Parliamentary questions
Richard Lochhead
2,448 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
5 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many children were excluded from school in each of the last ten years in the North East of Scotland.
Answer · Peter Peacock: Education authorities were requested to provide returns on numbers of exclusions from the beginning of the 1998-99 school session. That is, therefore, the only year for which we currently have figures.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Across the Aberdeen City and Aberdeensh…
5 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many teachers were absent due to illness at the end of April 2000.
Answer · Sam Galbraith: The information requested is not held centrally. Teachers are employees of local authorities and the management of staff absence is a matter for local authorities.
5 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to promote the case for any UK fisheries institute to be located in Scotland.
Answer · John Home Robertson: There are no current plans for a UK Fisheries Institute. If such an Institute were to be established I believe that a strong case exists for locating the Institute in Scotland. I have written to the Minister for Fisheries and Countryside at MAFF, Elliot Morle…
5 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether a Scottish fisheries institute should be established.
Answer · John Home Robertson: The proposal for a National Fisheries Institute was contained in the report of the House of Common's Agriculture Committee into Sea Fishing. The Scottish fishing industry is already well served, for example, by the training run by Colleges in Shetland and Fra…
5 May 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many places are available in alternatives to exclusion from school schemes in each local authority area.
Answer · Peter Peacock: This information is not held centrally.
3 May 2000 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to Her Majesty's Government in support of relocating offshore-related civil service jobs to Scotland.
Answer · Henry McLeish: The Scottish Executive keeps in close touch with the Department of Trade and Industry as a range of issue affecting Scotland. There are well over 100 posts in the DTI's Oil and Gas Directorate offices in Glasgow and Aberdeen, and that number is set to increas…
26 Apr 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what analysis has been made of the Water Commissioner's performance to date, with particular regard to value for money.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Commissioner has been in post since 1 November 1999. His main activity has been the strategic review of charges, my response to which has been published. The Commissioner's budget for 2000-01 reflects the resources needed for the Commissioner to carry out…
26 Apr 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether two fishing nets joined together by whatever means, be it shackle, length of rope or piece of netting, still constitute two nets and must therefore be rigged with 100mm mesh si'e, or whether two nets thus joined become a single net and may therefore be rigged with 70mm mesh si'e a…
Answer · John Home Robertson: The Executive is currently working to develop a suitable definition that will clarify whether a trawl shall be considered to be a single trawl or a multiple trawl so that fishermen know which size of mesh must be used in the cod end of the net. The Executive …
26 Apr 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the definition is of a twin rig trawl for the purpose of compliance with mesh si'e regulations for fishing nets.
Answer · John Home Robertson: There is at present no formal definition of a twin rig or a multi-rig trawl for the purpose of compliance with mesh size regulations for fishing nets. The Executive is currently working to develop a suitable definition. This will be issued as soon as practica…
26 Apr 2000 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans any additional measures to assist Grampian Police to deliver an improved service.
Answer · Jim Wallace: In <I>Making It Work Together: A Programme for Government</I> the Executive sets out a number of initiatives that will help all police forces in Scotland to deliver an improved service.
25 Apr 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to develop the freshwater fisheries sector and to assess its contribution to the economy.
Answer · John Home Robertson: On 25 April I issued for public comment a review entitled <I>Protecting and Promoting Scotland's Freshwater Fish and Fisheries</I>. The review addresses a range of issues covering freshwater fish and fisheries including exploitation and I look forward to refl…
20 Apr 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to extend the availability of defibrillators throughout Scotland, particularly in public places.
Answer · Susan Deacon: I refer to the answer to question S1W-6279.
20 Apr 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many defibrillators are currently operated by the NHS and how many are available in public places.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Information on the exact number of defibrillators in use in the NHS in Scotland is not available centrally, but all clinical areas have immediate access to them. All accident & emergency ambulances operated by the Scottish Ambulance Service carry defibril…
20 Apr 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is on the sale or production of genetically modified salmon or other fish.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Scottish Executive policy on genetically modified organisms was set out during the parliamentary debate which took place on Thursday 23 March. Any application to produce or sell GM fish in this country would be required to pass the rigorous regulatory process…
20 Apr 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list all applications it has received in each of the last three years for authorisation for the sale or production of genetically modified salmon or other fish and by whom each was made.
Answer · John Home Robertson: The Scottish Executive has not received any applications to sell or produce genetically modified salmon or other fish.
20 Apr 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidents of escaped farm salmon have been notified to it in each of the last three years and to detail each incident.
Answer · John Home Robertson: The Executive was notified of six escape incidents in 1998 involving up to 95,000 salmon; 15 incidents in 1999 involving up to 255,000 salmon; and so far this year 10 incidents involving up to 395,000 salmon. The majority of incidents, particularly this year,…
20 Apr 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications for inshore fisheries regulatory orders are currently pending; when were they lodged and when decisions on them are expected.
Answer · John Home Robertson: There is currently one formal application for a Regulating Order with the Scottish Executive. This was submitted by the Orkney Fisheries Association in June 1999. The Scottish Executive is currently discussing with the association stock management and adminis…
19 Apr 2000 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it has taken to prevent the closure of public toilets throughout Aberdeenshire.
Answer · Frank McAveety: It is a matter for Aberdeenshire Council itself to determine its expenditure priorities and allocate the necessary resources accordingly. Aberdeenshire's guideline and grant have increased in the last two years.
5 Apr 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans any measures to increase voters' awareness of the fact that it is not necessary to take along their polling cards when going to vote in local elections.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The polling card itself informs voters that it is not necessary to take the card to their polling station in order to be able to vote. We do not plan any further publicity at present but the matter will be kept under review.
4 Apr 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) primary and (b) secondary school teachers applied for early retirement in each of the last ten years.
Answer · Sam Galbraith: This information is not available in the form requested. Teachers must apply initially to their employer before their application is passed to the Scottish Public Pension Agency. The records held centrally do not distinguish between primary and secondary teac…
31 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what studies have been carried out in the last 12 months into charges in the fishing industry and whether it is aware of any studies planned in the future.
Answer · John Home Robertson: I am not aware of any studies into charges in the fishing industry which have been carried out in the last 12 months or are planned for the future.
31 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any plans to review charges in the fishing industry.
Answer · John Home Robertson: DETR announced recently proposals for amended charges for maritime services. Otherwise, I am aware of no plans to review charges in the fishing industry.
31 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has or is aware of any plans to introduce new charges in the fishing industry.
Answer · John Home Robertson: We have no plans to introduce new charges in the fishing industry; nor are we aware of any such plans.
31 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive to what extent the water authorities are permitted to undertake joint initiatives, projects or expenditure.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The powers of the Scottish water authorities to engage in activities subsidiary to the discharge of their statutory functions are granted under section 89 of the Local Government etc (Scotland) Act 1994. In particular, section 89(3) grants the power "to …
24 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has a legal obligation to licence the carrying out of genetically modified crop trials if an application is submitted.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The growing of GM crops is highly regulated at European level. It is for Scottish Ministers to decide whether or not to grant consents for Scottish trials, including farm scale evaluations, of genetically modified (GM) crops. We do so upon the advice of our i…
24 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the average increase in water charges for 2000-01 is as (a) a percentage of the rise in the state pension and (b) a percentage of average household income.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: This information is all in the public domain.
24 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the split, in terms of the total amount collected via water charges, between domestic and non-domestic water charge payers will be in the next two years and what the equivalent figures were in each of the last four years.
Answer · Sarah Boyack: The figures requested are detailed below for each year since the water authorities were established. Forecast figures for 2001-02 will not be available until the charges schemes for that year are agreed. On average, domestic customers in Scotland account for …
22 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what powers and remit the Food Standards Agency will have in relation to food labelling.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Food labelling is a devolved matter and the Scottish Parliament has powers to legislate in this area but only within the parameters of EU legislation. The Food Standards Agency is responsible for implementing EU legislation as it relates to labelling standard…
17 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much notice was given to health boards regarding spending the additional money provided to the health programme by Her Majesty's Government under the Barnett formula.
Answer · Susan Deacon: Health boards were informed about the additional money on 22 February 2000. Health boards can carry forward these funds into the 2000-01 financial year if required.
17 Mar 2000 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of all money received from Her Majesty's Government under the Barnett Formula for specific purposes since 1 July 1999 and to detail the purpose of each allocation.
Answer · Jack McConnell: The table below sets out the cases where Scotland has received additional resources from the UK Reserve since 1 July 1999. In each case the rules set out in the Statement on Funding Policy, published by HM Treasury on 31 March 1999, have been applied.<TABLE B…