Parliamentary questions
Richard Lochhead
2,448 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
21 Aug 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to make any financial assistance available for any fishermen who stand to lose income due to the current restrictions on scallop fishing.
Answer · John Home Robertson: It has been the policy of successive governments not to compensate for losses due to disease or other natural phenomena in the marine environment. The Scottish Executive sees no case to change that position.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">More generally, financial assista…
21 Aug 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list any new measures or changes in practice introduced over the last 12 months in connection with its response to the incidence of amnesic shellfish poisoning in waters fished by scallop fishermen.
Answer · Susan Deacon: On 3 August 2000, the Food Standards Agency, Scotland assumed responsibility for the algal toxin monitoring and sampling programme from the Scottish Executive. All aspects of the programme are continuously being reviewed, and consideration of a proposed new t…
21 Aug 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are being taken to assist fishermen in relation to the Food Protection (Emergency Prohibitions) (Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning) (West Coast) (Scotland) Order 2000 and the Food Protection (Emergency Prohibitions) (Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning) (West Coast) (No.2) (Scotland) Orde…
Answer · John Home Robertson: My answer to question S1W-9281 confirms the Scottish Executive's position on compensation and possible assistance for the scallop sector through the Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance (FIFG) programme.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">In February this year, I intro…
28 Jul 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations that Scotland's proportionate share of Natural Environmental Research Council funding should be maintained following the decision to cease funding the Dunstaffnage Marine Laboratory.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: Research Council funds are allocated on the basis of quality, underpinned by peer review, and not by a formula. The decision to disband the CCMS, of which Dunstaffnage represents one part, does not alter that position. We will be liaising closely with the Nat…
27 Jul 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to secure funding for the promotion of marine science and research at Dunstaffnage.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Dunstaffnage Marine Laboratory (DML) is the shared responsibility of the Natural Environment Research Council and the Scottish Association for Marine Science. We will be liaising closely with the Natural Environmental Research Council on how funding for m…
27 Jul 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it was consulted by the National Environment Research Council or any other authority in connection with the decision to cease funding to the Dunstaffnage Marine Laboratory and whether it is aware of any other bodies consulted in Scotland.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Natural Environmental Research Council has not decided to cease funding Dunstaffnage Marine Laboratory, but to disband the Centre for Coastal and Marine Science (CCMS). We will be liaising closely with the Natural Environmental Research Council on how fun…
27 Jul 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Deputy Minister for Rural Affairs will make a statement following his recent visit to the Dunstaffnage Marine Laboratory.
Answer · John Home Robertson: My trip to Dunstaffnage Marine Laboratory on 14 July represented part of a wider series of visits to fisheries related interests in the Highlands. I was impressed by the quality and range of scientific work that is being undertaken at this NERC funded establi…
27 Jul 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to make any representations to the Natural Environment Research Council in connection with its decision to withdraw funding from the Dunstaffnage Marine Laboratory.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: Consistent with the terms of the Concordat agreed with the Natural Environmental Research Council in 1997, the Executive will continue to liaise with the Council on any issues and initiatives of mutual interest. This includes the implementation of the Council…
26 Jul 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what level of additional resources has been given towards the maintenance of the register of sex offenders, broken down by police force.
Answer · Jim Wallace: Funding for the police is provided annually through the Grant Aided Expenditure process, which, for the current year, was based on estimates supplied by police forces. Funding is allocated in its entirety and not on the basis of specific operational requireme…
26 Jul 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many court orders have had the effect of adding names to the register of sex offenders maintained by each police force since the registers were first kept, broken down by police force.
Answer · Jim Wallace: This information is not held centrally but we understand that since their introduction on 1 December 1998 under the Crime and Disorder Act, there have been two occasions where a Sex Offender Order granted by the courts has had the effect of adding the name of…
21 Jul 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-7442 by Sarah Boyack on 18 July 2000, whether it will give this information for each year since the current water authorities were set up.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The information on water authority chairs' salary packages is given in the following tables:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=631><TR><TD VALIGN="TOP" COLSPAN=6><P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">West of Scotland Water Authority</TD></TR><TR><TD WIDTH="21%" VAL…
21 Jul 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-7989 by Sarah Boyack on 11 July 2000, whether it will provide the equivalent information covering each year since the current water authorities were set up.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The information on water authority chief executives' salary packages is given in the following tables: -<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=649><TR><TD VALIGN="TOP" COLSPAN=7><P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">West of Scotland Water Authority</TD></TR><TR><TD WID…
20 Jul 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance has been issued to the procurator service in the light of the European Convention on Human Rights.
Answer · Colin Boyd: Between January and June 1999 the Crown Office ran a series of three-day training courses on ECHR which were attended by all procurators fiscal and all procurators fiscal deputes. A series of two-day courses was then run for all precognition officers. At the …
20 Jul 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance has been issued to the police in the light of the European Convention on Human Rights.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive issued guidance to all public authorities, including police authorities, on the Convention Rights entitled <I>A New Era of Rights and Responsibilities: Core Guidance for Public Authorities</I>. The Association of Chief Police Officers i…
20 Jul 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the average length of time taken by police to acquire warrants is and how this compares with the average for each of the last three years.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The information requested is not held centrally. It is for individual forces to ensure that all types of warrant are obtained and executed quickly and accurately.
20 Jul 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many accused people appearing in courts in the North East of Scotland were granted bail in each of the last three years and how many of those accused appeared on charges relating to (a) house-breaking, (b) assault and robbery and (c) drug-related offences.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The available information is given in the table.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Number of bail orders involving selected offences,<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">North East Scotland <SUP>1, 2</SUP>, 1997-99<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=493><TR><TD WIDTH="36%" VALIGN=…
13 Jul 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to make any representations to the water authorities in relation to the current review of the level of relief from water and wastewater charges granted to certain organisations and what its policy is on the continuation of such relief.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The water authorities are conducting a consultation exercise on proposals to withdraw relief on water and sewerage charges from certain customers. The exercise follows my intervention last year to delay for one year the withdrawal of relief in a number of cas…
13 Jul 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether has been an increase in rural crime and whether it will provide any relevant statistics for each of the last three years.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The recorded crime statistics collected centrally do not distinguish rural crime. The available information is given in the research reports listed below:<I><P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">A Study of Crime in Rural Scotland</I><P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">published by The Scottish …
13 Jul 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it takes to facilitate discussions between fisheries boards and trusts about common practices and concerns.
Answer · John Home Robertson: Discussions between Salmon Fishery Boards and local Fishery Trusts, on which boards are represented, is a matter for the bodies concerned. However, the Scottish Executive is an active partner in the Scottish Fisheries Co-ordination Centre which brings togethe…
13 Jul 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it has taken to increase the number of salmon fisheries boards.
Answer · John Home Robertson: The District Salmon Fishery Board Order 1999, which came into force on 3 May 1999, amended Schedule 2 of the Salmon Act 1986 governing the composition of District Salmon Fishery Boards. The aim of the 1999 Order was to give boards greater flexibility in deter…
13 Jul 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many of the recommendations made in the Scottish Salmon Strategy Task Force's 1997 report have been implemented and whether there are any plans to implement any further recommendations in the future.
Answer · John Home Robertson: I shall be arranging for a note to be placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre setting down the current position on the recommendations in the report.
13 Jul 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated economic value of the freshwater fisheries sector, including angling, has been in each of the last five years and whether there are any plans to measure its current or projected economic contribution.
Answer · John Home Robertson: Updating earlier studies, the Scottish Salmon Strategy Task Force estimated that the net economic value of salmon board fisheries in Scotland in 1995 was £350 million, with a range from £270 million to £430 million. Total expenditure by anglers was estimated …
13 Jul 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications have been lodged in the last five years for licences to shoot seals in Scotland's rivers during close seasons under the Conservation of Seals Act 1970 and how many of these were granted.
Answer · John Home Robertson: Under the Conservation of Seals Act 1970, a total of 31 applications for licences to shoot seals during close seasons were lodged with the Scottish Executive in the last five years (1995-99 inclusive). 24 of these applications were granted.
13 Jul 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment has been made of the impact of seal populations on the stocks of freshwater fish such as the Atlantic salmon.
Answer · John Home Robertson: I have requested specific advice on this issue from the Natural Environment Research Council as part of their advice on management of seal populations for this current year.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Meanwhile a range of individual research projects are currently und…
13 Jul 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any plans to introduce further conservation designation orders in Scottish waters for the purpose of protecting freshwater fish.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: I announced a list of new proposed Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) on 14 June (<I>Official Report</I>, 14 June 2000, S1W-7913). Among those sites, the following were proposed for the protection of freshwater fish: <DIR><DIR><P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Berriedale a…
13 Jul 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which international bodies are concerned with the protection of wild fish stocks; on how many of these it is entitled to be represented; how often each such body has met in the last five years; when each is next due to meet, and who attended each meeting on its behalf.
Answer · John Home Robertson: There are a number of bodies concerned with the protection of wild fish stocks: that with specific responsibility for wild salmon is the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organisation (NASCO). One of the contracting parties to NASCO is the European Union who…
13 Jul 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive which Scottish Statutory Instruments relating to fisheries laid before the Scottish Parliament have not also been laid at Westminster.
Answer · John Home Robertson: No Scottish Statutory Instruments are laid before Westminster. However, there have been a number of Scottish Statutory Instruments relating to fisheries for which no equivalent legislation has yet been laid in Westminster. These are:<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">The She…
13 Jul 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive to whom riparian owners are legally required to notify details of annual catches of wild fish such as salmon and whether there are any plans to place a legal obligation on riparian owners to pass such information directly to fishery boards.
Answer · John Home Robertson: Owners of salmon fishing rights are required to make returns to the department under the terms of S15 of the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries (Protection) (Scotland) Act 1951. There are no current plans to alter these arrangements.
13 Jul 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many commercial salmon netsmen operate in Scotland; where they are based; how many salmon it is estimated they catch each year, and how they are regulated.
Answer · John Home Robertson: Net and coble fisheries were operated in 1998 (the last year for which data is available) in the following salmon fishery districts:<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Tweed, Forth, Tay, Esk, Don, Ythan, Ugie, Lossie, Ness, Conon, Kyle of Sutherland, Caithness, Loch Roag, Loc…
13 Jul 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many bridges will require replacement within the next (a) five, (b) 10 and (c) 15 years; which bridges these are, and whether it will consider making specific funding available to local authorities towards the cost of replacing these bridges.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive does not hold the information requested.