Parliamentary questions

Tavish Scott

2,683 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

4 Mar 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much common agricultural policy funding it will shift from Pillar 1 to 2 and whether it will (a) co-finance the funds transferred and (b) use its option to (i) support young farmers funding in Pillar 1 and (ii) top-up Less Favoured Areas farmers in Pillar 1 payments.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: At this stage the EU has not published details of Member States’ budget allocations under the Common Agricultural Policy and we have no firm indication yet of the timescale for finalising Scotland’s share of the UK allocation once it is known. We therefore do…

4 Mar 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how quickly it plans to phase out the historic payment system for landowners.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: It is expected that the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) regulations, once they have been finalised, will grant a substantial degree of discretion over the speed and trajectory of the transition from the current Direct Payments system to an area based sys…

4 Mar 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has regarding how many payment regions there will be under the new area-based payment system for landowners, and what the criteria will be for setting up the boundaries for this

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Building on the work they did for the Brian Pack Inquiry, we have commissioned the James Hutton Institute to model a wide range of scenarios for payment regions in Scotland. They are due to present their findings to a Stakeholder conference in April 2013. Th…

4 Mar 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish its plans on reform of the common agricultural policy.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Many key aspects of the CAP reforms are still very unclear. We do not know the size of our CAP budget and the main regulations will not be agreed before the end of June 2013. Those key issues must be addressed before we can take decisions on what the final …

4 Mar 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when the group established to report on how best to implement the Leveson proposals, as announced by the First Minister on 29 November 2012 (Official Report, c.14119), is expected to report and what discussions the group has had on this matter with the UK Government.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The report of the expert group established to consider the findings and recommendations made in the Part 1 of the Report of the Leveson Inquiry on An Inquiry into the Culture, Practices and Ethics of the Press in respect of press regulation has published on 1…

4 Mar 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it issued an electronic copy of a document to the mailboxes of four parliamentary committees at 10.43pm on 27 February 2013 and whether it considers that this is consistent with the good practice guidance on announcements set out in the Scottish Ministerial Code.

Answer · John Swinney: We took the view that Economic and Competition Regulation in an Independent Scotland was a discussion paper dealing with the prospect of more powers following independence. We therefore followed the practice consistent with publication of a discussion paper, …

4 Mar 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the financial consequences to crofters and other parties of the decision by the Crofting Commission to suspend decrofting applications in respect of owner-occupier crofters residing in their owner-occupied croft.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The decision by the Crofting Commission to suspend decrofting applications in respect of owner-occupier crofters is a legal matter based on legal advice the Commission had received, rather than one of financial consequence. The Scottish Government was not inv…

4 Mar 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it agreed to allow the suspension of decrofting applications by the Crofting Commission in respect of owner-occupier crofters residing in their owner-occupied croft.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The Scottish Government was not involved in the Crofting Commission’s decision to suspend decrofting applications in respect of owner-occupier crofters as this is a matter for the commission itself as crofting regulator. The Crofting Commission took this dec…

4 Mar 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what legal advice it took prior to the publication of the Crofting Reform (Scotland) Bill 2009 in respect of the ability of the Crofting Commission to issue a decrofting direction to an owner-occupier crofter who is residing in their owner-occupied croft.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The Scottish Government draws on legal advice as appropriate from its lawyers, from Counsel and from Law Officers and I can confirm that legal advice was received on the issue of decrofting. However, other than in exceptional circumstances, the content of any…

4 Mar 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it was first informed of the Crofting Commission’s position that there is no provision in the Crofting Reform (Scotland) Act 2010 for the commission to issue a decrofting direction to an owner-occupier crofter who is residing in their owner-occupied croft.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The Crofting Commission first intimated to Scottish Government officials that it had become aware of potential difficulties on 16 January 2013, but it had not yet received legal advice on the issue. The Scottish Government was first informed of the Crofting …

4 Mar 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it recognises the term "owners of vacant crofts" in respect of owner-occupier crofters, following the passing of the Crofting Reform (Scotland) Act 2010.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The term “owners of vacant crofts” is not recognised in crofting legislation. It is for the Crofting Commission, as crofting regulator, to appropriately apply crofting legislation in carrying out its functions.

27 Feb 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what recent (a) meetings and (b) communications it has had with government officials from (i) Argentina, (ii) Brazil, (iii) China, (iv) Iceland, (v) Ireland, (vi) Qatar and (vii) Spain and on what issues.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government, as part of its international engagement, has recently held numerous meetings and communications with government officials from other countries to discuss areas of mutual interest. These meetings and communications from both ministers …

27 Feb 2013 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it last met Scotland Excel and what matters were discussed.

25 Feb 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take in light of decision 017/2013 by the Scottish Information Commissioner in relation to the provision of sea lice data for salmon farms.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: We note the judgement by the Scottish Information Commissioner in connection with decision 017/2013 and consider it is consistent with our current approach in this area.

25 Feb 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-12993 by Nicola Sturgeon on 25 February 2013, for what reason copies of the document were provided to The Sun and BBC Scotland prior to it being made available to all members and on what date it provided copies to (a) The Sun, (b) BBC Scotland, (c) …

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-12993 on 25 February 2013. BBC Scotland was provided with a copy of the document on 4 February 2013 under embargo until 5 February. The Sun was not provided with a copy of the document in advance of its publica…

19 Feb 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S4W-12319 by Richard Lochhead on 25 January 2013, what information on pesticides is collected by (a) farmers and (b) Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture and how often.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Under European pesticide legislation, farmers are required to keep at least three years of records of the pesticides they use, which includes the name, the time and the dose of application, the area and the crop where the pesticide was used. The Scottish Gov…

19 Feb 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government under what conditions it would consider it necessary to gather and release pesticide application records or other such information on pesticides.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government’s Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture (SASA) collect data on pesticide application annually from farmers’ records. This data is published in summary form for Scottish Agriculture as a whole. In addition, farmers have to meet a…

18 Feb 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether recent budget decisions include funding for school visits to First World War battlefields and, if so, (a) how much will be allocated and (b) whether rural schools will be allocated additional funding for any additional travel costs.

Answer · Alasdair Allan: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-13129 on 28 February 2013. 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/parliamenta…

18 Feb 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when officials developing proposals for a travel subsidy scheme for school visits to First World War battlefield sites will inform schools of these proposals.

18 Feb 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what funding it or its agencies will provide for pupils to visit First World War battlefields in 2014.

Answer · Alasdair Allan: As part of the WWI Commemoration Programme, arrangements for a travel subsidy scheme to support all Scottish secondary schools who wish to visit WWI Battlefield sites are being developed. It is anticipated that the scheme will be managed by Historic Scotland.…

7 Feb 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what reason it provided copies of Scotland’s Future: from the Referendum to Independence and a Written Constitution to The Sun and BBC Scotland before providing it to the Parliament.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Presiding Officer and the Referendum Bill Committee were provided with a copy of the report on its publication.

7 Feb 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government at what time on 5 February 2013 Scotland’s Future: from the Referendum to Independence and a Written Constitution was provided to the Referendum (Scotland) Bill Committee clerks.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Scotland’s Future: from the Referendum to Independence and a Written Constitution was published on 5 February 2013 at 9.30am. The Referendum (Scotland) Bill Committee clerks were sent a copy at 9.32am.

7 Feb 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many civil servants prepared Scotland’s Future: from the Referendum to Independence and a Written Constitution.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-12879 on 25 February 2013. 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/parliament…

7 Feb 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government when work began on Scotland’s Future: from the Referendum to Independence and a Written Constitution.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Work began on the policies in Scotland’s Future: from the Referendum to Independence and a Written Constitution following the publication of Your Scotland, Your Referendum in January 2012.

6 Feb 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how it defines “technical nature” as used by the Deputy Director of Performance, Aquaculture and Recreational Fisheries to the Rural Affairs, Climate Change and Environment Committee in relation to the provisions in the Aquaculture and Fisheries (Scotland) Bill on 28 November 2012 (Offic…

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The term "technical nature" in the context of that evidence session recognised that the enabling powers being sought would in turn lead to the development of very detailed and complex pieces of secondary legislation which would likely require further amendmen…

6 Feb 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what offences will be subject to fixed penalty notices under the Aquaculture and Fisheries (Scotland) Bill.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The provisions in the Bill are designed to widen the scope of offences for which the existing fixed penalty notice system can be used, to include all marine and freshwater fisheries related offences which fall within the responsibility of Marine Scotland. The…

6 Feb 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government for what scientific data requirements Marine Scotland takes samples from fish farms.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The majority of samples taken by Marine Scotland from Scottish fish farms have been for the purpose of discharging Scottish Ministers regulatory functions, these being to investigate the cause of mortalities occurring on Scottish fish farms; to investigate th…

6 Feb 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether Marine Scotland can take samples from any fish farm in Scottish waters for any purpose in connection with its regulatory and other duties.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: No. Marine Scotland can only take samples from fish farms in Scottish waters for specific purposes set out in legislation.

6 Feb 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government which powers in the Aquaculture and Fisheries (Scotland) Bill cannot be exercised under existing legislation.

Answer · Paul Wheelhouse: The provisions sought in the Bill are not available under existing legislation.

6 Feb 2013 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the findings of the European Food Safety Authority regarding the effects of three neonicotinoid pesticides on bees and the European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy’s recent call for swift and decisive action, whether it remains the Scottish Government's position …

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government’s position is based on the scientific advice it receives from the Advisory Committee on Pesticides (ACP), its own scientists in SASA (Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture), and through other sources such as the European Food Saf…