Parliamentary questions

John Scott

560 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

18 Jan 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to questions S1W-11971, S1W-11972 and S1W-11973 by Mr Sam Galbraith on 4 January 2000, what consideration it has given to the possibility that the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) may have misinterpreted the law and consequently misled Scottish salmon f…

Answer · Sam Galbraith: The Scottish Executive has recently become aware that certain offices of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency have until recently been issuing standard letters dating from before an amendment to section 34(2) of the Control of Pollution Act 1974. These …

18 Jan 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Environment Protection Agency has adequate resources to undertake its regulatory and monitoring functions relating to salmon farming in such a way that the agency's main aim of providing "an efficient and integrated environmental protection system for Scotland which …

Answer · Sam Galbraith: Yes. The Scottish Executive has given careful consideration to the resources which the Scottish Environment Protection Agency requires to carry out its regulatory and monitoring functions. As a result of this consideration, in the Spending Review announced in…

18 Jan 2001 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Environment Protection Agency is achieving its aim of providing "an efficient and integrated environmental protection system for Scotland which will both improve the environment and contribute to the Government's goal of sustainable development", with particular rega…

Answer · Sam Galbraith: The salmon farming industry is relatively new and wishes to expand, and to use a range of chemicals. To do so it is seeking consents to discharge into the water environment. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency must reconcile these demands with its duti…

14 Dec 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it intends to take under Article 16 of the rural development regulations (EC No 1257/1999) in relation to compensation payments for management restrictions imposed to obtain environmental or conservation benefits.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The provision of compensation, under Article 16 of the EU Rural Development Regulation, for farmers who are operating under environmental restrictions is not mandatory. Responses to our consultation exercises did not identify this measure as a priority f…

13 Dec 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Environment Protection Agency has advised Scottish salmon farmers that if they do not agree in writing to an extension to the four-month consent determination period their consent is automatically refused or, alternatively, their failure to agree in writing could resu…

Answer · Sam Galbraith: This is a matter for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. The agency is a separate body from the Scottish Executive and information about such correspondence between it and salmon farmers is not held centrally.

13 Dec 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Environment Protection Agency is correctly interpreting the Control of Pollution Act 1974 section 34 (2) in the letters to salmon farmers seeking extension of the consent determination period with regard to the statements in the letters concerning dealing with applica…

13 Dec 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) has been obliging Scottish salmon farmers to waive their legal right of appeal to the Scottish Ministers in respect of Discharge Consent Applications which they have not determined within the four-month period specified in SEPA's p…

24 Nov 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of small businesses currently receive a discretionary rebate on their business rates.

Answer · Peter Peacock: This information is not collected centrally.

24 Nov 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the current average value is of discretionary rebates on business rates for small businesses.

Answer · Peter Peacock: This information is not collected centrally.

1 Nov 2000 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, in the light of recent announcements of up to 250 job losses at Fullarton Computer Industries, 78 job losses at GE Caledonian and the transfer of 30 jobs from Troon to Belfast by Sea Containers, what action it plans to take to stem job losses in Ayr constituency.

Answer · Wendy Alexander: Partnership Action for Continuing Employment (PACE) support for all those made redundant will be provided by the local agencies in accordance with the principles set out in the Scottish Executive's PACE framework.<P>Fullarton Computer Industries have advised …

12 Oct 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive by what date agreement must be reached with the European Union on a new less favoured area payment scheme in order for the first payments under the scheme to be made in March 2001.

Answer · Ross Finnie: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-10395.

12 Oct 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why a new less favoured area payment scheme has not yet been agreed with the European Union when agreement has been reached on schemes for England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Scotland's Rural Development Plan was agreed unanimously by the STAR Committee last Wednesday. This followed difficult but constructive discussions between my officials and the European Commission. I was determined to ensure that the plan as a whole, and…

3 Oct 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to set money aside to finance the settlement of any claims made against the Scottish Qualifications Authority by students who have been affected by problems with the handling of this year's exam results.

Answer · Jack McConnell: As I indicated in my response to question whether students had a right to compensation would be largely for the courts to determine and would depend on the circumstances of the individual case. The provision for any such claims would be a matter for the Scot…

3 Oct 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications by fish farmers to use emamectin ben'oate to control sea lice are currently awaiting approval by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: This is a matter for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. The information requested is not held centrally.

3 Oct 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications by fish farmers to use emamectin ben'oate to control sea lice have been granted by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: This is a matter for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. The information requested is not held centrally.

3 Oct 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how long, on average, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency has taken to approve applications to use emamectin ben'oate to control sea lice and what steps it is taking to expedite the approval of any outstanding applications.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: This is a matter for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. The information requested is not held centrally.

29 Sep 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it was consulted by Her Majesty's Government about the use of a welfare scheme as opposed to the EU market support scheme to compensate pig farmers in connection with the recent out break of classical swine fever.

Answer · Ross Finnie: In view of the relative scale of the outbreak of Classical Swine Fever, there is little likelihood that EC market support arrangements would have been appropriate in this case.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">The Scottish Executive was informed by MAFF of its Minister's de…

25 Sep 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the anticipated timescale is for the construction of the Hansel Village footbridge over the A77.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: I refer the member to the answer I gave to question S1W-3896 on 4 February 2000 and I am pleased to add that the project is on programme.

19 Sep 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to make less favoured area payments to farmers in the spring of 2001 should there be any delay in gaining approval of its proposals by the European Commission.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Very high priority is being given to resolving the outstanding issues affecting Scotland's Less Favoured Areas Scheme. Our aim is to make payments under the scheme on the usual timescale next spring.

14 Sep 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-7974 by Sarah Boyack on 13 September 2000, whether the National Roads Directorate will continue to require the upgrading of the A77/B743 junction as a condition for planning consents being granted for major developments in the Heathfield area of Ayr.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: When considering major developments in the Healthfield area of Ayr, the Scottish Executive will give due weight to the fact that Whitletts Roundabout currently experiences traffic congestion problems at peak times and any additional traffic generated by major…

7 Sep 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the publication of Child Protection Statistics for the Years Ended 31 March 1997 and 1998, what the reasons are for the wide variation in the proportion of children placed on child protection registers from one local authority area to another.

Answer · Peter Peacock: There may be a number of reasons for the variation in registration rates from one local authority area to another, for example, variation in recording practices or different registration and deregistration criteria.<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">We are working with other…

5 Sep 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1O-2146 by Susan Deacon on 6 July 2000, when the report of the internal investigation into the infection of Scottish haemophilia patents via contaminated blood products will be published.

Answer · Susan Deacon: I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-6273.

28 Aug 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to boost the economy following the recent move of the Scottish economy into recession.

Answer · Henry McLeish: I refer John Scott to the answer I gave to question S1W-9447.

28 Aug 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to assist the manufacturing and agricultural sectors of the economy in the light of the recent move of the Scottish economy into recession.

Answer · Henry McLeish: Scotland's growth performance over recent years has been strong and, although output in Scotland fell marginally in the first quarter of 2000, GDP rose by 2.3% over the four quarters to March 2000 compared to the four previous quarters. Prospects remain good …

21 Aug 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-3678 by Sarah Boyack on 26 January 2000, what other funding mechanisms it will investigate to fund the upgrading of the A77 if it decides that a Public Private Partnership approach does not offer value for money.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: Should the PPP approach to procurement for the joint M77/Glasgow Southern Orbital Route project not provide value for money, funding for the M77 construction would fall on the Motorway and Trunk Road Programme, displacing other priorities.

18 Jul 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will instruct the Scottish Environment Protection Agency to refund fees paid by farmers for authorisation of sheep dip and pesticide disposal in the light of the recent decision by the Environment Agency to refund all farmers in England and Wales for similar authorisation.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: No. A number of special arrangements have, however, been made in Scotland to ease the burden of the Groundwater Regulations. Smaller farmers and crofters can share one set of charges by working collectively to dispose of spent sheep dip, thus reducing substan…

18 Jul 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how the uniform charge by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency of #123 per farm for authority for disposal of sheep dip and pesticide was calculated.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: Charges under the Groundwater Regulations are determined by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency which has responsibility for setting levels which enable the agency to move towards full recovery of the costs of regulation, in line with the polluter pays…

18 Jul 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what areas of Scotland are not at risk of groundwater contamination from sheep dip and pesticide disposal and why the risk is greater in some areas than in others.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: I refer Mr Scott to the answer I gave today to question S1W-8749.

18 Jul 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of Scottish groundwater supplies are at risk of contamination from sheep dip and pesticide disposal and where the principal and minimal areas of risk are.

Answer · Sarah Boyack: Spent sheep dip and pesticides are potentially dangerous, even at very low concentrations. Groundwater, once polluted, can remain contaminated for many years. Groundwater is particularly at risk from illegal disposal and poor operational controls during sheep…

29 Jun 2000 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why there has not yet been any consultation on sheep tagging in Scotland, when consultation papers have been sent out in England and Wales and what effect any delay in introducing sheep tagging will have on the export market for Scottish lambs.

Answer · Ross Finnie: I refer Mr Scott to my reply to question S1W-8655. I do not envisage that the proposals will have an effect on the export market for Scottish lambs.