John Farquhar Munro

11 Jan 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Environment Protection Agency will undertake an Environmental Impact Assessment of the Marine Harvest salmon farm at Naast on Loch Ewe before a renewal of the farm's licence or any increase in its biomass limit is granted.

Answer · Allan Wilson: Decisions about Environmental Impact Assessments are for the competent authority, currently the Crown Estate. No development application, either for renewal or modification, has been received to date by the Crown Estate for the site in question.

9 Jan 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions it has had with the Highland Council in respect of the trunk roads maintenance contract in the Highland Council area.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Scottish Executive Officials have held meetings with Highland Council on 5 and 14 November 2001 and 12 December 2001 to discuss trunk road winter maintenance.

9 Jan 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) gritters, (b) snow blowers and (c) items of other machinery were available for use on trunk roads in the Highland Council area on (i) 10 December 2001, (ii) 3 December 2001, (iii) 26 November 2001 and (iv) the same dates in 2000.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Scottish Executive records indicate that the number of vehicles available and dedicated for use on trunk roads in the Highland area on the dates requested are as follows:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=609><TR><TD WIDTH="34%" VALIGN="TOP"><FON…

9 Jan 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many representations it has received on the adequacy of the gritting programme for trunk roads in the Highlands Council area between 20 December 2001 and 7 January 2002.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive received seven representations concerning the adequacy of the gritting programme for trunk roads in the Highland area between 20 December 2001 and 7 January 2002.

9 Jan 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received on the performance of BEAR Scotland Ltd in respect of the trunk roads maintenance contract in the Highland Council area and what action it has taken in response to each such representation in each of the last six months.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive has received a number of representations regarding the performance of BEAR Scotland Ltd in respect of the trunk road maintenance contract in the North west Unit, which includes the Highland Council area.<P>In the majority of cases the m…

9 Jan 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has requested a report from the Performance Audit Group in respect of the trunk roads maintenance contract for the Highland Council area in (a) the last three months, (b) over the Christmas and New Year period; what dates any such requests were made, and what response it receiv…

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Performance Audit Group (PAG) carries out auditing and monitoring of the activities of the Operating Company, BEAR Scotland. The auditing and reporting is not carried out on a local authority boundary basis. A report, prepared by PAG, covering the first y…

9 Jan 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the Performance Audit Group last made a report to it in respect of the trunk roads maintenance contract for the Highland Council area.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-21624.

9 Jan 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action the Performance Audit Group has taken in respect of the trunk roads maintenance contract for the Highland Council area (a) in each of the last three months and (b) over the Christmas and New Year period.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-21624.

8 Jan 2002 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Presiding Officer what plans the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body has to introduce a car share scheme for staff.

Answer · David Steel: The Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body has no plans to introduce a car share scheme for staff at the moment.

19 Dec 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications to join the Rural Stewardship Scheme this year will be approved.

Answer · Ross Finnie: I am pleased to announce today that I am able to approve the management actions and associated capital works proposed in 380 applications. This represents 80% of the 476 applications submitted and involves a financial commitment by the Executive of £18 millio…

17 Dec 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what document sets out the public comparator for the Skye Bridge bidding process and whether it will place a copy in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: In 1990, the then Government decided not to make a comparison with a publicly funded bridge on the basis that it had already ruled out any such option.

13 Dec 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give a detailed breakdown by agricultural sector and land category of the payments to farmers and crofters in 2001 under the less favoured area scheme.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Less Favoured Area Support Scheme (LFASS) is not sector specific. It involves, in the main, area payments to different land categories within the less favoured area in Scotland. Details of the distribution of payments by land category under LFASS 2001 are…

11 Dec 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to assist sheep producers in the crofting counties to develop production procedures that enable them to operate in all areas of sheep production.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive provides underpinning support to all parts of the Scottish sheep industry via various methods, including direct payments to producers, and by funding initiatives relating to improving sheep health and genetics, animal traceability and m…

5 Dec 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the intended implementation date is for the Renewables Obligation (Scotland).

Answer · Ross Finnie: The statutory consultation, which closed recently, raised a number of detailed and complex technical issues which need to be addressed. Consequently, we now intend to introduce the Renewables Obligation (Scotland) on 1 April 2002.

29 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will allow the Scottish Environment Protection Agency's regional laboratories to undertake any contract analysis.

Answer · Allan Wilson: Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is permitted to accept contract analysis work, provided it does not detract from the exercise of SEPA's statutory functions or ability to meet corporate objectives.

29 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to alter the workload of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency's chemistry laboratory in Dingwall.

Answer · Allan Wilson: This is a matter for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA). The Executive does not decide the distribution of work amongst SEPA's laboratories.

29 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to alter the status of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency's chemistry laboratory in Dingwall.

Answer · Allan Wilson: This is an operational matter for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA). The Scottish Executive is not responsible for determining the status of SEPA's laboratories.

29 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to maintain the regional structure of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.

Answer · Allan Wilson: This is a matter for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA). SEPA abolished its Regional Management Structure on 1 April 2001, but intends to retain all of its 22 local offices. The three regional boards, established under statute, remain in being.

27 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what powers it has under the rural development regulation EC 1257/1999 to top-up agri-environmental schemes funds and whether it can do so without securing European match funding to cover the additional funding.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Funding for agri-environment schemes is set out in the Rural Development Plan for Scotland which was approved by the EC in December 2000. Any additional funding for measures within the plan, whether state-aided or co-financed, would require the approval of th…

27 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to implement funding for a national top-up to existing budgets of agri-environmental schemes under Article 51 of the rural development regulation EC 1257/1999.

Answer · Ross Finnie: We already pay a higher rate for certain stock removal than is supported by EC co-financing and fund that through a "national top-up".

15 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on when the Seeds (National List of Varieties) Regulations 2001 will be made.

Answer · Ross Finnie: These UK regulations were laid before both Houses of the UK Parliament on 31 October 2001. I have made arrangements for a copy of the instrument to be placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 17014).

5 Nov 2001 · First Minister's Question

To ask the First Minister what progress is being made in restoring animal exports to Europe.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Thanks to strenuous efforts by Ross Finnie, I am delighted he was able to announce on Tuesday that lamb and venison exports from most of Scotland can recommence soon. Agreement to resume pigmeat and beef exports was secured last month.

2 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many digital hearing aids have been distributed by Highland Health Board in each of the past three years.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The following numbers of digital hearing aids were drawn off the central Scottish Healthcare Supplies contract by NHS Trusts in the Highland NHS Board area since the contract started in June 1999.<P>June 1999 to December 1999 - Nil<P>January 2000 to December …

24 Oct 2001 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it is making towards meeting its targets on moving freight from road to rail.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: We continue to be fully committed to encouraging the transfer of freight from road to rail and waterborne modes of transport. <P>We have already made awards of Freight Facilities Grant (FFG) that will remove over 13.4 million lorry miles from Scotland's roads…

5 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much and what percentage of the money allocated under the Rural Stewardship Scheme in the current and next financial years will be given to farms with land areas of (a) less than 50 hectares, (b) between 50 and 100 hectares, (c) between 100 and 200 hectares, (d) between 200 and 400 he…

Answer · Ross Finnie: It is not possible to say how much, and what percentage of the money allocated under the Rural Stewardship Scheme, will be given to farms with land areas of (a) less than 50 hectares, (b) between 50 and 100 hectares, (c) between 100 and 200 hectares, (d) betw…

26 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-17710 by Sarah Boyack on 24 September 2001, what mechanisms are in place to allow MSPs to scrutinise the financial details of the Skye Bridge contract in order to protect the interests of their constituents.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: Scottish ministers are bound by the duty of confidentiality set out in the Concession Agreement with Skye Bridge Limited and cannot release details of the contract to members.

21 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the sample collection and laboratory testing capacity of the Food Standards Agency Scotland has restricted the lifting of any Food and Environment Act 1985 closure or shucking restriction imposed during 2001.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Food Standards Agency has advised me that the lifting of Food and Environment Protection Act Orders, and shucking restrictions placed for the harvesting of scallops, can be restricted in relation to sample collection through the need to await relevant red…

21 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list, for each shellfish algal Toxin Monitoring Box subjected to a Food and Environment Act 1985 closure or to a shucking restriction during the first nine months of 2001, the sampling dates and results for all tests from that box after the restriction was applied.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested is lengthy and I have asked the Food Standards Agency to send a copy of the information required directly to the member. A copy of this information will also be placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 16796).

21 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the Food Standards Agency Scotland's algal Toxin Monitoring Box testing capacity is for (a) king scallops, (b) queen scallops and (c) mussels.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Food Standards Agency has advised me that current testing capacity for the Fisheries Research Services Marine Laboratory (FRS MLA) in Aberdeen, for offshore boxes, is 10 boxes per week (20 samples of king or queen scallops). This capacity is based on FRS …

13 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it plans to take in the light of the report by the Agriculture and Environment Biotechnology Commission on GM crop trials.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive welcomes the commission's report and, in particular, its cautious support for completion of the current farm scale evaluation programme. However, the detailed recommendations of the commission are currently being considered and a full r…