Parliamentary questions

Robin Harper

759 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

7 Mar 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many Scotland-registered skippers have been prosecuted for illegally landing fish in each year from 2002.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The term, illegally landing fish is a fairly general term which we have interpreted as either the landing of fish which has not been properly declared, or catches which are of themselves illegal in that the fishing vessel concerned was not authorised to catch…

7 Mar 2011 · Written Question

Answer · Richard Lochhead: No records are kept on the number of individual fish associated with any case of illegal fishing brought before the Scottish courts. However the quantity specified in such cases where the weight of fish was an integral part of the charge for which a convictio…

7 Mar 2011 · Written Question

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The value of mackerel landed illegally in (a) 2002, (b) 2003, (c) 2004 and (d) 2005, is a matter that will be considered by the courts both in proceedings that are currently live and in further prosecutions that may follow over the course of the coming months…

3 Mar 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what stakeholders it has met to discuss ways to establish a youth microcredit scheme.

Answer · Jim Mather: Under the auspices of Financial Services Advisory Board (FISAB), work has already been undertaken, including desk based research and consultation with a number of key stakeholders, looking at the microcredit market in Scotland and considering whether gaps exi…

3 Mar 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to explore ways to establish a youth microcredit scheme.

Answer · Jim Mather: The Scottish Government is very supportive of the Prince''s Scottish Youth Business Trust''s (PSYBT) Revolving Loan Fund. This provides young people with access to loans of up to £5,000 to set up in business and offers a valuable aftercare service to successf…

9 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the impact of new fish farm developments on local seal populations is assessed during the screening process for new site designations and, if so, what reasons have been given by operators of new fish farms for applying for seal licences.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The possible general impact of any proposed new fish farm development on local seal populations is currently one of a range of environmental issues that should be considered by developers and public authorities when considering relevant plans and development …

9 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which elements of the National Marine Plan will ensure that the development of aquaculture sites does not lead to the harassment of grey seals and common seals at haul-out sites.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 sets out that public authorities must take enforcement and authorisation decisions in accordance with the marine plan. The pre consultation draft National Marine Plan will include a map of seal haul-out sites as developed by the…

9 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many licences to kill common seals in the Western Isles Seal Management Area under section 110(1)(f) and (g) of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 have been granted for the (a) Western Isles Seal Conservation Area and (b) the rest of the Western Isles Seal Management Area and for how many…

Answer · Richard Lochhead: All licences issued for common seals in the Western Isles Seal Management Area also lie within the Western Isles Seal Conservation Area. The number of licences and the number of seals granted can be found in Tables 1 and 2 of the frequently asked questions pa…

9 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many licences to kill common seals in the Shetland Seal Management Area under section 110(1)(f) and (g) of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 have been granted for the (a) Shetland Seal Conservation Area and (b) the rest of the Shetland Seal Management Area and for how many seals in each.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: All licences issued for common seals in the Shetland Seal Management Area also lie within the Shetland Seal Conservation Area. The number of licences and number of seals granted can be found in tables 1 and 2 of the frequently asked questions paper at:</p…

9 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many licences to kill common seals in the Orkney and North Coast Seal Management Area under section 110(1)(f) and (g) of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 have been granted for the (a) Orkney and North Coast Seal Conservation Area and (b) the rest of the Orkney and North Coast Seal Manag…

Answer · Richard Lochhead: In the Orkney and North Coast Seal Management Area a total of two licences for three common seals have been granted under section 110 (1)(f) of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 for the area within the Orkney Seal Conservation Area and a further six licences for…

9 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many licences to kill common seals in the Moray Firth Seal Management Area under section 110(1)(f) and (g) of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 have been granted for the (a) Moray Firth Seal Conservation Area and (b) the rest of the Moray Firth Seal Management Area and for how many seals…

Answer · Richard Lochhead: All licences issued for common seals in the Moray Firth Seal Management Area also lie within the Moray Firth Seal Conservation Area. The number of licences and the number of seals granted can be found in Tables 1 and 2 of the frequently asked questions paper …

9 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many licences to kill common seals in the East Coast Seal Management Area under section 110(1)(f) and (g) of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 have been granted for the (a) Firth of Tay Seal Conservation Area and (b) the rest of the East Coast Seal Management Area and for how many seals …

Answer · Richard Lochhead: No licences to kill common seals have been granted in the East Coast Seal Management Area or in the Firth of Tay Seal Conservation Area.

9 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to reduce the numbers of seals killed in Scottish waters.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government has already achieved the most significant advance in seal protection in 40 years through the introduction of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010. This has made it an offence to kill any seal at any time unless under licence or to alleviate …

9 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason Marine Scotland selected the highest number within the potential biological removal range calculated by the Sea Mammal Research Unit when deciding how many common seals could be killed under licence in the Moray Firth Seal Management Area.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-39483 on 4 March 2011. 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.…

9 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what allowance it makes for misidentification of species when deciding the number of grey and common seals that may be shot under licence under section 110(1)(f) and (g) of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010.

9 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what allowances it makes for (a) natural and (b) other anthropogenic causes of seal mortality when deciding the number of grey and common seals that may be shot under licence under section 110(1)(f) and (g) of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The calculation of the potential biological removal (PBR) figure which provides the basis for seal licensing, makes allowance for all natural causes of seal mortality and also includes a precautionary element. Marine Scotland makes additional allowan…

25 Jan 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will continue to provide funding for Bookbug, the Scottish Book Trust’s Early Years Programme, in 2011-12.

Answer · Adam Ingram: The Scottish Government greatly values the Scottish Booktrust''s bookgifting programmes for children. We are currently looking at future funding and intend to notify the organisation very shortly of our decision.

13 Jan 2011 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many new affordable homes it could build with £2.3 billion.

Answer · Alex Neil: The Scottish Government''s Affordable Housing Investment Programme funds housing for rent and low cost home ownership. Based on the grant requirements from our 2009-10 programme, it is estimated that around 35,000 new homes could be built with £2.3 billion.</…

17 Dec 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received representations from Scottish Natural Heritage regarding the Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill since its introduction and whether it will publish any such written representations

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: There are regular and frequent exchanges between Scottish Government and Scottish Natural Heritage, as statutory adviser on natural heritage, on all aspects of the Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill. We are not planning to publish these exchange…

7 Dec 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what regulatory action has been taken as a result of inspections by the Fish Health Inspectorate in each of the last five years.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-38155 on 16 December 2010. 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/Ap…

7 Dec 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many breaches of regulations at fish farms the Fish Health Inspectorate has detected in each of the last five years.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Technical breaches of the regulations, such as errors or omissions in record keeping are detected very regularly by inspectors. These are dealt with either on site with verbal recommendations, or are followed up with written advice. There is currently no easi…

7 Dec 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many fish farms the Fish Health Inspectorate has inspected in each of the last five years.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <tr > <td width=52 valign=top > 2010 </td> <td width=48 valign=top > 407 </td> </tr> <tr > <td width=52 valign=top > 2009 <…

7 Dec 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many fish farm inspections the Fish Health Inspectorate has carried out in each of the last five years.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 > <tr > <td width=43 valign=top > 2010 </td> <td width=48 valign=top > 661 </td> </tr> <tr > <td width=43 valign=top > 2009 </td> <td width=48 valign=top > …