Parliamentary questions
Mike Rumbles
1,089 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
23 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what indirect action measures to assist the pig industry will be examined by the short-life task force on the industry.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-12206 on 9 May 2008. 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/wa…
23 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what direct action measures to assist the pig industry will be examined by the short-life task force on the industry.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The terms of reference of the Pig Industry Task Force are:</p> <p >(i) To consider actions to assist the pig sector, for example as identified in recent discussions between industry and government, and to determine which action may be suitable for implementa…
23 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the possibility of introducing a soft loans scheme for Scottish pig farmers.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: This will be considered by the Pig Industry Task Force.</p>
23 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that there is scope for direct action to provide practical assistance to the Scottish pig industry.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: This is one of the issues that we have asked the Pig Industry Task Force to consider.</p>
23 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has noted the conclusion of Commissioner Mariann Fischer Boel that the French Government’s support package for pig farmers appears valid under the “de minimis” rule.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: Yes.</p>
23 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on how much of the French Government’s support package for pig farmers will be available to individual farmers.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-12206 on 9 May 2008. 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/wa…
23 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on the breakdown of the French Government’s support package for pig farmers.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-12206 on 9 May 2008. 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/wa…
23 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what study it has made of the French Government’s support package for pig farmers.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: We understand that the French government is offering tax rebates and help with interest payments on loans. In order to comply with State aid <i >de minimis </i>rules, support for individual enterprises is limited to 7,500 euros over a three year period. I am …
23 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease in 2007 caused a welfare issue for the pig sector in respect of cull sows.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The foot-and-mouth disease outbreaks in 2007 resulted in culls sows remaining on-farm for longer than usual due to the temporary closure of the export market which meant there was no market for sow meat. This had an economic impact as owners had a responsibil…
23 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive why the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment felt unable to attempt to construct a successful case for headage payments for the pig sector.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The problems facing the pig sector are Europe-wide and therefore it is difficult to offer specific support in Scotland that is within state aid rules. However, the pig industry task force is looking further at this issue.</p>
23 Apr 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has proposed a pig compensation scheme to the European Commission.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: No.</p>
28 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what it considers to be best practice in stakeholder engagement and whether such practice has been followed in the forthcoming introduction of energy performance and carbon impact measures for existing domestic and non-domestic buildings.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-10528 on 13 March 2008. 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…
28 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what training courses are available for officials in better policy making and whether the officials working on the forthcoming consultation on energy performance and carbon impact measures for existing domestic and non-domestic buildings have undertaken this training.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-10528 on 13 March 2008. 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…
28 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it issues to officials on consulting external stakeholders when drawing up policy and whether this guidance has been followed in the case of the forthcoming consultation on energy performance and carbon impact measures for existing domestic and non-domestic buildings.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-10528 on 13 March 2008. 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…
28 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive with which external stakeholders it intends to discuss its forthcoming consultation on energy performance and carbon impact measures for existing domestic and non-domestic buildings and what issues it will discuss with each stakeholder.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-10528 on 13 March 2008. 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…
28 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what external stakeholders it has met to discuss its forthcoming consultation on energy performance and carbon impact measures for existing domestic and non-domestic buildings; when it met each organisation, and what issues were discussed.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-10528 on 13 March 2008. 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…
28 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will launch its consultation on energy performance and carbon impact measures for existing domestic and non-domestic buildings.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government will issue its consultation paper on the energy performance of buildings as soon as possible.</p> <p >The Scottish Government is in liaison with a range of stakeholders in the development of policy on the energy performance of buildin…
28 Feb 2008 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action its Environment and Rural Affairs department is taking to promote environmental awareness through further development of the eco schools programme.
Answer · Michael Russell: The Scottish Government works closely with Eco Schools Scotland to help provide opportunities for young people to gain the skills and knowledge they require to learn about the environment. We provide financial support for the core and school assessment acti…
1 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many undergraduates it expects to enrol in the 2008-09 academic year at the (a) Glasgow Dental School (b) Dundee Dental School and (c) Aberdeen dental school.
Answer · Shona Robison: The announcement of intake targets for 2008-09, for controlled subjects including dentistry is a matter for the Scottish Funding Council which expects to make an announcement in the coming weeks.</p>
1 Feb 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many Scottish Government regulations have been (a) introduced and (b) rescinded since May 2007.
Answer · Jim Mather: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-7645 on 30 January 2008. 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/webap…
29 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what reasons were given by the European Commission for its decision not to approve the animal health and welfare scheme, the farm assurance membership schemes and the farm visits programme in the Scottish Rural Development Programme.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answers to questions S3W-9192, S3W-9193 and S3W-9194 on 20 February 2008. 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.sc…
29 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive why the farm visits programme was dropped from the Scottish Rural Development Programme.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-8795 on 01 February 2008. The farm and forest visits and talks measure was dropped from the programme because the Commission judged that it was outside the scope of Rural Development Regulation 1698/2005. This…
29 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive why the farm assurance membership schemes were dropped from the Scottish Rural Development Programme.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: A number of farm assurance membership schemes were dropped from the Scotland Rural Development Programme (SRDP) following concern from the European Commission that the standards of these schemes did not go significantly beyond commercial commodity standards. …
29 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive why the animal health and welfare scheme was dropped from the Scottish Rural Development Programme.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Animal Health and Welfare measure was dropped from the Scotland Rural Development Programme (SRDP) following concern from the European Commission that it would not produce a significantly better outcome than that achieved through current statutory animal …
23 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will seek to reinstate the farm visits programme in 2009.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: Regrettably this measurewas removed from the Scotland Rural Development Programme at the insistence of theEuropean Commission. They judged it to be outside the scope of the Rural DevelopmentRegulation and so it may be difficult to secure re-instatement, but w…
23 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will seek to reinstate farm assurance membership schemes in 2009.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: Yes, we will seek to reinstatethe quality assurance schemes that had to be removed from the programme. We willwork with stakeholders and the commission to see which schemes can be reinstatedand subject to the commission’s agreement will modify the programme t…
23 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will seek to reinstate the animal health and welfare scheme in 2009.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: Yes. As part of thecommitment to reinstate the animal health and welfare scheme, I am writing to MariannFischer Boel to highlight the importance the Scottish Government places in thismeasures and obtain greater clarity on the Commission’s issues.</p>
23 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what effect it considers that the decision to remove the animal health and welfare scheme from the Scottish Rural Development Programme will have on disease prevention and control.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government is committed to working to get animal health and welfare management programmes restored to the Scotland Rural Development Programme for future years. In the meantime, those producers who have already signed up to the scheme will contin…
23 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what effect it considers that the decision to remove the animal health and welfare scheme from the Scottish Rural Development Programme will have on standards of animal health and welfare.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: Animal Health andWelfare Management Programmes have been an important element in the promotion ofanimal health and welfare in Scotland. They are, however, only one element in the Scottish Government’s work to promote good practice and raise standards. Individ…
23 Jan 2008 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will enhance the profitability of the livestock sector.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: We recognise the importanceof a profitable livestock industry in Scotland, to help ensurea sustainable rural economy, to produce high quality food, and to benefit the naturallandscape. The Less Favoured Area Support Scheme provides around 13,000 livestockfarm…