Peter Peacock

8 Jan 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether all of those who registered for the Broadband Reach Project have been contacted by Avanti Caledonian Broadband Ltd with broadband package options.

Answer · Jim Mather: All eligible households and businesses who registered by the end May 2008 for the Broadband Reach Project have been contacted at least once by Avanti with broadband package options. In addition, all late registrations that we have been able to accept into the…

6 Jan 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish all the advice that Scottish ministers received on the case for the Inverness trunk link route in preparation for its decision not to include any part of the route between the A9 and A82 in the Strategic Transport Projects Review.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Executive has already published this information as part of the outcome of the Strategic Transport Projects Review which was announced in Parliament on 10 December 2008.</p> <p >This information is available on the Transport Scotland website at<…

18 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to set occupational standards for or establish a register of gamekeepers.

Answer · Michael Russell: The Scottish Government intends to give legal status to a new land management industry accreditation scheme. The aim will be that, within a fixed period, everyone who works as a gamekeeper will require to have received training in best practice and in the law…

16 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether Scottish Natural Heritage is under a statutory obligation to protect racing pigeons.

Answer · Michael Russell: Scottish Natural Heritage is under no statutory obligation to protect racing pigeons.</p>

16 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what system of trapping of sparrowhawks it is endorsing by virtue of any public expenditure on research into reduced predation of racing pigeons by sparrowhawks.

Answer · Michael Russell: The Scottish Government is not endorsing any form of trapping of sparrowhawks. Trapping of any wild bird is unlawful unless done under a licence issued under the Wildlife and Countryside Act. The research trial to assess means of reducing predation on racing …

16 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what it considers to be the full extent of the breeding season of the sparrowhawk.

Answer · Michael Russell: The sparrowhawk breeding season is considered to start when adult birds start displaying courtship behaviour. The breeding season is complete when any juvenile birds are fully fledged.</p>

16 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the EU birds directive can extend protection against the capture, by any method, of sparrowhawks and whether any such protection is qualified in any way.

Answer · Michael Russell: The Conservation of Wild Birds Directive is implemented in Scots law by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Under Section 1 of this act it is an offence to kill, injure or take any wild bird. A licence may be issued under Section 16 of the act which would …

16 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the protection of birds under the EU birds directive extends to specimens bred in captivity.

Answer · Michael Russell: The Conservation of Wild Birds Directive applies to all species of naturally occurring birds in the wild state in the European territory of member states. This definition would exclude birds bred in captivity.</p>

16 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it regards racing pigeons as naturally-occurring birds in the wild state in terms of the EU birds directive.

Answer · Michael Russell: No.</p>

16 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the legal status is of racing pigeons.

Answer · Michael Russell: Racing pigeons are the private property of their owner.</p>

16 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how any research that it is supporting that involves the capture and translocation of sparrowhawks to test whether the reduced predation of racing pigeons would result fits with the provisions of the EU birds directive.

Answer · Michael Russell: Article 9 of the Conservation of Wild Birds Directive allows derogation from the requirements of Article 5 for, <i >inter alia</i>, the purpose of research.</p>

16 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to ensure that any persons employed to capture and translocate sparrowhawks are scientifically and technically qualified to carry out such a task.

Answer · Michael Russell: The Scottish Government is satisfied that the persons who will carry out the field work in the racing pigeons and sparrowhawk project are experienced in handling raptors. The Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals will have access to all fi…

16 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take subsequent to any tendering exercise to secure the services of a person or persons to capture and translocate sparrowhawks.

Answer · Michael Russell: The services of a person to capture and translocate sparrowhawks have been secured following a tendering exercise<i >. </i>I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-19096 on 15 January 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available …

16 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps have been taken to secure by competitive tender the services of a person or persons to capture and translocate sparrowhawks in any research work that it is supporting and what the result was of any such exercise.

Answer · Michael Russell: An invitation to tender for the project was placed on the Scottish Government website on 3 November 2008. No bids were received.</p>

16 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether Scottish Natural Heritage would be acting within its powers in any role it performs that seeks to assist the process of research involving the capture and translocation of sparrowhawks for a purpose designed to seek to protect racing pigeons.

Answer · Michael Russell: Yes. Scottish Natural Heritage is acting within its powers as statutory adviser to ministers on the natural heritage.</p>

16 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what role it envisages that Scottish Natural Heritage will have in any research work associated with the capture and translocation of sparrowhawks.

Answer · Michael Russell: Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) is working with the Scottish Government and the Scottish Homing Union to undertake a management trial to look at several techniques to manage any impacts of sparrowhawks on racing pigeons around pigeon lofts. In the context of …

16 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in relation to its policy on the capture and translocation of sparrowhawks, its only consideration is the impact that they are considered to have on the racing pigeon population in some areas.

Answer · Michael Russell: The project is aimed at helping Scottish Government officials assess whether trapping and translocation is a satisfactory solution to the problem of sparrowhawk predation on racing pigeons. In assessing this solution, regard will be given to the impact on spa…

16 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has undertaken research involving the capture and translocation of sparrowhawks where it is believed that they affect the racing pigeon population.

Answer · Michael Russell: The </b>Scottish Government and Scottish Natural Heritage are working in partnership with the Scottish Homing Union to assess whether capture and translocation of sparrowhawks would be a satisfactory solution to the problem of sparrowhawk predation on racing …

15 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on how intelligence held by the National Wildlife Crime Unit is shared with police forces in Scotland and more widely.

Answer · Michael Russell: The National Wildlife Crime Unit (NWCU) gathers, processes and redistributes intelligence according to the principles outlined in the National Intelligence Model. This model allows police forces, and their support units such as the NWCU, to gather intelligenc…

15 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance has been issued by the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service to courts and procurators fiscal on issues of persecution of wildlife.

Answer · Frank Mulholland: The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS) has established a network of specialist wildlife prosecutors across its 11 operational areas in Scotland.</p> <p >These specialist prosecutors will normally receive and prepare relevant cases, as well as…

15 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which agencies or voluntary organisations are designated as inspection agencies for the purpose of animal welfare legislation and whether consideration has been given to extending the number of designated inspection agencies.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Section 49(2) of the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006 defines an inspector in the context of any particular provision under part 2 of the act (the animal welfare part) as a person:</p> <p >(a) appointed as an inspector by the Scottish ministers,…

15 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many bird (a) carcasses and (b) baits have been sent to the Scottish Agricultural Science Agency for testing in each year since 1989 and which agencies or voluntary organisations have been principally responsible for sending such material for testing.

Answer · Michael Russell: The requested figures are contained in the following table:</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thead> <tr > <td valign=top > <p align=center >&nbsp;</p> </td> <td valign=top > <p align=center >1989</p> </td> <td va…

15 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many convictions have been secured for crimes against wild birds for (a) egg collecting, (b) illegal trapping, (c) illegal poisoning and (d) illegally-set baits in each year since 1989.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The available information is given in the following table.</p> <p >Persons with a Charge Proved in Scottish Courts for Offences Related to Wild Birds¹, 1989-90 to 2006-07</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thead> <tr > <td…

15 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been charged with crimes against wild birds and how many were for (a) egg collecting, (b) illegal trapping, (c) illegal poisoning and (d) illegally-set baits in each year since 1989.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The available information is given in the following table.</p> <p >Persons Proceeded Against in Scottish courts for Offences Related to Wild Birds¹, 1989-90 to 2006-07</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <thead> <tr > <td wi…

15 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the number of reported incidents against wild birds is for (a) illegal egg collecting, (b) illegal trapping, (c) illegal poisoning and (d) illegally-set baits in each year for which information is available since 1989.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The following table includes offences recorded since 1989 for incidents relating to wild birds. It should be noted that the crime codes Cruelty to Wild Animals and Other Wildlife Offences do not solely represent the number of offences against wild birds as th…

15 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the recording of wildlife crime incidents is sufficient in supporting the objective of reducing wildlife crime and whether it is considering strengthening the reporting of such crime.

Answer · Michael Russell: The Partnership for Action against Wildlife Crime Scotland (PAW Scotland) will shortly look at the recording of wildlife crime incidents with a view to improving the range of incidents recorded and the consistency of recording.</p>

15 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that pesticides found in baits and victims of bird poisoning over the last two years are of such toxicity that they present a potential threat to human health.

Answer · Michael Russell: Yes. In some cases, over the last two years, there has been a potential threat to human health from pesticides found in or on baits and poisoned birds. The level of threat depends upon the route of exposure, amount and toxicity of the pesticide.</p>

15 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will encourage or require the Scottish Agricultural Science Agency to name estates or other identifiable locations of poisoning by pesticides in its annual reports.

Answer · Michael Russell: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-19065 on 14 January 2009, which contains the rationale for not making this a requirement for incidents categorised and confirmed as Abuse.</p> <p >All answers to written parliamentary questions are available …

15 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the Scottish Agricultural Science Agency stopped reporting the exact locations of positively analysed baits and victims of pesticide poisoning in its annual reports.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Agricultural Science Agency (SASA) stopped reporting the exact locations of positively analysed baits and victims of pesticide poisoning for incidents categorised and confirmed as Abuse in its annual report series <i >Pesticide Poisoning of Anima…

15 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of its current consultation on the future of the national forest estate and with regard to land leased to third parties, whether it envisages that Forestry Commission Scotland will still benefit from a joint venture income or whether such a right will be lost when it enters a le…

Answer · Michael Russell: The Scottish Government is currently consulting on the principle of leasing parts of the national forest estate. Decisions on such matters as the allocation of benefits from joint venture income over any such leased land will be taken in the light of consider…