Parliamentary questions

Murdo Fraser

2,062 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

17 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, given that the bee strategy in England and Wales was launched in March 2009, for what reason its equivalent strategy has been delayed.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The publication of the strategy has been delayed due to the unprecedented events of two notifiable bee diseases being confirmed during the summer and autumn of 2009. Scottish Government officials considered it prudent to take time to consider the val…

17 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-28869 by Richard Lochhead on 26 November 2009, what progress it is making in finalising its bee strategy.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Scottish Government officials are currently evaluating the lessons learned during the notifiable disease outbreaks experienced in 2009 and, as detailed in the answer to question S3W-28869, will publish the strategy when this process is completed. Al…

17 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what additional funding it will provide to the bee industry following the announcement by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 21 January 2009 that an additional £2.3 million would be allocated to the National Bee Unit.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government have, in 2009: contributed £500,000 to a five-year insect pollinator research initiative confirmed our commitment to the funding of four full-time equivalent Bee Inspectors who will be in post until spring 2011 (when …

17 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-28868 by Richard Lochhead on 26 November 2009, for what reason inspections are completed only when a beekeeper has contacted the relevant authority as a result of a suspected notifiable disease.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Inspections are completed in this way to enable the Scottish Government to fulfil their legal obligations under The Bee Diseases and Pests Control (Scotland) Order 2007 and the Bees Act 1980.

17 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-28868 by Richard Lochhead on 26 November 2009, what its position is regarding the sufficiency of the number of inspections of beehives in 2007 and 2008.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government is content with the sufficiency of the number of inspections of beehives in 2007 and 2008. Scottish Government Bee Inspectors are obliged to carry out inspections only when they are informed of the presence or suspected presen…

17 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how often it has met representatives of the Bee Farmers’ Association since May 2007.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Scottish Government officials have met directly with representatives from the Bee Farmers'' Association formally on several occasions in relation to the Bee Health Strategy for Scotland and the EFB/AFB Disease outbreak. Contact and the sharing of information …

17 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action its directorates have taken in liaising with stakeholders on the future of beekeeping since May 2007.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Scottish Government officials met with stakeholders on 5 March and 17 June 2008, and on 2 April, 20 July, 5 August, 19 August, 11 September and 17 November 2009. Issues discussed at these meetings included a survey of bee colonies to determine the presence of…

9 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will instruct the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) to provide compensation to farmers and land managers affected by flooding in cases where the primary reason for the flooding was related to SEPA prohibiting a land manager from carrying out activities aimed at prev…

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: SEPA will authorise applications made under the Water Environment (Controlled Activities) (Scotland) Act 2005 (CAR) for activities which clearly demonstrate improvements in flood risk management. When considering CAR licence applications, SEPA takes…

9 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the geographic areas are of Scotland’s six city regions and what towns are included in each geographic area.

Answer · John Swinney: The geographic areas covered by city regions in Scotland are not uniquely defined. For example, the former Cities Growth Fund (the funding for which is no longer earmarked and, since 1 April 2008, has been included within the General Capital Grant paid by the…

9 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what economic benefits Perth will receive if it obtains legal city status.

Answer · John Swinney: The Scottish Government has not conducted any such economic impact assessment but believes that city status would be an asset for Perth.

3 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what is being done to increase the capacity of the Menmuir telephone exchange to improve broadband connectivity.

Answer · Jim Mather: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-29695 on 14 December 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/App…

3 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what is being done to increase the capacity of the Fern telephone exchange to improve broadband connectivity.

3 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made representations to Perth and Kinross Council regarding the Perth incinerator proposal.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Scottish ministers are statutory consultees under the Environmental Impact Assessment (Scotland) Regulations 1999. The proposal to build an incinerator in Perth required an Environmental Impact Assessment to be undertaken and accordingly Scottish ministers we…

3 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what studies it has undertaken to measure the impact of a new supermarket on a town or city.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: No such studies have been undertaken. In the event of a planning application for a new supermarket being made, the impact on the existing town or city centre would be one of a number of considerations taken into account by the planning authority in reaching a…

3 Dec 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many supermarkets have opened in each of the last 10 years, broken down by local authority area.

Answer · Stewart Stevenson: This information is not held centrally.

24 Nov 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of the recent flooding in Tayside, what (a) assistance and (b) compensation affected farmers in Angus and Perthshire can expect from the Scottish Government and its agencies.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The primary responsibility to safeguard property and businesses from hazards of nature such as flooding lies with the owners concerned. They are required to take all reasonable steps to protect their property from such hazards. However, farmers can e…

26 Oct 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of recent newspaper reports, whether it has made a decision on the proposed Beauly to Denny power line upgrade.

Answer · Jim Mather: I refer the member to the answer to the question S3W-21310 on 9 March 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/App…

8 Oct 2009 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions it has had with NHS Tayside regarding the provision of health services in highland Perthshire.

Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: This question was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link: <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor1008-01.htm">http://www.scott…

24 Sep 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Tripartite Advisory Group on universities will look at comparing funding for student support, including discretionary funds, across the United Kingdom.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The agreed remit for the Tripartite Advisory Group (TAG) is available on the Scottish Government website at: <a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Education/UniversitiesColleges/16640/hetaskforce/TripartiteToR">http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/…

24 Sep 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will include student organisations and other stakeholders not on the Tripartite Advisory Group on universities in its work to compare university sector funding levels across the United Kingdom.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The first meeting of the Tripartite Advisory Group (TAG) agreed to set up a technical sub-group to support TAG''s work on comparative funding. To keep the sub-group to a manageable number, TAG agreed the sub-group would comprise some six to 10 members drawn f…

24 Sep 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether funding for universities is broadly comparable with funding for universities elsewhere in the United Kingdom.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: It is generally accepted in the university sector that public funding for Scottish universities is broadly comparable with that in other parts of the United Kingdom. Most recently, Professor Steven Smith, President of Universities UK, said while at the Univ…

24 Sep 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the Tripartite Advisory Group on universities will look at university funding comparisons across the United Kingdom and when those comparisons will be made.

Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Tripartite Advisory Group (TAG) has started work to develop a shared evidence base to support the TAG''s consideration of the level of public investment in Scottish universities required to maintain broad overall comparability with the rest of the UK and …

21 Sep 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what support it will give to Perthshire golf clubs to capitalise on the Ryder Cup coming to Gleneagles in 2014.

Answer · Shona Robison: All Scottish Government funding for the development of sport is routed through sportscotland. Sportscotland operates a number of funding programmes, such as Awards for All and the Sports Facilities Fund, to which individual golf clubs are eligible to…

21 Sep 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with VisitScotland, EventScotland and other tourism agencies regarding capitalising on the Ryder Cup coming to Gleneagles in 2014.

Answer · Jim Mather: The Ryder Cup 2014 will deliver significant economic impact to Scotland''s economy and project the country, its golfing credentials and heritage around the world through extensive international press and broadcast coverage. All partners involved in …

21 Sep 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what it is doing to promote Perth and Kinross to the rest of the United Kingdom and overseas as a golfing destination ahead of the Ryder Cup 2014.

Answer · Jim Mather: VisitScotland spends £1 million annually on the promotion of golf tourism and marketing is targeted at specialist golf groups as well as more widely across those consumer segments where golf may be an element of the visitor''s trip. Marketing activit…

21 Sep 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what it is doing to promote golf in Perth and Kinross ahead of the Ryder Cup 2014.

16 Sep 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the trial of broadband-enabling technology will be expanded to include Perth and Kinross and Angus.

Answer · Jim Mather: BT has trialled its new Broadband Enabling Technology (BET) in sites in Dingwall and Inverness, but has confirmed that at present, it has no plans to extend its pilot programme to Perth and Kinross or Angus.

15 Sep 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what it is doing to promote Brechin as a tourist town and a hub for Pictish, Roman and Viking history.

Answer · Michael Russell: As with all areas of Scotland, Angus is marketed by VisitScotland based on its considerable strengths and its ability to deliver what visitors are looking for on their visit. VisitScotland uses a range of channels including websites, direct mail and PR activi…

15 Sep 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the UK Government since May 2007 in relation to the amalgamation of Scotland’s six regiments into the Royal Regiment of Scotland and the impact that this has had on their cultural identity.

Answer · Alex Neil: No representations have been made since 2007 to the UK Government on the amalgamation of Scotland''s army regiments into the Royal Regiment of Scotland. The new regiment was created prior to the Scottish Government election in 2007.

15 Sep 2009 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it, or its agencies, has or will undertake a feasibility study into the impact on local businesses of a proposed new supermarket in Perth.

Answer · Jim Mather: No feasibility study has been undertaken, however, in the event of a planning application being made, the impact of a supermarket on existing shops would be one of a number of considerations taken into account by the planning authority in reaching a decision.…