Fergus Ewing

9 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether payments from the Scottish Transport Group pension fund surplus will be made in full to the widows of fund contributors and whether it will act upon the recommendations of the Petitions Committee made at its meeting on 25 June 2002.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to my letter to the Convener of the Scottish Public Petitions Committee dated 9 August 2002, a copy of which I understand has been sent to the member.

9 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will make an announcement regarding payments from the Scottish Transport Group pension fund and what sum will be paid out.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I announced on 12 August 2002 that an additional £8 million had been secured by Scottish ministers, bringing the total amount to be distributed to £126 million, and that letters were being sent to eligible former Scottish Transport pension scheme members to i…

8 Aug 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements have been put in place by each NHS board to assist in the provision of GP out-of-hours services; what amount of each board's budget has been used for the provision of such services in each of the last three years, and how much it estimates such services will cost in the …

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: All GPs are eligible for an annual payment (currently £2,510) for providing out of hours services and for a night visit fee (currently £25.10) for each face to face consultation carried out between the hours of 10pm and 8am. These fees and allowances are pres…

31 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has given any recent approval for expenditure to be paid to four landed estates for a programme of deer culling; if so, how much this totalled; what rate was paid per carcass, and whether this represented value for money.

Answer · Allan Wilson: No such approval has been given.

31 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what recognition sportscotland will give to international shinty fixtures between Scotland and Ireland and, if none, whether it will invite sportscotland to give recognition to these fixtures.

Answer · Elaine Murray: <B>Sport</B>scotland does not recognise the annual match between the shinty players of Scotland and the hurlers of Ireland as there is no international federation for shinty under whose auspices international competitions can take place. This is a matter for …

19 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will request the European Commission to readdress the issue of the setting of the west of Scotland nephrops total allowable catch (TAC) with a view to reinstating the reduction of 10% of the TAC introduced in 2001.

Answer · Ross Finnie: We hope to address this in the autumn negotiations on TACs.

19 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it submitted evidence to the European Commission regarding the lack of impact that the nephrops fishery had on cod and whether it will place in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre copies of any evidence which it submitted to the Commission in relation to this issue.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The UK submitted evidence to the Commission on several occasions in 2001 to illustrate that higher landings of nephrops did not result in higher landings of cod. The specific nature of this correspondence is confidential.

17 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on (a) the policy of modulation under the common agricultural policy and (b) the proposal by Fran' Fischler of the EU Commission that there should be a further modulation of 20% and (c) what it considers should be the maximum percentage modulated each year.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Executive agreed to introduce modulation up to a maximum of 4.5% on the basis of matched funding from HM Treasury which aids rural development measures and, in turn, helps secure a sustainable future for Scottish agriculture. However, it is too soon to co…

17 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there should be a minimum sum payable under the common agricultural policy by way of subsidies to any one farm unit and, if so, what that amount should be.

Answer · Ross Finnie: We are currently evaluating the Commission's proposals for reform of the CAP, but I am not aware of any suggestion that there should be an automatic minimum payment available to individual farm businesses.

17 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is in relation to the maximum payment of subsidies under the common agricultural policy; whether such payment should be restricted to 300,000 euros and, if not, what that sum should be.

Answer · Ross Finnie: We welcome the general direction of the Commission's proposals for reform of the CAP, which is consistent with the <I>Forward Strategy for Scottish Agriculture</I>.<P>However, any proposal to limit the maximum amount payable to individual farm businesses may …

16 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether a new Children's Science Centre should be established within the Highlands and, if so, what work requires to be done in order to investigate the feasibility of such an initiative; whether there will be a feasibility plan and, if so, whether the Highland Council will be responsible…

Answer · Iain Gray: Questions relating to any proposed new science centre would be an issue for those making the proposal. The Executive has no plans to provide funding for any new science centres.

16 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made any estimate of the increase in visitors' spending which may result should the Inverness Highland bid to become the European Capital of Culture in 2008 be successful.

Answer · Elaine Murray: The assessment of economic implications associated with the bid by Inverness Highland to become European Capital of Culture 2008 was obtained by the team developing the bid, and is reproduced in their application document. It estimates that, should the bid be…

15 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the annual budget will be for the first three years of operation of (a) the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park and (b) the Cairngorms National Park.

Answer · Allan Wilson: The funding allocation for the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park for the period 2002-03 is £4.8 million. The level of funding to be allocated in future years for National Parks in Scotland will be determined by the Executive as part of its future bu…

15 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is on the circumstances under which primary schools should lose a teacher following a decrease in the school roll; whether such reductions in teacher complement should not take effect over a period of one year but over a longer period, and what guidance it will give to loc…

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The responsibility for the management of publicly funded schools, including the recruitment and deployment of teachers rests with individual local authorities. Within that responsibility it is a matter for local authorities to determine the most appropriate r…

15 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many farmers have received an estimated total subsidy payment for food produce in excess of ?300,000 at current exchange rates in each of the last 10 years.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Available and comparable data indicate that the total number of farm businesses receiving over €300,000 in direct CAP subsidies for commodity food production in each year was as follows:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=207><TR><TD WIDTH="31%" V…

15 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether parent seagulls that make swooping attacks on people in order to protect their young constitute a danger to human safety; whether it will give advice to local authorities that action should be taken under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 in order to reduce and seek to elimin…

Answer · Allan Wilson: The Scottish Executive, Scottish Natural Heritage and other agencies already offer advice to local authorities on a variety of control measures which can be taken against seagulls, including measures under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.<P>In a situati…

15 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any disclosures made by Mr Peter McMahon to media in respect of the former First Minister constitute breaches of confidentiality; if so, which specific disclosures so constitute breaches of confidentiality; what the reasons are for not taking action against any such breaches; whet…

Answer · Andy Kerr: The articles written by Peter McMahon commenting on events when he was a special adviser did not contain anything which involved a significant breach of his duties in respect of confidential government information. On that basis legal action could not be just…

8 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether hostel accommodation for backpackers in Scotland should meet essential minimum standards and, if so, what standards should be met giving full details, and whether the assessment of hostel accommodation in Scotland should be based on premises meeting such essential standards rather…

Answer · Mike Watson: Standards for Hostel Accommodation for backpackers in Scotland are a matter for local authorities. VisitScotland runs a voluntary Quality Assurance scheme for hostel accommodation for backpackers, under which such establishments can choose whether or not to p…

5 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has met The Highland Council in connection with a proposal for a feasibility study in respect of a Stromeferry bypass.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: No.

5 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the exercise of powers by local authorities to impose weight restrictions on roads may lead to areas of forest becoming isolated and whether any such action should be the subject of consultation with the Executive before it is taken.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Decisions on the management of local roads, including the imposition of weight restrictions, are a matter for local authorities. Consultation with the Executive on individual cases would not be appropriate. Wider issues concerning transport infrastructure and…

5 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has convened the meeting between the forestry industry and COSLA representatives to discuss timber transport and rural roads issues as agreed by the Deputy Minister for Environment and Rural Development on 30 May 2002 (Official Report c 12540) and whether increased investment i…

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I understand that the Deputy Minister for Environment and Rural Development has written to COSLA regarding a meeting, but no date has been arranged as yet.<P>On investment, the Executive's Scottish Forestry Strategy identifies the development of timber transp…

4 Jul 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance has been provided to the north and north east by Communities Scotland for the purpose of providing housing accommodation for those with special needs; what the annual budget of Communities Scotland is for such housing; how this budget has been allocated in the current fina…

Answer · Margaret Curran: I have asked Mr Bob Millar, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland to respond. His response is as follows:<P>Communities Scotland's programme allocations reflect ministerial priorities and link the national distribution of resources to Area Teams, based upon…

1 Jul 2002 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Presiding Officer, further to his answer to question S1W-22110 on 4 February 2002, whether a decision has been made yet on whether to take legal action against Flour City International Inc. and whether the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body will provide an up-to-date estimate of the losses resulting from…

Answer · David Steel: No decision has yet been made on whether to take legal action against Flour City International. The costs to the project arising from the insolvency of Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd are currently estimated as £3.85 million.

26 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive who the members of the Scottish National Rural Partnership are, what its remit is and on what dates it has met.

Answer · Allan Wilson: The Scottish National Rural Partnership is an advisory body to ministers on rural policy, and exists to promote effective liaison between public, private and voluntary sector interests on rural matters.<P>The partnership, which currently has 17 members, is ch…

26 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive on what dates the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Rural Development has met; whether its membership has changed and, if so, when and how; whether it produces minutes of its meetings, and, if so, whether these are made public.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Cabinet Sub-Committee on Rural Development, which I Chair, (formerly the Ministerial Committee on Rural Development), was established in 1999, when it met three times. Since then, it has met five times in 2000 and five times in 2001 and has so far met twi…

13 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any evidence that wind turbines pose any threat to birds and what research it has commissioned into this matter.

Answer · Ross Finnie: We have no such evidence. Under existing legislation, it is mandatory for developers to detail the environmental impact of their proposals, especially for environmentally significant sites, and propose mitigation measures as part of their accompanying environ…

13 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it carried out any performance assessment process prior to the reappointment of the Chairman of Caledonian MacBrayne; who was consulted in connection with the performance of the current Chairman; whether users of Caledonian MacBrayne or workers of the company were consulted in any…

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I can confirm that the Scottish Executive carried out a performance assessment of the Chairman of Caledonian MacBrayne before the recent announcement of his reappointment. This was based on significant contact between ministers and the chairman and very frequ…

11 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has received about any proposed meeting between representatives of Highlands and Islands Airport Limited (HIAL) and Ryanair on 19 June 2002; what assistance it will provide to HIAL in order to ensure that there is a successful outcome to any such negotiations on the es…

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The meeting between Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (HIAL) and Ryanair on 19<SUP> </SUP>June follows on from a meeting on 25 April about the possibility of the Irish carrier operating from HIAL airports. Meetings between HIAL and its users and potential us…

11 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-26523 by Ross Finnie on 7 June 2002, on what evidence the designation of each of the nitrate vulnerable 'ones was based and whether it will publish such evidence in full.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The monitoring data and scientific evidence on which the nitrate vulnerable zone designations are based can be found in the British Geological Survey Report (BGS) <I>Groundwater nitrate vulnerable zones for Scotland</I> which is available from the Parliament'…

10 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will amend the rules governing the safer routes to school fund so that buses in normal service can be diverted from their route in order to transport children to school.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Executive has provided financial support to local authorities to assist them to develop Safer Routes to School and Cycling, Walking and Safer Streets projects. Guidance on <I>How to run Safer Routes to School</I> was published by the Scottish Executive in…