Parliamentary questions

Mark Ruskell

1,773 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

26 Aug 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures were taken to provide the extra resilience necessary for the Airwave communications system during the G8 summit at Gleneagles.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: O2 plc provides the Airwave network for the police service in Great Britain and it is for them to ensure the resilience of the system. O2 worked closely with the Scottish police service both in the run up to and during the summit to ensure network monitoring …

26 Aug 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what budget was allocated to meet the requirement for the Airwave communications system to be fully operational for the G8 summit at Gleneagles.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: No separate budget was allocated for Airwave at the G8 summit. The core cost of the service (which for Scottish forces is paid by the Scottish Executive) covered most of the use of the network during G8.

27 Jul 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any hybrid plants resistant to herbicides have been detected in or adjacent to fields used for farm-scale evaluations.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: No hybrid plants resistant to herbicides have been detected in or adjacent to fields used for farm-scale evaluations in Scotland.

27 Jul 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any horizontal gene transfer from genetically modified plants has been detected in or adjacent to fields used for farm-scale evaluations.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: In a Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs funded research project, the Centre of Ecology and Hydrology investigated the level of gene flow between cultivated crops and wild relatives in or adjacent to fields used for the Farm Scale Evaluations (F…

27 Jul 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any tests have been carried out in or adjacent to Scottish fields used for farm-scale evaluations of genetically modified crops to establish whether any horizontal gene transfer has taken place and, if any such tests have been carried out, what the nature was of the tests.

15 Jul 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of the case where the European Union has initiated infraction proceedings, referred to in page 17 of its May 2005 consultation paper, Public Participation in Environmental Impact Assessment.

Answer · Johann Lamont: The consultation paperrefers to a case raised by the European Commission, who do not consider thecurrent definition to fully implement Article 6(1) of the EIA Directive. The UKGovernment received a letter of formal notice, which is the first stage ofproceedin…

31 May 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are in place to detect the presence of illegal genetically modified organisms in grain imported into Scotland and how successful any such measures have been.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: Local authorities are responsible for the enforcement of the genetically modified organisms (GMO) Traceability and Labelling Regulations and the GM Food and Feed Regulations in Scotland. If an illegal GMO was found in an import of grain Local Authorities are …

31 May 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any Bt10 maize or other illegal genetically modified organisms have entered the food chain in Scotland.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: Neither the Scottish Executive nor the Food Standards Agency, which is the UK competent authority for GM foods and feeds, is aware that Bt10 or any other illegally genetically modified organisms has entered the food chain in Scotland either through importatio…

31 May 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any Bt10 maize or other illegal genetically modified organisms have been imported into Scotland.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: Neither the Scottish Executive nor the Food Standards Agency, which is the UK competent authority for GM food and feeds, has been alerted to any Bt10 or other illegal genetically modified organisms being imported into Scotland.

24 May 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what initiatives are available to support the purchase by public transport operators of training systems that can improve vehicle driver performance in respect of fuel efficiency and passenger comfort.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: Whilst the Executive encourages public transport operators to improve the performance of their drivers in respect of fuel efficiency and passenger comfort, no specific support is provided by the Executive and the main responsibility for these matters rests wi…

24 May 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what initiatives are available to support the development and marketing of training systems that can improve the performance of drivers of public transport vehicles in respect of fuel efficiency and passenger comfort.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: Whilst the Executiveencourages public transport operators to improve the performance of theirdrivers in respect of fuel efficiency and passenger comfort, information on anyinitiatives of this nature is not centrally held.The Executive supports thework …

11 May 2005 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what role the NHS is playing in the delivery of the Executive's targets on cycling.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: All NHS boards are expected to follow the NHS environmental management policy which includes a section on transport and promotes walking and cycling and the adoption of green travel plans.

20 Apr 2005 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what investigations have been made into any concerns expressed in respect of linkage between incidences of ill-health in Fife and the operation of TETRA masts in the area.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: The Executive is aware of the allegations of ill-health in proximity of the TETRA mast at Drumcarrow, Fife. The issue has been raised in both the Scottish and Westminster Parliaments, and highlighted in the media. In keeping with the normal approach to…

4 Apr 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it provides incentives for the uptake of micro combined heat and power gas boilers in domestic and public buildings.

Answer · Jim Wallace: This is a reserved matter. Micro combined heat and power(mCHP) technology is in its infancy and as such the Department for Environment andRural Affairs (DEFRA) is currently supporting field trials of mCHP being undertakenby the Carbon and Energy Saving…

4 Apr 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what contribution it envisages micro combined heat and power gas boilers will make to the production of baseload electricity.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The planning and regulation of baseload electricity is a reserved matter, responsibility for which lies with Ofgem and the DTI.

4 Apr 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what alternatives to zometa are recommended by the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) to treat skeletal-related events in prostate cancer patients.

Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-15637 on 25 April 2005. All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility forwhich can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.…

8 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has investigated the reported withdrawal by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency of a public warning about pollutants entering Loch Lomond following lobbying from the detergents industry and, if so, what conclusions have been reached.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: This is an operational matterfor the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.

4 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken in respect of the reintroduction of species listed under Annex IV of the EU Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC).

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Government is obliged, under Article 22(a) of the EU Habitats Directive to study the desirability of re-introducing certain formerly native species to the UK, listed under Annex IV of that Directive.Scottish ministers are responsible for any…

3 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has examined the potential benefits to communities of promoting cohousing as a model for housing and community development and, if not, whether it will consider doing so.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-14999 on 18 March 2005. 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/webapp/…

3 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its views are on the model of housing development known as "cohousing".

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Executive has previously examined the concept of cohousing as a model for housing and community development. While we do not consider the model as a whole is appropriate for promotion, we recognise that the concept has many positive elements, in terms of …

10 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made towards incorporating into the Scottish planning system the recommendations in the first Stewart Report on the planning regulations for mobile phone masts.

Answer · Johann Lamont: In response both to the recommendations of the Stewart Report and of the Transport and Environment Committee’s inquiry into radio telecommunications, amendments were made to the planning legislation and guidance for telecommunications in 2001.The Execu…

9 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether TETRA base stations produce a continuous transmission or whether there is any modulation of the carrier signal.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: TETRA uses TDMA (Time Division Multiplexing) and the modulation system used is a digital modulation system called Differential Quadrature Phase Shift Keying.

9 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the capabilities which mmO2 agreed to supply in its initial contract have been supplied to the police forces to which the TETRA system has so far been rolled out.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The Airwave system is being rolled out to Scottish police forces in the phased manner specified in the contract. Some system functions have not yet been provided, for example, discrete listening, call forwarding of group and individual calls, and forwarding s…

9 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether TETRA will provide the police with access to databases and administrative functions such as filing a report in real time.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: TETRA currently supports access to the Scottish Criminal Record Office criminal history system and the Police National Computer for person and vehicle checks. It does not at present support administrative functions such as filing reports.

9 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it envisages supplementing the police's TETRA network with GPRS technology.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The TETRA system does not support General Packet Radio Service (GPRS). It does, however, support a data transfer service which is similar to GPRS.

9 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any acceptable alternatives to the TETRA network are available to the police.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The TETRA standard is the only technology which currently meets the requirements of the police. Airwave provides, for example, encrypted communication and a very high standard of voice clarity and coverage.

9 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what exchanging capabilities mm02 is contracted to supply to police forces following the roll-out of the TETRA network.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The term “exchanging capabilities” is not used to describe any of the services provided by O2 to the police.

9 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the grounds were on which it ruled out the TETRAPOL standard when choosing a new radio system for police forces.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The decision to use the TETRA technical standard in the procurement of a new communications system for the police was based on independent advice to the Home Office. That advice concluded that the TETRA standard was the only standard to meet the needs of the …

1 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding Scottish Enterprise allocated to research into, and development of (a) organic farming and (b) agricultural biotechnology in each of the last five years.

Answer · Jim Wallace: This is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise.

31 Jan 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether guidance issued to Scottish Water or its predecessor organisations on sustainable development was made available to the Water Industry Commissioner between 1999 and 2004.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Guidance issued to Scottish Water and the former Water Authorities on sustainable development was not specifically issued to the Water Industry Commissioner. but was available to him on request.