Bruce Crawford

8 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of the current position regarding Article 226 letter infraction proceedings initiated by the European Commission in respect of (a) 98/5023: Parallel imports of plant protection products in the UK (supplementary A226 letter), (b) 2000/2272: Transportation of…

Answer · Jim Wallace: I refer the member to the answer given to question SIW-18942.

8 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of the current position regarding pre-Article 226 letter infraction proceedings initiated by the European Commission in respect of (a) 2000/4034: EC Directive 76/160/EEC: Concerning quality of bathing water, (b) 2000/4976: Proposed development at Kingask E…

Answer · Jim Wallace: Correspondence between the Commission and a member state on an infraction case often forms part of a negotiation over complex and delicate issues, which will not necessarily lead to proceedings before the Court. It may harm the chances of reaching a satisfact…

5 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications were made under the Powershift programme to convert (a) private and (b) commercial vehicles to (i) liquefied natural gas and (ii) liquid petroleum gas in each year since 1997, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: This information was provided on 21 September, in response to a question by Mr Kenny MacAskill. I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-17986 on 21 September 2001.

27 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail any areas in which it or any of its agencies or non-departmental public bodies are currently infringing any European Union Directives or Regulations; what the current status of any such infringements is, and whether any of them relate to the environment and, if so, …

Answer · Jack McConnell: All Member States of the European Union are currently the subject of investigations by the European Commission regarding breaches of European law. The United Kingdom has a good record on such matters.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">There is one breach of European environm…

20 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the Minister for Environment and Rural Development will reply to my letter of 16 August 2001 regarding the restructuring of the Scottish water industry.

Answer · Ross Finnie: A reply was sent on 28 September.

12 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish its response to Her Majesty's Government's consultation on the European Commission's Environmental Action Programme, Environment 2010: Our Future, Our Choice.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Executive responded to Her Majesty's Government on the European Commission's 6th Environmental Action Programme, and in common with normal practice, it respects the confidentiality of the information exchanged.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">On 5 June 2001, my officia…

7 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-17505 by Mr Alasdair Morrison on 28 August 2001, when it will issue its submission to the Energy Review to the Cabinet Office and, if no exact date is known at this time, how it will inform MSPs when it has placed the submission in the Scottish Parli…

Answer · Alasdair Morrison: An initial paper from the Executive was submitted to the Energy Review Team on 13 September. It was also placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre on that date (Bib. No. 16141). It is our intention to follow that up with a further input later in the autumn,…

6 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-17464 by Ross Finnie on 5 September 2001, what specific training is given to its staff on the development of sustainability policies.

Answer · Ross Finnie: No specific training is given to civil servants on developing sustainability policies - any more than it is for most other areas of policy.

30 Aug 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the East of Scotland Water Authority has been installing water meters in the premises of non-domestic customers with neither prior consultation nor consent and, if so, when it was informed about this practice.

Answer · Ross Finnie: This is an operational matter for the East of Scotland Water Authority. I have asked Dr Jon Hargreaves, Chief Executive of ESWA to respond. His response is as follows:<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">I have been asked by the minister to respond. A programme of meter instal…

30 Aug 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which capital procurement projects have had to be deferred by water authorities in each year since 1996-97 and in 2001-02 to date due to the non-payment of charges by water customers.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The capital programme undertaken by each water authority is agreed annually. The programme agreed takes account of the levels of bad debt expected.

30 Aug 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the level of non-payment of charges by (a) domestic and (b) non-domestic water customers was in each water authority area in each year since 1996-97 and in the first quarter of 2001-02.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Published audited information is only available for 1996-97 to 1999-2000. Figures for 2000-01 will be available shortly once the audited accounts for the three water authorities have been laid before Parliament.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">The figures in the table repr…

24 Aug 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will hold an inquiry into Fife Health Board's handling of the recent case of the death of a patient from Hepatitis B contracted from a doctor.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: An Incident Control Team was set up by Fife Health Board in February this year, when the first report of hepatitis B infection was received. A full investigation is currently under way and a report will be submitted to the board once the Incident Control Team…

24 Aug 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it intends to take with regard to the announcement by Fife Health Board on 22 August 2001 of the death of a patient from Hepatitis B contracted from a doctor.

Answer · Susan Deacon: I refer the member to the answers given to questions S1W-17772 and S1W-17908.

24 Aug 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the appointments of the Chief Executive and Chair of the new Scottish Water Authority announced on 8 August 2001 complied with the relevant principles in the report of the Nolan Committee.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The prospective Chair and Chief Executive of Scottish Water have been identified by interview processes involving an independent assessor, in line with guidance from Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments (OCPA). In respect of the post of Chair, w…

21 Aug 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the Deputy Minister for Environment and Rural Development will reply to my letter of 30 July 2001 regarding carbon emissions in Scotland.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: I replied to the member's letter of 30 July on 26 August.

20 Aug 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of all the organisations from whom the members of the Dounreay Particles Advisory Group receive an income and the incomes that they receive.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: This is a matter for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. The information is not held centrally.

20 Aug 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what outside interests are held by members of the Dounreay Particles Advisory Group and whether the Scottish Environment Protection Agency has investigated whether any of the members are in receipt of an income from any other bodies involved in the nuclear industry.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: This is a matter for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. The information is not held centrally.

20 Aug 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what procedures were used by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency to appoint the Dounreay Particles Advisory Group and whether the Nolan Committee principles relevant to such appointments were applied.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: This is a matter for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. The information is not held centrally.

20 Aug 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will use its powers under the exceptions in section C5 of the Scotland Act 1998 to prohibit the transportation of cattle carcasses from England to Scotland for processing and destruction.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The transportation of carcases of cattle culled under the Over Thirty Month Scheme into Scotland for rendering has been approved by the Executive, subject to the adherence to strict biosecurity controls. The risk of disease spread from this practice is judged…

9 Aug 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will place in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre any response it has made to Her Majesty's Government review of UK energy requirements as set out in Energy Projections for the UK.

Answer · Alasdair Morrison: The Scottish Executive submission to the Energy Review is under preparation and will be placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre when it is issued to the Cabinet Office.

9 Aug 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will specify any areas where inadequate legislation has been identified under EC directive 92/43/EEC on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora; whether it will detail any representations made by the European Commission to Her Majesty's Government on th…

Answer · Rhona Brankin: The United Kingdom Government has received a Reasoned Opinion from the European Commission, alleging shortcomings in the regulations which implement the Habitats Directive in the United Kingdom and Gibraltar. The UK Government is currently considering with th…

9 Aug 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what advice it has received from the Radioactive Waste Management Advisory Committee on the Rosyth and Dalgety Bay areas.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: The Radioactive Waste Management Advisory Committee (RWMAC) submits advice to ministers on a wide range of radioactive waste management issues. The formal reports containing such advice can be found at:<P>www.defra.gov.uk/rwmac/reports.htm<P>The recently publ…

9 Aug 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive in respect of which sites and locations it has received advice from the Radioactive Waste Management Advisory Committee since May 1999.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: The Radioactive Waste Management Advisory Committee (RWMAC) has issued a number of reports on a wide range of radioactive waste management issues containing advice to ministers. These can be found at:<P> www.defra.gov.uk/rwmac/reports.htm<P>In addition, RWMAC…

9 Aug 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to issue guidance to the proposed new single water authority on public works contracting procedures.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Guidance is currently being prepared for Scottish Water. It will include, amongst other subjects that establish how the new authority will be run, guidance to ensure that decisions on expenditure are taken with due regard to the principles of government accou…

9 Aug 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what monitoring it undertakes of different public works contract procedures used by the water authorities; what plans it has to review these procedures to ensure best practice, and whether it will issue guidance to introduce common practices across the authorities.

Answer · Ross Finnie: As I mentioned in my answers to questions S1W-17483 and S1W-17484, water authorities are expected to take their decisions on expenditure with due regard to the principles of government accounting concerning the regularity, propriety and economy, efficiency an…

9 Aug 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has issued to the water authorities to ensure that best value is obtained in their public works contracts.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Guidance to ensure that best value is obtained in contracts has been issued to the three water authorities. It is issued in the context of the Financial and Management Memorandum and Scottish Executive Finance Guidance notes. This guidance is reviewed periodi…

9 Aug 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what monitoring it undertakes to ensure that the water authorities secure best value in their public works contracts.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The authorities are expected to take their decisions on expenditure with due regard to the principles of government accounting concerning the regularity, propriety and economy, efficiency and effectiveness of their proposals. Given the number of projects unde…

8 Aug 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it intends to introduce an environmental action plan.

Answer · Ross Finnie: <I><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2>Working together for Scotland</I> sets out the Scottish Executive's plans for sustainable development and the environment. Copies are available in the Parliament's Reference Centre.</FONT>

8 Aug 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to carry out a national environmental audit.

Answer · Ross Finnie: There are no plans to carry out a Scottish environmental audit. From time to time the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and Scottish Natural Heritage produce reports on various aspects of the Scottish environment.

8 Aug 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what training it plans to introduce to ensure that its staff have the necessary skills to ensure that sustainability issues are mainstreamed into the development of all its policies.

Answer · Ross Finnie: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-17464.