Parliamentary questions

Mark Ballard

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

6 Oct 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many places in Scotland are designated as supplying establishments under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.

Answer · Ross Finnie: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-11253 answered on 18 October 2004. All answers to written PQs are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search…

6 Oct 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many places in Scotland are designated as breeding establishments under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.

6 Oct 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many places in Scotland are designated as scientific procedure establishments under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.

6 Oct 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many project licences were granted under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 in (a) 2002 and (b) 2003 in respect of work to be carried out in Scotland.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive has no function in relation to the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. This is the responsibility of the Home Office.

6 Oct 2004 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to Her Majestys Government requesting it to end the testing of military sonar in the waters off Scotland to protect the health and welfare of whales and dolphins.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The testing of military sonar is a reserved matter which falls within the responsibility of the Ministry of Defence.The Scottish Executive is involved in regular liaison meetings with the Ministry of Defence where a range of issues including the use of…

28 Sep 2004 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made by the Sustainable Development Education Liaison Group.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The group is making steady progress. A research study on Sustainable Development Education in other parts of the UK has been completed. The report is being finalised and will be distributed to education authorities and other interested groups in the next few …

23 Jun 2004 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will make an announcement on its proposal to add fluoride to the drinking water supply.

Answer · Tom McCabe: We will announce the outcome of our consultation on measures to improve the oral health of children in Scotland as soon as we have completed our consideration of the many responses we have received.

9 Jun 2004 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether details of transport emissions will be included in future Scottish statistics on greenhouse gas emissions.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Emissions data for the Scottish transport sector are available, and will continue to be available, in the annual publication of regional greenhouse gas inventories.The most recent data are in the publication Greenhouse Gas Inventories for Eng…

26 May 2004 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to protect the public against toxic chemicals in the environment.

Answer · Allan Wilson: The rangeof risks posed by toxic chemicals is diverse and demands a range of controlmeasures. These include legislation to minimise public exposure to toxins throughfood, water and environmental sources, and support for the NHS boards and theemergency service…

28 Apr 2004 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to Her Majesty's Government to ensure that the City of Edinburgh Council is allowed to use the full electoral register to hold a referendum on congestion charging.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: This is a matter for the Cityof Edinburgh Council and I understand that the Council has written to theElectoral Commission.

21 Apr 2004 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what opportunities are afforded by climate change.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Climate change poses a serious threat to Scotland and the world. However,in responding to the threat, there will be opportunities for Scotland to lead the world in newand exciting sectors and industries and to create a more successful, dynamic andcompetit…

14 Apr 2004 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what moves it proposes to make to ensure that other parts of Scotland feature along with the Highlands in National Geographic's Top 10 for sustainable tourism.

Answer · Frank McAveety: I amdelighted that the Highlands has made National Geographic’sTop 10 for sustainable tourism. Our Partnership for a Better Scotlandsets out a number of policies for sustainable tourism, including building onthe natural resources to turn Scotlan…

3 Mar 2004 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether congestion charging has the potential to help alleviate problems of congestion in Edinburgh, enable essential funds to be raised to support public transport initiatives across south east Scotland, such as the proposed Edinburgh trams scheme, and enhance the region's environment th…

Answer · Nicol Stephen: TheExecutive recognises the potential benefits of road user charging. Powers tointroduce such schemes were introduced in the Transport Act 2001.It is for alocal authority to decide whether it wishes to bring forward such a scheme.

3 Mar 2004 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidelines there are relating to granting planning permission for the building of new supermarkets.

Answer · Mary Mulligan: Planningpolicy on the siting of new supermarkets is contained in National PlanningPolicy Guideline 8: Town Centres and Retailing. Copies are available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre.Last year the Executive commissioned research into the effective…

26 Nov 2003 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the conclusion by the Agriculture and Environment Biotechnology Commission in its report GM Crops? Coexistence and Liability that GM crops cannot be grown commercially without contaminating conventional and organic crops.

Answer · Allan Wilson: The Scottish Executive welcomes the Agriculture andEnvironment Biotechnology Commission report on coexistence and liability andwill consider the recommendations very carefully before responding in duecourse.

21 Nov 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what planning controls, and other measures, are available to it and local authorities with regard to the deployment of 3G mobile phone systems.

Answer · Mary Mulligan: The operators of 3G mobilephone systems are subject to the same planning controls already in place forthe roll-out of the GSM network. That is to say work constituting“development”, as defined in planning legislation, requires planningpermission. As with othe…

11 Nov 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on how often Lothian and Borders Police have attended incidents at the Omni Centre, Greenside Place, Edinburgh since January 2003 and on the average cost of such call-outs.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: Such information is not heldcentrally. The routine deployment of Lothian and Borders officers is a matterfor Lothian and Borders Police.

11 Nov 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on how often Lothian and Borders Fire Brigade has been called out to incidents at the Omni Centre, Greenside Place, Edinburgh, since January 2003 and on the average cost of such call-outs.

Answer · Hugh Henry: This information is not heldcentrally. This is a matter for Lothian and Borders Fire Brigade.

3 Sep 2003 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it is making to Her Majesty's Government and the European Union to protect the water industry in the light of the current negotiations on liberalisation under the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS).

Answer · Ross Finnie: Regulationof international trade is a reserved matter. However, the Scottish Executive continues to be in regular contactwith DTI and other Government Departments on trade issues, including the GATSnegotiations, to ensure that Scottish interests are fully tak…

27 Aug 2003 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that Scotland's social, environmental and local economic interests are represented and protected at the 5th World Trade Organi'ation (WTO) ministerial meeting in Cancun, Mexico, from 10 to 14 September 2003.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The regulation of international trade is reserved and as such the Department of Trade and Industry take the lead on this matter. The Scottish Executive remains inclose contact with Whitehall colleagues on matters of international trade, including WTO negotiat…

29 May 2003 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans the Scottish Environment Protection Agency has to review its monitoring of radioactive discharges from the Sellafield nuclear reprocessing plant

Answer · Ross Finnie: Monitoring of discharges from Sellafield is a matter for the Environment Agency for England and Wales. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency and the Food Standards Agency are responsible for the monitoring of radioactivity in the Scottish environment. I …