Parliamentary questions

Robin Harper

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

10 Nov 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost was of developing the new maternal and early years website and how much will be spent annually on maintenance of the site.

Answer · Shona Robison: The new maternal and early years website was developed by NHS Health Scotland and the cost was met fully through their core funding. The website will be maintained by NHS Health Scotland.

15 Oct 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many cultural coordinators have permanent employment status as of October 2010.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-36958 on 12 November 2010. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Ap…

15 Oct 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many local authorities have given permanent employment status to cultural coordinators as of October 2010.

15 Oct 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many local authorities have (a) committed to extending the contracts of cultural coordinators beyond the initial funding and (b) expressed this commitment in local outcome agreements.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government announced in November in 2007 that central funding for the Cultural Coordinators in Scottish Schools (CCiSS) programme would be phased out from 2008. The programme formally ended in March 2010. Information on how individual local autho…

8 Sep 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much is raised through the provision of leisure services, broken down by local authority, and how these services might be provided through the use of arms length service providers (ALSPs).

Answer · Shona Robison: This information is not held centrally by the Scottish Government. The level of income raised through the provision of leisure services is a matter for the individual provider. It is for each provider to determine how best to meet demand for its services whil…

8 Sep 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much is spent per head of population on sport, fitness and leisure access, broken down by local authority, and how these compare with the Scottish and UK averages.

Answer · Shona Robison: This information is not held centrally by the Scottish Government. Sport, fitness and leisure opportunities are available through a range of providers in the public, private and third sectors. The report published by Audit Scotland in 2008 entitled A Perf…

26 Aug 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether Marine Scotland will consult Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) before granting any licence under section 44 of the Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 1994.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government will take account of Scottish Natural Heritage views before granting any licence under section 44 of the Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 1994.

26 Aug 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-35264 by Richard Lochhead on 28 July 2010, what role will Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) play in the development of statutory guidance for disturbance of marine European protected species.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Marine Scotland will consult Scottish Natural Heritage on the development of statutory guidance for disturbance of marine European protected species.

6 Aug 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to remind local authorities that they should have regard to the statutory guidance on home education when formulating local policies and procedures so that accurate information for parents and details of named contacts in relation to home education are included in …

Answer · Michael Russell: Authorities should be well aware of this statutory guidance, section 5 of which focuses on the importance of good practice in terms of the provision of clear contact information. General reminders are perhaps less effective than more targeted ones in circumst…

6 Aug 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to review the statutory guidance on home education that was issued in 2008.

Answer · Michael Russell: The guidance has been well received by both local authorities and home educating organisations. We routinely keep all such guidance under regular review to ensure that it is accurate and up to date. However, we have no plans to review or revise it in a…

6 Aug 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on elective home education.

Answer · Michael Russell: The Scottish Government considers home education to be a key aspect of parental choice in determining how their children are educated. We recognise the legitimacy of that choice and that home educating parents make that choice in the best interests of their c…

4 Aug 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will respond to the Department for Transport’s review of the Merchant Shipping (Ship-to-Ship Transfers) Regulations (SI 2010/1228).

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Earlier this year I wrote to the UK Government, in response to the consultation on the draft Merchant Shipping (Ship-to-Ship Transfers) Regulations 2010, welcoming the proposals to make regulations covering the ship-to-ship transfer of oil cargoes within the …

12 Jul 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive on what legal basis it will authorise seismic surveys in Scottish territorial waters

Answer · Richard Lochhead: This is a matter reserved to Westminster under The Offshore Petroleum Activities (Conservation of Habitats) Regulations 2001 (as amended), which provide for the issuing of consents for geological surveys, including seismic surveys, for oil and gas related act…

12 Jul 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will consult stakeholders on the guidance relating to disturbance of marine European protected species, as the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment committed to do on 2 December 2009 during Stage 2 consideration of the Marine (Scotland) Bill (Official Report c. …

Answer · Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-35264 on 28 July 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/Apps2/B…

12 Jul 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish guidance on disturbance of marine European protected species, as the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment committed to do on 2 December 2009 during Stage 2 consideration of the Marine (Scotland) Bill (Official Report c. 2244).

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Marine Scotland is currently developing statutory guidance for Scottish inshore waters, in line with Scottish regulations. Marine Scotland will consult key marine stakeholders on this guidance and publish it in autumn 2010. The Joint Nature Conserva…

16 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consult stakeholders when developing guidance on how it defines an insignificant effect in relation to sections 82 and 83 of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Yes, relevant stakeholders will be consulted.

16 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will issue guidance on how it defines an insignificant effect in relation to sections 82 and 83 of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: As indicated during Stage 2 of the Bill process, we intend to issue guidance in relation to sections 82 and 83 of the Marine (Scotland) Act 2010 on insignificant effects.

3 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether an appropriate assessment has been carried out regarding the marina developments in Inverness, Whiteness and Avoch, each of which are within the EU Habitats Directive designated bottlenose dolphin special area of conservation.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The marina developments at Inverness, Whiteness and Avoch were approved under separate applications, under various consenting procedures and on differing timescales. The development at Inverness Harbour was enabled by a Harbour Revision Order in 2005…

3 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-33069 by Richard Lochhead on 6 April 2010, for what reason the report, Entanglement of Minke Whales in Scottish Waters: an investigation into occurrence, causes and mitigation, has not been finalised and published.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Report entitled Entanglement of minke whales in Scottish watersL an investigation into occurrence, causes and mitigation was published on 14 June 2010. It concluded that there is no reason at present to suppose that entanglement poses a threat to …

3 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-33201 by Richard Lochhead on 30 April 2010, whether it accepts The United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity definition of non-native species.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Yes.

3 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-33201 by Richard Lochhead on 30 April 2010, whether it considers grey squirrel, American mink and Canada goose to be naturally occurring in the United Kingdom.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The question refers to a previous answer (S3W-33201) concerning provisions of the Birds Directive (2009/147/EC), which is relevant to Canada goose. Canada goose is included on the European Commission''s list of bird species of the European Union as an acciden…

3 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-33201 by Richard Lochhead on 30 April 2010, whether it considers black francolin to be a naturally occurring species in Great Britain and, if not, for what reasons the provisions of Article 11 of the EU Directive on Conservation of Wild Birds (79/409…

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government does not consider black francolin to be a naturally occurring species in Great Britain. We expect Article 11 of the EU Directive on Conservation of Wild Birds (79/409/EEC) would apply to any introduction of black francolin, although th…

3 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-33201 by Richard Lochhead on 30 April 2010, what it understands the natural world range of the (a) pheasant and (b) red-legged partridge to be.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The common pheasant (phasianus colchicus) is understood to be native to parts of Asia. The common pheasant has been widely introduced throughout the world for sporting purposes and has been breeding in the UK in the wild for centuries. The r…

3 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-33201 by Richard Lochhead on 30 April 2010, whether it recognises the British Ornithologists’ Union as the scientific authority on the status of birds that occur in the United Kingdom.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The British Ornithologists Union is one of the scientific authorities on the status of birds that occur in the United Kingdom.

3 Jun 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-33201 by Richard Lochhead on 30 April 2010, whether the European territory referred to in Article 11 of the EU Directive on Conservation of Wild Birds (79/409/EEC) refers to the territory of any member state, or the territory of the individual member…

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Ultimately the interpretation of whether the European territory referred to in Article 11 of the EU Directive on Conservation of Wild Birds (79/409/EEC) refers to the territory of any member state or the territory of the individual member state implementing t…

15 Apr 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action has been taken to ensure that the repeated large-scale release of pheasants and red-legged partridges into the countryside poses no harm to local flora and fauna and what consultations have taken place with the European Commission regarding these practices, as required by Arti…

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government will consider any evidence of significant damage to flora and fauna resulting from releases of pheasants or red-legged partridges. Scottish Natural Heritage is responsible for monitoring the condition of designated sites which protect …

14 Apr 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-32286 by Stewart Stevenson on 20 March 2010, what response it gives to advice from Scottish Natural Heritage, in determining whether an order made under the Harbours Act 1964 constitutes or includes a plan or project in terms of Part IV of the Conser…

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: As indicted in the previous answer to question S3W-32286 each case is dealt with on its individual merits and the response given to Scottish Natural Heritage advice would be determined by the nature of the specific issues and the advice provided.

14 Apr 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-32286 by Stewart Stevenson on 20 March 2010, what response it gives to the advice of Scottish Natural Heritage in determining whether an order made under the Harbours Act 1964 constitutes or includes a plan or project in terms of Part IV of the Conse…

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-33174 on 23 April 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/Apps2/…

14 Apr 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-32286 by Stewart Stevenson on 20 March 2010, by what criteria it decides whether an individual order made under the Harbours Act 1964 is a plan or project in terms of Part IV of the Conservation (Natural Habitats &c.) Regulations 1994, as amended.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: No definition of a plan or project is given in the Conservation (Natural Habitats &c.) Regulations 1994. The European Court of Justice noted in the Waddenzee case (C-127/02) that project is not defined in the Habitats Directive, and took the view …

6 Apr 2010 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will implement the recommendations in the report, Entanglement of Minke Whales in Scottish waters: an investigation into occurrence, causes and mitigation, and, if so, what resources will be made available to do this.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-33069 on 14 April 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/Apps2/…