Parliamentary questions
Peter Peacock
1,395 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
20 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the benefits to Moray will be from a transfer of ring-fenced funding for flooding into general funds for local authorities.
Answer · Michael Russell: Each local authoritywill be able to allocate the total financial resources available to it on the basisof local needs and priorities having first fulfilled its statutory obligations andthe jointly agreed set of national and local priorities including the Scot…
20 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether funding for flooding will no longer be ring-fenced and local authorities such as Moray Council will have to decide on priorities between flooding expenditure and spending locally on schools, social work day centres and care homes, roads and leisure services.
Answer · Michael Russell: Yes. The ScottishGovernment will be providing local government in Scotland with record levels offunding over the period covered by the spending review 2008-11. The total packageof funding for local government, as published in the Spending Review 2007, is £34,…
20 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether funding for Moray Council’s planned flood alleviation, protection and management will require to be found from the council’s allocation for revenue and capital funding from 2008-09 and beyond.
Answer · Michael Russell: Yes. It is the responsibilityof each local authority to allocate the total financial resources available to iton the basis of local needs and priorities having first fulfilled its statutoryobligations and the jointly agreed set of national and local prioritie…
20 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether Moray Council will be able to apply to the Scottish Government for financial support toward planned flood protection and management works in 2008-09 and beyond.
Answer · Michael Russell: No. As agreed in thejoint concordat, the support for flood prevention and coast protection is one of the grants which is being rolled up as part of the Local Government Settlement.The total package of funding for local government, as published in the Spending…
20 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it considers that it will serve a useful purpose for the Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change to visit Lochboisdale.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I am unable tovisit Lochboisdale at this time but I am meeting interested parties from SouthUist in Edinburgh on 22 January 2008.</p>
20 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will reconsider its decision not to include a ferry from Lochboisdale to Mallaig as part of the Caledonian MacBrayne contracted ferry routes.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The currentservice specification for the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Services is not “setin stone”. CalMac Ferries Ltd are free to suggest alterations to the timetablethat are affordable and that do not adversely impact on the services to thecommunities.</p>
20 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated reduction in the journey time by road will be once the latest phase of improvements to the Mallaig to Fort William road are completed.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The lastremaining single-track section of the A830, between Lochnan Uamh and Arisaig, is being upgraded. The published Environmental Statementprojects peak travel time savings, over the extent of the scheme, as 4.3minutes and 3.6 minutes for light vehicles an…
20 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what reductions in the journey times by road from Mallaig to Fort William are estimated to have taken place over the last (a) 15 and (b) 10 years.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Six major schemesto upgrade the A830 between Lochailort and Mallaig have been delivered since1975. The seventh and final section is covered in the answer to questionS3W-6721 on 3 December 2007. The original single-track status of theroad and the variable traf…
20 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the journey time of a ferry service from Lochboisdale to Mallaig is estimated to be.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The estimatedsailing time for a direct service between Mallaig and Lochboisdale is 3 hours20 minutes.</p>
20 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what benefits a direct Lochboisdale to Mallaig ferry service would give to the residents of Lochboisdale and its surrounding communities.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The STAGappraisal undertaken in 2005 sought to establish the benefits of introducing a directservice between Mallaig to Lochboisdale that did not impact on other serviceson the network.</p><p>The appraisalconcluded that there were potential positive benefits …
20 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that every local authority should receive a share of the Gaelic specific grant, whether or not they provide Gaelic medium education.
Answer · Linda Fabiani: I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-6713 on 5 December 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa…
20 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that there is a case for retaining the Gaelic specific grant in the long term to secure an increasing number of Gaelic medium places in different parts of Scotland.
Answer · Linda Fabiani: I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-6713 on 5 December 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa…
20 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there has been any benefit in administering the Gaelic specific grant from the fact that, in any given year, the amounts allocated to individual authorities could be varied to meet local circumstances and development initiatives.
Answer · Linda Fabiani: I refer the memberto the answer to question S3W-6713 on 5 December 2007. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa…
20 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that there have been benefits in securing new Gaelic medium schooling through the operation of the Gaelic specific grant over recent years.
Answer · Linda Fabiani: Gaelic specific grantsare available to local authorities towards the cost of delivering Gaelic educationwithin their area, or towards the cost of providing access to it in another authority’sarea. A percentage of this grant scheme is also directed towards Stò…
16 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-4833 by Richard Lochhead on 24 October 2007, what specific steps it had taken prior to October 2007 to secure EU state aid approval in order to exercise its discretion to make direct payments to farmers and crofters or to fund government agencies, no…
Answer · Richard Lochhead: EU considerationof the Scotland Rural Development Programme will include consideration of thecompliance of measures within the programme with state aid requirements.</p>
16 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its view is on promoting a “we buy Scottish” campaign to support Scottish produce.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: We welcome anyeffective campaign that promotes the consumption of fresh, high quality localproduce.</p>
16 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its views are on labelling processed ham in sausages and pies and other processed products to show their country of origin.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: There is currentlynothing to stop manufacturers from declaring the origin of their products providedit is accurate and not misleading for consumers. We are currently providing incentivesto manufacturers to provide this information by supporting initiatives su…
16 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its view is on a ban on the importation of pork that is produced in systems that would not meet Scottish or UK standards.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: All member statesare required to meet standards of animal welfare governed by European UnionDirectives. It would be against WTO rules to ban the importation of products that meetEuropean Union standards. We will, however, continue to press for a levelplaying …
16 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the European Union allowing the importation of GM varieties of US maize into Europe.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Governmentmaintains its long-standing opposition to the cultivation of genetically modifiedcrops and urges that any proposals for importing genetically modified materialsfor their use in food and feed be considered only after the most rigorous an…
16 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans for, or will consider, suspending Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control Regulations to assist agriculture.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The ScottishGovernment currently has no plans to suspend the Pollution Prevention andControl (Scotland) Regulations 2000 (the PPC Regulations)for agriculture. Such action would be incompatible with Scotland’s obligations under the Scotland Act 1998 toimplemen…
16 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans for, or will consider, a 100% knackery subsidy in the pig sector.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: Scottishministers have already contributed to funding for the National Fallen Stock Schemewhich provides a subsidised, compliant disposal route for all fallen stock fromfarms. The scheme is open to all mainland Scottish pig farmers who wish to join.</p>
16 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans for, or will consider, increasing private storage aid in the pig sector.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: Private Storage Aidis a European Commission scheme which is already available for pigmeat. The facilityis being used by one company in Scotland but there isno suggestion that the volumes provided for by the Commission are insufficient forthe industry’s needs.…
16 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans for, or will consider, relaunching the Ongoers scheme in the pig sector.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: We have no plans tore-launch the Ongoers scheme. We are aware, however, of the difficulties faced bythe pig sector. I asked officials to work with the industry to analyse options forsupport; now that work is complete, I will consider what measures might be ap…
16 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether its principal objective in reviewing the landscape of non-departmental public bodies and government agencies is to tidy that landscape or to reduce the amount of power, influence and budget held by those not directly under the control of Scottish ministers.
Answer · John Swinney: We want toachieve simpler, more effective public services and to ensure that appropriateaccountability arrangements are in place.</p>
16 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what minimum saving in cash or percentage terms it considers would represent a satisfactory outcome of its review of non-departmental public bodies and government agencies.
Answer · John Swinney: We want toachieve a simpler, more effective public sector for Scotland, which is good for Scotland's competitiveness and overalleconomic performance. Ourfocus is on getting rid of duplication, simplifying structures and stoppingactivities that do not contribu…
16 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has set any targets for the numbers of staff expected to be employed in non-departmental public bodies and government agencies following its review and reduction in the number of such bodies and, if so, what the total number will be.
Answer · John Swinney: No targets havebeen set but the Government expects to realise 2% efficiency savings per annum.</p>
16 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has set any targets for the total budget for non-departmental public bodies and the government agencies that it expects to be controlled by these bodies following its review and reduction in the number of such bodies and, if so, what that budget will be.
Answer · John Swinney: The SpendingReview outcome document <i>Scottish Budget: Spending Review 2007</i> providesdetails on budget allocations for NDPBs and government agencies. Furtherdetails will be published in the forthcoming Budget Bill.</p>
16 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many staff were employed in non-departmental public bodies and government agencies in 2006-07.
Answer · John Swinney: Details of the numberof staff employed in the Scottish Public Sector, including NDPBs and agencies ispublished quarterly as part of the Public Sector Employment Statistics. The latestversion of the statistics is available at <u><ahref="http://www.scotland.gov…
16 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the total budget was for non-departmental public bodies and government agencies in 2006-07.
Answer · John Swinney: The total budget fornon-departmental public bodies and government agencies in 2006-07 was £12.502 billion.</p>
15 Nov 2007 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what share of additional resources to recruit additional police officers is being given to (a) Northern Constabulary, (b) Grampian Police and (c) Strathclyde Police.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The 150 officersto be recruited this year will be divided among forces according to the GAEformula.</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td width=160 valign=top> <p>Police Force</p> </td> <td width=69 valign=top> <p align=…