop trials.<P>Separation distances are in place around GM crop trials to minimise the potential for cross-pollination. They do not reflect any doubts about safety; they are used to…

6 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what monitoring is carried out to ensure that dairy herds are not fed foodstocks containing genetically modified material.

Answer · Mary Mulligan: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-29061. 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/webapp/search_wa">…

6 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many dairy herds are fed with foodstock containing genetically modified materials.

Answer · Mary Mulligan: I am advised by the Food Standards Agency that information is not held centrally on livestock fed genetically modified (GM) feed and feed materials. There is, however, a fact sheet entitled "GM Material in Animal Feed" on the agency's website at: <A HREF="ht…

6 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what funding for the Scottish Assigned Budget it derived for the landfill tax in each year since 1999-2000.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The landfill tax is part of the generality of revenues to the UK Exchequer. In setting public expenditure, it is not general practice to attribute specific revenues to specific spending provision.

6 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will issue new guidelines to local authorities restricting the signing of contracts for the disposal of waste through landfill or incineration.

Answer · Ross Finnie: In general, local authorities are independent corporate bodies whose powers and duties are set out in statute law. Within the law they are free to exercise discretion in carrying out their functions and managing their day-to-day business. Ministers cannot int…

6 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will issue new guidelines restricting the future use of landfill disposal sites.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive issued a consultation paper entitled <I>Safer Landfill</I> on 29 August. This contains a draft set of regulations that the Executive intends to make, designed to tighten up controls surrounding the use and operation of landfill sites. A…

6 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will introduce new guidelines for local authorities to protect areas of scenic beauty and those considered environmentally sensitive or fragile from the development of wind turbine electricity farms.

Answer · Hugh Henry: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-29056. All answers to written PQs are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at: <A HREF="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa">http://www.scottish…

6 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will develop new guidelines for local authorities to produce strategic plans for the siting of wind turbine electricity farms, detailing areas where (a) such farms would not be acceptable and (b) applications could attract a presumption in favour of development status.

Answer · Hugh Henry: Guidance on how local authorities should provide for wind farms in their development plans is set out in <I>National Planning Policy Guideline 6: Renewable Energy Developments</I>. This guidance will be kept under review, particularly in the light of any revi…

6 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive on how many occasions the Ministry of Defence has recommended the refusal of the approval of a proposed wind turbine electricity farm.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Twice.

6 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Ministry of Defence to facilitate the future development of wind turbine electricity farms.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Officials from the Scottish Executive and the Ministry of Defence have been involved in a series of meetings to identify the constraints on windfarm development and to identify solutions. These discussions are ongoing. <P>The Scottish Executive is also repres…

6 Sep 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications for the construction of wind turbine electricity farms it has sent to the Ministry of Defence for consultation.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Seven.

8 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the public debate on GM issues announced by Her Majesty's Government on 31 May 2002 will also take place in Scotland and, if so, how many organisations and individuals based in Scotland will be appointed to the steering board.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Yes. The Scottish Executive, on behalf of the other devolved administrations, has responded to the Agriculture and Environment Biotechnology Commission (AEBC) proposals for a public debate in advance of decisions on the possible commercialisation of GM crops.…

7 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to expand the membership of the board of Fife NHS Board to include members of the general public in order to ensure and encourage a more reasoned approach to finding solutions to health care issues in Fife and to improve the public accountability of the board.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive publication<I>, Rebuilding our National Health</I>, dated May 2001, provides details of the membership, composition and role of NHS boards. <P>NHS boards are required to focus clearly on people's experience of their local NHS system, by…

7 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the term of office for the current Chair of Fife NHS Board will officially come to an end.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Ms Esther Roberton's current term of appointment will end on 31 March 2004.

7 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many applicants were selected for interview for the post of Chair of Fife NHS Board and who each candidate was.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Of the 33 applications received, nine candidates were interviewed.<P>I am not in a position to disclose personal information about individual candidates.

7 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications there were for the post of Chair of Fife NHS Board.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: A total of 33 applications were received.

7 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it plans to meet those representatives of the Fife Health Services Action Group that are resident in the Dunfermline West parliamentary constituency.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I had a very positive meeting with Helen Eadie MSP, Scott Barrie MSP and several other people, including representatives from the Dunfermline West parliamentary constituency, on Monday 26 August.