Parliamentary questions
Mark Ruskell
1,773 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
6 Jul 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether funding granted to the Caledonian Cheese Company in Stranraer to install a new production line was granted subject to the agreement that the new line would be used wholly to produce certified organic products.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Three awards have been made to the Caledonian Cheese Company under the Processing & Marketing Grant Scheme for Lowland Scotland towards the provision of new facilities and processing equipment. No condition has been placed on these awards which would limit th…
6 Jul 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether consideration of applications to carry out human clinical trials on healthy volunteers at Inveresk research laboratories should be considered by an ethical committee other than the Edinburgh Independent Ethics Committee for Medical Research.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Any committee recognised to cover the same type (type (i) recognition) and geographical area could be asked to consider applications for ethical review from Inveresk research laboratories.</p>
6 Jul 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there is any conflict of interest in respect of consideration of applications to carry out human clinical trials on healthy volunteers at Inveresk research laboratories by the Edinburgh Independent Ethics Committee for Medical Research.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Schedule 2 of the Regulations requires ethics committees to make standing orders and to adopt standard operating procedures, subject to approval by the United Kingdom Ethics Committee Authority. Standard operating procedures would normally include issues such…
6 Jul 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what provisions there are to ensure that the activities of independent private sector ethics committees, including the Edinburgh Independent Ethics Committee for Medical Research, are regulated.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: From 1 May 2005, all committees awarded type (i) recognition to review clinical trials in healthy volunteers will be required to comply with the conditions set out in The Medicines for Human Use (Clinical Trials) Regulations 2004 (S. I. 2004 No. 1031).</p>
6 Jul 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what provisions there are to ensure that the activities of independent private sector ethics committees, including the Edinburgh Independent Ethics Committee for Medical Research, are made public.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: From 1 May 2005, when committees reviewing trials in healthy volunteers are required to comply with the conditions in The Medicines for Human Use (Clinical Trials) Regulations 2004 (S. I. 2004, No. 1031), the committees will be required to produce a report on…
6 Jul 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what procedures are in place to oversee and control the activities of independent private sector ethics committees, including the Edinburgh Independent Ethics Committee for Medical Research.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Although currently recognised on an interim basis, independent ethics committees, including the Edinburgh Independent Ethics Committee will require to meet Schedule 2 of The Medicines for Human Use (Clinical Trials) Regulations 2004 (S. I. 2004, No. 1031), by…
6 Jul 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria the Edinburgh Independent Ethics Committee for Medical Research was required to meet in order to receive recognition from the United Kingdom Ethics Committee Authority and what information it has on whether these criteria were applied to all ethics committees so recognised.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Before the implementation of the Clinical Trials Directive, studies in healthy volunteers did not require regulatory approval. The Edinburgh Independent Ethics Committee was awarded type (i) recognition by UKECA. This recognition covers the committee to revie…
6 Jul 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether a register of interests of the members of the Edinburgh Independent Ethics Committee for Medical Research is available and, if not, whether it will be made available.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: This information is not held centrally.</p>
6 Jul 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive who the members are of the Edinburgh Independent Ethics Committee for Medical Research.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: This information is not held centrally.</p>
6 Jul 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information is publicly available about the regulation of healthy volunteers participating in human clinical trials of non-pharmaceutical substances at Inveresk research laboratories.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Inveresk research laboratories is a private company. Any information should be sought from them.</p>
6 Jul 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information is publicly available about the ethical oversight of healthy volunteers participating in human clinical trials of non-pharmaceutical substances at Inveresk research laboratories.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: This information is not held centrally.</p>
6 Jul 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what ethical oversight there is of healthy volunteers participating in human clinical trials of non-pharmaceutical substances at Inveresk research laboratories.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: We understand that studies involving healthy volunteers participating in clinical trials of non-pharmaceutical substances at Inveresk research laboratories are ethically appraised by the Edinburgh Independent Ethics Committee.</p>
6 Jul 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what regulation there is of healthy volunteers participating in human clinical trials of non-pharmaceutical substances at Inveresk research laboratories.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Such trials are regulated under UK health and safety law.</p>
6 Jul 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether healthy volunteers participating in human clinical trials of non-pharmaceutical substances at Inveresk research laboratories give their informed consent for the trials and whether issues of commercial confidentiality prevent disclosure of information to such volunteers and affect …
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: This information is not held centrally.</p>
6 Jul 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether healthy volunteers participating in human clinical trials of non-pharmaceutical substances at Inveresk research laboratories receive full information regarding their treatment.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Such information is not available to the Scottish Executive. Inveresk is a private company.</p>
6 Jul 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether issues of commercial confidentiality prevent ethical oversight and regulation of healthy volunteers participating in human clinical trials of non-pharmaceutical substances at Inveresk research laboratories.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-9588 answered 29 July 2004 which is available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa">http://www.scottish.pa…
6 Jul 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether issues of commercial confidentiality prevent the disclosure to healthy volunteers participating in human clinical trials of non-pharmaceutical substances at Inveresk research laboratories of full information regarding their treatment.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive is not in a position to comment on issues of commercial confidentiality in relation to a private company.</p>
6 Jul 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, for each clinical trial of non-pharmaceutical substances involving human volunteers approved or reviewed by the Edinburgh Independent Ethics Committee for Medical Research at Inveresk, what substance was involved, how many volunteers participated and what the trial entailed.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Edinburgh Independent Ethics Committee is a private committee. The information requested is not held centrally.</p>
2 Jul 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to its consultation paper, Technical Amendments to the Conservation (Natural Habitats &c.) Regulations 1994: A Consultation Paper on Amendments to the Habitats Regulations, when it will announce the result of the consultation and when it expects to publish the proposed reg…
Answer · Allan Wilson: The Scottish Executive is still giving consideration to the consultation responses relating to the amendments to the Conservation (Natural Habitats &c.) Regulations 1994 proposed in the consultation paper to ensure consistency between the Regulations and the …
24 Jun 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the terms and conditions under which the farm scale evaluations of genetically modified crops were carried out were applied rigorously.
Answer · Allan Wilson: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-9329 on 20 August 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/we…
24 Jun 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether comparisons between Scottish and English farm scale evaluations of genetically modified crops were valid if they were conducted under different terms and conditions.
Answer · Allan Wilson: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-9329 on 20 August 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/we…
24 Jun 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the farm scale evaluations of genetically modified crops carried out in Scotland were conducted under the same terms and conditions as those carried out in England.
Answer · Allan Wilson: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-9329 on 20 August 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/w…
24 Jun 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive to what terms and conditions the farm scale evaluations of genetically modified crops were subject.
Answer · Allan Wilson: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-9329 on 20 August 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/we…
24 Jun 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-741 by Ross Finnie on 7 September 1999, whether farm scale evaluations of genetically modified crops were conducted according to Supply Chain Initiative on Modified Agricultural Crop guidelines.
Answer · Allan Wilson: The SCIMAC guidelines are guidelines only, developed by the industry themselves to facilitate the management of herbicide resistant GM crops. As such they were not legally binding on farmers participating in the Farm Scale Evaluations; either in Scotland, or …
23 Jun 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to make commencement orders in respect of the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 and which sections will come into force first.
Answer · Allan Wilson: As I made clear during parliamentary consideration of the act, commencement of this important legislation will not be unnecessarily delayed. My intention is that the act should be commenced later this year. It is likely that the provisions in part 3 of the ac…
23 Jun 2004 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it anticipates any problems arising from the operation of the TETRA police telecommunication system.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The operation and maintenance of the Airwave network is a matter for the service provider O2. Scottish police forces and the Scottish Executive have been working closely with O2 with the aim of achieving a smooth migration from existing systems to Airwave.</p…
23 Jun 2004 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how the environmental impact of multiple proposed windfarm developments in a given area should be assessed.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Advice on how cumulative impacts should be assessed is given in <i>Planning Advice Note 45: Renewable Energy Technologies.</i></p>
22 Jun 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ensure that, in expanding the field sports sector of tourism, biodiversity and other land use interests are protected.
Answer · Frank McAveety: Scotland’s unrivalled natural beauty is one of the major assets that attracts visitors to choose Scotland as a holiday destination. The protection of these assets is therefore an essential element in our tourism strategy, and in the development of the tourism…
9 Jun 2004 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Community Renewables Initiative will have adequate resources for funding renewable energy installation in new schools.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Community and Householder Renewables Initiative supports a range ofapplicants, including schools, hospitals, community centres and local housinginitiatives. Applications are dealt with on a first-come, first-served basis. Extensive efforts are be…
5 Mar 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the number of ruminant feeding studies there have been by independent researchers using Chardon LL mai'e and the results of such studies.
Answer · Allan Wilson: A cattle feeding study wascarried out by researchers at Reading University to investigate the effect of T25 (Chardon LL) maizeon ruminants. The study has been completed and the researchers intend to submittheir study to a peer-reviewed journal for publication…