Parliamentary questions

Peter Peacock

1,395 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

5 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive under what powers Forestry Commission Scotland has entered into arrangements with community groups on leasing or otherwise arranging the management of part of the forest estate.

Answer · Michael Russell: Forestry Commission Scotland does not currently have the power to delegate its land management function but it has entered into a number of agreements with community groups to encourage greater engagement with their local woods. These range from concordats to…

5 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements Forestry Commission Scotland has entered into with community organisations to manage forest land.

Answer · Michael Russell: Forestry Commission Scotland has entered into a number of agreements with community groups to encourage greater engagement with their local woods. These range from concordats to management agreements and include activities such as, footpath construction and m…

5 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether Scottish ministers have the powers to lease any land that they own.

Answer · Michael Russell: Yes, under the Forestry Act.

5 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether Scottish ministers have powers to own land.

Answer · Michael Russell: Yes, under the Forestry Act.

5 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the land owned by Forestry Commission Scotland is held and owned on behalf of Scottish ministers.

Answer · Michael Russell: Forestry Commission Scotland does not own land “ the national forest estate is vested in the name of Scottish ministers, and the commission manages it on their behalf.

5 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether Forestry Commission Scotland has powers to lease land in its ownership to others.

Answer · Michael Russell: Yes. Forestry Commission Scotland leases land for a wide range of activities but not for woodland management purposes, as it currently has no powers to delegate its responsibilities.

5 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether Forestry Commission Scotland has powers to lease land from others.

Answer · Michael Russell: Scottish ministers may lease from others land which in their opinion is suitable for afforestation or purposes connected with forestry, and place it at the disposal of Forestry Commissioners, under the Forestry Act 1967.

5 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether Forestry Commission Scotland has powers to reinvest the proceeds of sales of land in new land purchases.

Answer · Michael Russell: Forestry Commission Scotland is already reinvesting the proceeds of sales of land in new land purchases, under its repositioning programme.

5 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what powers Forestry Commission Scotland has to sell or otherwise dispose of land that it owns.

Answer · Michael Russell: Through the Scottish ministers, Forestry Commissioners have powers under the Forestry Act to dispose of lands they manage on behalf of the ministers.

2 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will support the restoration of a network of bee advisers.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Scotland does not and has never had a network of bee advisers. The Scottish Government does however fund the Scottish Agriculture College to employ a bee specialist to provide training, education and advice to beekeepers in Scotland.

2 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to introduce a registration scheme for beekeepers.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-18470 on 12 December 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/App…

2 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that a registration scheme for beekeepers would be important in helping to inform beekeepers of disease threats and to help combat the spread of disease in bee populations.

2 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many beekeepers there are in Scotland.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: It is not known how many beekeepers there are in Scotland. There are thought to be about 1,200 beekeepers who are members of beekeeping associations but there are known to be many who keep bees as a hobby who are not members of any. The absence of ac…

2 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking, or considering taking, to extend habitat for bees and other creatures following the ending of set aside.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The ending of set-aside has been discussed at CAP Stakeholders Group meetings, and we are currently considering whether options can be developed to retain some of the environmental benefits which were produced as a by-product of set-aside. We will consider, a…

2 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what it estimates the effect will be of the loss of habitat for bees following the end of set aside.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: There were a number of management options for set-aside land, including using the land to grow crops for non-food use. Not all of these options delivered high-value environmental benefits or created ideal habitat for bees. It is therefore difficult to estimat…

2 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance it offers to beekeepers to understand the nature of the impact of the varroa mite and what measures beekeepers can take to combat its spread.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government fully funds the post of a bee specialist at the Scottish Agriculture College to provide, free of charge, training and education of and advice to beekeepers on bee health and husbandry. Furthermore, the training courses are mad…

2 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what research into varroa mite control it is funding.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-17952 on 3 December 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/Apps…

2 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what products are licensed at EU level for the treatment of the varroa mite in bee populations that are not licensed for use in Scotland.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-18464 on 12 December 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/Ap…

2 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on plans to license new products for the treatment of the varroa mite in bee populations.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The regulation of veterinary medicines is a reserved matter. Responsibility for authorising the marketing of veterinary medicinal products in the UK rests with Defra''s Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD). From enquiries made of other member stat…

2 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what evidence it has of a growing resistance to the existing and licensed treatments for varroa mite in bee populations.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: In a survey organised by the Scottish Government Rural Directorate earlier this year, the presence of varroa mites that had developed resistance to the treatments currently licensed in the UK was confirmed in colonies of bees in Dumfries and Galloway. Results…

2 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive where the strongest populations of the native black honeybee are located.

Answer · Michael Russell: The Scottish Government is not aware of any wild populations of this bee in Scotland.

2 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the implications are for the application of resources, research and analysis to combat the spread of the varroa mite if it is not a notifiable disease.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government has produced a Strategy for Honey Bees the aim of which is to achieve a sustainable population of bees for pollination and honey production. This envisages a partnership between the Scottish Government and stakeholders. Respon…

2 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to reinstate notifiable disease status to varroa mite infestation in bee populations.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The varroa mite is now considered to be widespread in Scotland and so no useful purpose would be served by reinstating notifiable status to this bee pest. The Scottish Government does however recognise the importance of effective management of this p…

2 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to ensure that varroa mite does not spread to those islands currently free of the mite.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government has recently brought forward a Honey Bee Health Strategy for Scotland. The strategy recognises the need for partnership working between Government and stakeholders in order to minimise the risk of spreading bee diseases or bee pests th…

2 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which islands and areas have had no reports of the presence of the varroa mite in the bee population.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Varroa is endemic and no longer classed as a notifiable disease of honey bees. The Scottish Government therefore does not receive reports of where it is or is not present. To do so would create an additional, and unnecessary, burden to what is essentially a h…

2 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to reinstate restrictions on the movement of honeybees in and into Scotland.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: There are currently no plans to reinstate movement controls for honeybees. The rules governing the import of honeybees are set out in community legislation with which the Scottish Government is legally obliged to comply. The Scottish Government is cu…

1 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what surveys of invertebrates are required on proposed national park development sites.

Answer · Michael Russell: This is a matter for the relevant planning authority to determine after taking account of the characteristics of the site. "

1 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment has been carried out of the effect that the extraction of large quantities of water from the River Spey may have on dependant species.

Answer · Michael Russell: Regulation 84B of the Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 1994 (the 1994 Regulations) requires the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), as the competent authority, to consider Water Environment (Controlled Activities) (Scotland) Reg…

1 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any concerns over the proposal to extract significant quantities of water from the River Spey.

Answer · Michael Russell: The Scottish Government expects any proposals to be considered according to the relevant procedures. Abstractions of water are regulated by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) under the Water Environment (Controlled Activities) (Scotland) Regula…

1 Dec 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether a requirement to monitor invertebrates on the site of a wind farm would be a legitimate planning condition for such a development.

Answer · Jim Mather: Schedule 9 of the Electricity Act 1989 places on the applicant a duty to have regard to the desirability of preserving natural beauty of the countryside, of conserving flora, fauna and the geological and physiographical features of special interest and of pro…