Richard Lochhead

15 Nov 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether any formal request has been made to Her Majesty's Government to allow the Executive to officially lead the UK delegation at EU Fisheries Council meetings.

Answer · Ross Finnie: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-22474 on 25 February 2002. 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.u…

15 Nov 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has received about the extent to which the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea's (ICES) scientific advice takes into account the impact of those technical conservation measures adopted by the white fish sector in the last three years.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The ICES advice is based on scientific observation of the stocks and associated fishing activity. In so far as recent technical conservation measures have benefited particular stocks, that will be reflected implicitly in the assessments. However, it will not …

15 Nov 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated by-catch of white fish has been by each of the industrial fisheries in Scottish waters or waters fished by Scottish vessels in each of the last 10 years.

Answer · Ross Finnie: ICES estimates of the by-catch of white fish (cod, haddock and whiting) in the combined Danish and Norwegian small-meshed (industrial fisheries) for sandeel and Norway pout in the North Sea as a whole are given in the following table.<P>Estimated By-catch of …

15 Nov 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many bi-lateral meetings between the Minister for Environment and Rural Development and the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in the last 12 months and how many are currently scheduled for the future.

Answer · Ross Finnie: I meet Mrs Beckett frequently, both at Council of Ministers' meetings and at the regular monthly meeting which involve ministerial counterparts from the other Devolved Administrations. The Executive does not keep detailed records of each individual meeting.

15 Nov 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many official bi-lateral meetings between the Minister for Environment and Rural Development and EC Commissioner Fran' Fischler there have been in the last six months and how many such meetings are scheduled for the future.

Answer · Ross Finnie: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-30553 today. 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/sear…

15 Nov 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many scientists from the Fisheries Research Services are currently working on issues related to the future of the white fish sector.

Answer · Ross Finnie: It is estimated that the equivalent of some 40 staff are working on issues related to the management of stocks supporting the whitefish sector.

15 Nov 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made in relation to reducing the level of industrial by-catch of white fish stocks in Scottish waters or areas fished by Scottish vessels.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The industrial fisheries are an integral part of the Common Fisheries Policy. White fish by-catch limits in the industrial fisheries are established by EU regulations.

15 Nov 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will (a) give details of any bi-lateral ministerial meetings scheduled to discuss the forthcoming fishing quotas and (b) list any such meetings that have taken place in the last four weeks.

Answer · Ross Finnie: We held confidential discussions with the Commission, the presidency and other member states last week and further meetings will be held as appropriate.

15 Nov 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give a brief description of any new research relating to the current sea fisheries negotiations that it has requested either from internal or external sources during the last four weeks.

Answer · Ross Finnie: I have not commissioned new research. I have received scientific advice on a wide range of issues from Fisheries Research Services.

15 Nov 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish any up-to-date research on the location of the food supply for cod species in Scottish waters.

Answer · Ross Finnie: No. There is a wide corpus of published research on this subject indicating that cod prey on a wide range of species and feed in all areas where the stock is distributed.

15 Nov 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has received about the extent to which the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea took into account the impact on white fish stocks when making recommendations for next year's industrial fishing total allowable catch limits

Answer · Ross Finnie: I have no information further to that in the recent Advisory Committee on Fishery Management report. I refer the member to the report and specifically to sections on haddock, whiting, sandeels and Norway pout.

15 Nov 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it will make to the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea regarding the findings of the recently published Fisheries Research Services reports, Industry/Science Partnership 2001-2002, Volume 1: Report of Scottish Trials Assessing the Selectivity of Tra…

Answer · Ross Finnie: The advice from the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) for 2003 has been made and I do not expect representations to ICES to change it. The Scottish Executive's representative on the ICES Advisory Committee for Fishery Management will…

15 Nov 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has received about the accuracy of data supplied by other national governments to the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea in order to prepare the recently published guidance on fish stocks.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Executive has received no additional information on this issue. The first source of information supplied to the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) is the official statistics from participating members. Specific national data suppl…

14 Nov 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the General Register Office for Scotland intends to do with its paper records once they are digitalised; where these records will be held; whether any will be destroyed; whether they will be made available to local historical societies or appropriate bodies, and what the timescale is…

Answer · Richard Simpson: As far as the statutory registers of births, marriages and deaths are concerned, two copies of each register are created, one of which is held by the local registration service which created it, and one which is sent to the General Register Office for Scotlan…

7 Nov 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-28026 by Mr Jim Wallace on 4 November 2002, whether, in terms of sections 1.1(b) and (d) of the Scottish Ministerial Code, disclosure of information regarding attendance at EU meetings is not in the public interest and what the reasons are for its po…

Answer · Jim Wallace: The Executive does provide information on attendance at EU meetings.<P>I refer the member to the answers given to questions S1W-6228 on 9 May 2000, S1W-13367 on 29 March 2002, S1W-20175 on 5 December 2001, S1W-22493 on 25 February 2002 and S1W-31063 on 2 Dece…

7 Nov 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representatives it has sent to the EU Agriculture and Fisheries working group meeting on 7 and 8 November 2002.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Representatives of our Sea Fisheries Division attended the fisheries working group on 7 November 2002.

6 Nov 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S1W-28038 and S1W-30697 by Ms Margaret Curran and Mr Jim Wallace on 30 August and 29 October 2002 respectively, whether it has ever made any direct representations to members of the (a) European Parliament, (b) Committee of the Regions and (c) European…

Answer · Peter Peacock: The Scottish Executive has held a number of meetings with and made representations to members of the European Parliament, the Committee of the Regions and the European Commission. It is not, however, our practice to disclose details of such meetings or repres…

6 Nov 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is on publishing information on which of its ministers and the number, grade and department of officials that attend European Union meetings.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The Executive publishes information about ministers' attendance at meetings of the Council of the European Union through post-Council reports submitted to the European Committee. These become part of the Committee papers, which are public documents and are av…

6 Nov 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-28026 by Mr Jim Wallace on 4 November 2002, whether it keeps records of which of its ministers and officials have attended European Union meetings and what information it is able to provide on such attendance.

Answer · Jim Wallace: The Executive does keep records of attendance at EU meetings.<P>I refer the member to the answers given to questions S1W-6228 on 9 May 2000, S1W-13367 on 29 March 2002, S1W-20175 on 5 December 2001, S1W-22493 on 25 February 2002 and S1W-31063 on 2 December 20…

6 Nov 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-28026 by Mr Jim Wallace on 4 November 2002, why the answer did not state which of its ministers and how many of its officials attended the European Union working party on substantive criminal law in Brussels on 29 and 30 July 2002, the grade of these…

Answer · Jim Wallace: Ministers from member states do not, as a rule, attend European Union working groups, which are attended by officials from member states. UK officials represented the Executive at the Working Party on Substantive Criminal Law on 29 and 30 July 2002.

6 Nov 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-28026 by Mr Jim Wallace on 4 November 2002, why it took until that date to provide a substantive answer to the question, lodged on 30 July 2002.

Answer · Jim Wallace: I am sorry for the delay in providing a substantive answer to the original question. This was due to a combination of inquiries being made and administrative oversight.

29 Oct 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which meetings of the (a) European Council, (b) Council of the European Union, (c) Coreper and (d) EC committees and working groups and which informal meetings of the Council of the European Union that are still to be held under the Danish Presidency it will attend; how many representati…

Answer · Jim Wallace: Decisions on attendance at these future meetings will be taken on a case by case basis, depending on the agendas for the meetings and their relevance to the Scottish Executive.

29 Oct 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which meetings of the (a) European Council, (b) Council of the European Union, (c) Coreper and (d) EC committees and working groups and which informal meetings of the Council of the European Union held under the Danish Presidency it has attended to date; how many representatives attended…

Answer · Jim Wallace: Scottish Executive ministers attended the following Council meetings held under the Danish Presidency between 1 July and 30 November: <TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=2 WIDTH=531><TR><TD WIDTH="25%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>Date</TD><TD WIDTH="57%" VALIGN="TOP"…

24 Oct 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions have taken place with The Scotland Office regarding the provision of financial support for the Friends of Scotland initiative.

Answer · Jim Wallace: None.

24 Oct 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much money it has spent to date on activities relating to the Friends of Scotland initiative.

Answer · Jim Wallace: None.

24 Oct 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much money it has spent to date on promoting the Friends of Scotland initiative.

Answer · Jim Wallace: None.

24 Oct 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many of its staff provide support to Friends of Scotland initiative activities.

Answer · Jim Wallace: One Scottish Executive member of staff provides limited support to the Friends of Scotland initiative as a local liaison officer in the British Embassy in Washington DC.

24 Oct 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what events the (a) First Minister and (b) Minister for Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning have attended in support of the Friends of Scotland initiative.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Scottish Executive ministers are supportive of the Friends of Scotland initiative and attend events when possible.

23 Oct 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many scientists are employed by the Fisheries Research Service and, of these posts, how many are dedicated to working on white fish stock assessments and related issues.

Answer · Ross Finnie: During 2001-02 Fisheries Research Services (FRS) employed the equivalent of 230 full-time scientists. It is currently estimated that the work of some 35 FRS scientists is dedicated to white fish stock assessments and related issues. The work of this group rep…

23 Oct 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps have been taken to consult the fishing industry on any proposals to impose new effort limitation measures.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Effort control has been on the table since December last year, when the European Commission published its draft regulation for a cod and hake recovery plan. We have received written comments from the industry, and we have discussed possible effort limitation …