Robin Harper

20 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has set up an advisory panel in relation to its forthcoming survey of public attitudes to food and farming and, if so, how the members of the panel were chosen and who will represent the interests of organic food and farming.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive has recently set up an advisory panel in relation to its forthcoming survey of public attitudes to food and farming. The organisations represented on the advisory panel are the Food Standards Agency Scotland, the National Farmers Union …

11 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the finalised Midlothian Local Plan will be published.

Answer · Hugh Henry: The finalised Midlothian Local Plan was published in February 2000 and the public inquiry to hear objections to the plan is due to conclude shortly. The reporter's recommendations to Midlothian Council are expected in autumn 2002 and further modifications may…

11 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the consultative draft Midlothian Local Plan was a material consideration in the decision not to call in proposals by Midlothian Council for the improvements to the A701 and whether any other plans were taken into consideration, detailing the reasons behind its response on this ma…

Answer · Hugh Henry: The consultative draft Midlothian Local Plan was one of a number of material considerations in the decision not to call in proposals by Midlothian Council for transport improvements to the A701. The statutory development plan in this case consisted of the Lot…

10 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it was notified that work would be commencing on a roundabout on the intersection between Bush Loan and the A701 and, if so, on what date.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive was notified about the construction of the new roundabout on the Bush Loan A701 intersection on 6 October 1999.

10 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it gave to the A701 upgrading policies when awarding public transport fund support for the study of a rail line on the same corridor.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive gave due consideration to all existing projects in progress before making a public transport fund award for a Multi-Modal Public Transport Study to Midlothian Council in October 2001.

10 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what significance it attaches to the improvement of the A701 between Straiton and Milton Bridge in terms of national and regional economic development policy.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive considers that the upgrading of the A701, a local road, is a matter for Midlothian Council.

10 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it received a final report or funding bid from Midlothian Council in relation to the money awarded under the Transport Challenge Fund for a study of improvements to the A701.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The A701 improvement project is not yet complete. It has therefore not been possible for Midlothian Council to submit a final report about this project to the Scottish Executive.

10 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has evaluated the outcome of Transport Challenge Fund money awarded to Midlothian Council to carry out a study of improvements to the A701 and, if so, what the results were of this evaluation.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The responsibility for evaluating the outcome of the study into improvements to the A701, and for deciding what further action to take, rests with Midlothian Council.

10 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether all Transport Challenge Fund money awarded to Midlothian Council to carry out a study of improvements to the A701 has been spent, giving the date when it was last notified of expenditure on this project.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Midlothian Council has not yet spent all the Challenge Fund money awarded for the A701 improvement project. <P>The Scottish Executive received their latest update about this in April 2002.

6 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to ensure that Scottish fishing vessels adopt cetacean bycatch mitigation measures and what its timetable for such action is.

Answer · Allan Wilson: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-26511.

6 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether, during a recent Sea Mammal Research Unit monitoring of cetacean bycatch by Scottish pair trawlers fishing for sea bass in the western approaches, 53 dolphins were taken in 12 hauls.

Answer · Allan Wilson: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-26511.

6 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any video footage taken by observers of the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science of dolphins in nets on board Scottish pair trawlers.

Answer · Allan Wilson: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-26511.

6 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has ever received any reports of any Scottish fishing vessels catching dolphins in the western approaches sea bass fishery.

Answer · Allan Wilson: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-26511.

6 Jun 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any cetacean bycatch problems associated with Scottish pelagic trawlers fishing outside Scottish waters, including the English Channel and western approaches, and what the extent of any such problems is.

Answer · Allan Wilson: The Scottish Executive is aware of cetacean bycatch in the offshore sea bass fishery off South West England and has been working closely with colleagues in the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) to mitigate this. <P>In 2000, the Centre …

5 Jun 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking ahead of the First Minister's attendance at the United Nations World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg in August

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Executive has prepared a report describing the work in Scotland on sustainable development since the Rio Summit in 1992 and the main points made in the stakeholder consultation undertaken last year. I have sent the report to the UK Government. Copies are …

5 Jun 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will set a target for each of the sustainable development indicators in Meeting the Needs... that does not currently have a target.

Answer · Ross Finnie: We intend to set additional targets for some of the indicators when appropriate in the light of further policy and scientific work. For others it will be more appropriate to monitor the trend than to set a target.

15 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what submissions it received in regard to the provisions of the European Convention on the Protection of the Archaeological Heritage and what representations it has made to Her Majesty's Government in regard to implementation of the Convention.

Answer · Elaine Murray: We have received submissions from two MSPs and one MP, the Institute of Field Archaeologists, the Council for Scottish Archaeology and from one local museum trust about the provisions of the European Convention on the Protection of the Archaeological Heritage…

2 May 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport made a commitment at the "It's Wild" conference on green tourism on 1 May 2002 that the legislative proposals in its Nature of Scotland document will be implemented before the elections to the Scottish Parliament in 2003.

Answer · Mike Watson: Whilst I referred to the major significance of <I>The Nature of Scotland</I> in my speech, I did not give any specific commitments on the introduction or scheduling of legislation.<P>It remains our firm intention to bring forward legislative proposals at an e…

1 May 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in addressing the environmental impact of sea cage fish farming on rivers, lochs and seas.

Answer · Allan Wilson: Appropriate safeguards are in place to protect the environment, but we are continually refining these in the light of experience and scientific advice, to ensure that processes that have a disproportionate impact on the environment do not proceed.<P>Research …

15 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which safety reports under the Control of Major Accident Ha'ards Regulations 1999 are currently subject to restricted access following terrorist events on 11 September 2001 and which (a) individuals and (b) organisations are able to view such reports under the terms of restriction.

Answer · Ross Finnie: As I informed the Transport and Environment Committee on 28 January 2002, all COMAH safety reports are currently subject to access restrictions. National Security aspects of the COMAH regulations are reserved and it is for the Department for Transport, Local …

15 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether teachers who retire now will receive a pension between 2% and 15% greater than teachers who retired previously with identical qualifications and length of service and what the reasons are for the position on this matter.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The formula for calculating teachers' pensions has not changed recently. Teachers' pensions are calculated on the basis of length of service and salary in the period before retirement, usually the last year of service. Pensions awarded to teachers on their re…

5 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what resources it is making available to the community or voluntary sector to allow its participation in the long-term planning and delivery of sustainable environmental and economic development and specifically in the area of waste recycling.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive provides resources of this kind through core and grant funding from the Sustainable Action Fund. Grant of £149,094 has been offered in financial years 2001-02 and 2002-03 to community and voluntary projects involved with waste recycling…

5 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of the recycling of household waste is currently carried out by the community or voluntary sector.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The information requested is not held centrally. However, initial analysis of the results of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency survey of local authority waste arisings for 2000-01 indicates that approximately half of Scottish local authorities had fo…

5 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to establish a sustainability fund similar to that planned by Her Majesty's Government for England and Wales and (a) what type of projects will be funded, (b) whether the fund will be public or private and (c) what the rules on match-funding under the fund and the eligib…

Answer · Ross Finnie: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-24840.

5 Apr 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much revenue from the aggregates levy will be passed to it for spending; what this revenue will be used for; what mechanism will be used to distribute funds and if no decisions on administration of the revenue have been made, when they will be.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Assigned Budget will receive approximately £3 million per year from 2002-03, as part of the allocation by the Treasury of the proceeds of the aggregates levy. Ministers have decided to allocate this to the environment portfolio and decisions on how to dis…

25 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why approval for the proposed scientific trial into the reintroduction of the European beaver in Scotland has not been given and on what date any such approval will be given.

Answer · Allan Wilson: Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) has been developing proposals for a trial re-introduction of the European beaver to Scotland for seven years. In January 2002 an application was submitted to the Executive for a licence to release, following importation and qua…

19 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what si'e of area it intends to plant with (a) all types of genetically modified (GM) crops, (b) GM spring oilseed rape and (c) GM winter oilseed rape and how many trials will be carried out for each type of GM crop for the year 2002.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive does not itself plant GM crops. It has however given approval for a maximum of 23 hectares, in total, of GM herbicide tolerant spring oilseed rape to be released at three sites this year as part of the Farm Scale Evaluation Programme. I…

19 Mar 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what si'e of area was planted with (a) all types of GM crops, (b) GM spring oilseed rape and (c) GM winter oilseed rape and how many trials were carried out for each type of GM crop in (i) 1999, (ii) 2000 and (iii) 2001.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Current approvals for the release of GM crops are listed on the Scottish Executive GM website and full details of all approvals are placed on a public register held by the Executive. <P>In 1999 the Scottish Executive gave approval for the release of a total o…

27 Feb 2002 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it uses independent observers in order to determine how many dolphins and other cetaceans are caught accidentally in trawlers' nets.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive is working closely with colleagues in the Department of Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) to draft a UK Small Cetacean Bycatch Response Strategy which aims to work towards meeting the target for unacceptable cetacean bycatch, s…

26 Feb 2002 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made towards protecting the "Darwin Mounds" and other areas of deep-sea coral off Scotland from damage by fishing activity and whether, following recent research published by the Royal Society, it will ask Her Majesty's Government to designate urgently the "Darwin M…

Answer · Allan Wilson: The protection of the "Darwin Mounds" and any other areas of deep-sea coral that lie beyond the limit of Scottish territorial waters is a reserved matter. <P>Protection of other areas of deep-sea coral within Scottish territorial waters is a devolved matter. …