Robin Harper

30 Aug 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much is to be spent on the City of Edinburgh Rapid Transit guided bus infrastructure and from what source, and how many kilometres of guideway it will provide.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive does not hold information on the cost of the bus infrastructure part of the CERT scheme which is the responsibility of the City of Edinburgh Council as the local roads authority. Capital allocations of £15 million have been made availab…

30 Aug 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether, following the Minister for Transport and the Environment's discussions with Glasgow City Council and South Lanarkshire Council regarding the proposed M74 northern extension, any alternatives which may have less adverse environmental and social impact are being considered.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: I refer Mr Harper to my statement on transport expenditure of 28 September.

30 Aug 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether alternatives to the proposed M74 northern extension which would generate less vehicle traffic, less pollution and less adverse impact on the environment of the communities of the south side of Glasgow are among the projects being considered by the Minister for Transport and the En…

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Public Transport Fund has been increased to enable councils to develop public transport initiatives.

30 Aug 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress Glasgow City Council and South Lanarkshire Council have made towards a multi-modal study on the M74 northern extension.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: None. The councils have declined our invitations to broaden the A8 and A80 study to cover this corridor.

30 Aug 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish a list of all applications made to the Public Transport Fund including the Net Present Values claimed for them.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: Twenty-six bids have been made to the third round of the Public Transport Fund for projects commencing in 2001-02. The projects are listed in the table below.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">The size and nature of the projects varies markedly. Some of the relatively small …

27 Jul 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take to prevent the continued spread of invasive, non-native species of plants, such as Japanese Knotweed, Himalayan Balsam and Giant Hogweed.

Answer · Sam Galbraith: Scottish Natural Heritage, which has a key role in controlling non-native plants which threaten sites of high natural heritage value, is assessing the implications of the introduction of non-native species such as Japanese Knotweed, Himalayan Balsam and Giant…

25 Jul 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what environmental benefits, in terms of air quality improvements and reduced greenhouse gas emissions may be expected from the introduction of liquid petrolium gas as a fuel in rural areas and what assessment has been made of the environmental benefit if the budget to support conversion …

Answer · Sarah Boyack: Information on the environmental benefits of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) powered vehicles is given on page 57 of <I>Alternative Fuels - An Assessment of the Emissions Performance of Alternative and Conventional Fuels</I> published by the Cleaner Vehicles Ta…

25 Jul 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make publicly available all relevant information on the safety of the genetically modified oil seed rape to be grown on trial at New Craig Farm, Daviot, and whether it can guarantee that there is no possibility of cross-pollination with wild or cultivated plants within a 2…

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive granted consent for the application to plant a crop of genetically modified winter-grown oilseed rape at the Daviot site based on the advice of the statutory Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment (ACRE) that the crop did not…

24 Jul 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will allow bread with folic acid added as a supplement to be sold in Scotland.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The universal fortification with folic acid of all wheat flour, and, therefore, all food products containing flour, including bread, as a measure to prevent neural tube birth defects, is currently the subject of a joint consultation by the UK Health Departmen…

3 Jul 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to review the effectiveness of the organisation and procedures of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and whether it will be consulting with the new Director on this issue.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The effectiveness of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) as the regulator and enforcement body for pollution control in Scotland is kept under continual review in the light of current and new duties arising from domestic and European legislation…

19 Apr 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to implement the European Charter of Pedestrians' Rights adopted by the European Parliament in 1988 and what measures it has taken, or will take, to achieve the aims of the charter.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive is not bound to implement Charters adopted by the European Parliament. Nonetheless the Charter is of interest and the Scottish Executive will have regard to it in the development of policies which affect pedestrians.

2 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on implementing the recommendation contained in the Scottish Environment Protection Agency report of October 1998 Certificates of Authorisation for the disposal of Radioactive Waste from Dounreay for the development of a spent nuclear waste fuel management stra…

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The comments of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), made as part of its consideration of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority's (UKAEA's) application for revised waste discharge authorisations from Dounreay, were in the context of the man…

29 Feb 2000 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Presiding Officer, with respect to the design of the new Scottish Parliament building, whether the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body will set up an advisory panel to liaise with the design team on environmental and sustainability matters and whether it will provide (a) a note of target performance indic…

Answer · David Steel: The information requested is detailed and lengthy, I will therefore write to Mr Harper as soon as it has been collated. A copy of the response will be placed in the Information Centre for reference by other Members.

24 Feb 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the genetically modified (herbicide tolerant) oilseed rape hybrid (marketing consent reference 94/M1/1, granted 28 February 1996 to Plant Genetic Systems NV) or Aventis' genetically modified T25 glufosinate-resistant mai'e or any other genetically modified plants have ever been gr…

Answer · Ross Finnie: To date there have been no GM plants grown for seed production in Scotland.<FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2><P>GM plants may only be grown in Scotland if they have obtained all the appropriate consents required by the Genetically Modified Organisms (Deliberate Relea…

4 Feb 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what activities it is carrying out in the field of travel awareness and what progress is being made towards a Scottish travel awareness campaign.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Executive is to establish a Scottish travel awareness campaign to promote greater understanding of transport choices across Scotland. We have commissioned a short study of options for the implementation of the campaign and expect to make an announcement i…

25 Jan 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what resources were granted to agri-environment schemes in 1998-99 and 1999-2000; what the planned level of support for agri-environment schemes in 2000-01 and 2001-02 is; whether the current planned level of support for such schemes in 2000-01 and 2001-02 has changed from the level of su…

Answer · Ross Finnie: The resources granted to agri-environment schemes in 1998-99 were £12.602 million and £18.641 million in 1999-2000. Provision is £20.167 million for 2000-01 and £21.467 million is available for 2001-02. There have been no changes to the planned level of suppo…

23 Dec 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to amend the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to increase site and species protection in Scotland.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: In relation to the site protection (Part II) provisions of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, we intend to bring forward soon proposals for policy and legislative changes to implement our commitment in the <I>Partnership for Scotland</I> Agreement to prot…

23 Dec 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the Scottish Environment Protection Agency will be granted powers to implement section 24 of the Environment Act 1995 as it relates to the provision of drainage advice.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: Work is in hand on proposals to commence section 24 of the Environment Act and to make ancillary provision. This will make it necessary for persons proposing to carry out certain drainage works to consult the Scottish Environment Protection Agency about preca…

23 Dec 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it intends to take to reduce the loss of estuarine inter-tidal habitats and how many firths are currently potentially threatened by waste management proposals.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: In Estuarial Areas, there are currently two candidate special Areas of Conservation proposed as well as 11 classified and two proposed Special Protection Areas. It is also our policy that proposed sites should be protected as if already designated.<P ALIGN="J…

23 Dec 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the Scottish Environment Protection Agency will be granted powers to license water abstraction in Scotland.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: Under section 17 of the Natural Heritage (Scotland) Act 1991, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency may issue licences for the abstraction of water for irrigation from inland or ground waters in an area to which a control order applies under section 15 o…

15 Dec 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many qualified engineers, with an interest in energy matters, are employed in the Scottish Enterprise and Life Long Learning Department.

Answer · Henry McLeish: There are none employed directly. However, the Scottish Energy Efficiency Office, the body responsible for the promotion of energy efficiency within the Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Department, buys in a wide range of engineering support through its part…

15 Dec 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking or proposing or take to engender public understanding about the environmental benefits of renewable energy as a contribution to achieving the United Kingdom's renewable energy targets.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: It is important for all sectors of society to be aware of the environmental benefits of renewable energy. The public needs to understand the threats posed by climate change, and to be aware of the various measures that can be taken to reduce carbon emissions,…

15 Dec 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking or proposing to take to ensure that the manufacturing industry takes advantage of any opportunities that are opened up by the programme for an expansion in renewable energy generation.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: Although the response of manufacturing industry to the opportunities that arise from the increasing use of renewable energy is largely a matter for the commercial judgement of those companies involved, one of the objectives of the Scottish Renewable Obligatio…

15 Dec 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it proposes to take "to pursue schemes of support for community wind projects as a means of actively fostering local interest and support" as recommended by the recent report by the House of Lords Select Committee on European Communities Electricity from Renewables.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The third Order under the Scottish Renewables Obligation made specific provision for support for small-scale wind projects. The aim is to encourage small, locally-based companies and communities to get involved in electricity generation from wind turbines.

15 Dec 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, in the light of the recent report by the House of Lords Select Committee on European Communities Electricity from Renewables, which new measures it proposes to encourage efficiency in the use of electricity and thereby reduce electricity consumption and how much energy (TWh/yr) it expect…

Answer · Henry McLeish: The Scottish Energy Efficiency Office is tasked with the encouragement of energy efficiency across the private and public sectors in Scotland. It does this by delivering, either on its own or through third parties such as local enterprise companies, the advic…

20 Oct 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why the rate of disbursement of budget per hectare of agricultural land for agri-enviroment schemes is nearly 50% below that of England.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Payment rates for agri-environment schemes are based on income foregone in accordance with EC Regulation (EEC) No. 2078/92. These are higher in the more intensively farmed and productive areas of England where the cost of complying with the relevant requireme…

4 Oct 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to impose a discretionary regime in respect of the granting of organic conversion aid for 1999-2000.

Answer · Ross Finnie: No. We have recently announced increased rates of aid and all eligible applications for 1999-2000 will be funded.

4 Oct 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why organic aid schemes are only available for start-up between August and the end of October.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Applications to enter the Organic Aid Scheme may be made throughout the year. Applicants are required to stipulate the date when they intend to start the conversion process. These arrangements were supported by the organic sector bodies prior to launch of the…

4 Oct 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why Scottish farmers wishing to convert to organic farming have access only to a telephone advice service, given that in England and Wales farmers receive advice in the form of one full day and one half day visit.

Answer · John Home Robertson: Detailed advice for Scottish farmers wishing to convert to organic farming is available from a wide range of sources, including the Scottish Agricultural College Advisory Services. The initial telephone contact funded by the Department at SAC is intended to e…

13 Sep 1999 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what arrangements have been made to allow non-governmental organisations to present their perspective at the 'Environment and Sustainable Development' day during 'Scotland Week' in Brussels.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: Invitations have been sent to several non-governmental organisations to attend the event in Scotland House.