Parliamentary questions

John Farquhar Munro

549 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

3 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why its inquiry reporter ruled inadmissible the evidence into the heath effects of electromagnetic fields at the public local inquiry into the expansion of the Wester Balblair substation and whether it will place a copy of that ruling in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: In order to expedite very lengthy inquiry proceedings, the reporters ensured that repetitive evidence was not permitted. In particular, evidence given at the strategy session was not permitted to be brought forward again at the subsequent local sessions. In a…

3 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it conducted any research into the heath effects on communities who live in close proximity to electricity substations as opposed to those who live near pylons.

Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government is not aware of any specific research that relates to health effects of substations as opposed to pylons. Recent reports published are the Stakeholder Advisory Group on Extremely Low Frequency Electromagnetic Fields (SAGE) in April 200…

3 Jun 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what specific information it received during the public local inquiry into the Beauly to Denny line regarding the heath effects of the expansion of the electricity substation at Wester Balblair, as opposed to the heath effects of the overhead cables.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Parties to the Beauly to Denny public local inquiry were advised that consideration of health matters would be in the context of government policy and advice. The strategy session heard detailed evidence on matters related to concerns about health wi…

21 May 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to ensure that indigenous highlanders are not displaced by housing and homelessness legislation that disadvantages them when trying to find social housing in their local area.

Answer · Stewart Maxwell: There is nothing in housing or homeless legislation that disadvantages local residents. It is for local authorities and registered social landlords to determine their own allocation policies within the framework of existing guidance, which aims to ensure that…

18 Mar 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it plans to address the deteriorating state of the A87 between Morriston Bridge and Kyle of Lochalsh.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The trunk roads maintenance budget is allocated on a prioritised needs-based approach which is informed by road condition surveys. This ensures that available maintenance funds are directed to where they provide best value for money. In addition, on …

20 Feb 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it intends to produce its draft Gaelic language plan and when it was statutorily required to first produce one.

Answer · Linda Fabiani: The notice issued by B²rd na G idhlig to the Scottish Executive in August 2006 specified that the Scottish Executive Gaelic language plan should be submitted to B²rd na G idhlig in August 2007. In common with other public bodies which have been asked to prepa…

7 Feb 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will investigate the conditions in which broiler chickens are reared with a view to improving animal welfare standards.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Broiler chicken production units are inspected by Scottish Executive staff and staff from the Animal Health Agency. Animal welfare and the conditions under which the chickens are raised are important aspects of these inspections. Council Directive 20…

7 Feb 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider an early ban on conventional battery farming ahead of the proposed EU ban in 2012.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Welfare of Farmed Animals (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2002 banned the keeping of laying hens in conventional battery cages from 1 January 2003, but allowed egg producers using these systems at 31 December 2002 to continue until 1 January 2012. <…

7 Feb 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the common agricultural policy “health check” will (a) increase the amount of funds available to farmers through national envelopes and (b) allow payments of national envelopes to be targeted geographically, and what its position is on these issues.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: At this stage, no decisions have been taken about whether the CAP Health Check will increase funding available through national envelopes or allow for any such funding to be targeted geographically. We wish to ensure that full consideration is given to the po…

30 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what studies have been carried out into the use of brine to de-ice roads.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Transport Scotland is represented on the National Salt Spreading Research Group, which commissioned a three-year research study on this subject in 2001. The final report of this study in 2005 included results of other trials undertaken for local authorities.<…

30 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many accidents have been recorded on gritted roads since the introduction of liquid-salt solution to de-ice roads and how this figure compares with the previous two years on the same roads.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: It is not possible to link road accidents directly to whether the road had been gritted, as this information is not recorded on the police accident report. However, the total number of reported injury accidents on the entire trunk road and motorway network be…

30 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the total cost of road gritting was to it in each of the two years prior to the introduction of road de-icing using liquid-salt solution, also expressed in cost per mile.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The trunk road maintenance contracts are tendered on the basis of a single lump sum payment for the delivery of all operations, including management, salting and monitoring associated with the winter service. Consequently, it is not possible to identify the e…

30 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the total expenditure on road de-icing by Scotland TranServ using liquid-salt solution has been in each year for which figures are available, also expressed in cost per mile.

29 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to improve the safety of pedestrians crossing the Tore roundabout on the A9.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: A range of safety enhancements for pedestrians are included in the A835 Tore to Maryburgh Cycle Track contract which is expected to be awarded at the end of February 2008.

21 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many accidents were reported on the A87 between 25 December 2007 and 21 January 2008 and how this figure compares with previous years.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Injury accident statisticsfor this period are not yet available.

20 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the budget for the Croft House Grant Scheme (a) was for 2006-07, (b) is for 2007-08 and (c) will be for 2008-09.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Budget does notdistinguish between voted provision for the Crofting Building Grants and LoansScheme (CBGLS) and the Croft House Grants Scheme (CHGS). The former Schemeclosed on 31 December 2004. The latter scheme opened on 1 January 2005.E…

18 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will clarify the scope and delivery mechanisms for the replacement for the Crofting Community Development Scheme announced by the Minister for Environment on 7 September 2007.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: An integral part of the successof the Crofting Community Development Scheme (CCDS) lay in the support providedlocally for crofting communities to develop sound business plans. These plans, onceapproved by the Crofters Commission, allowed communities to access…

17 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-4391 by Richard Lochhead on 1 October 2007, whether it will place a copy of the lease to the Eilean Ban Trust in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Lease between the Scottishministers and the Eilean Ban Trust is a matter of public record. I have arrangedthat a copy of the extract of the Lease, held by the Registers of Scotland, is placedin the Scottish Parliament InformationCentre (Bib. number 44400)…

15 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans there are to upgrade facilities at Inverness Airport.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: In keeping with ScottishTransport Appraisal Guidance (STAG), Highlands and IslandsAirports Ltd (HIAL) has prepared a report on the expansion of Inverness AirportTerminal reflecting the passenger growth envisaged in its master plan publishedin August 2007. The…

14 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to improve the Kessock roundabout on the A9 and what the timescale is for any such plans.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Transport Scotland instructed Scotland TranServ to conduct a study intothe capacity of the Longman roundabout, south of Kessock Bridge, and a draft report was received in October2007. The study examined the existing and future traffic flows and the capacityof…

1 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will undertake a survey of all suppliers of bivalue molluscs to assess the extent of any burden placed on them by existing food safety regulations and to investigate the scope for streamlining the system to reduce bureaucracy while maintaining adequate protection of the public …

Answer · Shona Robison: TheFood Standards Agency is the UK Competent Authority under European law for foodsafety legislation. The current EU Food Hygiene Regulations have applied in theUK since 1 January 2006 with the objective to ensurea high level of consumer protection with regar…

24 Sep 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will seek a temporary derogation from the EU birds directive to allow the sale of resident population greylag geese shot in the open season.

Answer · Michael Russell: I am considering allpossible options for future management of the greylag goose population which couldinclude assessment of the potential benefits of securing a derogation from the EuropeanCommission under the EU Birds Directive to permit the sale of greylag …

17 Sep 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will renew the Eilean Ban Trust’s lease on Eilean Ban when the current lease runs out and, if so, in renewing the lease, whether it will provide the trust with long-term security to ensure a sustainable future for the island for the benefit of the local community.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The current leaseto the Eilean Ban Trust is due to end on 18 October 2015, unless the trust decidesto terminate earlier. It is too early to determine future leasing arrangements.

21 Aug 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what investigation the Scottish Environment Protection Agency has undertaken into an outbreak of sewage fungus in the River Polly; how many times this issue has been reported in the past, and what the cause is.

Answer · Michael Russell: As this is an operationalmatter for the Scottish EnvironmentProtection Agency, I have askedthe Chief Executive to reply to your enquiry directly.

31 Jul 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it would support changes to crofting law to allow for the election of members of the Crofters Commission.

Answer · Michael Russell: Scottishministers will consider the future role and constitution of the Crofters Commissiononce they have received the report of the Committee of Inquiry on Crofting, ledby Professor Mark Shucksmith. The committee is expected to report early in 2008

10 Jul 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide funding and clinical support for the use of insulin pump therapy for all those with type 1 diabetes whose multiple daily injections are failing.

Answer · Shona Robison: This is one of the keyactions in the Diabetes Action Plan. NHS boards are expected to find thenecessary funding and clinical support from within their existing resources,and the Scottish Government will monitor the progress in meeting this keyaction of the pl…

5 Jul 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider offering grant assistance to individuals or communities unable to access broadband to help them establish and maintain satellite broadband connections.

Answer · Jim Mather: We are considering a varietyof technology-neutral options to solve remaining broadband access issues. Thisincludes examining the use of alternative technologies such as satellite aswell as different funding mechanisms such as grant assistance.We recent…

2 Jul 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to ensure that the Wester Loch Ewe area has an adequate water supply so that no new developments in the area will be constrained by lack of water.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: This is an operationalmatter for Scottish Water, and I have asked the Chief Executive to replydirectly to your enquiry.

25 Jun 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much public expenditure there has been on agricultural biotechnology research, including GM research, in each year since 2000, showing funding allocated to (a) the Rowatt Institute, (b) the Scottish Crop Research Institute, (c) the Scottish Agricultural College and (d) any other Scott…

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The amount of fundingallocated by the Scottish Executive in the past (April 2000 to March 2006) tothe area of agricultural biotechnology research and carried out by the Rowettand Scottish Crop Research Institutes, SAC and other Scottish researchorganisations …

6 Jun 2007 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people were arrested for drug and drink driving offences in the Highlands last summer.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: Information on the number ofarrests made by the police is not held centrally, only the number of crimes recorded.There were 683 crimes involving drug and/or drink driving in the Highlands recordedby the police in 2005-06.