Stewart Stevenson

2 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-17239 by Ross Finnie on 21 August 2001, whether all local authorities have completed rebilling those on low incomes under the Water and Sewerage Charges Reduction Scheme.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Following the amendment of billing software, a number of local authorities have rebilled eligible households under the Water and Sewerage Reduction Scheme. It is anticipated that the remaining local authorities will complete the task in the near future with r…

2 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which health boards currently make available the anti-tumour necrosis factor alpha drugs Enbrel (Etanercept) and Remicade (Infliximab) for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

Answer · Susan Deacon: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-16712 on 1 August 2001.

2 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make funding available to Grampian Health Board to enable it to make available the anti-tumour necrosis factor alpha drugs Enbrel (Etanercept) and Remicade (Infliximab) for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The Executive is providing substantial resources to Grampian as part of the record investment we are making in NHSScotland. Grampian NHS Board's general funding allocation for 2001-02 is over £446 million - an increase of £21.3 million (5.5%) compared with la…

2 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what contracts with a value of #100,000 and over it and the Scottish Office placed with PricewaterhouseCoopers and their predecessors, Price Waterhouse and Coopers and Lybrand, in each year since 1993.

Answer · Angus MacKay: Since 1 April 1996 only two contracts with a value in excess of £100,000 have been placed with Price Waterhouse, Coopers and Lybrand or PricewaterhouseCoopers. <P>In 1996 a contract was awarded to Coopers and Lybrand to provide financial advice on the Kilmarn…

1 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the distribution is of fishing vessels whose owners have made applications under the fishing vessels decommissioning scheme, broken down by port of registration.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: The information requested is as follows:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=2 WIDTH=257><TR><TD WIDTH="49%" VALIGN="TOP" HEIGHT=16><FONT FACE="Arial" SIZE=2><P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Aberdeen</FONT></TD><TD WIDTH="11%" VALIGN="TOP" HEIGHT=16><FONT FACE="Arial" S…

1 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people are employed on fishing vessels whose owners have made applications under the fishing vessels decommissioning scheme, broken down by port of registration.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: The Executive does not hold details of fishermen employed on individual fishing vessels.

1 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the value is of (a) the total number of applications made and (b) the qualifying offers for entry into the ranking list received under the fishing vessels decommissioning scheme.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: The value of the total number of grant bids received under the scheme is just over £55 million. Subject to outstanding checks on information provided in application forms, the value of bids considered eligible, and to be included in the evaluation and ranking…

1 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of the total capacity of the whitefish fleet is represented by (a) the total number of applications made and (b) the qualifying offers for entry into the ranking list received under the fishing vessels decommissioning scheme.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: There is no fixed definition of, nor is the UK fleet segmented separately into "the whitefish fleet". It is also possible to interpret the question in a number of ways.<P>In determining eligibility for access to the Scottish decommissioning scheme, we took ac…

1 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many qualifying offers for entry into the ranking list have been received under the fishing vessels decommissioning scheme.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: Subject to checks, which have still to be made on some applications, 197 eligible applications for grant under the Scottish scheme have been received.

1 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what importance it attaches to traceability with regard to the prevention of outbreaks of contagious disease in animals.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Effective traceability is important in disease control terms, as it enables the speedy tracing of animals that could have been the source of infection or which have been in contact with the disease, thereby reducing the spread of disease by allowing control m…

1 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail any consultation it has had with the livestock auction industry in relation to the traceability of sheep.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The livestock auction industry, as with other key industry sectors, have been represented at the regular FMD Stakeholder Meetings with Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department Officials, set up to discuss foot-and-mouth disease related mea…

1 Nov 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail any measures it is considering in relation to the traceability of sheep.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Existing sheep identification and traceability requirements are set out in the Sheep and Goats Identification (Scotland) Regulations 2000. With the relaxation of movement arrangements from 1 September, including the opening of markets, a number of measures we…

31 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the Deputy Minister for Rural Development will reply to my letter of 24 September 2001 regarding my constituent Mr R Stephen of Cairnbulg.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: I replied to the member on 7 November 2001.

29 Oct 2001 · SPCB Written Question

To ask the Presiding Officer whether the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB) has any plans to make the Official Report available to MSPs on CD-ROM.

Answer · David Steel: Publication on CD-ROM of the archive edition of the <I>Official Report</I> of meetings of the Parliament, committees and written answers was approved by the SPCB on 26 June 2001. Initial development work is now being carried out; publication of the first edit…

25 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its response is to the European Commission's proposed Physical Agents directives first published in April 1993.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-19339 on 17 December 2001.

24 Oct 2001 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how its policies and practices will deliver a world class prison service.

Answer · Jim Wallace: At the end of last year the Scottish Prison Service launched a new, five-year vision and committed itself to the pursuit of correctional excellence. This vision sets out the service's aspiration to be recognised as the leader in prison correctional work which…

23 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive (a) what effect the European Commission's proposed Physical Agents directive will have on the economy and (b) what strategies it proposes to handle any effects of introduction of the directive.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: The Scottish Executive has no function in relation to the health and safety implications in the proposed European Commission's Physical Agents directive.

23 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make any representations to the Robert Gordon University with regard to restoring the learning disability branch programme of its Diploma in Higher Education and Bachelor of Arts in Nursing courses.

Answer · Susan Deacon: The National Review of the Contribution of Nurses to the Care and Support of People with Learning Disabilities was a key recommendation contained in <I>Caring for Scotland: The Strategy for Nursing and Midwifery in Scotland</I>, which was published in March 2…

22 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what forms of support are available from it and Her Majesty's Government for the production of wind energy.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: The Executive is committed to the promotion of renewable energy in Scotland, and to its accounting for 18% of electricity supply in Scotland by 2010. This will be achieved by means of the Renewables Obligation (Scotland) which will start next year, subject to…

12 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken or plans to take to end the practice of single manning ambulances.

Answer · Susan Deacon: Staffing arrangements for ambulance vehicles is an operational matter for the Scottish Ambulance Service. I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-19057.

12 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what additional resources it plans to make available to the Scottish Ambulance Service to deal with the increase in the number of 999 calls.

Answer · Susan Deacon: Responding to 999 calls is an operational matter for the Scottish Ambulance Service. I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-19057.

12 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will make a decision on the proposed conversion of part-time ambulance stations to full-time operations and in particular, the stations in Peterhead and Fraserburgh.

Answer · Susan Deacon: Operational matters, including decisions on which ambulance stations should operate on a full-time basis, are for the Scottish Ambulance Service in the first instance. Health Department officials have discussed with Ambulance Service management the implicatio…

11 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it intends to make an announcement outlining its policies on architecture.

Answer · Allan Wilson: The document <I>A Policy on Architecture for Scotland</I> was published on 5 October and I formally launched the policy on the same date at Dundee Contemporary Arts.

11 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Royal Institute of British Architects regarding Valuing Good Design.

Answer · Allan Wilson: In Scotland, the professional body representing architects is the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS). The Executive meets regularly with the RIAS on a wide range of matters affecting the profession in Scotland. This includes the development …

5 Oct 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will give a substantive answer to question S1W-17753 lodged on 23 August 2001.

Answer · Susan Deacon: Question S1W-17753 was answered on 12 October 2001.

26 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the Minister for Justice will reply to my letter of 19 July 2001 regarding my constituent Mr A Beaton of Forglen.

Answer · Jim Wallace: Our records indicate that a reply to your letter of 19 July was sent to you on 28 August. I will, however, arrange for a further copy of my response to be sent to you.

21 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether local authorities have any powers to compel a landowner to clear landslip debris blocking a public right of way.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: Local authorities may have a duty themselves under section 46 the Countryside (Scotland) Act 1967 to clear landslip debris blocking a public right of way in certain circumstances. In addition it may be possible for local authorities to use provisions of the E…

21 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Occupiers' Liability (Scotland) Act 1960 contains provisions which can be used to compel a landowner to clear landslip debris blocking a public right of way.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: There are no provisions contained within the Occupiers' Liability (Scotland) Act 1960 to compel landowners to clear landslip debris blocking a public right of way. However, an occupier does owe a duty of reasonable care in respect of dangers on the land towar…

21 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether local authorities have a statutory duty under the Countryside (Scotland) Act 1967 to clear landslip debris blocking a public right of way.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: Section 46(1) of the Countryside (Scotland) Act 1967 imposes a clear duty on local authorities to assert, protect and keep open and free from obstruction or encroachment any public right of way which is wholly or partly within their area.

21 Sep 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the provisions of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 relating to "public nuisances" empower local authorities to compel a landowner to clear landslip debris blocking a public right of way.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: It may be possible for local authorities to use provisions of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 to compel a landowner to clear landslip debris blocking a public right of way in certain circumstances using powers under section 79(1)(a) and (e) of the Act. …