Parliamentary questions
Richard Lochhead
2,448 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
13 Mar 2001 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what was discussed at the Joint Ministerial Committee meeting on 7 March 2002 and what the outcomes were.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The meeting of the Joint Ministerial Committee on the European Union on 7 March considered preparations for the Barcelona European Council and arrangements for the European Convention which will discuss the Future of Europe.<P>The meeting provided a further o…
7 Mar 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-13417 by Mr Sam Galbraith on 28 February 2001 which outlined the revenue forgone by water authorities as a result of water charges relief, how it calculated these figures and with whom any consultation took place on the calculations.
Answer · Ross Finnie: These figures were calculated specifically to answer question S1W-13417. They were verified with the water authorities, on the basis of the reliefs they currently grant to the relevant bodies.
28 Feb 2001 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make additional financial aid available to the catching and processing sectors in the light of the current situation in the fishing industry.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: We announced last October the availability of record levels of support for the fisheries sector under the Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance (FIFG). We also announced this morning a £27 million package of support for the industry. That includes up to…
26 Feb 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to increase the number of meat processing facilities so that livestock and carcasses do not have to be transported outwith Scotland for processing.
Answer · Ross Finnie: I agree that it would be desirable if more of our livestock were slaughtered and processed within Scotland and my department will consider as a priority any viable proposals to do so under its capital and non-capital grant schemes.
26 Feb 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to establish abattoirs in rural locations.
Answer · Ross Finnie: Those areas of rural Scotland producing prime stock are generally well served by abattoirs. For any areas which may be less well served, my department would be happy to consider viable proposals from commercial concerns for establishing such facilities under …
22 Feb 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many UK regulatory bodies have offices dispersed to Scotland, what these bodies are and how many staff are employed in their offices.
Answer · Angus MacKay: The Scottish Executive has no general function in relation to the location of UK regulatory bodies in Scotland or the number of staff employed within their offices. The Executive does not hold records regarding the location of regulatory bodies sponsored by U…
22 Feb 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list all grant and relief schemes to the water industry which have been withdrawn in each of the last four years; what the total estimated value was of each scheme, and what the total estimated overall loss is to those in receipt of such schemes.
Answer · Sam Galbraith: The Domestic Sewerage Relief Grant worth £89.7 million/£59.2 million/£29.7 million was paid to the water authorities in 1996-97, 1997-98 and 1998-99 respectively. This was a transitional scheme designed to assist domestic customers cope with the payment for t…
21 Feb 2001 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to secure the future of Aberdeen's tourist information centre.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: This is a matter for Aberdeen and Grampian Tourist Board and its funding partners to decide.
20 Feb 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the value of tourism is to the Scottish economy, broken down by (a) local authority area and (b) tourist board area.
Answer · Alasdair Morrison: The information is not available in respect of local authority areas. For tourist board areas, the information in respect of 1999, the last year available, is as follows:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=609><TR><TD WIDTH="65%" VALIGN="TOP"><P>A…
20 Feb 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding each local authority gives to its local tourist board, in total and expressed as a per capita figure.
Answer · Alasdair Morrison: The latest available information about core funding is as follows:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=616><TR><TD WIDTH="31%" VALIGN="TOP"><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2><P>Area Tourist Board</TD><TD WIDTH="31%" VALIGN="TOP"><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2><…
20 Feb 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has been approached by Aberdeen City Council for additional finance in order to allow it to make an increased contribution to the funding of Aberdeen's tourist information centre.
Answer · Alasdair Morrison: No. The Executive has increased Aberdeen City Council's revenue grant by 15.2% over the next three years, a total of £30.4 million over the period. I hope that this will enable the council to look favourably at the amount of support they provide to their tour…
20 Feb 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has taken any action in response to the proposal to close Aberdeen's tourist information centre.
Answer · Alasdair Morrison: I was concerned to hear that Aberdeen and Grampian Tourist Board were contemplating closing the TIC in Aberdeen. However, Area Tourist Boards are independent organisations and are therefore responsible for their own operational decisions.
20 Feb 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list Scotland's tourist information centres, indicating the area tourist board each is affiliated to.
Answer · Alasdair Morrison: The information is as follows:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=616><TR><TD WIDTH="50%" VALIGN="TOP"><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2><P>Area Tourist Board</TD><TD WIDTH="50%" VALIGN="TOP"><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2><P ALIGN="CENTER">TICs Operated</TD><…
15 Feb 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost was to the Meat and Livestock Commission (MLC) of producing the adverts promoting pig meat in respect of which complaints have been upheld by the Advertising Standards Authority and whether any minister has been in touch with the MLC in connection with this initiative.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The cost of producing the adverts was £115,542 and the media costs to place the adverts were £735,000. This was part of a £4.6 million three-stage pig meat advertising campaign run by the MLC.<P>This MLC Pig Meat advertising campaign was not run in Scotland. …
14 Feb 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation took place with the charity and voluntary sectors in connection with the decision to withdraw water rates relief.
Answer · Sam Galbraith: Extensive consultations with these sectors have taken place over a number of years.<P>During July and August 1998, the East of Scotland Water Authority undertook a consultation exercise covering proposals for a new approach to charging non-domestic customers.…
14 Feb 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many charities and voluntary organisations will be affected by the decision to withdraw water rates relief and how much additional income this measure will generate for each water authority in each of the next five years.
Answer · Sam Galbraith: I understand that just over 15,000 organisations in the above categories are affected by<FONT SIZE=2> withdrawal of reliefs.<P>Total revenue forgone as a result of existing reliefs to these bodies is as set out in the table. The withdrawal of reliefs is being…
14 Feb 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the projected percentage of people living in rural areas who will have access to digital technology is for each of the next five years.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: The Executive does not hold information in the form requested. The "UK online: the broadband future" report, published this month by the Office of the e-Envoy maps out planned ADSL roll-out, areas served by cable operators and regions with broadband…
14 Feb 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans exist to ensure that rural communities are able to benefit from digital services such as Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: The Executive is currently considering how the procurement of public sector broadband services might stimulate the wider supply of high bandwidth services by the industry to businesses and the community.<P>However, the Executive recognises that Public/Private…
14 Feb 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what analysis has been made of the impact of digital technology on rural communities.
Answer · Wendy Alexander: The Executive is aware of the potential benefit of digital technology to rural areas. The Arkleton trust (Research) Ltd produced a report for Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) in 1995 evaluating the Highlands and Islands Telecommunications Initiative (HI…
14 Feb 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the current training capacity is of the Police Training College, Tulliallan, expressed as a number of places, and what the capacity was in each of the last five years.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The Scottish Police College offers workplace and open and distance learning as well as residential training involving the use of special facilities so that there is no single measure of its training capacity. However its ability to offer residential training …
14 Feb 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which police forces have access to air support; where any such support units are based and what funding it provides for such services in each case.
Answer · Jim Wallace: Strathclyde Police currently have access to air support through an air support unit based at the city heliport in Glasgow. Funding for the police is provided annually through the GAE process and resources are not allocated to specific operational areas or pol…
14 Feb 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications have been submitted by police forces in each of the last four years for assistance towards the establishment of air support; what the response was in each case and whether it will provide details of the funding sought by and the nature of each application.
Answer · Jim Wallace: Decisions on the provision of air support are operational matters for Chief Constables and police authorities and it is for them to take decisions on the costs and benefits of specific investment proposals in light of the resources available. Since 1997-98 th…
14 Feb 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what response it has made or will make to the European Commission's proposals to cut beef production.
Answer · Ross Finnie: At the EU Agriculture Council on 19 February, I joined UK Agriculture Ministers in pressing for Europe's current beef over-supply to be tackled effectively but in a way which would not adversely affect those producing quality beef using extensive systems.
14 Feb 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what impact new European Commission proposals to cut beef production would have on Scotland if implemented, both in economic terms and more generally on rural communities.
Answer · Ross Finnie: This is a very complex set of proposals, the impact of which would be extremely difficult to quantify in a purely Scottish context. I attended the Agriculture Council on 19 February to ensure that those elements of the package which might most adversely affec…
14 Feb 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has been consulted by the European Commission in connection with plans to cut beef production.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The Commission's plans could have a far-reaching impact on the Scottish beef industry. I attended the EU Agriculture Council on 19 February to ensure that the European Commission was made aware of my views on the various proposals.
13 Feb 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what is being done to reduce the number of unnecessary emergency call-outs of the fire service, in particular those caused by faulty fire alarms.
Answer · Iain Gray: Fire brigades are pursuing all available means of reducing the number of unwanted fire signals from automatic fire detection systems. The British Fire Protection Systems Association and the Chief and Assistant Chief Fire Officers' Association (CACFOA) are act…
13 Feb 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much Millennium Commission funding has been allocated to each (a) parliamentary region and (b) parliamentary constituency and what percentage of the total monies allocated by the Commission in Scotland each of these figures represents.
Answer · Allan Wilson: I attach the information requested, as supplied by the Millennium Commission.<P ALIGN="RIGHT"><TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=585><TR><TD WIDTH="52%" VALIGN="TOP" HEIGHT=18><P>Constituency/Region</TD><TD WIDTH="21%" VALIGN="TOP" HEIGHT=18><P A…
12 Feb 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to learn from other countries' sea fisheries conservation and recovery plans, in particular from those of Iceland, the Faroe Islands and Canada, and whether it has adopted, or has any plans to adopt, any such schemes.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: The Executive does study the sea fisheries and conservation recovery plans of other countries. Our scientists have frequent contacts with scientists from other countries, including those mentioned, and regularly investigate good practice in fisheries manageme…
8 Feb 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details, including the timescale, of any proposed recovery plan for west coast sea fisheries.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: An initial recovery plan to protect the west coast cod stocks was agreed at a meeting held on 13 February. This plan comprises two closed areas, one off the north west coast of Scotland, and one in the Firth of Clyde. The closures will be brought in under a C…
8 Feb 2001 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the increase in council tax was for each council tax band in each local authority area in 1997 and each subsequent year and what the cumulative increase was for each band in each area in each of these years, using 1997 as the base year.
Answer · Peter Peacock: The council tax increases for each local authority, for each year from 1997 and the cumulative increases from 1997 are shown in table 1. Table 2 provides the base council tax levels for each band in each local authority area for 1997-98.<P>Table 1<P>Change in…