Parliamentary questions
John Farquhar Munro
549 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
16 Feb 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive who authorised any changes made to the appraisal summary table for the Inverness bypass between the July 2008 draft Strategic Transport Projects Review document and the December 2008 final document.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Technical reviews for consistency and clarity of the appraisal and its reporting on a Scotland-wide basis were completed as part of the quality assurance of the STPR in the period July 2008 to December 2008.</p> <p >Any changes to the reports were made by th…
16 Feb 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the reasons were for any changes made to the appraisal summary table for the Inverness bypass between the July 2008 draft Strategic Transport Projects Review document and the December 2008 final document.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-21033 on 16 March 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/…
16 Feb 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what research was carried out on the safety impact of the Inverness bypass between July 2008 and the publication of the Strategic Transport Projects Review in December 2008 and what detailed results are available.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Technical reviews for consistency and clarity of the appraisal and its reporting on a Scotland wide basis were completed as part of the quality assurance of the STPR in the period July 2008 to December 2008.</p> <p >This included reviewing the safety criteri…
16 Feb 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what research was carried out on the economic impact of the Inverness bypass between July 2008 and the publication of the Strategic Transport Projects Review in December 2008 and what detailed results are available.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Economic output from the completion of the modelling of the operation of the Inverness bypass provided a benefit to cost ratio of less than 0.75 for the scheme in the period July 2008 to December 2008.</p> <p >This is reported in the option summary table (An…
16 Feb 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what research was carried out on the environmental impact of the Inverness bypass between July 2008 and the publication of the Strategic Transport Projects Review in December 2008 and what detailed results are available.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Strategic Environmental Assessment was completed in the period July 2008 to December 2008.</p> <p >Specific comments on the environmental impacts of the Inverness bypass are set out on page 126 of the Environmental Report. These, and the detailed result…
12 Feb 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many households were in fuel poverty on 31 December 2007 and in each subsequent quarter for which information is available.
Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish House Condition Survey is the source of official figures for fuel poverty. The latest figures available are for 2007. In 2007, about 586,000 households were in fuel poverty. Since the figures are derived from a survey there is an associated 95% c…
12 Feb 2009 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive for what reasons parking charges at Raigmore Hospital diabetic clinic are still being enforced.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: <i >This question was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link:</i></p> <p ><a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor0212-01.htm">http://www.scott…
26 Jan 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason it has opted for compulsory bluetongue vaccination given that England has opted for a voluntary approach.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: Veterinary advice and the analysis by Scottish Government''s Centre of Excellence in Epidemiology is that a mass vaccination campaign against bluetongue virus 8 would be in Scotland best interests. In the light of this advice and evidence of likely take up un…
22 Jan 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-16463 by Michael Russell on 30 September 2008, which body is responsible for clearing debris below the high-water mark on beaches.
Answer · Michael Russell: In general terms such marine pollution comes within the jurisdiction of the UK Government. Responsibility for enforcing the relevant legislation falls to the Maritime and Coastguard Agency of the Department for Transport.</p>
22 Jan 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, if the bull hire farms are to remain in its ownership, whether their use will be for the sole benefit of crofting and, if they are to be sold, whether the money obtained will be retained for the benefit of crofting.
Answer · Michael Russell: No decisions have yet been taken on the future use or disposal of Balrobert and Knocknagael farms, south of Inverness. The aim has always been to ensure that resources tied up in the present uneconomic and unviable bull hire scheme are freed up so as better t…
9 Dec 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the 2007-08 real-terms equivalent combined baseline budget is for Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Skills Development Scotland in the Highlands and Islands and the Business Gateway scheme in all local authorities in the Highlands and Islands for each year of the current spending rev…
Answer · John Swinney: No direct budget existed for Skills Development Scotland (SDS) in 2007-08 and the contribution to this area from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) was held in its published budget. Decisions on programme spend within the Highlands and Islands are an oper…
8 Dec 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any accidents or injuries were reported on the A87 on Skye on Friday 5 December 2008 and whether the road was adequately gritted that morning.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Transport Scotland holds information about personal injury accidents on the trunk road network. This information is provided by the police and takes approximately three months to be verified and submitted. At present, Transport Scotland has no accident data f…
20 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the development functions of the Crofters Commission have been transferred to Highlands and Islands Enterprise.
Answer · Michael Russell: Discussions between the Scottish Government, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and the Crofters Commission relating to the transfer of crofting development functions to Highland and Islands Enterprise are on-going. To date, there has been no transfer of resour…
20 Nov 2008 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has plans to bring forward transport infrastructure investment ahead of the strategic transport projects review.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: We have a fully committed programme of transport infrastructure investment to 2012. We have already brought forward plans for the Edinburgh-Glasgow Improvement Programme as part of the Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR) and the Forth Replacement Cross…
18 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to dispose of the bulls used in the Bull Hire Scheme.
Answer · Michael Russell: The Scottish Government, as noted in its response to the Final Report of the Committee of Inquiry on Crofting, intends to offer, as a transitional measure, existing stud farm bulls, at a cost not exceeding current annual hire costs, to crofting groups which h…
18 Nov 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has sold Beechwood Farm in Inverness and, if so, (a) to whom, (b) how many acres were sold and (c) for what price and, if not, whether it intends to sell (i) Beechwood, (ii) Knocknagael and (iii) Balrobert farms.
Answer · Michael Russell: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-17877 on 27 November 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/App…
9 Oct 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive why Forestry Commission Scotland has changed its annual scavenging permit to quarterly and has increased the price in the Highlands by over 100%.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS) engages in firewood sales on a local basis. Firewood is either made available at the side of the forest road or a scavenging permit is issued. This allows the holder to enter the forest and remove as much wood as they can re…
8 Oct 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assurance it can give about the continuation of accident and emergency cover at Portree Hospital from 8 am until 11 pm.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: It is the responsibility of individual NHS boards to plan and provide high-quality, safe and sustainable healthcare services that meet the needs of their population.</p> <p >If NHS Highland were to propose any significant changes to the way services are curr…
8 Oct 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assurances it can give about the future role of Portree Hospital and whether it will make a ministerial statement on this issue.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-16865 on 28 October 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/web…
7 Oct 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to improve the range of medical services offered at Portree Hospital.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: It is the responsibility of individual NHS boards to plan and provide high-quality, safe and sustainable healthcare services that meet the needs of their population.</p> <p >As such, the provision of services at Portree Hospital is a matter for NHS Highland.…
7 Oct 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has undertaken any surveys into the predation of lambs by sea eagles across all areas where there are sea eagle populations and whether it will undertake such a survey covering the lambing season in 2009.
Answer · Michael Russell: The Sea Eagle Project partners, comprising Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and latterly the Forestry Commission Scotland for the east coast undertake annual monitoring of sea eagle breeding performance which also…
2 Oct 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, if it winds up the Bull Hire Scheme in 2009, it intends to sell Knocknagael stud farm and, if so, whether the money raised will be ring-fenced for the support of crofting.
Answer · Michael Russell: The Scottish Government announced on 1 October 2008 that it considered the Bull Hire Scheme to be unsustainable in its present form and would end it by the summer of 2009, with the resources presently allocated to the Bull Hire Scheme remaining within crofti…
1 Oct 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when ministers last met representatives of each of Scotland’s heating oil distribution companies.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: No such meetings have taken place.</p>
26 Sep 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has spent on tackling fuel poverty among heating oil users in each year since 1999 and how much it intends to spend before the end of 2008.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: Information on the resources committed through the Warm Deal programme and the public sector central heating programme is not collected by heating fuel type.</p> <p >However, the information requested covering the central heating programme in the private sec…
26 Sep 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many and what percentage of (a) heating oil and (b) other fuel users lived in fuel poverty in each of the last five years.
Answer · Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish House Condition Survey (SHCS) collects this data, but only for the years 2002, 2003-04, 2004-05 and 2005-06 of the last five years. As the data is from a survey, all figures are estimates. The SHCS estimates of the count and percentage of people …
17 Sep 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will compensate farmers and crofters who are losing stock due to sea eagle predation, as it did under the scheme that was operated on Mull.
Answer · Michael Russell: Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) has operated management schemes for Mull, Skye and Lochaber in connection with the sea eagle reintroduction programme. The Skye and Lochaber scheme continues until 2011. I am aware of the concerns expressed by some farmers and …
17 Sep 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make a ministerial statement about the future of the Bull Hire Scheme.
Answer · Michael Russell: Ministers are publishing their response to the final report of the Committee of Inquiry into Crofting today, 1 October, including a response to the Committee''s recommendation on the future of the Bull Hire Scheme. The Minister for Environment will also make …
16 Sep 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will confirm its continuing commitment to fox clubs.
Answer · Michael Russell: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-16276 on 25 September 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/we…
28 Jul 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will support the reintroduction of an LPG grant scheme to help reduce the burden of escalating fuel costs.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The previous LPG grant scheme was introduced as a means of reducing CO<sub>2</sub> emissions from cars. The scheme was set up to contribute towards the cost of converting vehicles to enable the use of LPG, at a time when LPG offered clear CO<sub>2</sub> reduc…
20 Jun 2008 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body when the Parliament’s e-petition comments section will again be operational.
Answer · Alex Fergusson: </b> We have been informed by the supplier of the e-petitions system that difficulties have arisen with the e-petition system due to problems with the hardware that runs the system. Part of this is due to the overwhelming volume of traffic being experienced o…