Robin Harper

8 Feb 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied that the administrative process for the Disqualified from Working with Children List is sufficiently robust to enable complex judgments about risk to be made.

Answer · Adam Ingram: The administrative process and procedures for the Disqualified from Working with Children List (DWCL) are rooted in the legislative requirements of the Protection of Children (Scotland) Act 2003 and the associated Determination Regulations. A case management …

8 Feb 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many of those referred to the Disqualified from Working with Children List have been listed.

Answer · Adam Ingram: Since January 2005, there have been 398 referrals to the Disqualified from Working with Children List (DWCL) and 242 individuals have been listed.</p>

8 Feb 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been referred to the Disqualified from Working with Children List under the Protection of Children (Scotland) Act 2003.

Answer · Adam Ingram: Since January 2005, there have been 398 referrals to the Disqualified from Working with Children List. This comprises 162 court referrals and 236 referrals from organisations and regulatory bodies.</p>

30 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost to NHS Scotland would be if it needed to run the services currently being run by voluntary and community sector organisations. 

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: This information is not held centrally by Scottish Government.</p>

30 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the value is of services provided by voluntary and community sector organisations to NHS Scotland.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: This information is not held centrally by the Scottish Government.</p>

30 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost of contracts awarded by NHS Scotland to voluntary sector organisations would have been in each year since 2003 if these contracts were awarded on the basis of full cost recovery.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: This information is not held centrally by the Scottish Government.</p>

30 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated value was of services provided by voluntary sector organisations to NHS Scotland in each year since 2003.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: This information is not held centrally by the Scottish Government.</p>

30 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost was of contracts awarded by NHS Scotland to voluntary and community sector (VCS) organisations in each year since 2003, broken down by (a) NHS board, (b) VCS organisation and (c) contract type.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: While NHS Scotland does not specifically collect details on what contracts it awards to voluntary sector organisations, NHS boards do provide information on how much they pay to voluntary bodies for providing health care services; however they do not provide …

30 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost was of contracts awarded by NHS Scotland to voluntary sector organisations in each year since 2003. 

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Scotland does not specifically collect details on what contracts it awards to voluntary sector organisations, however the amount paid by NHS Scotland to voluntary bodies for providing health care services since 2003 has been:</p> <table border=1 cellspa…

23 Jan 2008 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what potential pilot projects have been considered to take forward its work on the carbon auditing of public expenditure.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Further to the statementmade by the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth during the Stage1 Debate of the Budget Bill, work on a carbon impact assessment tool is at an earlystage. We are developing a methodology for the tool and will consider h…

7 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether ministers will use their powers under the Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Amendment (No. 2) (Scotland) Regulations 2007 to call in the proposals from the UK Government to give permission for oil and gas exploration in the Moray Firth, given the possible impact of such proposa…

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The power to call in certain proposals introduced by theConservation (Natural Habitats, &amp;c.) Amendment (No. 2) (Scotland) Regulations2007 does not extend to the licensing of oiland gas explorations. The regulation of oil and gas exploration is a function …

5 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether funding for the Retired and Senior Volunteer Programme (RSVP) was factored into the estimated funding for community partnerships in the concordat between the Scottish Government and COSLA and, if not, whether it is concerned at the possibility that the work of RSVP may cease in mo…

Answer · John Swinney: The current funding provided to the Retired and Senior Volunteer Programme run by Community Service Volunteers (CSV) is a project grant offered for three years and due to come to a natural conclusion in March 2009.</p> <p >We are working with CSV to alert Sc…

4 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what stakeholder consultation will be conducted before the introduction of its conservation credit scheme for fisheries management.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: A Conservation Credit SchemeSteering Group has been established to oversee the design, implementation and operationof the scheme. That group is made up of representatives of environmental NGOs, Fisheries Research Services Marine Lab and the Scottish fishing i…

4 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive on what date its conservation credit scheme for fisheries management will become operational.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The first stage of the schemewill become operational on 1 February 2008 with an enhanced scheme following later in the spring.</p>

4 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how its conservation credit scheme for fisheries management will be monitored for discard levels during 2008.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: A Conservation Credit SchemeSteering Group has been established to oversee the implementation and operationof the scheme over the course of 2008. Membership of the steering group includesFisheries Research Services’ scientists who will report regularly on dis…

4 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what specific derogations in relation to days at sea allocations will be introduced under its conservation credit scheme for fisheries management, broken down by (a) fishing gear type, (b) derogation type and (c) ICES (International Council for the Exploration of the Sea) sub area.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The conservation creditscheme does not contain any specific derogations. The details of the first stageof the Scheme including the level of credit available in which ICES area and inrespect of which activities will be finalised by 1 February 2008.</p>

4 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Appropriate Assessment with regard to the 24th Oil and Gas Licensing Round Block 17/3 (Inner Moray Firth) complies with the EU habitats directive and the Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 1994 as amended.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The regulation of oil and gasexploration is a function reserved to the Secretary of State.</p><p>The Department forBusiness, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) have advised that it has carriedout the draft Appropriate Assessment for Block 17/3 (Inner Mor…

4 Jan 2008 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the process is for the notification or consent in respect of offshore seismic surveys, including related requirements to adopt environmental mitigation measures.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Responsibility for consentingto applications to undertake offshore seismic surveys, rests with the Secretaryof State. Applications are made using Petroleum Operations Notice No. 14A and appropriateguidance is available on the Department for Business, Enterpri…

19 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what level of derogation awards to fishers in relation to their days-at-sea allocations it anticipates will occur in 2008, broken down by (a) fishing gear type, (b) derogation type and (c) and International Council for the Exploration of the Seas sub area.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: It is not possible to anticipateexact numbers of vessels which would be eligible to benefit from EU days at seaderogations during 2008, but we can assume levels would be similar to those during2007. I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-7738 on 11 …

14 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3O-1612 by John Swinney on 13 December 2007, what section of the Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act 2005 provides it with the discretion to apply the judgment on strategic environmental assessments.

Answer · John Swinney: In line with the provisions of the Environmental Assessment (Scotland) Act (2005), consideration was given to whether the GovernmentEconomic Strategy would be the most effective point to conduct a Strategic EnvironmentalAssessment. While there are no discreti…

11 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many derogations have been granted in the last two years to fishers in respect of their days at sea allocation, broken down by (a) fishing gear type, (b) derogation type and (c) International Council for the Exploration of the Seas sub-area.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Table 1, shows the total numberof Scottish-registered vessels benefiting from additional days for derogations underthe days at sea regulations for 2006 and 2007. Neither days at sea scheme ran overa calendar year, however, so figures shown in fact represent r…

11 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much the mortality levels in cod stocks will be expected to drop in 2008.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government, in consultationwith the fishing industry and environmental NGOs, is taking a number of steps toensure sustainable cod fisheries, in particular under the new Conservation Creditsscheme. A key factor in designing and implementing such s…

11 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it will use specifically to reduce the mortality in cod stocks in 2008.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Under our Conservation Creditsscheme, fishermen will be rewarded with extra days at sea in return for measuresdesigned to reduce cod mortality in the Scottish fleet.</p><p>These measures will be workedup by the Conservation Credit Steering Group. They will in…

11 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the Scottish fishing fleet will be covered by on-board observation programmes to monitor discarding of fish in 2008.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Fisheries Research Services (FRS)observes up to 140 trips each year. This includes up to 90 demersal, 26 pelagicand 24 nephrops vessels. Plans for 2008 are being drawn up in line with the EuropeanCommission’s Data Collection Regulation (DCR).</p><p>In 2007, t…

11 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much it has allocated to the recruitment, training and deployment of observers monitoring discarding of fish on fishing boats in 2008.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Fisheries Research Services (FRS)is responsible for collection of scientific data and has a well established routineobserver scheme. A team of about 16 scientists performs this function under theFRS Schedule of Service (project MF01s). The projected spend for…

11 Dec 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how the introduction of real time closures has changed the fishing patterns of the Scottish fishing fleet, broken down by International Council for the Exploration of the Seas sub-area.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: I am pleased to reportthat the first notification of a real time closure of sea for spawning cod occurredon Saturday 12 January 2008. The closure occurred in the Norwegian sector,ICES area IVA. Further details can be accessed at <u><a href="http://www.scotlan…

28 Nov 2007 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to ensure that no children are placed in adult prisons.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: It is the ScottishGovernment’s policy that no child should be placed in an adult prison unless absolutelynecessary. And if there is a need to do so, it should be for the shortest possibleperiod of time.</p><p>We are investing £20.5 million to support theredev…

23 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements it intends to make to replace or continue Strategic Waste Fund (SWF) 150 funding to community recycling initiatives.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Budgetannouncement on 14 November 2007 outlined our intention to transfer the StrategicWaste Fund to the main local government settlement. This transfer will include moniesawarded via the “SWF 150” scheme and other resources provided to local aut…

14 Nov 2007 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of the prisons budget was spent in 2005-06 on education and other reoffending reduction strategies.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: The latest figuresfrom the Audit Scotland report on reoffending strategies in 2003-04 show that some£30 million was spent for these purposes in that year.</p>

9 Nov 2007 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what seal management groups there are; what areas they cover; what the (a) status (b) remit and (c) composition is of each, and whether they are co-ordinated centrally and, if so, by whom.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: I understand the onlyseal management group in Scotland is the Lismore Seal Management Group thatis convened by Scottish Natural Heritage. It should be noted that this is not aformal management group for Lismore Special Area of Conservation.</p><p>I refer the …