Parliamentary questions
Fergus Ewing
2,894 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
22 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive in what ways it supports the work of The National Centre: Education for Work and Enterprise at Strathclyde University and whether it will offer further assistance.
Answer · Henry McLeish: The Executive were very heavily involved in the establishment of the National Centre in 1998. It came into being following an initiative by Brian Wilson MP who was then Minister for Education and Industry at the Scottish Office. The Executive continues to sup…
22 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has already taken to make enterprise education available to every primary school child and what steps it will take to make it available in the school year 2000-01.
Answer · Henry McLeish: At least one teacher in 80% of primary schools in Scotland has undertaken some training in delivering enterprise education. There are currently no plans to make enterprise education available to all primary schools in 2000-01. The curriculum in Scotland is no…
11 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any information on organophosphate poisoning available for those who may have been affected by it and, if not, whether it will make such educational materials available.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The Executive has not produced any such materials and has no plans to do so. General practitioners, who were advised by the Chief Medical Officer in July 1999 of the need to be aware of the possibility that patients may be suffering from organophosphate poiso…
11 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether specialist referrals are available for sufferers of organophosphate exposure; if so, what efforts have been made to ensure that GPs are aware of these services; if not, what action is being taken to address this situation.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The Department of Health issued a statement on 1 July 1999 providing guidance on the action to be taken in cases of complaint of organophosphate poisoning. A copy of this statement was sent to health boards, NHS Trusts and general practitioners in Scotland on…
11 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what efforts are being made to ensure the best diagnosis and treatment for sufferers of organophosphate exposure.
Answer · Susan Deacon: As indicated in my answer to question S1W-6780, the Chief Medical Officer wrote last year to health boards, NHS Trusts and general practitioners to provide guidance on responding to patients suffering from, or claiming to suffer from organophosphate poisoning…
11 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated financial loss to public bodies and businesses was as a result of the "love-bug" computer virus.
Answer · Henry McLeish: The love-bug virus did not penetrate the Scottish Executive virus protection system and therefore no financial loss was incurred.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">We have no ready means of making an estimate of any financial loss to businesses.
11 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will review its plans to promote e-commerce in the light of problems arising from the recent "love-bug" computer virus.
Answer · Henry McLeish: The "Iloveyou" virus was spread by e-mail, which is not the main vehicle for e-commerce transactions.
11 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure protection for public bodies and businesses against problems resulting from possible computer viruses similar to the recent "love-bug" computer virus.
Answer · Henry McLeish: The Scottish Executive's virus protection system has been enhanced to cope with the "Iloveyou" virus and all its known variants and clones.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">The Executive continue to liaise with other Government agencies regarding all IT security i…
8 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to Her Majesty's Government about the bringing into force of legislation shielding personal pensions from vesting in the event of the policy holder becoming bankrupt, and how many people in Scotland it estimates will lose their personal pensions between 1 …
Answer · Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive has made no representations to Her Majesty's Government about bringing this legislation into force. It is estimated that 375 people will lose their personal pensions between 1 April 2000 and 31 March 2001 if legislation is not brought i…
8 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much non-domestic rating income (a) it calculated should be distributed to and (b) was collected by each local authority in each of the last five years.
Answer · Jack McConnell: The amounts of non-domestic rate income distributed to local authorities in each of the last five years, and collected by local authorities for years 1996-97 to 1998-99 are shown in the following table. Figures are not yet available for 1999-2000 and 2000-01 …
4 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much traffic uses the A82 from Tarbet to North of Inverarnan on a daily basis; whether this stretch of the A82 is in need of improvement to the same standard as the section of the A82 lying between Balloch and Tarbet and what impact it anticipates the passage of the National Parks (Sc…
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The average daily traffic flow on the A82 trunk road between Tarbet and north of Inverarnan is 3,000 vehicles compared to 12,000 vehicles between Balloch and Tarbet. The Scottish Executive is aware that the section between Tarbet and north of Inverarnan requi…
4 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the reduced availability of private sector housing grants within Highland Council area has had upon the quantity of stock in that sector and how many houses it estimates would have received grants had the total sum spent been maintained in real terms at the 1995-96 level in ea…
Answer · Frank McAveety: The vast majority of private sector grants are for the improvement or repair of existing houses. It is therefore unlikely that their availability has much bearing on the quantity of stock in the private sector. The amount of grant payable depends on the natur…
4 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much non-domestic rating income it estimates each local authority is due to receive in financial year 2000-01.
Answer · Jack McConnell: The amount of non-domestic rate income expected to be distributed to each local authority in 2000-01 is shown in the following table.<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=500><TR><TD WIDTH="55%" VALIGN="TOP"><P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Council</TD><TD WIDTH=…
4 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will (a) consider introducing any measures to regulate the ownership of land, in particular large landed estates owned by non-residents and (b) consider a requirement on such non-resident landowners based in a foreign jurisdiction to appoint a mandatory to represent their inter…
Answer · Jim Wallace: The matter of principal importance as regards ownership of land by non-residents, as for resident owners, is that ownership should be exercised responsibly. Rather than regulate the ownership of land, we think it better to set out the standards we expect in t…
4 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has considered compensating sufferers of organophosphate poisoning who became ill after complying with compulsory dipping orders.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The issues of compensation are essentially not for government but for individuals to take up with the manufacturers of the product involved.
4 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people in Scotland have complained of suffering from organophosphate poisoning in the last five years.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Expert advice is that it is difficult to establish diagnostic criteria for organophosphate poisoning, other than acute poisoning cases which are rare. Therefore, there has been no central data collection.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">The Veterinary Medicines Directorate…
4 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether exposure to organophosphates can have ha'ardous health effects.
Answer · Susan Deacon: The Independent Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment reviewed the current evidence on exposure and use of organophosphates and their effects on health. Its report of November 1999 concluded that acute poisoning fro…
2 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the Minister for Transport and the Environment's letter to me dated 13 April 2000, on what research or other evidence the statement that "the quarrying industry is imposing costs on the rest of society, that are not presently reflected in the price of its product" is based and…
Answer · Sarah Boyack: Research carried out by London Economics on <I>The Environmental Costs and Benefits of the Supply of Aggregates - Phase 2</I>, was published in July 1999. This confirmed that there are significant environmental costs associated with quarrying which are not co…
2 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to ensure that there is no decrease in the 2000-01 budget for Highlands and Island Enterprise and that there is a real terms increase in its budget of the same percentage as that for Scottish Enterprise and on what grounds Scottish Enterprise will receive a real term bud…
Answer · Henry McLeish: The grant-in-aid allocated to Highlands and Islands Enterprise for financial year 2000-01 amounts to £66.761 million. This represents an increase of £1.371 million over the equivalent figure for 1999-2000.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Decisions on Highlands and Islands …
2 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, if Inverness, Nairn, Moray and Badenoch and Strathspey are excluded from the assisted area status map, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and local enterprise companies will have sufficient resources to achieve the targets set by it and to create new employment opportunities taking…
Answer · Henry McLeish: Highlands and Islands Enterprise is funded to implement all aspects of its agreed strategy and to deal with economic pressures that may arise from time to time within its area.
2 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the impact on the economy of the Highlands and Islands, and in particular the likelihood of attracting future inward investment and promoting indigenous existing businesses within the area, of the exclusion of Inverness, Nairn, Moray and Badenoch and Strathspey …
Answer · Henry McLeish: The Scottish Executive does not make economic or employment forecasts for local areas in relation to the Assisted Areas map.
2 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to The Scotland Office that the consultation period permitted for submissions to be made to them on the assisted area status map should be extended to allow all interested parties a further and full opportunity to make their case.
Answer · Henry McLeish: Extensive representations have already been received from a range of interested parties.
2 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration was given to the consequences for the economy of Badenoch and Strathspey in the decision not to include the area in the assisted area status map, bearing in mind the current state of the local oil fabrication sector, and whether it will make specific representations to …
Answer · Henry McLeish: I refer to the answer I gave in reply to question S1W-6464.
2 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration was given to the consequences for the economy of Nairn in the decision not to include the area in the assisted area status map, bearing in mind the current state of the local oil fabrication sector, and whether it will make specific representations to The Scotland Offic…
Answer · Henry McLeish: I refer to the answer I gave in reply to question S1W-6464.
2 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration was given to the consequences for the economy of Moray in the decision not to include the area in the assisted area status map, bearing in mind the current state of the local oil fabrication sector, and whether it will make specific representations to The Scotland Offic…
Answer · Henry McLeish: I refer to the answer I gave in reply to question S1W-6464.
2 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration was given to the consequences for the economy of Inverness in the decision not to include most of that area in the assisted area status map, bearing in mind the current state of the local oil fabrication sector, and whether it will make specific representations to The S…
Answer · Henry McLeish: The Assisted Area map is a reserved matter.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">I will refer, in answering this question, to the fact that it has also been raised in relation to the areas of Moray (S1W-6465), Nairn (S1W-6466) and Badenoch and Strathspey (S1W-6467).<P ALIGN="JU…
2 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has seen the submissions made by Highland Council and Moray Council to The Scotland Office in respect of the assisted area status map and what support it will give to these submissions.
Answer · Henry McLeish: The Scottish Executive is fully aware of the responses from Highland Council and Moray Council and from other interests across Scotland, and has been closely involved in discussions with The Scotland Office about these and other representations.
2 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many extra jobs will be (a) created and (b) sustained if Badenoch and Strathspey is excluded from the assisted area status map and what its estimate is of the impact on the local economy if the area is excluded from the map.
Answer · Henry McLeish: I refer to the answer I gave in reply to question S1W-6459.
2 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many extra jobs will be (a) created and (b) sustained if Moray is excluded from the assisted area status map and what its estimate is of the impact on the local economy if the area is excluded from the map.
Answer · Henry McLeish: I refer to the answer I gave in reply to question S1W-6459.
2 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many extra jobs will be (a) created and (b) sustained if Nairn is excluded from the assisted area status map and what its estimate is of the impact on the local economy if the area is excluded from the map.
Answer · Henry McLeish: I refer to the answer I gave in reply to question S1W-6459.