Parliamentary questions
Fergus Ewing
2,894 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
18 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make public the minutes of its cabinet meetings during the first session of the Parliament and all background papers relating to the decision to relocate the headquarters of Scottish Natural Heritage from Edinburgh to Inverness; what the reasons are for its position on th…
Answer · Allan Wilson: The Executive is committed to the release of factual information that informs ministerial decisions. Accordingly, the Executive's refinement and analysis of the discounted costs of the various relocation options identified in the DTZ Pieda study was placed in…
18 Jun 2003 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether cost efficiency has been achieved in the expenditure plans of non-departmental government bodies such as Scottish Water and, if not, what economies will be made.
Answer · Andy Kerr: Scottish Water is the only public corporation in Scotland. I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-164 on 9 June 2003. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can b…
11 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will seek advice from Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) on the impact that closure of auxiliary fire brigades may have on the environment; whether SNH considers that an efficient and effective fire service is important in respect of the control of muirburn and forest fires, and w…
Answer · Hugh Henry: I have asked Ian Jardine, Chief Executive of Scottish Natural Heritage to respond. His response is as follows:<P>Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) recognises the impact which uncontrolled fire outbreaks can have on the natural heritage. When a fire gets out of …
11 Jun 2003 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take, or direct be taken, to ensure equity of access to DEXA scanning throughout all NHS board areas, in light of the publication of Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network guideline 71, Management of osteoporosis.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: SIGN guideline 71 makes clear that NHS trusts are responsible for implementing such guidelines as part of their general clinical governance responsibilities. It also makes clear that SIGN guidelines are not intended to serve as standards of medical care.<P>It…
9 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has a policy on the siting of a nuclear waste disposal facility in the Highlands and Islands; whether it is appropriate to dispose of nuclear waste in that area; what its role would be in any plans to dispose of nuclear waste there, and whether any such plans would be open to …
Answer · Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive is committed to the current UK-wide process to establish the Committee on Radioactive Waste Management (CoRWM). CoRWM will consider all options for Intermediate and High Level Waste. No decisions have been taken about what to do with th…
6 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-32193 by Mr Jim Wallace on 12 December 2002, whether it will meet representatives of Grampian Police, Northern Constabulary and the army to discuss Operation Youth Advantage; whether it will replicate this scheme throughout Scotland, and what assessm…
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Operation Youth Advantage is a project that for the past two years has been run by the British Army Careers Team. Both Northern Constabulary and Grampian Police have been involved in the scheme which gives young people the opportunity to participate in course…
6 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will meet the Chief Executive of the Seafish Industry Authority to discuss the level of continuing financial commitment to the Ardtoe Marine Farming Unit; for what period any such commitment will be, and whether it will make representations to the authority that it make a subst…
Answer · Ross Finnie: The Executive meets with the Chief Executive of the Seafish Industry Authority on a regular basis. The Seafish Board is currently engaged in negotiations with potential new managers for the Ardtoe Unit and they are also considering their forward strategy for …
6 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to the third supplementary to question S2O-102 by the Deputy Minister for Environment and Rural Development on 5 June 2003 about the relocation of the headquarters of Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) from Edinburgh to Inverness, how many, and which, jobs will (a) rem…
Answer · Ross Finnie: The timing of the move will partly be determined by the lease break occurring at the Anderson Place headquarters, which gave rise to the relocation review. The lease will expire on 31 March 2005 and it is expected that the vast majority of staff currently bas…
6 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Minister for Environment and Rural Development will visit the Ardtoe Marine Farming Unit and meet the staff to hear their views about the future of the unit.
Answer · Ross Finnie: No. The Sea Fish Industry Authority is currently negotiating possible options for the Unit and such a visit would not be appropriate at this time.
5 Jun 2003 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Presiding Officer, further to the answer to question S1W-21898 by Sir David Steel on 24 January 2002, on what date the construction managers obtained each document referred to in the answer; from whom they were obtained, and from whom, and on what dates, the construction managers sought credit reference inf…
Answer · George Reid: The Construction Managers for the Holyrood project, Bovis Lend Lease (Scotland) Ltd, have informed the Project Team that all the documents listed in the answer to parliamentary question S1W-21898 on 24 January 2002, were received from Flour City Architectural…
4 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-247 by Malcolm Chisholm on 4 June 2003, whether it will place copies of the responses it has received to Towards Better Oral Health in Children, other than those submitted on a confidential basis, in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre and whe…
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Copies of the responses have been publicly available in the normal manner at the Scottish Executive library since early March. <P>An independent researcher has been appointed to collate and analyse all responses to the consultation. The report will be availab…
4 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost to (a) it and (b) Scottish Natural Heritage has been of all work carried out in relation to the consideration and submission of any application in respect of the introduction of the beaver and what assessment it has made of value for money in respect of such costs.
Answer · Allan Wilson: The Scottish Executive is required to respond to any application of this kind and costs relating to individual applications are not held separately.<P>In relation to costs incurred by Scottish Natural Heritage, I refer the member to the answer given to questi…
4 Jun 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether Scottish Natural Heritage has made any application for the introduction of the beaver; what information it has received about opposition to any such action from the National Farmers' Union Scotland, the Scottish Crofting Foundation and the Scottish Landowners' Federation; whether …
Answer · Allan Wilson: Scottish Natural Heritage submitted an application in January 2002 to <I>trial </I>a re-introduction of the European Beaver to Scotland at a specified site in Knapdale, Argyll.<P>Concerns over possible consequences of a trial re-introduction have been receive…
30 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to Scottish Water about the provision of the public water supply for Carrbridge.
Answer · Ross Finnie: This is an operational matter for Scottish Water. The Chief Executive's response is as follows:<P>During the weekend of 18 to 21 April 2003, Scottish Water experienced difficulties with a faulty valve which restricted flows to the Carrbridge area and, combine…
30 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-25409 by Lewis Macdonald on 9 May 2002, what schemes have been identified for the A82 between Tyndrum and Inverness in the context of its review of the 1995 Route Accident Reduction Plan.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: BEAR Scotland Ltd will submit the Route Accident Reduction Plan (RARP) for the A82 between Tyndrum and Inverness to the Executive before the end of July 2003. The plan will identify measures for inclusion in trunk road programmes. These measures will be consi…
30 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will meet, and make representations to, any interested parties, other than Her Majesty's Government and civil servants, regarding a public service obligation application for the Inverness to Gatwick air link and, if so, which organisations and individuals it plans to meet.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive has supported the imposition of protective measures on the Inverness to Gatwick air link. The Secretary of State for Transport indicated at the UK Parliament's Transport Committee on 21 May that this issue will be covered in the forthco…
30 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what meetings have taken place between ministers and commercial airlines since 1 January 2003; what the subject matter was of any such meetings, and what meetings are planned with such airlines in the next three months.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: Ministers and officials meet airlines regularly and meetings may well take place in the next three months.
30 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has issued any directions to Scottish Natural Heritage under the Natural Heritage (Scotland) Act 1991; if so, whether it will specify under what circumstances each such direction was issued and place a copy of it in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre; if no such direct…
Answer · Allan Wilson: As with most non-departmental public bodies, an accounts direction has been issued to Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH). This was issued under section 10 of the Natural Heritage (Scotland) Act 1991 and specifies the form in which SNH's annual accounts must be p…
30 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give a breakdown of awards made to communities within the Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber constituency from the Community Safety Awards Programme, the cost of each such award and its purpose.
Answer · Hugh Henry: Through the Community Safety Partnership Award Programme we have provided Highland Wellbeing Alliance Community Safety Partnership with £139,500 in 2002-03 and £136,734 in 2003-04 to identify and address community safety priorities. To engage communities, thi…
30 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many staff in the Highland NHS Board area have reported an assault in (a) 2000-01 and (b) 2001-02; whether information held on this matter now includes the number of cases (i) reported to the procurator fiscal, (ii) raised as criminal prosecutions and (iii) resulting in a conviction,…
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The first national collection of data from NHS boards and trusts on violent and aggressive incidents took place in 2001 for the financial year 2000-01. Collection of data for 2001-02 has also taken place. Quality assurance procedures to validate the data are …
30 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the annual loss of income would be if the non-domestic rates poundage is reduced to 44.4p and how this figure is calculated.
Answer · Andy Kerr: Around £35 million in non-domestic rate income is raised from each 1 pence of the poundage rate. Reducing the poundage rate by 3.4p from the current rate of 47.8p to 44.4p, would cost around £120 million (3.4p x £35 million). This would be a recurring cost.
30 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what research it has undertaken on the Norwegian Government's policy of providing a level of loan for housing based on the meeting of certain criteria, such as providing benefits to the environment, and whether it plans to adopt this approach in its own housing policy.
Answer · Margaret Curran: I have asked Mr Bob Millar, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. His response is as follows:<P>The Executive has not undertaken any research on the Norwegian Government's policy of providing a level of loan for housing based on the meeting of c…
30 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what records it will keep of the number of visits by ministers to each constituency over the course of this session of the Parliament and whether it will keep records of the number of requests by each MSP for meetings with ministers that are (a) made and (b) granted.
Answer · Jack McConnell: Ministers recognise that it is important to visit all parts of Scotland in the course of their ministerial duties. Records of ministerial engagements remain accessible during the parliamentary session. These are not collated by constituency visited and there …
29 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether reducing dredge numbers for larger scallop fishing vessels would result in scallop fishing vessels being forced to work on inshore grounds and thereby apply further pressure to such grounds.
Answer · Ross Finnie: I indicated to the Rural Development Committee in December 2002 that I would postpone any decision on technical conservation measures for scallops until I had received the ECODREDGE report. I will be reporting to Parliament shortly with my decision.
29 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any losses to individual scallop fishing vessels caused by a reduction in dredge numbers would be proportionate to any potential conservation gains.
Answer · Ross Finnie: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-530 on 10 June 2003. 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/weba…
29 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on whether (a) an 80 mm scallop dredge belly ring si'e instead of the proposed 75 mm, (b) a days at sea scheme, such as for 240 days a year, (c) robust use of the scallop fishing licence and (d) a legal obligation to provide landing and fishing data to the scientists …
Answer · Ross Finnie: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-530 today. 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_…
29 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what (a) support and (b) opposition it has received in respect of draft proposals that there be a weekend ban on the scallop industry and by which individuals or bodies such support or opposition has been expressed.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Responses to the consultation exercise on technical conservation measures for scallops, which were not marked as confidential, are available from the Scottish Executive Library.
29 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what evidence there is that a weekend ban on the scallop industry would conserve stocks and whether it will publish any such evidence.
Answer · Ross Finnie: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-530 today. 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_…
29 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what stage research planned by its Environment and Rural Affairs Department into the biochemistry of the scallop, to establish the level at which the synergy between the naturally occurring glutamic and aspartic acids and the demonic acid caused by algal blooms becomes toxic, has reached;…
Answer · Ross Finnie: The Scottish Scallop Advisory Committee, which includes Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department, Food Standards Agency Scotland, Fisheries Research Services and representatives of the scallop industry in its membership, is presently develo…
29 May 2003 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will meet the Scallop Association to discuss current issues of concern to the scallop industry, including amnesic shellfish poisoning and technical measures designed to promote conservation.
Answer · Ross Finnie: My officials, and officials of the Food Standards Agency Scotland, meet regularly with representatives of the Scallop Association to discuss issues of concern to the scallop industry. Most recently, officials met with the Scallop Association on 27 May in Aber…