Parliamentary questions
John Farquhar Munro
549 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
20 Oct 2004 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether local authorities will be provided with funding to allow them to assume planning control for marine fish farms.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: We propose that when planning controls for marine fish farms are introduced, local authorities will be able to charge a planning application fee. Our consultation paper on the introduction of planning controls includes consideration of appropriate fee levels.…
12 Oct 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in light of its responsibilities for granting consent under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989, it will place a copy of the “Holford Rules”, which govern the transmission of electricity by overhead lines, in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.
Answer · Allan Wilson: The “Holford Rules” are a series of planning guidelines first developed in 1959 by Lord Holford adviser to the then Central Electricity Generating Board (CEGB) on amenity issues. They were reviewed in the 1990s by the National Grid Company (NGC). So far as th…
6 Oct 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many cases of (a) methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and (b) other forms of Staphyloccocus aureus there have been at Raigmore Hospital in the last five years for which records are available.
Answer · Andy Kerr: Data are available on the rates of episodes of MRSA bacteraemia by health board. This information is published quarterly by the Scottish Centre for Infection Control and Environmental Health (see <a href="http://www.show.scot.nhs.uk/scieh">www.show.scot.nhs.u…
6 Oct 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many cases of (a) methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and (b) other forms of Staphylococcus aureus there have been in the last five years for which records are available.
Answer · Andy Kerr: A national mandatory hospital infection surveillance system was introduced in 2001 to monitor MRSA blood infections. The surveillance is operated by Scottish Centre for Infection and Environmental Health (SCIEH) and it produces quarterly reports. These report…
4 Oct 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to evaluate the impact of new overhead power lines on the economies of communities reliant on tourism.
Answer · Patricia Ferguson: The Scottish Executive has not carried out any research into the impact of new overhead power lines on the economies of communities reliant on tourism. </p><p>However, we do understand the importance of tourism to the rural economy and, through VisitScotland,…
20 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the reasons are for delay in implementing the parts of the Agricultural Holdings (Scotland) Act 2003 that allow tenant farmers the right to buy.
Answer · Ross Finnie: We are currently consulting on draft regulations and orders which should be laid before the Parliament later this year. These are required to implement the remainder of the Agricultural Holdings (Scotland) Act 2003 and, in particular, the pre-emptive right to…
17 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to address any increase in people in fuel poverty as a result of rising energy prices.
Answer · Mary Mulligan: We continue to work on the three causes of fuel poverty, namely poor household energy efficiency, income maximisation and the cost of fuel. We are not complacent and have previously expressed our concerns to the main fuel suppliers.</p>
17 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to improve the service offered by VisitScotland to potential customers.
Answer · Frank McAveety: VisitScotland provides a wide range of services to visitors and tourism businesses as it strives to position Scotland as a must-visit, must-return destination. These services range from national and local marketing through a range of quality assurance schemes…
17 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive why a reduction in fire control centres will lead to the improvement of fire services.
Answer · Hugh Henry: The case for a reduction in the number of emergency fire control rooms has been considered in a report by consultants Mott MacDonald, commissioned by the Scottish Executive. The report recommended a reduction in the number of control rooms, from the present e…
17 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure the fair imposition of cross-compliance measures in respect of the Single Farm Payment Scheme.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The Good Agriculural and Environmental Conditions (GAEC) measures of cross-compliance have been developed with stakeholders to reflect the wide variability of Scottish conditions and I will in due course announce a cost effective multi-purpose inspection regi…
17 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide assistance to people in poverty as a result of increased fuel costs.
Answer · Mary Mulligan: The Executive has a range of policies in place to help people in poverty and works in conjunction with the UK Government. More specifically, the central heating programme, the Warm Deal and the Winter Fuel Payment will help people in poverty mitigate against …
14 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the employment implications of the introduction of the Single Farm Payment Scheme will be within its Environment and Rural Affairs Department.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The planned reduction in the number of direct support schemes and the introduction of the Single Farm Payment Scheme will reduce the number of people employed on the administration of Pillar 1 Common Agricultural Policy Schemes, although this will be off-set …
13 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether Scotland’s share of 25% of any unspent money from the Single Farm Payment Scheme will be re-allocated and, if so, whether it will be re-allocated for agricultural purposes.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Funds for agricultural subsidies are drawn as necessary from EC funds and there is no right to unspent money. However, Council regulation (EC) 1782-2003 does provide that member states will be able to retain sums equivalent to 25% of any penalties imposed bec…
13 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of money will be retained by its Environment and Rural Affairs Department as a result of any errors made by farmers and crofters in the implementation of the requirements for the Single Farm Payment Scheme.
Answer · Ross Finnie: European regulatory penalties incurred by farmers and crofters will depend on the nature and extent of the producer’s non-compliance with scheme requirements. Infringements will come in two categories: firstly, application-related errors, for example late cla…
13 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many of its Environment and Rural Affairs Department’s (SEERAD) officials will be involved in each farm Assessment in respect of the Single Farm Payment Scheme.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The number of staff involved in any inspection assessment will reflect the scale of the farming enterprise under review. I recognise the concerns of farmers and crofters about the numbers of potential inspectors – both from SEERAD and specialist bodies - and …
13 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what appeals procedure will be put in place for farmers and crofters appealing against decisions made by its Environment and Rural Affairs Department’s (SEERAD) officials under the Single Farm Payment Scheme.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The European Regulation, upon which the Single Farm Payment Scheme is based, comes into effect from 1 January 2005 and I intend to extend the existing formal appeals mechanism, the Agricultural Subsidies (Appeals) (Scotland) Regulations 2000 to cater for the …
13 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what training its Environment and Rural Affairs Department’s staff will receive in the assessment criteria for the Single Farm Payment Scheme.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Staff in the Environment and Rural Affairs Department are receiving training on the introduction of the Single Farm Payment Scheme and this will continue, as new tasks are required.</p>
10 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what movement there was of female cattle from Crofters Commission farms from August 2003 to August 2004 showing, in each case, the (a) age of cattle, (b) criteria for sale, (c) final destination and (d) price received.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Details of sales of female cattlefrom the farms managed by the Crofters Commission between August 2003 and August2004 are as follows:</p><p>26 September 2003</p><p>(a) 15 heifers (aged 2.5 tothree years) with calves (aged to three months) at foot.</p><p>(b) N…
8 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in respect of the maintenance of a bull hire scheme for crofters.
Answer · Allan Wilson: Crofting groups with a bull hire contract which started in 2003 will have a bull under the Bull Hire Scheme for the 2005 breeding season. The Crofters Commission has advised crofting groups who had hires that ended in 2004 that there will be interim arrangeme…
8 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the outcome of the review of the Bull Hire Scheme will be made public.
Answer · Allan Wilson: The Bull Hire Scheme was reviewed in 2003 as part of the review of the Livestock Improvement Schemes and the report on that review was made available for public scrutiny on 5 April 2004.</p>
1 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated development value is of land currently used for the Livestock Improvement Scheme administered by the Crofters Commission.
Answer · Allan Wilson: In 2003 the full market value of the properties used for the Livestock Improvement Scheme was estimated by professional valuers to be £2,179,000.</p>
1 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list areas of land owned by (a) it and (b) the Crofters Commission and used for the Livestock Improvement Scheme administered by the Crofters Commission in each of the last 10 years that have been sold to third parties, detailing (i) the name and acreage of plot sold, (ii)…
Answer · Allan Wilson: All the land used for the purposes of the Livestock Improvement Scheme over the last 10 years has been land owned originally by the Secretary of State for Scotland and now owned by Scottish ministers. Details of sales in the last 10 years, of land used for Li…
1 Sep 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the landholdings owned by (a) it and (b) the Crofters Commission and used for the Livestock Improvement Scheme administered by the Crofters Commission in each of the last 10 years, broken down by name, acreage and owner of each holding and whether it will produce a p…
Answer · Allan Wilson: In 1994 the Secretary of State for Scotland owned three properties which were used for the Livestock Improvement Scheme. One of these, Wester Aberchalder farm (841.37 hectares), was sold in 1994 in three lots. The remaining two properties are (a) Beechwood (c…
1 Jul 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, if Her Majesty's Government (HMG) has made any proposals to store waste from nuclear submarine reactors at any site in Scotland, it will make representations to HMG regarding the social and economic impact of such proposals.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The Ministry of Defence hasnot made any decisions on sites. The proposals received from industry are onlyoutline at this stage. Although the criteria for the final selection of a sitehas not yet been developed the Executive would expect the socio-economicimpa…
1 Jul 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on other sites, not referred to in Project ISOLUS Consultation on Outline Proposals (CIOP): Final Report, that the Ministry of Defence is considering using for the storage of nuclear waste.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The Executive is not awareof any additional sites, other than those consulted on by Lancaster Universitylast year.</p>
1 Jul 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had any discussions with the Ministry of Defence regarding the impact of possible storage of submarines at (a) Aultbea, (b) Dounreay, (c) Nigg and (d) Ardoyne Point.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The Executive has engagedwith the Ministry of Defence on the Interim Storage of Laid-Up Submarinesconsultation process. The outline proposals being considered by the MoD are Rosyth,HMS Vulcan at Dounreay and Coulport and not those mentioned in the question.</…
21 Jun 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will remove the 50% council tax rebate on second homes.
Answer · Tavish Scott: We expect to be able to make an announcement soon.</p>
7 Jun 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the feasibility study to be carried out into the future of the Bull Hire Scheme will consider the (a) introduction of a replacement grant scheme and (b) refining of the current scheme, in line with recommendations in the Scottish Agricultural College's Report on the Review of the …
Answer · Allan Wilson: We have chosen to continue to invest in support for cattle improvement in the crofting counties and are looking with stakeholders at a range of options. </p><p>Any future support measures must bring measurable improvements, give the taxpayer value for money a…
26 May 2004 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in ensuring that the standard of medical cover is not affected by the new opt-out arrangement.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The new GeneralMedical Services contract provides a patient service guarantee which ensuresthat patients will continue to get access to at least the current range ofprimary medical services available.</p><p>GPpractices may opt-out of providing additional serv…
20 May 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will place a copy of the legal advice it received in regard to the Livestock Improvement Scheme, referred to by the Deputy Minister for Environment and Rural Affairs during the members' business debate on 19 May 2004, in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.
Answer · Allan Wilson: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-8398 on 15 June 2004. 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…