Fergus Ewing

6 Apr 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has obtained any report by the Standing Veterinary Committee on amnesic shellfish poisoning and, if so, when it will publish a response; whether it has any plans to introduce a replacement method of tiered testing of scallops and, if so, when any necessary subordinate legislat…

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Responsibility for this issue rests with the Food Standards Agency who have advised me that this matter was discussed by EU scientific experts on 3-4 April. The formal report of the meeting is expected shortly, though it is expected to be generally supportive…

5 Apr 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish the guidance, direction or advice given to (a) visitscotland, (b) Scottish Enterprise and (c) Highlands and Islands Enterprise regarding the way in which the additional funding for businesses affected by the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak can be used and, in parti…

Answer · Wendy Alexander: I refer the member to the answers given to questions S1W-14552 and S1W-14860.

5 Apr 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of licensed hotel premises have a rateable value of more than #12,500 in local authority areas with businesses which qualify for the enhanced foot-and-mouth disease related contribution for rates relief of 95%.

Answer · Angus MacKay: Information on the number of hotels, boarding houses etc. with rateable values of £12,000 or less was given in the answer to question S1W-14858. Data on licensed hotel premises are not held separately.

5 Apr 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the provision of up to #2,000 for the cost of advice from lawyers and accountants to businesses qualifying for relief under the aid package for businesses affected by the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease would be more effectively spent on direct financial assistance to businesse…

Answer · Wendy Alexander: This is an operational matter for Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

4 Apr 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its estimate is of the total sums which will accrue to (a) lawyers and (b) accountants from the #5 million funding to the Enterprise Network for businesses hit by the consequences of foot-and-mouth disease.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: Where possible, businesses affected by the foot and mouth outbreak will receive advice from the relevant Small Business Gateway and Local Enterprise Company advisers. However, if additional assistance is required, the extra funding for the Enterprise Networks…

4 Apr 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the source of infection has been in relation to each livestock unit where there has been a confirmed case of foot-and-mouth disease.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The spread of foot-and-mouth disease between livestock units appears mainly to have been by direct animal to animal contact or through people who have been in contact with animals acting as a conduit. Foot and mouth has been a particular problem in sheep, whi…

4 Apr 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the division of Scotland into three 'ones for the purpose of controlling foot-and-mouth disease will affect the prices paid by slaughterhouses for livestock from each 'one and, if so, whether it will take any steps to prevent any potential variation in prices between 'ones.

Answer · Ross Finnie: It is too early to say how the zoning might affect livestock prices. The matter will be kept under review.

4 Apr 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received any communication from the Scottish Licensed Trade Association requesting it to make representations to Her Majesty's Government about the impact which the current level of VAT, cost of fuel and value of sterling have on the cost of holidays in Scotland and consequ…

Answer · Wendy Alexander: We have corresponded with the Scottish Licensed Trade Association on a number of occasions and about a range of issues. Alasdair Morrison met the SLTA's Parliamentary Consultant last autumn.

4 Apr 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish all advice, direction or guidance given to local authorities in respect of the proposed rates relief package for businesses affected by the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak.

Answer · Angus MacKay: Guidance was issued to local authorities in Finance Circular No. 1/2001, a copy of which is available in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. no. 12527).

4 Apr 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many hotels there are in the Highland Council area and how many of these have a rateable value of over #12,500.

Answer · Angus MacKay: There were 2,346 hotels, boarding houses etc. on the valuation roll for the Highland Council area as at 1 April 2000. 311 of these had a rateable value of over £12,000.

4 Apr 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the rates relief scheme for businesses affected by the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak is to be granted by local authorities under the terms of the Local Government Finance Act 1966 and, if not, on what statutory basis the scheme rests.

Answer · Angus MacKay: Local authorities have the power to remit rates on account of hardship in accordance with section 25A of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1966 as inserted by section 156 of the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994.

4 Apr 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider increasing its estimated contribution of #3.5 million to the cost of meeting a rates relief scheme for businesses affected by the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak and, if so, what sum it will make available for such an increase.

Answer · Angus MacKay: We will meet 95% of the cost of providing hardship relief from rates for businesses affected by the foot and mouth outbreak occupying property with a rateable value up to £12,000 in 17 rural local authority areas. We will also fund 75% of the cost of providin…

4 Apr 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether hotels whose rateable values exceed #12,500 are entitled to receive rates relief in respect of hardship as a consequence of the impact of foot and mouth disease and whether it will provide urgent direction to local authorities as to whether such hotels should or should not receiv…

Answer · Angus MacKay: Any business occupying a property with a rateable value above £12,000 in Scotland may apply for relief from rates providing it can be demonstrated that the business is suffering hardship. Local authorities are already aware that this relief is available but a…

4 Apr 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any evidence exists of environmental problems or water shortages as a result of water abstraction by whisky distilleries and, if so, whether it will detail such evidence and any instances or examples of such problems or shortages.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: In its 1999 report on the state of Scotland's water environment the Scottish Environment Protection Agency identified water abstraction by distilleries as one of the pressures affecting water quantity. We will undertake a thorough assessment of the environmen…

4 Apr 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why abstraction controls have been placed on the whisky industry; whether any evidence exists to show that such controls are necessary and, if so, whether it will detail such evidence, and what criteria are applied in deciding whether such controls are necessary.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: No controls on the abstraction of water by the whisky industry are currently in place. However, the EC Water Framework Directive requires the introduction of a comprehensive abstraction control regime. The Executive will bring forward proposals for controls i…

4 Apr 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated impact will be on the whisky industry of the implementation of abstraction controls on taking water from rivers.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: We are developing our proposals for implementation of the EC Water Framework Directive. Those will include abstraction controls. It is too early to determine the impact on the whisky industry. We will ensure that the effects on business are fully considered a…

4 Apr 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to make whisky distilleries exempt from abstraction controls given that the Water Framework Directive enables member states to be exempt from abstraction controls or impoundments which have no significant impact on water status.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: The EC Water Framework Directive requires member states to put in place a comprehensive system of controls on the abstraction of water from the environment. Member states can exempt from control abstractions that have no significant impact on the state of the…

3 Apr 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many livestock haulage businesses it estimates may have to cease trading in the absence of any immediate financial assistance and whether it will ensure that such assistance is made available.

Answer · Ross Finnie: I appreciate fully the impact which livestock movement restrictions and other foot-and-mouth disease controls are having on livestock hauliers' businesses. The relaxation in controls which I referred to in my Statement to the Parliament on 5 April should help…

3 Apr 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether livestock hauliers will be eligible for assistance and support under the emergency relief package announced by the Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning on 28 March 2001.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: Yes.

28 Mar 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what genetically modified material types will be used in GM crop trials and at which sites and whether the so called "terminator gene" will be tried anywhere.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The two varieties of oilseed rape which are currently being grown as part of the farm scale evaluations both contain the following introduced genetic sequences:<P>- PssuAra (a promoter)<P>- <U>bar </U>(a gene conveying tolerance to the herbicide glufosinate a…

28 Mar 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the barnase gene will be tested in any genetically modified crop trials.

Answer · Ross Finnie: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-14585.

28 Mar 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre details of the road alignment scheme between Gaich and Craggan on the A95 which is targeted for completion in 2001-02.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The plans for the A95 Gaich to Craggan improvement scheme require to be reviewed and once completed they will be subject to public consultation prior to construction which is programmed for 2001-02. Details will be placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre …

28 Mar 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, in the event of the three water authorities being replaced by a single water authority for Scotland, whether the water charges for customers of the existing North of Scotland Water Authority are expected to reduce, increase or remain the same.

Answer · Ross Finnie: In advance of the Water Industry Commissioner's Strategic Review of Charges, it is difficult to predict precisely how water and sewerage charges will change. Given the need to invest, as set out in the Quality and Standards consultation paper, it is unlikely …

23 Mar 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it plans to take to promote salmon farming and when it will respond to the letter sent by the Convenors of the Rural Development and the Transport and the Environment Committees on 7 February 2001 asking whether it will hold an independent inquiry into the environmental impa…

Answer · Rhona Brankin: The Executive will continue to support the development of salmon farming within a framework which has due regard to the environment and to the interests of other coastal stakeholders. To that end it is involved in a range of initiatives which includes a compr…

20 Mar 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what advice it has received from Her Majesty's Government regarding the precise source and cause of the current foot-and-mouth disease outbreak and whether the possibility that the virus may have come from a landfill site at Brankley located about five miles from the farm at Heddon-on-the…

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Brankley landfill site has been discounted by epidemiologists as the source of the virus. The virus is a type O Asian strain and has been imported, possibly in infected meat products. Work continues to identify possible routes with which the virus has gai…

20 Mar 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the National Waste Strategy and national planning advice would prevent the granting of permission for a landfill site at mid Lairgs Quarry if it was shown that there was a risk of water pollution to the River Nairn from the catchment area of the proposed site.

Answer · Ross Finnie: If an application for planning permission for a landfill site at Mid-Lairgs were to be made, the National Waste Strategy: Scotland and National Planning Policy Guidelines would be important factors in its determination by the local authority. The application …

20 Mar 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what risk of pollution to rivers landfill sites pose and what measures and safeguards are in place to reduce any such risk.

Answer · Ross Finnie: There is a potential risk to water courses from leachate. Accordingly modern landfill sites are operated to minimise water ingress and leachate is extracted and treated to a high standard before being discharged. New landfill sites will be regulated by the Po…

20 Mar 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what possible health ha'ards are posed by landfill sites close to human habitation; whether any such sites can be a source of infection of any particular disease, and, if so, which ones.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Studies into the effects on human health of living close to landfill sites have suggested that there is a need for further research. The Scottish Executive and UK Government Departments therefore commissioned the Small Areas Health Statistics Unit (SAHSU) las…

20 Mar 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will initiate a public information campaign on television and local radio stations explaining the necessary advice with regard to the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive and other bodies, such as the NFUS, are providing regular guidance, advice and information to farmers, the public at large and other key interests. This is being done at national level but local media interests are helping as appropriat…

19 Mar 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what specific advice the Chief Veterinary Officer has given in relation to the airborne transmission of the current foot-and-mouth disease virus and whether it will make this advice publicly available, in particular that advice which relates to (a) the likelihood of airborne transmission,…

Answer · Ross Finnie: Information from the Office International des Epizootics (OIE), the World organisation for animal health in Paris indicates that airborne spread of foot and mouth disease can be as much as 60km overland and 300km by sea. Those are maximum distances under favo…