Tavish Scott

2 May 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the implementation of the Groundwater Regulations 1998 as they apply to the agricultural industry differs in Scotland from England and Wales, with particular reference to disposal of spent sheep dip and washings from chemical sprayers.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: Implementation of the Groundwater Regulations 1998 is a matter for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) in Scotland and for the Environment Agency (EA) in England and Wales. Anyone wishing to dispose of any substance listed in the schedule to the…

26 Apr 2000 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will widen the membership of the proposed Water Forum from members of the CBI to other representatives of Scotland's businesses.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The CBI in Scotland has agreed to help the Executive organise a Water Forum for large volume users of water and wastewater services; but it is not my intention that membership of the forum should be limited to membership of the CBI.

20 Apr 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which of its agencies or departments and which public bodies currently operate systems of strategic environmental assessment in determining their policies and programmes.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: Decision making across the Executive and its sponsored bodies takes account of the environmental implications of the various options under consideration. The Executive intends to implement its <I>Programme for Government</I> commitment to apply strategic envi…

18 Apr 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Ministerial Group on Sustainable Scotland has formally discussed plans to introduce strategic environmental assessment.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: No specific discussion of strategic environmental assessment has taken place in the first two meeting of the Ministerial Group on Sustainable Scotland. Progress on the European Directive will determine at what point it will be useful to instigate a more forma…

17 Apr 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what proposals it has to ensure that it fulfils the commitment to introduce strategic environmental assessment set out in Making it Work Together: A Programme for Government within the lifetime of the current Parliament.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: Strategic environmental assessment will be a valuable tool in the delivery of our Programme for Government commitment to delivery of sustainable development. The Ministerial Group on Sustainable Scotland has already taken significant steps to ensure that sust…

17 Apr 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to help the community in Unst develop new employment opportunities to replace jobs lost as RAF Saxa Vord is scaled down and what progress has been made to date in this respect.

Answer · Alasdair Morrison: The enterprise agencies, funded by the Scottish Executive, are working closely with the community and local partners to assist the development of projects aimed at creating new job opportunities and helping to identify funding opportunities. I am aware that a…

17 Apr 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what implications Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd's (HIAL) purchase of Ministry of Defence property at Stornoway Airport has for HIAL's capital expenditure plans for the coming year.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The purchase of Stornoway Airport by Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (HIAL) from the Ministry of Defence was in line with established guidelines for transfers of property within the Government's estate. The transfer cost was met out of HIAL's resources in …

17 Apr 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made any representations to Her Majesty's Government or the European Commission regarding the proposed EC directive on strategic environmental assessment.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive has contributed to the UK negotiating line on the proposed Directive.

17 Apr 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will define the scope of its proposals for strategic environmental assessment.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: I refer the member to the reply given to question S1W-6204.

17 Apr 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans for pilot programmes of strategic environmental assessment.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: Strategic environmental assessment will be a valuable tool in the delivery of our Programme for Government commitment to delivery of sustainable development. The Ministerial Group on Sustainable Scotland has already taken significant steps to ensure that sust…

17 Apr 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made to date in implementing its strategic environmental assessment policies.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: Strategic environmental assessment will be a valuable tool in the delivery of our Programme for Government commitment to delivery of sustainable development. The Ministerial Group on Sustainable Scotland has already taken significant steps to ensure that sust…

17 Apr 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will outline the scope of any research it is currently funding on the development of systems of strategic environmental assessment.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: We have commissioned consultants to develop a trial set of indicators of sustainable development, which may be of importance in the application of strategic environmental assessment.

17 Apr 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria are used by Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd in determining its capital investment strategy.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: Highlands &amp; Islands Airports Limited prepares business cases for capital investment to determine best value for money. Analytical studies are also carried out on a regular basis to assess the lifespan and regulatory compliance of existing infrastructure. …

17 Apr 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria are used by Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd in determining its maintenance strategy.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The maintenance strategy of Highlands &amp; Islands Airports Limited for runways, taxiways and ramps is determined following independent inspection by expert consultants and consideration by the company of regulatory and safety requirements. Other maintenance…

17 Apr 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the terms of reference are for members of the Board of Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd and what measures are in place to ensure that these are followed.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Board of HIAL is expected to oversee the strategic direction of the company and its expenditure, and to represent HIAL at the highest level. The Scottish Executive liaises on a regular basis with the Chairman of HIAL and meets the members through the pres…

17 Apr 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria are used when selecting members of the Board of Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The criteria used when selecting Members to the Board of Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (HIAL) are:<U><P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Skills</U><P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Analytical and strategic skills;<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Effective presentational, communication and negotiatin…

17 Apr 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the members of the Board of Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd, including details of each board member's duties, annual remuneration and the date each appointment is due for review.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The information is as follows:<TABLE BORDER CELLSPACING=1 CELLPADDING=7 WIDTH=616><TR><TD WIDTH="33%" VALIGN="TOP"><P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Name</TD><TD WIDTH="33%" VALIGN="TOP"><P ALIGN="CENTER">Remuneration</TD><TD WIDTH="33%" VALIGN="TOP"><P ALIGN="CENTER">Appoi…

29 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give details of its timetable for the implementation of the recommendations of the report by the Scottish IACS Red Tape Review Panel and whether it will make a ministerial statement to the Parliament.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Scottish Executive has already implemented many of the recommendations of the report by the Scottish IACS Red Tape Review Panel and is currently considering the timetable for implementing the remaining recommendations.

29 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has conducted or has any plans to conduct an assessment of the effect on agriculture of its implementation of EC regulations.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Our guiding principles are the need to comply properly with EC regulations whilst ensuring that we do not impose any unnecessary or unreasonable burden on the agriculture industry.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">All EU regulations, which impact on producers, were the subj…

14 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many successful applications for support under the Agricultural Business Improvement Scheme, as set out by Lord Sewel in March 1999, there have been in each parliamentary constituency and what is the total value of these applications in each constituency.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Details of the number of successful Agricultural Business Improvement Scheme (ABIS) applications are not readily available by parliamentary constituency. The information is held on an agricultural parish and Departmental Area Office basis, and is summarised b…

9 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to promote the conservation of biodiversity and how it will attain the UK Biodiversity Action Plan targets on (a) Forestry Commission land, (b) Highlands and Islands Enterprise land and (c) land held by its Rural Affairs Department.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive is working to ensure that all Government Departments, Agencies and organisations as well as the private sector are encouraged to contribute to the enhancement of Scotland's biodiversity. While particular action is targeted at a number o…

9 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it intends to monitor the indicators adopted by Her Majesty's Government as set out in the document A Better Quality of Life.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The document <I>A Better Quality of Life</I>, published before devolution, makes it clear that sustainable development is a devolved matter which it is for the Scottish Executive to take forward reflecting Scottish institutions, landscape, culture and way of …

9 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received the report by the House of Lords Select Committee on European Communities Biodiversity in the European Union (Final Report): International Issues and, if so, whether it will outline any responses it intends to make regarding the report's recommendations.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive has received a copy of this report. Since biodiversity policy is a devolved matter to which the Scottish Executive is accountable to the Scottish Parliament, we will not be making any response to the House of Lords.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">We…

9 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to develop "quality of life" indicators to measure progress in delivering sustainable development.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: The Ministerial Group on Sustainable Scotland, which I chair, has started work on the development of indicators of sustainable development for Scotland. A research contract will be let shortly to examine existing good practice in Scotland, to compare that wit…

9 Mar 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what data it provided to the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions on the attainment of the targets set out in the 14 "headline" indicators in their document A Better Quality of Life.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: Targets for the headline indicators are included in the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions documents <I>A Better Quality of Life</I>, published in May 1999, and the supplementary report <I>Quality of Life Counts</I>, prepared by the Governme…

1 Mar 2000 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met the management of Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd and what matters were discussed.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: Ministers meet the management of Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd (HIAL) from time to time to discuss a variety of issues. The last meeting was in July last year when operational matters were discussed. Scottish Executive officials also meet HIAL's manageme…

24 Feb 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether a comprehensive policy and financial management review has been carried out on (a) Scottish National Heritage, (b) Scottish Environment Protection Agency, (c) Historic Scotland, (d) West of Scotland Water Authority, (e) North of Scotland Water Authority, (f) East of Scotland Water…

Answer · Jack McConnell: Policy and Financial Management Review (PFMR) is at the heart of the Executive's commitment to achieve better quality and more responsive public services. Reviews are usually conducted on a five-year cycle but the timing may be varied. Recent guidance on quin…

23 Feb 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied that the Scottish environment is adequately protected through the role of Her Majesty's Nuclear Installations Inspectorate in supervising the operations at nuclear plants in Scotland particularly in the light of the recent report by the Inspectorate on the Sellafie…

Answer · Sarah Boyack: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-4657.

23 Feb 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met Her Majesty's Government to discuss the implications for Scotland's environment of the operations of nuclear plants in England and Wales.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-4655.

23 Feb 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met Her Majesty's Government to discuss the implications for Scotland's environment of the operation of nuclear plants in Scotland.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-4655.