Parliamentary questions
Fergus Ewing
2,894 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
13 Jul 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it will take in light of Item 12 of the conclusions of the EU Council of Ministers on 1 to 2 June 2006 on women’s health, with particular reference to osteoporosis.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Executive recognisesthat, whilst osteoporosis affects both men and women, there is a higherprevalence of the disease amongst women. Our work on smoking, diet and exercisewill help reduce the risk of people developing osteoporosis.</p><p>The Executive also…
12 Jul 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has carried out any assessment of the impact of increased freight traffic on Scottish roads as a result of any reduction in the use of the Channel Tunnel for rail freight after 1 December 2006.
Answer · Tavish Scott: No.</p>
12 Jul 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has obtained any information from EWS regarding the importance of continued use of the Channel Tunnel for transporting freight to and from Scotland.
Answer · Tavish Scott: We have not received any informationor representations from EWS on this matter.</p>
12 Jul 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has taken any steps to secure continued access to the Channel Tunnel by Scottish exporters and importers and what representations it has made to Her Majesty's Government in respect of a new charging regime for freight trains using the tunnel from 1 December 2006.
Answer · Tavish Scott: The Channel Tunnel Rail Linkis a reserved matter for the Department for Transport (DfT) and as such TransportScotland do liaise with DfT to ensure that Scottish rail freight interests are appropriatelyconsidered.</p>
12 Jul 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-20465 by Tavish Scott on 17 November 2005, whether it will review its position in respect of contributing to the costs of the Inverness Southern Distributor Road and classifying it as part of the trunk road network.
Answer · Tavish Scott: Consideration of the InvernessSouthern Distributor Road in the regional transport strategy for the area is a matterfor the Highland Council to discuss with the Highlands and Islands Transport Partnership.Capital funding of £3,530,227 in 2006-07, and £3,530,22…
10 Jul 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether senior citizens who live in properties where heating is provided by a coal fire, with heat circulating from the fire, qualify for the central heating and warm deal programmes and whether it is aware of the number of homes in Scotland which are heated by coal fires.
Answer · Johann Lamont: I have asked Angiolina Foster,Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond.</p><p>Her response is as follows:</p><p>Eligibility for the Central Heatingand Warm Deal Programmes is determined by a set of defined criteria. Those criteriaare assessed on an …
10 Jul 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider amending the Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004 to enable landlords, other than social landlords, to make applications for anti-social behaviour orders.
Answer · Hugh Henry: The Antisocial Behaviour (Scotland) Act2004 includes provisions for the registration of private landlords which were introduced,in part, to assist in tackling antisocial behaviour in private sector tenancies.Local authorities and Registered Social Landlords (…
4 Jul 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive to list by (a) forest, (b) type of project and (c) level of investment, each timber transport infrastructure project that has received, or has been approved to receive, financial assistance from the Scottish Strategic Timber Transport Fund and, if no such projects have been supported or a…
Answer · Rhona Brankin: On 31 May 2006, I announced thefirst four awards totalling £420,400 from the Strategic Timber TransportScheme:</p><p class=MsoHeader>1. ProgrammeManager/Facilitator for Stirling and Tayside areas: awarded £25,000 of £34,000project costs.</p><p class=MsoHeader…
16 Jun 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will instruct Transport Scotland to extend the concessionary travel scheme to rail travel on rail routes where there is no overcrowding problem and thus no consequent need for additional rolling stock.
Answer · Tavish Scott: We have no plans to extend thenational concessionary travel scheme in the way suggested.</p>
16 Jun 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much it would cost to provide sufficient extra rail carriages to enable all First ScotRail services to be included, except sleeper services, if the free concessionary travel scheme for pensioners and disabled people were extended to rail travel.
Answer · Tavish Scott: Transport Scotland doesnot have this information.</p><p>It should be noted that the impactof extending the concessionary travel scheme to include First ScotRail serviceswould not be restricted to availability of carriages but could also impact on stationplatf…
13 Jun 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has provided any “absolute assurances” to the Scottish Crofting Foundation in relation to the Crofting Reform etc. Bill as reported in the West Highland Free Press on 2 June 2006 and, if so, whether any such assurances were in writing, whether the Executive will publish a copy …
Answer · Rhona Brankin: Ministers and the Scottish Executiveare not in a position to give any assurances about any bill which is under considerationby Parliament. A meeting was held with the Scottish Crofting Foundation to discussthe Bill and a copy of a memo outlining the conclusio…
8 Jun 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has reviewed the operation of the concessionary travel scheme and, in particular, whether it will extend the scheme so that people who must visit family in the islands of Scotland, but who are resident on the mainland, and who are involved in helping to provide care for their f…
Answer · Tavish Scott: The introduction on 1 April 2006 of theScotland-wide Free Bus Scheme for Older and Disabled People meets the PartnershipAgreement commitment to a national free off-peak bus scheme for older people andpeople with disabilities. In addition, two free return ferr…
1 Jun 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any instances where two separate discount cards for the discount air fares scheme have been issued to individuals and, if so, how this situation could have arisen.
Answer · Tavish Scott: The Scottish Executive isaware that, in a limited number of cases, two separate discount cards have beensent to the same individual. This can happen when individual applicants havesubmitted more than one application form and when the information contained ont…
22 May 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any minister has plans to visit Mallaig and, if so, on what date.
Answer · Ross Finnie: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-26171 on 6 June 2006. All answers towritten parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the searchfacility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.se…
22 May 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any minister will visit Mallaig to explain what the impact may be on Mallaig, on the surrounding area and businesses involved in fishing of being part of a coastal marine national park.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Details of ministers’ forwarddiary commitments could be subject to change and are not normally released.</p><p>We will be seeking views on theimpact of a Coastal and Marine National Park on the surrounding area and businesses in the ScottishExecutive consulta…
22 May 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the advice it has received from Scottish Natural Heritage on the impact which any coastal and marine national park may have on the fishing industry recognises that the park plan would take precedence in the event of any conflict with local fisheries management.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Section 3 of SNH’s reportoutlined its advice on powers and structures of a Coastal and Marine NationalPark and supported the view that inshore fisheries groups should continue to bethe main vehicle for the planning and management of fisheries within the park …
22 May 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there would be zoning of the seas within the area of a coastal and marine national park; if so, what the effect of such zoning would be; whether it has received advice from Scottish Natural Heritage on zoning and, if so, whether it will publish in full, without redaction, copies o…
Answer · Ross Finnie: It is too soon to take aview on whether or not zoning should be pursued within Scotland’sfirst Coastal and Marine National Park. No decisions have yet been takenon the role and functions of the Park authority that would be established orthe location of the p…
22 May 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the issue of a coastal and marine national park has been discussed in its Cabinet and, if so, on what date or dates.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Cabinet regularly discussesissues related to the marine and coastal environment and our PartnershipAgreement commitments. However, Scottish ministers operate on the basis ofcollective responsibility and do not disclose details of private deliberations.</p>
22 May 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received any advice from Scottish Natural Heritage in relation to the meeting which took place, and the content of the discussions at the meeting, on 4 May 2006 at the Astley Hall, Arisaig and whether it will place copies of all such advice and documents in the Scottish Par…
Answer · Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive receivedby email a report from SNH on the local meeting that was held at Arisaig on 4 May 2006 on Coastaland Marine National Parks. The documents have been placed in the Scottish ParliamentInformation Centre (Bib. number 39771).</p>
22 May 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its estimate is of the annual cost of running a coastal and marine national park for the first three years of operation.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Scottish Natural Heritage’s(SNH) advice stated that it is difficult to quantify the likely running costs ofa Coastal and Marine National Park as this will depend on the area chosen, the specificpowers and functions of the park authority and its governance arr…
22 May 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any coastal and marine national park could prevent tankers from using the Minch.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The location of Scotland’s firstCoastal and Marine National Park has not yet been decided and will be one of a numberof issues on which the Executive will seek the views of the public through a consultationexercise during the summer.</p><p>Rights of navigatio…
22 May 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it would establish a coastal and marine national park in circumstances where the majority of the people in a referendum, who are qualified to vote by being on the electoral register on the areas within the boundaries of the proposed park, rejected the proposal.
Answer · Ross Finnie: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-26163 on 5 June 2006. All answers towritten parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the searchfacility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.se…
22 May 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, before any coastal and marine national park is established, there will be a referendum seeking the approval of those who are on the electoral roll in the area covered by the proposed park.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive has nocurrent plans to hold a referendum on Coastal and Marine National Parksbut the public and other interested stakeholders will have an opportunity to submitviews during the consultation on this topic that will take place during the …
22 May 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated cost is to date of the work carried out by it and Scottish Natural Heritage on the coastal and marine national park, including the cost of recent advice to ministers and the process of consultation with stakeholders.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive does nothold information on the costs of work carried out by it on coastal and marine nationalparks.</p><p>Enquiries relating to the costsof Scottish Natural Heritage’s work on coastal and marine national parks shouldbe directed to Scot…
12 May 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether only two companies remain interested in tendering for the Clyde and Hebridean ferry services; if so, whether that situation is in accordance with the law in relation to tendering and what the position will be in the event that one of the companies withdraws from the tendering proc…
Answer · Tavish Scott: There remain two companies interestedin tendering for the Clyde and Hebrides ferry services. There is no legal impediment that preventsthe Executive from continuing with the competitive tendering exercise with onlytwo potential tenderers.</p>
12 May 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many companies remain interested in submitting tenders for the Clyde and Hebridean ferry services and which companies these are.
Answer · Tavish Scott: Following the decision by WesternFerries in early May to withdraw from the tender process there remain two companiesinterested in tendering for the Clyde and Hebrides ferry services. The Executive’spolicy in procurement exercises such as this is not to reveal…
12 May 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has yet agreed with the Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac) pension fund trustees and CalMac a method of ensuring that the interests of the members of the pension fund will be protected, irrespective of the outcome of the tender for the Clyde and Hebridean ferry routes; whether it co…
Answer · Tavish Scott: The Scottish Executive is continuingto work within the parameters of domestic and European legislation to ensure thecontinuation of pension rights and entitlements of transferring staff. As a resultof a recent proposal put to the CalMac Pension Fund Trustees …
8 May 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-25389 by Ross Finnie on 4 May 2006, whether any official in the minister’s department received the advice from Scottish Natural Heritage, or information about what that advice would be or would be likely to be, on an earlier date and, if so, which of…
Answer · Ross Finnie: Scottish Executive officialsfrom the Landscapes and Habitats Division in the Environment and Rural Affairs Departmentsat on the Coastal and Marine National Parks steering group which had oversight of Scottish NaturalHeritage’s work and the report. They were a…
26 Apr 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide additional funding to the Scottish Funding Council to enable the deficit of Inverness College to be reduced by £1 million; whether it has received any representations from any politician to that effect and, if so, from whom and on what date.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: We are already providing recordlevels of resources to the Scottish Funding Council. Annual funding will reach£620 million by 2007-08, a cash increase of 45% in four years. Fundingdecisions in relation to individual institutions are entirely a matter for theFu…
24 Apr 2006 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it received SNH Advice on Coastal and Marine National Parks on 30 March 2006 and, if not, on what date the advice was received.
Answer · Ross Finnie: SNH’s advice was sent to ministerson the evening of Thursday 30 March and posted on SNH’s website following the Scottish<b> </b>Executive news release on 31 March.</p>