Parliamentary questions
Richard Lochhead
2,448 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
26 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many maternity beds there have been in each NHS board area in total and broken down by maternity hospital in each of the last six years, showing also year-on-year percentage changes.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: A table detailing the number of maternity beds in NHS board areas in the last six years, along with year on year percentage changes is given has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 37418).</p> <p>This table shows the average…
26 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the expenditure on external consultant fees has been by each of its departments in each of the last six years, showing also (a) year-on-year percentage changes and (b) totals for the six years with each department's expenditure expressed as a percentage of the overall sum.
Answer · Tom McCabe: The information is given in the following table.</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td rowspan="2"> <p align=center> </p></td> <td> <p align=center>FY 2001-02</p></td> <td> <p align=center>FY 2002-03</…
26 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-14952 by Rhona Brankin on 14 March 2005, what the figures for applications, places and the ratio of applications to places are for 2005.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The information on applications received and available places at Dundee and Glasgow Dental Schools for 2005 are provided in the following table:</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td rowspan="2" valign="top"> <p>Year</p…
19 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the recent alteration in the 2020 renewable energy target of 40% of installed capacity was made in conjunction with the Department of Trade and Industry and/or the European Union altering their targets.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-17105 on 20 June 2005. 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/w…
19 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much electricity from renewable sources, expressed in terawatt-hours per year (TWH/yr), it estimates will be generated if the new 2020 target of 40% of installed capacity is met.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-17105 on 20 June 2005. 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/w…
18 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the Clydesdale Bank regarding its proposals to close branches in rural communities and whether the Executive intends to make further representations, in light of the announcement that 18 branches have been scheduled to close in Aberdeenshire alone.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Executive shares the concerns of communities which are facing the loss of access to banking facilities as a result of Clydesdale Bank branch closures. The Deputy Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning met with Clydesdale’s Chief Operating Officer, …
17 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive to what extent it considers that a decision by major supermarket chains to import cheap beef from overseas poses a threat to the Scottish beef industry.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Procurement decisions are commercialmatters for individual supermarkets. In this case, the Scottish beef industry hasa richly deserved reputation for quality and the Scottish Executive supports thework of Quality Meat Scotland (QMS) in seeking to ensure that …
17 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to protect the interests of the Scottish beef industry, in light of a decision by major supermarket chains to import cheap beef from overseas.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Beef imports into the EUfrom third countries are subject to the arrangements of the EU’s beef regime.This includes a system of import tariffs and a number of concessionary importquotas. The UK plays an active part in the negotiations of thesearrangements, for…
12 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what sanctions are in place to be applied against those who do not remove ragwort and other dangerous weeds from their land.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Occupiers of land do not commit an offence by having ragwort and other weeds listed in the Weeds Act 1959 on their land. An occupier who unreasonably fails to comply with a notice served under Section 1 of the Weeds Act 1959 is committing an offence and may, …
12 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to encourage landowners to remove ragwort and other dangerous weeds from their land.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The General Environmental Conditions for the Countryside Premium Scheme and Rural Stewardship Scheme require that any participant in one of these agri-environment schemes must control injurious weeds listed in the Weeds Act 1959, to prevent their spread and t…
12 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to prevent the spread of ragwort and other dangerous weeds.
Answer · Ross Finnie: In Scotland, all written complaints received by the Environment and Rural Affairs Department about ragwort, and the other four weeds specified in the Weeds Act 1959 (spear thistle, creeping or field thistle, broad-leaved dock and curled dock) are investigated…
12 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many public prosecutions have been brought under the Weeds Act 1959 in each of the last ten years.
Answer · Ross Finnie: It has not been necessary to bring any prosecutions under the Weeds Act 1959 in any of the last ten years.</p>
12 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many complaints have been made in relation to the Weeds Act 1959 in each of the last ten years.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The number of complaints made in relation to the Weeds Act 1959 to the Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department’s Area Offices in each of the last ten years is shown in the following table. A complaint may relate to more than one site.</p> …
12 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps have been taken to recover the costs incurred in supervising Steven Beech from the UK authorities; what costs were incurred during his time in Scotland, and what steps have been taken to review the arrangements between the Scottish and UK authorities in such cases.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The arrangements, which are in place between the Scottish and UK authorities to protect the public, work on a reciprocal basis. However, at the time of his arrival in Aberdeen in March 2002, Mr Beech’s legal status was such that there was no formal statutory …
8 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what energy costs have been incurred by each (a) of its agencies, (b) police force, (c) fire authority and (d) local authority, broken down by fuel category, in (i) each of the last three years and (ii) the current year to date, showing also year-on-year percentage changes and what projec…
Answer · Tom McCabe: The information requested isnot held centrally.</p>
8 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what energy costs have been incurred by each NHS board in (a) each of the last three years and (b) the current year to date, showing also year-on-year percentage changes and what projections have been made in respect of each board’s energy costs for 2005-06.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The information requested isnot held centrally. However, comprehensive information on energy costs andperformance within NHSScotland is publicly available on the NHSScotlandProperty and Environment Forum internet site under the heading “EnvironmentReports” at…
8 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what energy costs it has incurred in (a) each of the last three years and (b) the current year to date, showing also year-on-year percentage changes and what projections it has made in respect of its energy costs for 2005-06.
Answer · Tom McCabe: (a) Energy Costs incurred by the Scottish Executive in Years 2002-03, 2003-04 and 2004-05:</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td> <p align=center>Energy Type</p></td> <td> <p align=center>2002-03</p></td> <t…
4 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the level of unclaimed Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance (FIFG) funding is for the (a) Highlands and Islands and (b) rest of Scotland, expressed also as a percentage of the original allocations of FIFG funding.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Some £1.47 million of FIFG funding remains to be allocated to projects in the Highlands and Islands area representing some 8.95% of the FIFG allocation. The equivalent Lowland Scotland figures are £13.9 million and 38.6%.</p>
4 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it understands the European Commission to be considering to help the EU fishing industry cope with rising fuel costs and how it intends to respond to any proposals for such measures.
Answer · Ross Finnie: At a meeting between theindustry and the Commission on 29 July 2005, Commissioner Borg outlined fivepotential fuel support measures, as follows:</p><p>Paymentsunder FIFG for the temporary cessation of fishing on the grounds of adverseimpacts of viability due …
4 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on any schemes operated by other EU member states to help their fishing fleets cope with rising fuel costs.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The Commission is currently investigating a scheme in France designed directly to assist fishermen cope with high fuel costs and to decide as to whether it is state aid compliant. We are not aware of any other scheme being operated by other EU member states.<…
3 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been spent on research and development into energy technology in each year since 1999, broken down by energy type.
Answer · Allan Wilson: I refer the member to the answerto question S2W-18334 on 26 August 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the searchfacility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa…
3 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the level of capital investment on research and development into energy technology has been in each year since 1999, broken down by energy type.
Answer · Allan Wilson: I refer the member to the answerto question S2W-18334 on 26 August 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions areavailable on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be foundat <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa…
3 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the level of capital investment on research and development into energy technology will be in each year until 2010, broken down by energy type.
Answer · Allan Wilson: I refer the member to the answerto question S2W-18334 on 26 August 2005. All answers to written parliamentary questions areavailable on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be foundat <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa…
3 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much will be spent on research and development into energy technology in each year until 2010, broken down by energy type.
Answer · Allan Wilson: Investment in research and developmentof energy technology is principally by the private sector. Energy technology researchis also supported by the Department of Trade and Industry.</p><p>No information is held centrallyby the Executive which analyses levels …
1 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it intends to issue any revised guidlines on the location and role of onshore wind farms in the context of its renewable energy policies.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Executive has commenceda review of <i>National Planning Policy Guideline 6: Renewable Energy. </i>Thisreview, which will be underpinned by strategic environmental assessment, willconsider the need for a national spatial framework and/or regional targets f…
1 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has revised its renewables target to 40% of electricity demand in Scotland rather than electricity generated in Scotland and whether it will provide details of its up-to-date policy and targets on renewables, showing any recent changes.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-17105 on 20 June 2005. 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/w…
1 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made any estimate of the potential contribution of hydro power towards meeting energy needs and, if so, what the estimated contribution is.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: Hydro electricity currently accounts for around 8% of all electricity generated in Scotland.</p> <p><i>Scotland's Renewable Energy Potential: Realising the 2020 Target</i>, published by the Forum for Renewable Energy Development in Scotland on 20 June 2005, i…
29 Jul 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the levels of (a) carbon dioxide and (b) greenhouse gas emissions in Scotland are and how these compare with such emissions in England, Wales and each EU member state.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Scottish greenhouse gas emissionsdata are available in <i>Greenhouse Gas Inventories for </i><i>England</i><i>, </i><i>Scotland</i><i>, </i><i>Wales</i><i> and </i><i>Northern Ireland</i><i>: 1999-2002, </i>a copy of which has been placed in the Scottish Parl…
28 Jul 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many times the First Minister has had an official private meeting with the Prime Minister since November 2001.
Answer · Tom McCabe: The First Minister and the PrimeMinister have met 11 times on Government business since November 2001. They alsomeet regularly on political business.</p>
28 Jul 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many times the First Minister has written to the Prime Minister since November 2001 and what topics were raised.
Answer · Tom McCabe: The First Minister and PrimeMinister are in regular contact through a number of means. They write to each otherwhere that is required. Information on the number of times the First Minister haswritten to the Prime Minister since November 2001, and on what subj…