Parliamentary questions
Richard Lochhead
2,448 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
22 Apr 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what level of funds has been allocated to researching a new Scottish brand and/or logo for the purpose of promoting Scotland overseas; how much each associated contract has cost, and to whom they were awarded.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The purpose of the research activitycommissioned by the Executive is set out in my answer to S2W-5795 on 9 February 2004.Around £310,000 has so far been committed to this research. This work has been carriedout by four agencies: Union Advertising, Barkers Adv…
22 Apr 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what level of public funds has been allocated to Scotland the Brand since its inception.
Answer · Jim Wallace: I refer the member to the answergiven to question S2W-7457 on 6 May 2004. All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for whichcan be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/s…
21 Apr 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it commissioned research into a new Scottish brand and/or logo for the purposes of promoting Scotland overseas and, if so, on what basis such research was commissioned.
Answer · Andy Kerr: As set out in the answer givento question S2W-5795 on 9 February 2004, the Executive has commissioned research activity tobuild upon our knowledge of how Scotland is perceived in a range of countries and domestically,and how we can use creative material to ch…
21 Apr 2004 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps have been taken to support the introduction of direct air links to the new EU accession states.
Answer · Tavish Scott: The new EU accession states areamongst those with whom the Executive has promoted its Route Development Fund initiativeon the development of direct air links.</p>
20 Apr 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many drug detection dogs were used by the Scottish Prison Service in each of the last three years and how many days such dogs spent at HM Prison Aberdeen.
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron,Chief Executive of The Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:</p><p>It is not the policy of theSPS, as a law enforcement agency, to release precise details of the scope ordeployment of drug dog interdic…
19 Apr 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps have been taken to increase the number of advisers and level of infrastructure required to support the music industry.
Answer · Frank McAveety: Executive support and advicefor the music industry is channelled primarily through the Scottish Arts Counciland the Scottish Enterprise/Highlands and Islands Enterprise networks. Joint workingbetween these bodies provides the industry with an effective, effic…
19 Apr 2004 · SPCB Written Question
To ask the Presiding Officer how many passes allowing access to the Parliament complex have been issued to regular visitors who are not elected members or directly employed by the Parliament in each of the last five years and what conditions are attached to such passes.
Answer · George Reid: <p>Statistics about regular visitor photographic ID passes are available only from 2001. The number of passes issued is shown in the table below.</p>Regular Visitor Passes - Issues</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td> <p>Year…
14 Apr 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what public support is made available to encourage pupils and students to travel overseas for the purpose of learning foreign languages, particularly European languages.
Answer · Peter Peacock: The Scottish Executive Languages Fund can be used to fund overseas travel for the purpose of learninga language. In addition, the Scottish Executive provides the British Council Scotland with £310,000 annually,to manage a variety of international exchange and…
14 Apr 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to assess the level of foreign language teaching, particularly in European languages.
Answer · Peter Peacock: Education authorities evaluatethe quality of learning and teaching in all subjects in their schools. In additionto this, evaluations of foreign language teaching are made in Her Majesty’s Inspectorateof Education’s (HMIE) on-going inspection programme in prim…
14 Apr 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the EU accession countries' languages are taught in schools.
Answer · Peter Peacock: This information is not heldcentrally. However, we know that as part of the SOCRATES Comenius 1 Programme,26 schools and four further education colleges in Scotland havedeveloped partnerships with schools in 11 EU accession countries.</p>
14 Apr 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting time is for breast screening in the NHS this year and what it has been in each of the last three years.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: Routine breast screening is undertakenon an invitation basis. There is a national computerised call-recall system in placewhich ensures that eligible women, who are registered with a general practitionerand are in the age range 50 to 64 years are invited for …
13 Apr 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its strategy is to support the development of the music industry.
Answer · Frank McAveety: The Executive’s support to themusic industry is channelled primarily through the Scottish Arts Council, the ScottishEnterprise/Highlands and Islands Enterprise networks and the Scottish EnterpriseCreative Industries Team. Working both independently and in pa…
13 Apr 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the value is of the music industry in terms of employment and contribution to the economy in the current year and what the value has been in each of the last three years.
Answer · Frank McAveety: This information is not routinelycollated nor centrally compiled. The most recent relevant data is contained inthe <i>2003 Mapping the Music Industry in </i><i>Scotland</i> report compiled independentlyon behalf of Scottish Enterprise. Economic and employmen…
13 Apr 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its plans are in relation to the announcement by the board of directors of Scotland the Brand that it would recommend that the company be put into voluntary liquidation at a general meeting on 21 April 2004; what discussions it has had, at ministerial or official level, with represe…
Answer · Jim Wallace: The decision by Scotland theBrand Ltd to go into voluntary liquidation is a matter for the company itself andhas no impact on the research work currently underway into Scotland’s internationalimage. No decisions have yet been taken about the shape a new promo…
24 Mar 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will investigate the potential for introducing more flexible guidelines for the cattle passport and tagging system.
Answer · Allan Wilson: The requirements for the identificationand traceability of cattle are set out in EC legislation which came into force in1998. </p><p>Cattle keepers must registertheir animals and apply for passports within 27 days of birth. Initially some flexibilityin applyi…
24 Mar 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to encourage the Scottish Environment Protection Agency to increase charges levied for the administration of authorisation for safe disposal of used sheep dip and pesticide waste on farmland and, if so, what the increase will be and what information it has on how this wil…
Answer · Allan Wilson: The Executive requires the Scottish Environment Protection Agency to recover its regulatory costs. Following a recent review of charge levels under the Groundwater Regulations 1998 and public consultation, I approved the charges for 2004-05 and 2005-06 shown …
24 Mar 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the objectives of the beef national envelope are and how payments under this scheme are targeted.
Answer · Allan Wilson: We are still considering, withinterested parties, how to use the new beef national envelope provided for in therecent Common Agricultural Policy reform agreement. The legislation relating tothis new envelope provides for payments to be granted for specific ty…
24 Mar 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any measures will be implemented to offset any negative consequences of the removal of EU accession state workers from eligibility under the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme.
Answer · Allan Wilson: In anticipation of a declinein the number of workers from the EU accession countries who will be working underthe Seasonal Agricultural Workers Scheme (SAWS) the registered scheme Operatorshave taken steps to increase recruitment from countries outwith the en…
24 Mar 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Her Majesty's Government with regard to whether relevant registration systems will be in place to allow the agricultural industry to recruit workers from EU accession states in time for this year's harvest.
Answer · Allan Wilson: Employment is a matter reservedto the UK Government. The Home Office has indicated that the Worker RegistrationScheme will be operational from 1 May 2004 and workers from the EU accession countries are beingadvised to register as soon as they start work unles…
24 Mar 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what recent steps have been taken to assess the capability of Scotland's emergency services to cope with terrorist attacks in light of the present international climate; whether it has been part of any UK-wide initiatives on the issue, and whether it has received any financial assistance …
Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The Scottish Executive, in conjunction with all the emergency services in Scotland, operatesa process of continuous assessment of arrangements for protecting the public inan emergency to ensure that we are prepared for any eventuality, including the threatof …
23 Mar 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will report on the outcome of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council on 22 and 23 March 2004.
Answer · Allan Wilson: I attended the Agricultureand Fisheries Council in Brussels on 22 and 23 March together with Margaret Beckett,Ben Bradshaw and Ian Pearson.</p><p>The Council marked itsrespect for the victims of the Madrid bombs with a period of silence.</p><p>The main item o…
22 Mar 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the statement issued by its spokesperson and reported in the Sunday Herald on 21 March 2004 that "The First Minister and the permanent secretary are fully committed to freedom of information. Openness and transparency have been hallmarks of the organisation since …
Answer · Tavish Scott: The Executive’s commitment toopenness and transparency does not mean that all information held by the Scottish Executive, whether under the Concordat on Co-ordination of European Policy Issuesor otherwise, will automatically be made available under the Freedo…
22 Mar 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the members of the consular corps and overseas representatives that it recognises for the purposes of building overseas links.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The following 49 countries have consular representations in Scotland.</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <tr> <td> <p>Australia</p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p>Austria</p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p>Bangladesh</p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <p>B…
22 Mar 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what (a) submission it made and (b) its response is to the Prime Minister's strategy unit's inquiry into the UK fishing industry.
Answer · Allan Wilson: The report is a “to”Government report and as such is not a statement of policy. It is for the Scottish Executive to formulate a response to each of the recommendations and ourintention is to work in partnership with the industry on this over the summer.</p><p…
22 Mar 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action has been taken, or what plans there are, to utilise the presence of a consular corps and other overseas representatives based in Scotland with a view to promoting Scotland and building on existing mutually-beneficial links with their respective countries; when the most recent…
Answer · Andy Kerr: Ministers regularly meet withthe consular representations in Scotland with a view to promoting Scotland andScotland’s interests and building mutually beneficial links with other countries.</p><p>The Executive wrote to all consularrepresentations in December 2…
19 Mar 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what impact each of Her Majesty's Government's fiscal measures that impact on housing announced in the UK budget will have on the availability of affordable housing for rent and purchase in (a) rural and (b) urban areas.
Answer · Margaret Curran: We do not expect that the measuresannounced in the Budget on 17 March relating to housing benefit, the landlords’energy saving allowance and the possibility of a “green landlord scheme” will havea direct impact on the availability of affordable housing. It is…
19 Mar 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any representations have been made to Her Majesty's Government urging the UK to raise with the EU the possibility of Scotland being designated GM-free.
Answer · Allan Wilson: No. Directive 2001/18/ECrequires GM products to be considered on a case-by-case basis. There is noscope within the terms of the directive to designate a particular geographicalregion GM-free. Whilst there would be a theoretical possibility of seeking aderogat…
19 Mar 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any research has been commissioned into GM fodder mai'e, particularly the Chardon LL variety, that may help understanding of the transfer of transgenic DNA into animal and human cells.
Answer · Allan Wilson: There have been a number ofresearch studies which have looked at the potential for transfer of transgenicDNA into animal and human cells and these are cited in the GM Science Reviewpanel report.</p>
19 Mar 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any representations were made to the Chancellor of the Exchequer prior to the budget in connection with new fiscal measures to increase the amount of affordable housing in Scotland for first time buyers or the rented sector and, if so, what measures were suggested.
Answer · Margaret Curran: Executive ministers and officials have regular discussions on a wide range of issues with colleagues in the UK government. The specific content of these discussions is confidential.</p>
17 Mar 2004 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in achieving the goals set out in the European Union's Lisbon Agenda.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The Executive does not regularly monitor Scottish progresstowards achieving the Lisbon Agenda. We do not have any plans to add the Lisbongoals on top of the commitments we have identified as our policy priorities,because the overarching Lisbon goal of creatin…