Parliamentary questions
Tavish Scott
2,683 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
5 Sep 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to amend or remove the regulation requiring sheep to be ID tagged on the holding where they are born.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: I have raised this issue with the Commission and the UK Government on a number of occasions over the last few years. Such a change would require the support of other member states for an amendment to Council Regulation (EC) 21/2004. Commissioner Dalli clearly…
18 Aug 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to make a decision regarding the proposals to close (a) Burravoe and (b) Uyeasound Primary School in Shetland.
Answer · Michael Russell: The decisions by Shetland Islands Council to close Burravoe and Uyeasound Primary Schools are currently under consideration and my decision will be announced in due course. I will arrange for the member to be notified of my decision once it has been made.
2 Aug 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it can intervene to assist the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society vessel, Steve Irwin, which is detained in Lerwick following a civil lawsuit brought through the UK courts by Maltese fishing company Fish & Fish Ltd.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government is not able to intervene to assist the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society vessel, the Steve Irwin. The ship’s bond has been paid and it is no longer detained in Lerwick.
6 Jul 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many meetings (a) ministers or (b) its officials have had with organisers of the events to mark the 700th anniversary of the Battle of Bannockburn.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The First Minister met with Stirling Council in March 2011 to hear about the council’s initial plans for marketing the anniversary. Subsequently, Scottish Government officials have attended three meetings with Stirling Council where planning for the 700th ann…
6 Jul 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to maximise tourism and other economic opportunities presented by the 700th anniversary of the Battle of Bannockburn.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Homecoming 2014 Strategic Group is working to ensure that opportunities in 2014, including the 700th anniversary of the Battle of Bannockburn, are fully maximised as part of Scotland’s wider Homecoming celebrations.
28 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what economic forecasts by independent organisations are routinely reported to ministers.
Answer · John Swinney: Officials use a wide range of economic forecasts by independent organisations to advise on developments in the global, UK and Scottish economies. Updates are reported as advice to Ministers.
28 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what official government statistics used to measure the macroeconomic performance of Scotland it routinely reviews; what analysis has been carried out of recent indicators, and how frequently it reviews these indicators.
Answer · John Swinney: The Office of the Chief Economic Adviser uses the full range of official statistics to measure the performance of the Scottish economy. An assessment, the State of the Economy report, is published on the Scottish Government website on a regular basis. Offici…
27 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to maximise the benefits from Olympic events being held in Scotland.
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to answer to question S4W-01315 on 19 July 2011 which sets out what we are doing to maximise the legacy to Scotland of the 2012 Olympics as a whole. That effort also applies to the Olympic events being held in Scotland. These events – spec…
27 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many meetings have been held between the Minister for Commonwealth Games and Sport and (a) her counterpart in the UK Government and (b) representatives of the organising committee of the Olympic Games, in each of the last four years.
Answer · Shona Robison: The following table provides the number of meetings held between the Minister for Commonwealth Games and Sport and her predecessor with their counterparts in the UK Government and representatives of the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Games and Pa…
27 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Minister for Commonwealth Games and Sport has meetings planned with (a) her counterpart in the UK Government and (b) representatives of the organising committee of the Olympic Games.
Answer · Shona Robison: I will be meeting the UK Minister for Sport and Olympics shortly to discuss how the UK Government can work with the Scottish Government to ensure the successful delivery of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. I will also meet my Ministerial counterparts at t…
27 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many meetings there have been of the Nations and Regions Group of the 2012 Olympic Games and how many meetings its representative has attended.
Answer · Shona Robison: The number of meetings of the Nations and Regions Group for Members and Co-ordinators are listed below. The Scottish Government has a representative on each and the number of meetings attended by those officials is shown in the following table. Year Meeting…
27 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to introduce a school Olympics programme in Scotland.
Answer · Shona Robison: We are working with the Department for Media, Culture and Sport (DCMS), Northern Ireland and Wales to ensure Scotland is part of the National School Games, the final of which will take place in the Olympic Stadium next year. This will build on the success of …
27 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to maximise the legacy in Scotland of the 2012 Olympic Games.
Answer · Shona Robison: The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games provide an ideal stepping stone both for the delivery of Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games and for the legacy we aim to secure from the huge opportunity which both Games present. To this end, the Scottish Government …
23 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many times tear gas has been used by the police in incidents involving children under 16 in each of the last five years for which information is available, broken down by police force.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: It is assumed that the member is referring to CS incapacitant spray which is issued to all police officers in Scotland who have been trained in its use. The information requested is not held centrally. Any enquiries should be addressed to Scottish Police Forc…
23 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has issued to the police regarding the use of tear gas in incidents involving children under 16.
Answer · Kenny MacAskill: It is assumed that the member is referring to CS incapacitant spray, which is issued to all police officers in Scotland who have been trained in its use. Scottish Ministers do not have a role in issuing guidance. The deployment and use of such sprays, includi…
21 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it collects on whether non-domestic rates appeals are more successful when the appellant is represented by a property agent.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-001043 on 18 July 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/parliamentarybus…
21 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what funding sources are available to local authorities incurring additional debt from the construction of new council houses.
Answer · Keith Brown: Scottish Government is making available in 2011-12, £20 million in grant to assist the construction of new council houses as part of the £50 million Innovation and Investment Fund. However, the main funding source for councils incurring additional Housing Re…
21 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what types of property have had their appeal against their 2010 rates revaluation processed and how many are still waiting, broken down by (a) sector and (b) median rateable value.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: The information requested is not held centrally.
21 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many complaints it has received regarding the non-domestic rates appeal system since June 2010.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-001043 on 18 July 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/parliamentarybus…
21 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many appeals against 2010 rates revaluations have been processed, also (a) broken down by valuation joint board and (b) expressed as a percentage of appeals lodged.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: The scheduling of valuation appeal hearings is a matter for each local independent Valuation Appeal Committee (VAC). However, it is a statutory requirement that all valuation appeals against the 2010 revaluation must be disposed of by the Committees before 30…
21 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what types of property had their non-domestic rateable value appeals processed more quickly after the (a) 2000 and (b) 2005 revaluation.
Answer · Aileen Campbell: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-001043 on 18 July 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/parliamentarybus…
17 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Technical Advisory Group on Resource Allocation has considered the case for islands' NHS Boards receiving specific funding for travel and other costs associated with their staff attending national meetings on the Scottish mainland.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The issue of island NHS boards incurring costs associated with staff attending national meetings on the mainland was raised in the consultation with NHS boards carried out as part of the Technical Advisory Group on Resource Allocation’s (TAGRA) report into th…
17 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how the NHSScotland Resource Allocation Committee formula deals with the particular financial needs of island NHS boards that have to provide a full range of medical services to small populations living on a number of islands.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: Full details of the treatment of the needs of the island NHS boards within the NHSScotland Resource Allocation Committee (NRAC) formula is provided in the final report of NRAC: Delivering Fair Shares for Health in Scotland, available at: http://www.tagra.sco…
17 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Technical Advisory Group on Resource Allocation has considered the case for island NHS boards receiving specific funding for travel and other costs associated with their staff attending training events on the mainland.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The issue of island NHS boards incurring costs associated with staff attending training events on the mainland was raised in the consultation with NHS boards carried out as part of the Technical Advisory Group on Resource Allocation‘s (TAGRA) report into the …
17 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what work the Technical Advisory Group on Resource Allocation has undertaken to examine the special financial needs of island NHS boards and what conclusions have been reached.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Technical Advisory Group on Resource Allocation (TAGRA) has undertaken a number of pieces of work looking at the needs of island NHS boards and remote and rural areas of Scotland more generally. This has included taking evidence from the NHS boards as to …
17 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the NHSScotland Resource Allocation Committee formula takes account of the islands allowance paid to staff employed by island NHS boards, and what that allowance is for (a) NHS Shetland, (b) NHS Orkney and (c) NHS Western Isles.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The cost of the Scottish Distant Islands Allowance is included within the NHSScotland Resource Allocation Committee formula as part of the calculation of the cost of providing services on islands. The Scottish Government Distant Islands Allowance allocation t…
14 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it has given to animal welfare implications that might arise from the inspection of the ear tags of cattle that are close to calving, including the implications of using a cattle crush.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-00824 on 18 July 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/Apps2/MAQASearch/…
14 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how often inspections of livestock producers’ (a) livestock records and (b) animal ear tags are carried out.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-00824 on 18 July 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/parliamentarybusi…
14 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will review its policy for the inspection of livestock producers’ (a) livestock records and (b) animal ear tags where the livestock are kept on common grazing land.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-00824 on 18 July 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/Apps2/MAQASearch/…
14 Jun 2011 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what penalties will be applied to livestock producers who do not meet the European Commission’s requirements for (a) the application of the sheep electronic identification regime and (b) 100% accuracy in recording sheep numbers.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to question S4W-00824 on 18 July 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/Apps2/MAQASearch/…