Tavish Scott

21 Oct 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of retail premises that are (a) registered to sell tobacco and (b) licensed to sell alcohol will be liable to pay its proposed public health levy.

Answer · John Swinney: The number of premises which hold a licence to sell alcohol for consumption off the premises is not held centrally. It is estimated that around 240 retail premises listed on the valuation rolls for Scotland will be liable for the public health supplement. Ho…

21 Oct 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it expects the price of alcohol and tobacco to increase as a result of its proposed public health levy.

Answer · John Swinney: The public health supplement is not aimed at increasing the price of alcohol and tobacco, but is an income raising measure to support the greater alignment of budgets on a preventative spend basis as outlined in the Draft Budget.

21 Oct 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many premises hold a licence to sell alcohol for consumption off the premises.

Answer · Kenny MacAskill: This information is not held centrally.

21 Oct 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many premises are registered to sell tobacco.

Answer · Michael Matheson: At 26 October 2011, 10,622 premises were registered on the Scottish Tobacco Retailer Register.

21 Oct 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many retail premises would be liable to pay its proposed public health levy if the rateable value threshold was set at (a) £25,000, (b) £35,000, (c) £100,000, (d) £150,000, (e) £200,000 and (f) £250,000.

Answer · John Swinney: This information is not held centrally.

21 Oct 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of (a) alcohol and (b) tobacco sales by (i) volume and (ii) value that is purchased through retail stores will be subject to its proposed public health levy.

Answer · John Swinney: This information is not held centrally.

21 Oct 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason a rateable value threshold of £300,000 was set for liability to pay its proposed public health levy.

Answer · John Swinney: The threshold was set at a level to capture larger retail premises.

21 Oct 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether alcohol and tobacco purchased online and delivered from outside Scotland would be subject to its proposed public health levy.

Answer · John Swinney: Properties located outside Scotland are not liable to pay business rates in Scotland.

21 Oct 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the reduction in (a) alcohol-related and (b) tobacco-related harm that it expects to achieve through its proposed public health levy.

Answer · John Swinney: The purpose of the public health supplement is to support the preventative spend measures outlined in the Draft Budget.

21 Oct 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will introduce any further supplements to the business rates system.

Answer · John Swinney: I have confirmed to retailers and business organisations that the Government has no plans to introduce a public health supplement for smaller premises.

18 Oct 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason not more than four out of the 10 main species of fish caught by the whitefish fleet are subject to scientific research and assessment by Marine Scotland.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-03441 on 14 November 2011. 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 Oct 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the 10 main species of fish caught by the whitefish fleet will be included in Marine Scotland's 2011-12 scientific plan.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Marine Scotland research vessel surveys and observer sampling for 2011-12 are already underway, covering all the main species exploited by Scottish fishermen (and including many of Scotland's most important whitefish species: cod, haddock, whiting, plaice, sa…

18 Oct 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the European Commission's proposal that, when scientific advice on overfishing is unavailable, a reduction of 25% in total allowable catch or effort should be proposed.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government is opposed to the European Commission's proposal for a blanket 25% TAC (Total Allowable Catch) cut on stocks for which there is no quantitative scientific assessment, and believes that it is overly simplistic. Our position is that all …

17 Oct 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications for a scheme under the Low-cost Initiative for First Time Buyers have been refused in each region and for what reasons.

Answer · Keith Brown: The information requested is not held centrally. Registered Social Landlords administering the Scottish Government Low-Cost Initiative for First-Time Buyers (LIFT) schemes must apply published Administrative Procedures when assessing applications. Application…

17 Oct 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when a decision will be made regarding the Viking Energy Project in Shetland.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: A decision regarding the Viking Energy wind farm project in Shetland, has been delayed whilst the developer, Viking Energy holds discussions with Scottish Natural Heritage and Scatsta Airport at the behest of the parties involved. Scottish Ministers hope to m…

23 Sep 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason Scottish Gas has not produced a standardised operating procedures manual for subcontractors working on Home Insulation Scheme installations.

Answer · Alex Neil: Installation arrangements under the Home Insulation Scheme (HIS) which ran in 2009-10 and 2010-11 were a matter for those suppliers appointed by the Energy Saving Trust following procurement undertaken in line with EU rules. This included Scottish Gas which w…

23 Sep 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many Shetland-based private sector electrical businesses have tendered for installation work in Shetland under the Home Insulation Scheme.

Answer · Alex Neil: The Home Insulation Scheme (HIS) ran in Shetland in 2010-11 and has now finished. The Energy Saving Trust, as managing agent of HIS, carried out a procurement exercise in line with EU rules to appoint suppliers offering the best deal for customers in HIS area…

23 Sep 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what independent body is responsible for monitoring the quality of installation work carried out in Shetland under the Home Insulation Scheme.

Answer · Alex Neil: The Home Insulation Scheme (HIS) ran in Shetland in 2010-11 and has now finished. Cavity wall and virgin loft insulation work was done under the UK Government’s Carbon Emissions Reduction Target (CERT) rules and covered by the quality assurance procedures tha…

23 Sep 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is on insulating homes defined as difficult under the Home Insulation Scheme and what instructions it has given to Scottish Gas regarding its operation of the Home Insulation Scheme on such homes.

Answer · Alex Neil: The Home Insulation Scheme (HIS) which ran in 2009-10 and 2010-11 was designed to achieve best value for money by providing the most cost effective insulation measures – loft and cavity wall – to the highest number of customers. Where houses were not able to…

23 Sep 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether Changeworks was able to provide a cheaper house survey price for the Home Insulation Scheme than locally based surveyors in Shetland.

Answer · Alex Neil: The Home Insulation Scheme (HIS) ran in Shetland in 2010-11 and has now finished. Changeworks, as operator of the local Energy Saving Scotland advice centre, undertook doorstep visits in Shetland to offer home energy checks and, where suitable, invite househo…

21 Sep 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will explain to sheep farmers how the sheep electronic identification scheme will operate.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Guidance was issued to all sheep farmers on 1 October 2011 to inform them of the detail of the flexibilities which have been obtained from the commission in relation to electronic identification of sheep and cross compliance.

7 Sep 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to support Shetland cabbage, Shetland kye, reestit mutton and Shetland black potato, which were recently added to the Slow Food movement's Ark of Taste catalogue as being under threat.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government recognises the importance of Shetland Cabbage, Shetland Kye, Reestit mutton and the Shetland Black Potato as culturally significant products and the role such products play in overall food bio-diversity. The Scottish Government suppor…

7 Sep 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met the Standards Commission for Scotland and what matters were discussed.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Executive last met with the Standards Commission for Scotland on 29 March 2011. The meeting was a regular quarterly meeting between the commission and the Scottish Executive’s sponsor division held to review the business of the commission and dis…

5 Sep 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria it will use to decide on levels of funding for the third sector interface network and how it will ensure that these do not unfairly impact on people living in remote and island locations.  

Answer · John Swinney: Funding for councils for voluntary service, volunteer centres and social enterprise partnerships was transferred to the new network of 32 single interfaces on 1 April 2011. This strengthens the third sector contribution to the work of community planning partn…

5 Sep 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to seek independent verification as to the validity of the findings of the survey of stakeholders of the Association of Scottish Community Councils.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: The Scottish Government has no such current plans.

5 Sep 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether its officials agreed to meet directors of the Association of Scottish Community Councils (ASCC) prior to publishing the findings of its survey of ASCC stakeholders; whether it met directors prior to publication, and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: Officials were happy to meet the ASCC when it requested a discussion about the draft analysis of the 2010 survey of ASCC Stakeholders. Unfortunately they could not find a mutually suitable date and an offer to have the discussion by teleconference was decline…

5 Sep 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether health ministers have had recent discussions with representatives of NHS boards regarding their policies on home births.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government Refreshed Framework for Maternity Care outlines the services we expect to be in place for woman and babies in NHS Scotland, including the option of home birth. Scottish ministers have not had recent discussions with representatives of…

5 Sep 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on NHS Fife’s proposal to stop supporting home births and whether it (a) has had or (b) will have discussions with NHS Fife on the proposal.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government Refreshed Framework for Maternity Care outlines the services we expect to be in place for woman and babies in NHS Scotland, including the option of Home Birth. NHS Fife’s Operational Divisional Committee met on 14 September 2011 and d…

5 Sep 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to increase funding to (a) train lip-reading tutors and (b) fund more lip-reading classes and whether it supports Action on Hearing Loss's campaign to raise awareness of the benefits and whereabouts of lip-reading classes.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: There are no plans at present to increase funding to train lip-reading tutors. There are also no plans to fund more lip-reading classes. The Scottish Government has recently met with Action for Hearing Loss to discuss and agree a way forward for lip-reading …

5 Sep 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is on home births and whether women are provided with home birth as an option at booking-in time in each NHS board area.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Governments Refreshed Framework for Maternity Care outlines the services we expect to be in place for woman and babies, including the option of Home Birth. Keeping Childbirth Natural and Dynamic (KCND) promotes the midwife as the first point of …