Parliamentary questions

Murray Tosh

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

29 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the requirement under The Contaminated Land (Scotland) Regulations 2000 Statutory Guidance: Regulatory Impact Assessment (Final) that remediation costs must be reasonable includes a commitment that enforcement will be pursued only where remediation costs are affordable to the owne…

Answer · Sarah Boyack: An enforcing authority can only serve a remediation notice if it is satisfied that it would seek to recover all of the share of the reasonable costs from each appropriate person. If not, it has powers instead to carry out the remediation activity itself, and …

29 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much it would cost to end date stamping on books of concessionary tickets for the Skye Bridge; who would meet such costs, and whether the termination of date stamping would have any impact upon the end date of the current toll collection contract.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: When I made public the DTZ Pieda Socio-Economic Impact Evaluation of the Skye Bridge on 22 June 2000, I also indicated that I had asked officials to investigate the cost and practical implications of ending the date stamping on books of discount tickets. This…

29 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether current concessions for empty sheep and cattle floats on Caledonian MacBrayne (CalMac) ferry routes represented a commercial decision by CalMac or a requirement by the Scottish Executive, and whether the specification for the new, tendered ferry services will incorporate a require…

Answer · Sarah Boyack: Fares concessions are a commercial matter for Caledonian MacBrayne. I understand that this particular concession was introduced following discussions between the company and the National Farmers Union of Scotland.Decisions on the speci…

29 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has asked Her Majesty's Government to clarify whether there is any basis for a derogation from the EU proposals regarding VAT on bridge tolls in respect of the Skye Bridge, on the basis that there is no alternative access to Skye.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The European Court of Justice decision on whether VAT should be levied on toll charges is not expected before 12 September. The UK Government and the devolved administrations are at present considering the likely consequences if the Court were not to find in …

20 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has undertaken any research into the effects on the agricultural industry of any reduction in European export refunds to the Scotch whisky industry and, if so, whether it will publish the findings.

Answer · Henry McLeish: The Scottish Executive and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food have been working closely with the spirits industry on the implications of potential reductions of export refunds with the aim of achieving the best outcome possible. The Scottish Exec…

20 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has held with Her Majesty's Government over the European Commission's proposed reduction in export refunds to the Scotch whisky industry, in particular in relation to any power of veto Her Majesty's Government may have in this matter.

Answer · Henry McLeish: The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the UK Government and the European Commission on this and other issues. The UK Government can oppose reductions in export refunds but has no power of veto.

20 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the European Commission in relation to the Commission's plans to reduce export refunds to the Scotch whisky industry.

Answer · Henry McLeish: The Scottish Executive and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food have made their concern, and those of the spirits industry, about this proposal very clear to the European Commission.

15 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-6966 by Sarah Boyack on 31 May 2000, whether, following the meeting with representatives of the telecommunications industry, the primary legislation announced by Sarah Boyack on 11 May 2000 will be in place in time to provide effective regulation of …

Answer · Sarah Boyack: It is our intention to consult on proposals for secondary legislation and associated guidance later in the summer. A number of new installations, whether for second or third generation technology, will be dealt with under current planning arrangements.

14 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will commission a study into the impact on Scottish industry of an extension of industry's liability beyond compliance with environmental legislation, as envisaged in the European Commission White Paper on Environmental Liability.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive is in the process of assessing the European Commission White Paper on Environmental Liability, including the impact on industry's liability.

14 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in considering any response it has made to the European Commission White Paper on Environmental Liability, it sought or obtained a definition of the public interest groups who would be entitled to a remedy in civil proceedings under the White Paper and, if such a definition was o…

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive has neither sought nor obtained a definition of the public interest groups who may be granted rights to act under the White Paper on Environmental Liability, as it is known that the Commission's thinking on this matter is still emerging.

14 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has responded to the European Commission White Paper on Environmental Liability and, if so, whether its response accepted the principle of strict liability.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive has not yet responded to the European Commission White Paper on Environmental Liability.

14 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the potential impact on the Scottish agricultural sector of the European Commission White Paper on Environmental Liability.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive is in the process of assessing the European Commission White Paper on Environmental Liability, including the potential impact on the agricultural sector.

14 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which organisations have responded to its consultation letter of 24 March 2000 on the European Commission White Paper on Environmental Liability and whether it intends to publish the response it forwards to the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The following organisations have responded to the Scottish Executive consultation on the European Commission White Paper on Environment Liability:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=616><TR><TD WIDTH="50%" VALIGN="TOP">Aberdeen City Council</TD…

14 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there will be a Scottish equivalent of Her Majesty's Government's 10-year plan for transport, or whether the UK strategy will have a Scottish component; when it expects any such Scottish strategy to be published, and whether the railway aspects of any Scottish strategy, or Scottis…

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The contents and publication of the UK Government's I0-year plan are matters for that Government. The plan will not cover devolved transport matters but would apply to Scotland insofar as it relates to reserved matters, including rail. Scottish Ministers have…

14 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria it uses in determining whether to approve or refuse requests from local authorities to dispose of land or property at less than full market value.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: Section 74(2) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 ensures that council tax payers obtain value for their assets, affords a measure of protection to the authority against charges of discrimination between purchasers and precludes the award of hidden su…

14 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many requests from local authorities to dispose of land or property at less than full market value it has refused since 1 July 1999, broken down by local authority, and how many of these requests related to (a) land and (b) property.

14 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-6319 by Mr Tom McCabe on 9 May 2000, whether its investigation has established the reason for the delay in answering question S1W-3953 yet; if so, what this reason is and when it now expects to answer question S1W-3953.

Answer · Tom McCabe: PQ S1W-3953 was answered on 8 September.

12 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-4928 by Ms Wendy Alexander on 9 June 2000, whether it will identify the specific land or property disposed of by Dumfries and Galloway Council, East Lothian Council, Scottish Borders Council and South Ayrshire Council.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: The following consents have been granted since 1 July 1999:South Ayrshire:Plots 1 & 2, The Citadel, Ayr, to Carrick Housing AssociationDumfries & Galloway:The fo…

8 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether a similar specification will be used in landscaping and screening the new section of the A1 special road between Haddington and Dunbar to that used in previous phrases of upgrading.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: Landscaping and landscape screening on the Haddington to Dunbar upgrading will be developed under the principles of Cost Effective Landscape: Learning from Nature, which was published by the Scottish Office in February 1998.

7 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-2973 by Sarah Boyack on 13 January 2000, whether sufficient consideration of the Dalkeith Bypass has now been undertaken, alongside other emerging priorities, to establish whether multi-modal appraisal will be carried out on the A68 (Dalkeith Bypass)…

Answer · Sarah Boyack: I have nothing to add to the replies I gave to questions S1W-2899 and S1W-2973.

2 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S1W-6991 and S1W-6992 by Sarah Boyack on 1 June 2000, what the timescale will be for the introduction of secondary legislation, in the form of an amendment to the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (Scotland) Order 1992, to remov…

Answer · Sarah Boyack: We are currently discussing the future scope of planning controls over telecommunications with local authorities and the industry in the light of the recommendations in the report from the Transport and the Environment Committee. We intend consulting on draft…