John Farquhar Munro

17 Jan 2001 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what additional resources it intends to make available for the management and protection of special areas of conservation.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: Following the recent spending review, the Scottish Executive has increased the resources for SNH from £42.3 million for the financial year 2000-01 to £48.5 million for 2001-02, an increase of 14.7%. Ministers expect SNH, in their current budgeting round, to a…

16 Jan 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what additional resources it intends to make available for the management and protection of special areas of conservation.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: I refer the member to the answer I gave to his question S1O-2855.

16 Jan 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many proposed special areas of conservation it has formally considered and how many sites went on to be presented to the European Commission for approval.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: Sarah Boyack announced on 14 June 2000 a list of 90 new proposed Special Areas of Conservation. These were in addition to the 131 Scottish and three cross-border sites already submitted to the European Commission in the period up to June 1999. Following consu…

10 Jan 2001 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the #9 million aid allocated to assist the salmon farming industry because of the infectious salmon anaemia outbreak remains unspent.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: To date, HIE has assisted 18 companies with a total of £2.9 million. A number of other applications are currently under consideration which, if approved, could take the total assistance to some £4.3 million. This assistance has provided valuable reassurance f…

19 Dec 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will announce the successful tender for the trunk road management and maintenance contract in the Highlands.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The result of the competition was announced in my reply to Des McNulty on 23 January (question S1W-12726). I subsequently announced my intention to award the contract in the answer to question S1W-13044 on 2 February.

6 Dec 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what further progress has been made in implementing the Land Reform Action Plan published in August 1999.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I am pleased to announce that the fifth progress report of action to implement our wide-ranging Land Reform Action Plan is published today. All MSPs are receiving copies. <P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Members should note that, since the last progress report:<P ALIGN="JU…

30 Nov 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-10932 by Sarah Boyack on 29 November 2000, whether it will provide an estimate of the cost of terminating the Skye Bridge contract.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: No. It is not the Executive's policy to terminate the contract.

30 Nov 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many individual tenants were notified that land they rented would be designated as a (a) Site of Special Scientific Interest, (b) Special Area of Conservation and (c) Special Protection Area in each year since 1990, showing the cumulative total for each category in each year.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: This information is not available. Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) consults all those with interests in land affected by a proposed designation but does not require proprietors to specify the nature of their tenure of that land.

30 Nov 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many individual land owners were notified that land they owned would be designated as a (a) Site of Special Scientific Interest, (b) Special Area of Conservation and (c) Special Protection Area in each year since 1990, showing the cumulative total for each category in each year.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: This information is not available. Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) consults all those with interests in land affected by a proposed designation but does not require proprietors to specify the nature of their tenure of that land. A project to record centrally …

30 Nov 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what amount of funding was made available for managing and protecting (a) Sites of Special Scientific Interest, (b) Special Areas of Conservation and (c) Special Protection Areas in each year since 1990, expressed in today's prices.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: Details of expenditure by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) on Management Agreements for Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) made under section 15 of the Countryside Act 1968 are available in <I>Facts and Figures</I> published annually by SNH and held …

30 Nov 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what total area of land was designated as (a) Sites of Special Scientific Interest, (b) Special Areas of Conservation and (c) Special Protection Areas in each year since 1990, showing the cumulative total for each category of land designated for each year.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: The information requested for the area of land designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and classified as Special Protection Area (SPA) is contained in the tables attached. No sites have yet completed the full course to designation as Special…

29 Nov 2000 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will issue matriculation cards to school pupils who are over 16 in order to put them on an equal footing with students of the same age who are in further education.

Answer · Jack McConnell: Matriculation cards are issued by individual colleges. Their similar use in schools would therefore be a matter for schools or local authorities.

8 Nov 2000 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider providing a fast track procedure in the free central heating programme for pensioners who have been diagnosed with terminal illness.

Answer · Jackie Baillie: A working group has been set up to advise the Executive on the rules for the new scheme. It is considering the question of priority need and the circumstances you describe will be taken into account in the deliberations.

2 Oct 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to ensure that there will be a Gaelic news broadcast following the announcement by Comataidh Craolaidh Gaidhlig that it will not renew the Grampian Television contract when it expires on 31 December 2000.

Answer · Alasdair Morrison: Comataidh Craolaidh Gaidhlig is considering options for television news and current affairs following its decision on Telefios. There is already a Gaelic news service on BBC Radio nan Gaidheal, which will now be available on the Internet.

6 Sep 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what organisations it consulted before allowing the GM crop trial at Roskill Farm, Munlochy to go ahead, how far in advance they were consulted and what questions they were asked.

Answer · Ross Finnie: I refer Mr Munro to my oral answer of 7 September to question S1O-2169 and my written answer of 19 September to question S1W-9461.

6 Sep 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assurances it can give that farmers whose crops are accidentally cross pollinated from GM crop trials cannot be sued by GM seed companies for breaches of patent.

Answer · Ross Finnie: This is not a matter for the Scottish Executive.

6 Sep 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the budget is for the GM Crop trial at Roskill Farm, Munlochy.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The programme of farm scale evaluations is organised and funded on a UK basis and detailed budgetary information is not available at individual farm level.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">The total cost of the three-year UK programme is £3.3 million, to which the Scottish …

6 Sep 2000 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive who is liable should genetically modified (GM) crop material from GM crop sites damage neighbouring farms or local biodiversity.

Answer · Ross Finnie: There are currently no provisions in Scots or UK law covering liability for damage caused specifically by genetically modified organisms. The ability of an individual to secure compensation for damage allegedly caused by GMO releases has not been tested in th…

5 Sep 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what legal recourse or right to compensation a farmer has who finds his crops to be contaminated with genetically modified DNA.

Answer · Ross Finnie: There are currently no provisions in Scots or UK law covering liability for damage caused specifically by genetically modified organisms. However, under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, there are powers to prosecute a consent holder where the limitation…

31 Aug 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will reconsider putting a GM crop trial site at Rosskill by Munlochy in the light of representations from the local community and Highland Council.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive, as a competent authority, is required to operate within governing European and UK legislation on the deliberate release of genetically modified crops. Under European Directive 90/220/EEC, consent can only be refused where there is scie…

31 Aug 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports the proposed move to two stage testing for algal toxins in scallops which is currently under consideration by the EU.

Answer · Susan Deacon: Responsibility for this issue rests with the Food Standards Agency, with the Scottish arm taking the lead on European negotiations. The agency's primary concern is to ensure the protection of public health, whilst also ensuring that its actions are proportion…

31 Aug 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the EU to speed up the consideration of a two-stage testing regime for algal toxins in scallops.

Answer · Susan Deacon: Responsibility for this issue rests with the Food Standards Agency, with the Scottish arm taking the lead on European negotiations. The conclusions of the meeting of the EU Marine Biotoxins Reference Laboratories, including the possibility of a tiered testing…

9 Aug 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the subsidy on concessionary tickets for the Skye Bridge is paid following the sale of the tickets or only after each individual ticket is used.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: Payment is made only for discount tickets actually used.

25 Jul 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will allow shellfish farmers and processors to take their own samples of shellfish to EU approved laboratories for independent testing, in particular from areas which are covered by an emergency closure order.

Answer · Susan Deacon: Shellfish farmers and processors can arrange for samples to be analysed at an independent laboratory qualified to undertake algal toxins analysis. However, only samples analysed by the Marine Laboratory on behalf of the Food Standards Agency can be used to fu…

25 Jul 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a list of all EU approved laboratories for the testing of algal toxins in shellfish.

Answer · Susan Deacon: A list of EU approved laboratories is contained in Commission Decision 1999/312/EC. A copy is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre(SPICe), Bib number 5378.

12 Jul 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what independent structural inspections are carried out on the Skye Bridge annually, other than those conducted by the company itself.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: In accordance with UK national standards, a General Inspection of the bridge is made every two years and a Principal Inspection, which is a close examination of all inspectable parts of the structure, will be carried out at intervals not exceeding six years. …

12 Jul 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been spent on Skye Bridge maintenance in each year since it opened.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: Maintenance of the Bridge is the duty of the concessionaire. Information on operating and maintenance costs can be found in Skye Bridge Limited's annual Directors' Report and Financial Statements which are publicly available at Companies House.

12 Jul 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the Skye Bridge toll income has been in each year since it opened.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The information requested can be found in Skye Bridge Limited's annual Directors' Report and Financial Statements which are publicly available at Companies House.

12 Jul 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of total Skye Bridge toll income goes towards (a) repayment of debt; (b) interest charges on the capital cost of the project; (c) annual maintenance costs; (d) toll collection costs; (e) administration, and (f) profit.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: I refer the member to my answer to question S1O-2379.

11 Jul 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage, after discounts, of (a) each individual toll and (b) the total amount of toll money collected on the Skye Bridge goes toward repaying the outstanding debts associated with the project.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: All of the toll income, including the compensation paid by the Scottish Executive, counts towards the amount that the concessionaire is entitled to collect in return for providing the bridge. The amount is £23.64 million in 1991 prices discounted at 6 per cen…