Richard Lochhead

27 Aug 2003 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the European Commission regarding any possible ban on cod fishing.

Answer · Ross Finnie: There is no proposal for a ban on cod fishing. However, the Commission has presented a revised proposal for cod recovery that envisages reduced fishing activity.</p><p>This more general question of cod recovery was discussed in general terms at the Council of…

13 Aug 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting period is (a) nationally and (b) in each district court area to bring a (i) civil and (ii) criminal case to trial.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The latest available informationon the average time between pleading and trial diets in district courts is givenin the following table. District courts have no civil jurisdiction.</p><p>Average Waiting Time (Weeks)Between Pleading and Trial Diets in District …

11 Aug 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much each local authority has received (a) in total and (b) per capita for sports development from (i) the National Lottery, (ii) central government and (iii) other sources, in each of the last three years.

Answer · Frank McAveety: The only informationavailable to this level of detail is the funding provided by <b>sport</b>scotlanddirect to local authorities. For the purpose of drawing together thisinformation, we have presumed that sports development covers grant funding forlocal autho…

11 Aug 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the performance of the drugs courts have been since their establishment; what evidence it has to support such conclusions; what plans it has to extend these courts to other areas, in particular the Grampian area, and what the timetable is for any such extension.

Answer · Hugh Henry: The formative and process evaluations of the first six months of the pilot drugs courts in Glasgow (11 November 2002 ) and Fife (6 August 2003) concluded that it was still too early to determine the impact the pilots have had on drug misuse and associated off…

8 Aug 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps have been taken to promote cycling, and what budgets have been allocated for this purpose, in each of the last four years and what further steps and budget allocations are planned in the next three years.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Executive is promotingcycling by a number of means, including financial support for local authoritiesand the voluntary sector. Nearly £21 million has been allocated to localauthorities over the period 2000-04 for cycling, walking and safer streetsprojects…

8 Aug 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding has been allocated for cycle routes by each local authority in each of the last three years, expressed also on a per capita basis.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: Allocations have been madefor wider cycling, walking and safer streets (CWSS) projects which can includework on safer routes to school. Details of the allocations are set out in thetable. </p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0> <thead> <tr> <td> …

8 Aug 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been spent in each of the last three years on promoting road safety, specifically amongst (a) motorists, (b) cyclists, (c) motorcyclists and (d) pedestrians.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: Information is not availablein the format requested.</p><p>The Scottish Executiveprovides funding to the Scottish Road Safety Campaign for the development ofkey road safety education initiatives and publicity messages aimed at all roadusers. Details of the ca…

8 Aug 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many road accidents there were that resulted in death or injury to cyclists in the last three years in each police force area, broken down into accidents that resulted in (a) fatalities, (b) serious injuries and (c) slight injuries, expressed as a ratio to population in each area.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: Data about injury roadaccidents are collected by the police and reported to the Scottish Executiveusing the STATS 19 statistical report form.</p><p>The table gives the numberof road accidents that resulted in death or injury to cyclists in the lastthree years…

5 Aug 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to increase the number of donated human organs and whether it is considering the introduction of an opt-out system to increase such donations.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive is continuing to implement the recommendations in the Scottish Transplant Group’s Organ Donation Strategy for Scotland, published in July 2002, which set out a range of initiatives to help increaseorgan donation rates.</p><p>The Executi…

5 Aug 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when regional advisory committees will be established following the recent Common Fisheries Policy review.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The establishment of Regional Advisory Councils requires a decision from the Council of Ministers. We understand that the European Commission are likely to publish a formal proposal for a Council Regulation in the near future. Unless this proposal meets with …

25 Jul 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the report on the joint Scottish Football Association and Football Association of Ireland bid to host the European Football Championships in 2008 will be published and what the reasons are for the position on this matter.

Answer · Frank McAveety: This was an internal reportand for that reason it will not be published.</p>

24 Jul 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any plans to alter the status of those areas currently closed to sandeel fishing; whether it will give the number and nationality of any vessels that are currently allowed to fish these areas on licence and the number of vessels that are allowed to fish them at any one t…

Answer · Ross Finnie: Within EU waters, sandeel fishing for commercial purposes is specifically prohibited at all times by the Wee Bankie (Firth of Forth) area closure, required by Paragraph 10 of Annex V of EU Regulation (EC) 2341/2002. This closure expires on 31 December 2003 un…

16 Jul 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-856 by Ross Finnie on 14 July 2003, what position it submitted to Her Majesty's Government on the proposal from the European Parliament that an additional €150 million be allocated as aid to fishing communities and what the reasons are for its positi…

Answer · Ross Finnie: We made clear that further support measures, in addition to those funded from our own £50 million package for the industry and possibly part-funded by structural funds, may be necessary; but that because of public expenditure management arrangements in the UK…

16 Jul 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-856 by Ross Finnie on 14 July 2003, whether the United Kingdom response to the request by the European Commission for views on the proposal from the European Parliament that an additional 150 million be allocated as aid to fishing communities will b…

Answer · Ross Finnie: The letter was sent by UKRep to the Commission on behalf of the UK authorities. It was not intended as a public document: and it is not for the Executive unilaterally to decide whether to release it.

16 Jul 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-856 by Ross Finnie on 14 July 2003, whether it responded directly to the request by the European Commission for views on the proposal from the European Parliament that an additional 150 million be allocated as aid to fishing communities.

Answer · Ross Finnie: No. The Commission's request was directed to member states. A reply was sent on behalf of the UK, in accordance with constitutional arrangements within the UK.

15 Jul 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the interaction is between its public expenditure arrangements and the rules of each EU funding programme.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Structural fund spending is determined by strategies drawn up by partnerships involving key public and voluntary sector agencies. These establish objectives, priorities and measures for each of the EU programmes, and therefore reflect the funding priorities o…

15 Jul 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what impact the allocation of European funding has on public expenditure in Scotland.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: European Structural Funds are neither additional to, nor a replacement for, national expenditure. Provision for Structural Funds is made within the Scottish assigned budget, but is additional to the organisation which directly benefits from the funding at a l…

15 Jul 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-856 by Ross Finnie on 14 July 2003, whether it will clarify the statement that the creation of a European fund to aid fishing communities "would not increase public expenditure in Scotland because of the UK's public spending arrangements" and whether…

Answer · Ross Finnie: Most public expenditure inthe UK is managed within fixed departmental expenditure limit (DEL) plans,within which fisheries and other requirements are prioritised. Under thesearrangements, the Executive would not gain any direct benefit from theavailability of…

7 Jul 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish the Scottish submission to Her Majesty's Government's consultation document, A Modern Regional Policy for the United Kingdom, and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish European Structural Funds Forum response to the UK Government consultation <I>A Modern Regional Policy for the United Kingdom</I> is available on the Scottish Executive web site at <A HREF="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/esf">http://www.scotland.gov.…

3 Jul 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made on the decommissioning scheme for fishing vessels and what the timescales in respect of the scheme are.

Answer · Ross Finnie: I announced on 10 July the issue of decommissioning grant offers to the owners of 69 vessels. Offers of grant are made to the owners of vessels drawn from a reserve list if offers to those on the original approval list are refused or decommissioning bids are …

3 Jul 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive for how long the #10 million transitional aid for the fishing industry will be made available.

Answer · Ross Finnie: We have state aid approval to the current scheme from the European Commission on the basis that it will cover the period 1 March to 31 August 2003.

3 Jul 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what management options there are for white fish stocks in respect of replacing the existing days at sea scheme currently under discussion with the European Commission; what the Executive's preferred option is, and when the discussions will be concluded.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Commission has proposed long term recovery plans for cod and northern hake stocks. Alternatively the type of arrangements operated under Annex XVII to Council Regulation (EC) No 2341/2002, or something derived from them, may be an option.<P>There are issu…

3 Jul 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive Scottish Executive what additional political and scientific steps have been taken following fisheries negotiations in December 2002 in order to make representations to the European Union that the management of cod should be separated from the management of other white fish species and wha…

Answer · Ross Finnie: The<B> </B>International Council for Exploration of the Seas is examining the linkages between various stocks associated with cod. The data and its analysis should be available to inform discussion in the council working group, which reconvenes in mid-Septemb…

27 Jun 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has received in respect of any European Commission plans to extend Objective 1 funding for regional development until 2013, as referred to in recent comments by Glenys Kinnock MEP, and whether it has had any discussions with the commission about any such funding for S…

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: We expect that the European Commission's Third Report on Economic and Social Cohesion, due at the end of 2003, will give an indication of its thinking ahead of it publishing formal proposals for regulations in early 2004. <P>Commission officials have given in…

26 Jun 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the status is of the agreement between it and the Regional Government of Tuscany, announced in its news release SEfm196/2003 of 19 June 2003, and, in particular, whether there are any penalties associated with non-compliance with any provision of the agreement.

Answer · Tavish Scott: The action plan, signed on 19 June 2003 by the First Minister and President Martini of Tuscany, builds on the Co-operation Agreement concluded with Tuscany in November 2002. The action plan sets out some of the specific areas on which Tuscany and Scotland wil…

26 Jun 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the outcome was of the negotiations on the Common Agricultural Policy.

Answer · Ross Finnie: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-1179 on 26 June 2003. 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/web…

23 Jun 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to ensure that dentists meet any additional expenses incurred as a result of implementing new regulations on disabled access to dental practices.

Answer · Tom McCabe: General dental practitioners are independent contractors to the NHSScotland and it is their responsibility as service providers to comply with all relevant legislation relating to access by disabled people.<P>NHS boards are currently conducting comprehensive …

23 Jun 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the minutes, papers and reports of the meeting of the ad hoc group on European strategy established by the Cabinet on 18 June 2003 will be made public and, in particular, whether copies will be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre and sent to relevant committees of…

Answer · Andy Kerr: As indicated in the <I>Guide to Collective Decision Making</I>, a copy of which is available on the Scottish Executive website, the Executive operates on the basis of collective responsibility and does not disclose details of the internal processes through wh…

23 Jun 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether membership of the ad hoc group on European strategy established by the Cabinet on 18 June 2003 will be exclusively for ministers and officials or whether there is scope to involve other organisations.

Answer · Andy Kerr: Membership of the Ad Hoc Group of Ministers on European Strategy is limited to ministers only.

23 Jun 2003 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the remit is of the ad hoc group on European strategy established by the Cabinet on 18 June 2003; which ministers and officials will be on the group; when it will first meet, and how often it will meet.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The remit of the Ad Hoc Group of Ministers on European Strategy is to consider:<P>how co-ordination of policy with the UK Government in relation to the conclusions of the Convention of the Future of Europe can be sustained effectively;<P>forthcoming European …