Parliamentary questions
Fergus Ewing
2,894 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
9 Nov 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any incentives being offered by supermarkets to beef processors to supply South American beef and, if so, what steps it is taking to protect the Scottish beef sector.
Answer · Ross Finnie: We are not aware of incentives being offered. Beef procurement policy is a commercial decision for individual supermarkets.<</p
9 Nov 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what impact any relaxation of import restrictions to the European Union from the Mercosul countries would have on the Scottish beef sector and what economic appraisal it has carried out to assess such an impact.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Further trade liberalisation will increase the competitive pressure upon the Scottish beef sector. Economists in interested departments of the UK Government and the devolved administrations, including representatives from Scottish Executive Environment and Ru…
9 Nov 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has opposed, or will oppose, or express its opposition to Her Majesty’s Government regarding, any proposal by the European Union to increase the Hilton quotas for importation of beef from Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina and Uruguay from the existing levels.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Negotiations between Mercosur (the South American trading group) and the EU Commission are currently underway with a view to improving EU/Mercosur trade. The UK is actively involved in these discussions. The Executive has made it clear that increases in Hilto…
8 Nov 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with representatives of, and businesses operating in, the bingo industry to discuss any concerns about the impact of the UK Gambling Bill on their businesses.
Answer · Tavish Scott: The Scottish Executive has had no discussions with representatives of, and businesses operating in, the bingo industry. However, the Bingo Association’s response to the Executive’s Consultation Paper <i>Devolved Powers in the Draft Gambling Bill</i> (Bib. num…
8 Nov 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment has been made of the contribution that the bingo industry makes to the economy.
Answer · Tavish Scott: We are not aware of any assessment of the contribution the bingo industry makes to the economy.</p>
8 Nov 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take, within its responsibilities, to protect and promote the bingo industry in Scotland.
Answer · Tavish Scott: Scottish ministers will have power to set regulations governing the conditions which Licensing Boards may attach to all bingo premises licences issued in Scotland. Ministers will also have power to set and vary licence fees for bingo premises. </p><p>There ar…
8 Nov 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to Her Majesty’s Government regarding the bingo industry and, in particular, in favour of equal treatment between the bingo industry and other elements of the gambling industry in respect of taxation to ensure that provisions in the UK Gambling Bill sh…
Answer · Tavish Scott: Taxation of the gambling industry is a reserved matter, but I can advise that the provisions of the Gambling Bill do not include any proposals for the taxation of the gambling industry.</p>
8 Nov 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the statement by the First Minister’s official spokeswoman on 20 October 2004, what reservations the First Minister has in respect of measures in the UK Gambling Bill that relate to devolved matters; what its position is in respect of whether powers to determine whether casino…
Answer · Tavish Scott: Scottish ministers are content that the UK Gambling Bill will provide them with a wider range of controls under the new system than at present.</p><p>The bill provides for three types of casinos – small, large and regional. The UK Government has now announced…
8 Nov 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the findings of EuroRAP 2004 British Results that the A82, A889 and A99 are “high risk”, whether it accepts that further engineering measures aimed at cutting accidents on these roads are required.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The annual accident analysis of the trunk road network is currently underway and the analysis will identify a prioritised list of sites for accident investigation and remedial action which will be used to develop a programme of work for 2005-06. The A82, A889…
8 Nov 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will recommend to Strathclyde Passenger Transport that alternative proposals put forward by Mr Simon Wallwork should be added to the Glasgow Airport Rail Link consultation paper.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive supports the preferred option upon which Strathclyde Passenger Transport are currently consulting. Mr Wallwork’s proposal has been carefully considered previously.</p>
3 Nov 2004 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the use of limited duration tenancies, as created by the Agricultural Holdings (Scotland) Act 2003
Answer · Ross Finnie: Informationprovided by respondents to our recent Agricultural and Horticultural Censussuggests that, as at 1 June 2004, over 100 limited duration tenancies and a similarnumber of short limited duration tenancies had been entered into. </p><p>I understand ther…
3 Nov 2004 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied with the progress made by the visitscotland.com website and in what financial year it is expected to break even.
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: Visitscotland.comacts as a highly-effective shop window for Scottish tourism, and promotes Scotland to a global audience. It is performing well against its businessplan targets, and is generating significant business for the tourism industry inScotland. Since…
26 Oct 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish all veterinary advice it has received with regard to the lifting of the Over Thirty Months scheme.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The Food Standards Agency has provided advice to the Scottish Executive on the lifting of the Over Thirty Month rule. This advice, which is published on the agency’s website, included veterinary input. The Executive did not seek or receive separate veterinary…
26 Oct 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what interest has been expressed from overseas about the purchase of Scottish pedigree livestock; whether any assessment has been made of financial benefits that could be derived from the lifting of the ban on live exports, and, if no such assessment has been made, whether there will now …
Answer · Ross Finnie: There have been no direct approaches made to the Executive regarding the purchase of Scottish pedigree livestock for subsequent export. However, I understand there have been periodic approaches to the industry on this matter. An assessment to determine the fi…
26 Oct 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what it estimates the cost of the Over Thirty Months scheme is per animal; whether that cost is approximately £1,200; what the total cost of the scheme to it was in each of the last two years, and what estimate it has made of the total cost of the scheme in the current year and each of th…
Answer · Ross Finnie: In 2003, the average cost per animal under the Over Thirty Months Scheme, as estimated by the Rural Payments Agency, was approximately £510. The Executive makes no contribution to OTMS costs, which are part funded by Defra and the EU.</p>
26 Oct 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will now lift the Over Thirty Months scheme restrictions and what the reasons are for its position on the matter.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The advice from the Food Standards Agency in relation to beef from Over Thirty Months animals entering the food chain, and other relevant information relating to the control systems for testing livestock, is currently being considered by mnisters. An announce…
22 Oct 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in the event that ministerial directions regarding the relocation of Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) are withdrawn and that the policy of relocation of the headquarters of SNH to Inverness does not go ahead, what legal liability there would be at this stage to make any payments t…
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: There is no intention to withdraw the ministerial direction and SNH are proceeding with the relocation project in accordance with the project plan. SNH is responsible for the management of all aspects of the project including financial and contractual arrange…
22 Oct 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, further to the evidence given by the Deputy Minister for Finance and Public Services to the meeting of the Finance Committee on 13 January 2004 on figures supplied by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) indicating that the total cost estimated at that time of the relocation of the he…
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: In his reply to parliamentary question S2W-9565 answered on 21 July 2004, Allan Wilson indicated that a revised version of the project plan would be placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre once the cost information of the human resource (HR) package and b…
22 Oct 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will break down the figure shown in table 8.02 of Draft Budget 2005-06 into (a) motorways and (b) trunk roads, detailing the total amount paid on each motorway and trunk road project for (i) 2002-03 and (ii) 2003-04; how much it estimates it will spend on such projects in each…
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The spending totals shown in Table 8.02 of Draft Budget 2005-06 comprise the entire motorway and trunk road programme for the years shown. Table 8.10 provides a more detailed breakdown of the categories of spending on all road improvement schemes and capital …
22 Oct 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much it estimates local authorities have spent, or will spend, on concessionary fares from grant aided expenditure in (a) 2002-03, (b) 2003-04, (c) 2004-05 and (d) in each of the next three financial years.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The information is set out in the flowing table.</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td> <p>Year</p> </td> <td> <p>Expenditure/GAE Allocation</p> </td> </tr> </thead> <tr> <td> <p>(a) 2002-03</p> </td> <td> <p>£65…
22 Oct 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will place a copy of the franchise agreement and all contract documents granted by it in favour of First Group for the former ScotRail franchise in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: Under the provisions of the Railways Act 1993, the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) are under a duty to publish every franchise agreement in a public register. However, before publication can take place the SRA and the Secretary of State for Transport are requi…
15 Oct 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-8282 by Malcolm Chisholm on 26 May 2004, when it will publish the conclusions of Towards Better Oral Health in Children; what the reasons are for the delay in publication, and whether there have been any longer delays in the publication of other repo…
Answer · Andy Kerr: The outcome of our consultation on measures to improve the oral health of children in Scotland will be announced as soon as we have completed our consideration of the many responses we have received.</p><p>Information about the interval between consultations …
14 Oct 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that someone who donates an organ to another human being should, if they take time off from their employment, have annual leave deducted as a consequence.
Answer · Allan Wilson: Responsibility for matters relating to employment is reserved to the UK Government. I understand that leave entitlement is a matter of contractual agreement between the employer and employee, taking account of any relevant legislation. The granting of additio…
11 Oct 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any assessment has been made, other than by Forestry Commission Scotland or those working for it or instructed on its behalf, of the areas of land owned by Forestry Commission Scotland which are suitable for development for housing and, if not, whether such an assessment will now …
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: As the Executive’s Forestry Department, Forestry Commission Scotland has been working with Communities Scotland, Registered Social Landlords, some local authorities and local housing trusts to identify sites within the national forest estate that may be suita…
11 Oct 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to Forestry Commission Scotland’s development of a community purchase scheme, whether forest land will be valued on the basis of its use as forest and, if not, whether valuing the land on some other basis can be justified given its current use as forest.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I have asked Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS) to prepare a draft community purchase scheme in respect of the national forest estate. Once this has been completed, FCS will undertake a public consultation exercise about the details of the scheme and the meth…
11 Oct 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when Forestry Commission Scotland will bring forward a community purchase scheme; how many houses such a scheme will aim to provide, and when such houses are expected to be available for occupation.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: In December last year, ministers asked Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS) to work with Communities Scotland, registered social landlords, some local authorities and local housing trusts to identify sites within the national forest estate that may be suitable …
6 Oct 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that Network Rail should be required to seek planning permission for the erection of microwave radio masts; whether it will define “permitted development” in terms of planning law, and whether it will take any action to change planning law in order to requir…
Answer · Johann Lamont: I refer the member to the answer to S2W-10263 on 16 September 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.sea…
6 Oct 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the use of single-crewed ambulances will now be ended, following the change of ministerial personnel for the health and community care portfolio.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The policy remains as that which was set out for the member in the answer given to question S2W-10201 answered on 29 September 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be…
5 Oct 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures the Scottish Ambulance Service takes with regard to the safety of ambulance crews, particularly in relation to single-crewed ambulances, and whether such measures offer protection for the safety of staff in single-crewed ambulances, in particular female staff.
Answer · Andy Kerr: Frontline ambulance staff are issued with personal protection equipment and receive training relevant to their operational requirements in various health and safety subjects from manual lifting and handling to managing information. In relation to single crewe…
5 Oct 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what new health policy it will pursue following the change in ministerial personnel.
Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2F-1131, answered on 7 October 2004, which is available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/sch/search"target="_blank">http:/…