Parliamentary questions
Jamie McGrigor
1,122 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
20 Jan 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with (a) BAA and (b) the UK Government regarding BAA’s plans to increase domestic passenger charges at Heathrow Airport from April 2011.
Answer · Keith Brown: I met with BAA''s Chief Executive Officer, Colin Matthews, on 19 January 2011 when I reiterated the Scottish Government''s concerns about the impact of the new charging structure on Scottish services to Heathrow. I also wrote on 20 January 2011 to the Secreta…
17 Jan 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people convicted for shoplifting in each of the last three years have reoffended within a year of conviction.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The information requested is provided in the following table.</b></p> <p >One Year Reconviction Rates for Offenders Receiving a Community Sentence/Released from a Custodial Sentence for Shoplifting: 2005-06 to 2007-08</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cell…
17 Jan 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many test purchases have been carried out of deliveries of alcohol purchased via the internet and with what results, in each year for which information is available.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The use of test purchasing is an operational matter for the chief constables. At present, the police operate an intelligence led deployment of test purchasing to ensure that resources are effectively targeted. There have been no test purchases made on deliver…
10 Dec 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive to what use any money saved by not offering the hill path option in the menu of options for the land management option scheme for farmers and crofters has been put.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: Like applicants under the Land Management Contracts Menu Scheme, Land Managers'' Options applicants choose from a list of options, including path maintenance under the Improving Access option, up to a total maximum yearly allowance based on the area of land d…
10 Dec 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many farmers and crofters accessed support for developing or repairing hill paths or tracks through the land management option scheme in the years when this option was available and how much money this option cost in each of these years.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The number of applicants accessing support and the level of support from the Improving Access option under Land Management Contract Menus Scheme (LMCMS) within the 2000 to 2006 Rural Development Programme and under Land Managers'' Options (LMO) within the 200…
10 Dec 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much money has been saved by not offering the hill path or track construction and repair option in the menu of options for the land management option scheme for farmers and crofters.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: Payment for maintaining paths is offered under the Improving Access option within the Rural Development Contracts Land Managers'' Options as part of the 2007 to 2013 Scotland Rural Development Programme.</p>
1 Dec 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the concerns of businesses offering tour packages that include routes included in the Road Equivalent Tariff pilot scheme that they will have difficulty in setting 2012 prices as a result of the anticipated ending of the Road Equivalent Tariff pilot scheme.
Answer · Keith Brown: Decisions about the future of RET will be taken once the final results of the evaluation of the pilot are available in early 2011. Decisions will be taken in good time to allow ferry operators to set fares for 2012, and for businesses to plan accordingly.</b>…
1 Dec 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how long it expects the study into the Road Equivalent Tariff pilot scheme to take.
Answer · Keith Brown: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-37999 on 15 December 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facilities for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/a…
1 Dec 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive on what date the Road Equivalent Tariff pilot scheme will end and whether ferry prices will immediately revert to pre-pilot scheme prices on that date.
Answer · Keith Brown: The RET pilot scheme has been extended to spring 2012. The final results of the evaluation of the pilot will be available early in 2011. This will allow ministers to make decisions on fare levels for ferry services in the Western Isles, Coll and Tiree and the…
30 Nov 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to improve access to innovative treatments for patients with rare diseases.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: There are longstanding commissioning arrangements to ensure patients are able to benefit from specialised services required for the treatment of rare and ultra-rare conditions. Access to this national resource is managed by the National Services Division (NSD…
30 Nov 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of equity of access to innovative treatments for patients with rare diseases.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government has not conducted an assessment of equity of access to innovative treatments for patients with rare diseases. There are longstanding commissioning arrangements to ensure patients are able to benefit from specialised services required f…
30 Nov 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has considered creating a cancer drugs fund to fund or subsidise treatments for patients with rare cancers that have been rejected by the Scottish Medicines Consortium on grounds of cost effectiveness.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Scotland has robust, equitable and transparent arrangements for the introduction of newly licensed clinically and cost-effective medicines to treat all conditions, including those to treat rare cancers. The arrangements include opportunities at local level fo…
2 Nov 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made representations to the UK Government to ensure that those who plan to install small and reliable turbines on their land are offered financial incentives to do so.
Answer · Jim Mather: The Scottish Government recognises the great potential of micro renewables as, given Scotland''s abundant natural energy resources, they could make a considerable contribution to our ambitious renewable energy and climate change targets. </b></p> <p >We are …
2 Nov 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to Ofgem to encourage it to facilitate the process of accrediting wind turbines.
Answer · Jim Mather: Accreditation of wind turbines is carried out by independent bodies certified under the Microgeneration Certification Scheme and overseen by the UK Accreditation Service. As this is outwith the remit of Ofgem, the Scottish Government will not make representat…
2 Nov 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will support small-scale and domestic wind turbine installation projects that have not been accredited under the Microgeneration Certification Scheme by 31 December 2010.
Answer · Jim Mather: Small-scale and domestic wind turbine installation projects that have not completed their transition from Clear Skies to the Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) by the 31 December 2010 deadline may not be eligible for support under UK Government ˜Clean…
2 Nov 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason the wind turbine testing station at East Kilbride has not accredited any turbines in 2010.
Answer · Jim Mather: With the recent introduction of the Feed-In Tariff (FIT), we would have expected to see a rise in demand for accredited microrenewables products given that it is a statutory requirement of the FIT.</b></p> <p >However, the wind turbine testing station in Eas…
2 Nov 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the number of available wind turbine products accredited under the Microgeneration Certification Scheme being three out of almost 100.
Answer · Jim Mather: The Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) is an independent scheme that certifies microgeneration products and installers in accordance with consistent standards. It is designed to evaluate microgeneration products and installers against robust criteria …
2 Nov 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether wind turbines that have not been accredited under the Microgeneration Certification Scheme are able to qualify for the feed-in tariffs incentive programme.
Answer · Jim Mather: The Scottish Government recognises the great potential of the Feed-In Tariff (FIT) to significantly stimulate uptake of micro renewables in Scotland which, given our abundant natural energy resources, could make a considerable contribution to our ambitious re…
2 Nov 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many red deer stags have been recorded in each year since 1997.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Although Scottish National Heritage (SNH), and, formerly the Deer Commission for Scotland, do carry out deer counts in particular areas, there is no comprehensive national count of the red deer population. In carrying out counting it is also difficult to reli…
2 Nov 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what studies have been completed or are being undertaken into the potential impact on migratory fish stocks of offshore renewable developments, in particular in relation to electromagnetic fields around cables.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-37196 on 11 November 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at:</p> <p align=left >http://www.scottish.parl…
2 Nov 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of concerns regarding the potential impact on migratory fish stocks of offshore renewable developments, in particular in relation to electromagnetic fields around cables and, if so, what its response is.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: I am aware of concerns about the potential for offshore renewable developments to impact on migratory fish stocks. Environmental assessments of proposed developments will provide an opportunity to consider the likelihood and scale of particular developments u…
28 Oct 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what economic impact assessment was made before the introduction of the Southern Isles ring-fence for milk producers.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the four written submissions which the Scottish Government has submitted to the Parliament''s Public Petitions Committee and which are available on the Parliament''s website.</p>
28 Oct 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on whether Islay-based milk producers having been able to raise income to finance new business ventures as a result of having access to the national milk quota market and whether producers elsewhere in the Southern Isles ring-fence area might also benefit from having …
Answer · Richard Lochhead: Leasing or selling milk quota is one of a number options available to producers to raise additional income to finance new business ventures. The issue of whether producers in the Southern Isles ring-fence area might benefit from having similar access will be …
28 Oct 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on whether it is in the interest of the wider community for some dairy farmers in the Southern Isles ring-fence to suffer financial hardship by giving up milk production.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the four written submissions which the Scottish Government has submitted to the Parliament''s Public Petitions Committee and which are available on the Parliament''s website.</p>
28 Oct 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on whether dairy farmers might have had their property rights breached by the introduction of the Southern Isles ring-fence.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the four written submissions which the Scottish Government has submitted to the Parliament''s Public Petitions Committee and which are available on the Parliament''s website.</p>
28 Oct 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on dairy farmers in the Southern Isles ring-fence having given up milk production and are facing economic hardship.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the four written submissions which the Scottish Government has submitted to the Parliament''s Public Petitions Committee and which are available on the Parliament''s website.</p>
28 Oct 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made alternative options available to dairy farmers in the Southern Isles ring-fence who have given up milk production.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Rural Development Programme offers a wide range of support options for farmers and land managers who diversify into other rural business activities.</p>
15 Sep 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to encourage and promote the use of sheep's wool as building insulation material
Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government recognises the use of sheep''s wool as an insulation product. However, in the interest of fairness, Scottish building regulations do not promote specific products.</p> <p>We encourage innovative approaches to improving the energy perf…
14 Sep 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide an update on efforts to re-establish a ferry service between Campbeltown and Ballycastle.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: We continue to work closely with Argyll and Bute Council and Moyle District Council on this matter.</p>
2 Sep 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to revoke the ban on the tail docking of working dogs and, if so, when.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The report on tail injuries in dogs by the Royal Veterinary College and Bristol University was sent to a number of organisations and individuals who were asked to comment on the findings. The points and comments raised by the respondents are presently being a…