Parliamentary questions
Ted Brocklebank
118 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
1 Mar 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the unemployment rate in Fife has been in each of the last five years.
Answer · Jim Wallace: Table 1 shows the unemployment rate, based on the International Labour Organisation (ILO) definition of unemployment, in Fife since 1999. Prior to 1999, unemployment rates were not available for Fife. 2002 is the latest year for which information is available…
1 Mar 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the average gross (a) weekly earnings were in Fife in 2003 and (b) annual earnings have been in Fife in each of the last five years.
Answer · Jim Wallace: Average gross weekly earnings in Fife in 2003 (a) were £409.70.</p><p>Average gross annual earnings in Fife in each of the last five years (b) are shown in the table:</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td> <p>Year</p> </td> …
13 Feb 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to stop the illegal sale of lighter fluid to under age children.
Answer · Hugh Henry: The Executive, in partnershipwith Fife Council, recently piloted a “Know the Score” initiative remindingretailers in the Fife area that it is an offence to sell butane gas lighterrefills to under 18s. Following a positive evaluation of the campaign, the Execu…
13 Feb 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people in each local authority area have been convicted of selling lighter fluid to under age children in each of the last five years.
Answer · Hugh Henry: Information at the level of detail requested is not held centrally.
13 Feb 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been prosecuted in each local authority area for selling lighter fluid to under age children in each of the last five years.
Answer · Hugh Henry: Information at the level of detail requested is not held centrally.</p>
23 Jan 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of the total catch taken in nets in the Montrose area in 2003 was (a) salmon and (b) other fish.
Answer · Allan Wilson: The annual exercise ofcollecting, collating and publishing salmon and sea trout catch data for the2003 fishing season is not yet complete.</p><p>The net and coble fishery inthe Montrose area catches almost exclusively salmon and sea trout. The fixedengine fis…
23 Jan 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the impact has been on the salmon population of offshore netting in the North and South Esk rivers.
Answer · Allan Wilson: There is no offshore nettingfor salmon in Scotland in the commonly accepted meaning of that form offishery. The evidence available from catch figures for the North and South Esks,the two local rivers, indicate that angling catches in the North Eskhave increas…
23 Jan 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many tagged fish originating from catchments other than the North and South Esk rivers have been taken in nets in the Montrose area.
Answer · Allan Wilson: The following tables provide details of the numbers of tagged salmon taken in net fisheries in the Montrose area in 2000-2003 inclusive.</p><p>Fixed engines</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <tr> <td> <p> </p> </td> <td> <p> </p> </td> <t…
12 Dec 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-2731 by Ross Finnie on 1 October 2003, what the proposed, or agreed, timescale is for Scottish Water to replace broken pipes in Aberdeenshire to ensure that low water levels do not endanger salmon stocks in the River Dee.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The answer given to questionS2W-2731 on 1 October 2003 indicated that these issues were not linked. Allanswers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’swebsite, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scotti…
12 Dec 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-2732 by Ross Finnie on 1 October 2003, what provisions in the Water Environment and Water Services (Scotland) Act 2003 give the Scottish Environment Protection Agency the scope and ability to provide significant water storage to obviate any need for …
Answer · Allan Wilson: The Water Environment andWater Services (Scotland) Act 2003 provides a strategic framework to protectthe Scottish water environment. The provision of water storage facilities forpublic water supplies is a matter for Scottish Water, not the ScottishEnvironment…
25 Nov 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to send a letter of congratulations to the English team on their result in the Rugby World Cup final in light of the impact on Scottish rugby.
Answer · Frank McAveety: The First Ministeropened the Cabinet meeting on 26 November by placing on record his and his cabinetcolleagues’ congratulations to the English team. I have no plans to write but Iwould take this opportunity to offer my congratulations to Clive Woodward andhis…
1 Oct 2003 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to use the Scottish Centre for Infection and Environmental Health for monitoring terrestrial trunked radio masts throughout Scotland.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Radiocommunications Agency,an Executive agency of the Department of Trade and Industry, is undertaking a programmeof measurements of emissions from mobile phone base stations throughout the UK to assesscompliance with relevant exposure guidelines. This pr…
30 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to monitor emissions of existing terrestrial trunked radio masts throughout Scotland.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The RadiocommunicationsAgency, an executive agency of the Department of Trade and Industry, isundertaking a programme of measurements of emissions from mobile phone basestations throughout the UK to assess compliance with relevant exposureguidelines. This pro…
16 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that Scottish Water safeguards the future of the River Dee as a salmon river in light of the impact on stocks caused by drought and other factors during the summer of 2003.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Scottish Water’s use of the RiverDee is regulated by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. </p><p>Also, the recently enacted Water Environmentand Water Services (Scotland) Act 2003 provides for the introduction of a watermanagement structure based on na…
10 Sep 2003 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will respond to St. Andrews International Golf Club's decision to apply directly to the Executive for planning approval for the proposed development at Feddinch, St. Andrews.
Answer · Mary Mulligan: The planning appeal toScottish ministers from the St Andrews International Golf Club has onlyrecently been received by the Inquiry Reporters Unit and is in the early stagesof the appeal process. At this point, it has not been decided whether theappeal will pr…
5 Sep 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to hold a public inquiry into the proposal by St. Andrew's International Golf Club for golf and leisure developments at Feddinch, St. Andrews, in view of Fife Council not addressing the proposal within the statutory timescale and the subsequent decision of the de…
Answer · Mary Mulligan: I refer the member to the answergiven to question S2O-421 on 18 September 2003, which is available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa">http://www.scottish.parli…
25 Aug 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will extend the deadline for applications for aid under the Transitional Aid Scheme for Scottish fishermen to 31 December 2003, in light of the extension of the review of interim cod recovery measures to this date.
Answer · Ross Finnie: We are looking at the caseand arrangements for any extension of the scheme. In particular, we areexploring with the European Commission what the implications would be in termsof EC State Aid requirements.</p>
26 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its response is to concerns that the spread of sea lice will threaten wild sea trout and salmon stocks and pose a risk to the tourism industry and jobs.
Answer · Allan Wilson: The Tripartite Working Group, chaired by the Executive, is developing Area Management Agreements (AMAs) between the aquaculture industry and wild fisheries interests, across the west of Scotland. AMAs include measures for the management and control of sea lic…
26 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has received on the spread of sea lice as an important factor in determining the location of new fish farms.
Answer · Allan Wilson: The risks from, and management of, sea lice are issues addressed by the Environmental Impact Statements which accompany most new or modified fish farm development proposals.
26 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the spread of sea lice is an important factor in determining the location of new fish farms.
Answer · Allan Wilson: The management and control of sea lice is one of a number of factors that are taken into account when considering the proposed location of a new salmon farm development.
26 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will introduce regulations to combat the spread of sea lice.
Answer · Allan Wilson: <I>A Strategic Framework for Scottish Aquaculture</I> commits the Executive, with other key stakeholders, to continued collaborative working to minimise the effects of sea lice.<P>The Executive-chaired Tripartite Working Group is establishing voluntary Area M…
26 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what research it is conducting into the spread of sea lice.
Answer · Allan Wilson: Current research includes work on the modelling of sea lice dispersion and on planktonic sea lice numbers in relation to the management of farmed fish. Fisheries Research Services also monitors the return rates of sea trout smolts from the Shieldaig River and…
18 Jun 2003 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assurances it will give that elective surgery in Fife will continue to be available at any time in the year.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I understand that NHS Fife will not proceed with any reduction in elective surgical activity this year.<P>Planned admissions for elective surgical are booked as normal.
11 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is conducting any studies into any possible effects on public health of mobile telephone masts and transmitters.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive is contributing, with other Government departments and the industry, to a substantial programme of research with a budget of over £7 million. The programme - the LINK Mobile Telecommunications and Health Research Programme - has been se…
11 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how successful the new system is of planning regulations on the location of mobile telephone masts.
Answer · Mary Mulligan: Research commissioned by the Executive is currently under way to evaluate the effect that the legislation, introduced in July 2001, has had on the roll-out of telecommunications infrastructure in Scotland. A report will be published in due course.
11 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what options there are for people opposed to the erection of mobile telephone masts when such masts have received planning permission from the relevant local authority, in particular in the case of residents opposed to the siting of such masts in Commercial Road, Leven.
Answer · Mary Mulligan: Planning authorities have powers to withdraw planning permission. However, where they themselves have only recently granted the permission, they are unlikely to believe they have grounds for removing it. Residents with continuing concerns may approach the ope…
11 Jun 2003 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Fife NHS Board about the future of Stratheden Hospital, Cupar.
Answer · Tom McCabe: The Scottish Executive has had no recent discussions with Fife NHS Board on the future of Stratheden Hospital.
13 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it will make to Fife Council to ensure that urgent consideration is given to the creation of a new secondary school at Tay Bridgehead in north-east Fife.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: Consideration of the provision of new schools in any local area is a matter for the education authority rather than the Scottish Executive.