Parliamentary questions

Murdo Fraser

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

6 Sep 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the membership of the Cross Party Group on Fair Trade, set up to consider how Scotland can achieve Fair Trade Nation status, will be expanded.

Answer · Patricia Ferguson: At the last meeting of theCross Party Group on 15 June 2006, members discussed how its membership might change and how the group mightbring on board representation from the wider fair trade community. Since thatmeeting officials have been consulting with stak…

6 Sep 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the Cross Party Group on Fair Trade, set up to consider how Scotland can achieve Fair Trade Nation status, will next meet.

Answer · Patricia Ferguson: The next meeting of the CrossParty Group on Fair Trade will be in October or November 2006.</p>

6 Sep 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how it is taking forward its action plan to protect red squirrels, following the Scottish Natural Heritage conference on red squirrels in February 2006, and what action will be taken.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: Recent reports of an increasein the incidence of squirrel pox virus in the South of Scotland have required anurgent response from SNH and FCS both of whom have supported additional measuresfor red squirrel conservation which are now underway. Options for a lo…

6 Sep 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to combat the impact of squirrel pox virus and whether it has committed any funding to research into the disease and its impact on red squirrels.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: The Scottish Executive has committedfunding for a five year programme of work being undertaken by the Moredun ResearchInstitute to monitor the impact of squirrel pox virus. A separate research tenderis due to be published shortly to commission work on the tra…

4 Sep 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21696 by Tavish Scott on 13 January 2006, how many personal injury accidents and deaths there were in 2005 on the A811 between (a) Stirling and the roundabout at Kippen Station and (b) Kippen Station and the junction with the A81 at Ballat.

Answer · Tavish Scott: Data about personal injury roadaccidents are collected by the police and reported to the Scottish Executive usingthe STATS 19 statistical report form. The following table gives the numbers of roadaccidents which were identified in these returns as occurring o…

4 Sep 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of planning inquiries in respect of wind farm proposals dealt with by the Scottish Executive Inquiry Reporters Unit resulted in approval of wind farms in each year since 1999.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The percentage of planning inquiriesin respect of wind farm proposals dealt with by the Scottish Executive Inquiry ReportersUnit (SEIRU) which resulted in appeals being allowed (approved) since 1 April 1999is shown in the following table.</p><table border=1 …

4 Sep 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of all planning inquiries dealt with by the Scottish Executive Inquiry Reporters Unit resulted in appeals being upheld in each year since 1999.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The percentage of planning inquiriesdealt with by the Scottish Executive Inquiry Reporters Unit (SEIRU) which resultedin appeals being allowed (upheld) since 1 April 1999 is shown in the followingtable.</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <tr> …

4 Sep 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which planning inquiries dealt with by the Scottish Executive Inquiry Reporters Unit resulted in appeals being upheld in each year since 1999.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The information provided in thefollowing table shows the planning inquiries dealt with by the Scottish ExecutiveInquiry Reporters Unit (SEIRU) where the appeal was allowed (upheld) in each yearsince 1 April 1999.</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3…

1 Sep 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of regional selective assistance allocated in each year since 1999 was granted to (a) new technology companies, (b) call centres, (c) manufacturing industries and (d) other industries.

Answer · Allan Wilson: The information requested isnot held centrally. However, information on accepted offers and payments of RSAsince April 2002, including a description of the projects, can be found on the RSAScotland website at <a href="http://www.rsascotland.gov.uk/">www.rsasc…

1 Sep 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many businesses were granted regional selective assistance in each year since 1999 and, of these, how many have subsequently (a) gone into administration or ceased operations and (b) relocated their operations outside Scotland.

Answer · Allan Wilson: The following table providesdetails of the number of RSA offers accepted and the amount paid in each financialyear between 1999-2000 and 2005-06. It also shows the amount of grant recoveredand written-off in the same period.</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 …

21 Aug 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-27564 by Tavish Scott on 17 August 2006, what issues are being considered in the further work being undertaken to assess the implications and practicalities of dualling between Perth and Pitlochry.

Answer · Tavish Scott: The transport corridor betweenBirnam and Ballinluig in particular is very constrained. A road improvement in thisarea could affect the existing railway line, the River Tay and its tributaries.The River and its tributaries are protected by their European Direc…

21 Aug 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-27564 by Tavish Scott on 17 August 2006, when it expects that the further work being undertaken to assess the implications and practicalities of dualling between Perth and Pitlochry will be completed.

Answer · Tavish Scott: A report from the consultantsundertaking the further work to assess the implications and practicalities of duallingthe section of the A9 between Perth and Pitlochry is expected by Transport Scotland at theend of this year.</p><p>Transport Scotland hasthe oper…

8 Aug 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why it has not yet ratified the bye-law prohibiting outdoor drinking in Fintry, as approved by Stirling Council on 16 June 2005.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The proposed bye-laws prohibitingoutdoor drinking in Fintry were delayed due to on-going discussions between the Scottish Executive and Stirling Council about the drafting of the bye-law.These discussions have now been resolved and the Scottish Executive hasi…

8 Aug 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will ratify the bye-law prohibiting outdoor drinking in Fintry, as approved by Stirling Council on 16 June 2005.

Answer · Cathy Jamieson: The Scottish Executive haveconfirmed to Stirling Council that they are content with the proposed byelaws. Thecouncil will now be able to advertise and make the bye-laws which will then besubmitted to the Scottish ministers for confirmation.</p>

1 Aug 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many businesses have a rateable value of (a) under £10,000, (b) £10,000 to £11,499, (c) £11,500 to £19,999, (d) £20,000 to £29,999, (e) £30,000 to £39,999 and (f) £40,000 or above.

Answer · Tom McCabe: I shall reply to the member as soon as possible.

25 Jul 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many businesses qualify for a reduction in non-domestic rates under the Small Business Rates Relief Scheme, broken down by the percentage reduction related to the rateable value of premises.

Answer · Tom McCabe: The latest available information(1 July 2006) shows that 141,724 non-domestic subjects qualify fora reduction in non-domestic rates under the Small Business Rates Relief Scheme (SBRRS).</p><p>The breakdown of these subjectsby potential percentage reduction is…

25 Jul 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-26309 by Tavish Scott on 13 June 2006, whether it will carry out a new study into the feasibility and cost of dualling the A9 in its entirety between Perth and Inverness.

Answer · Tavish Scott: We are undertakinga Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR) which will provide an opportunity toconsider future strategic investment priorities for all modes of transport acrossthe whole transport network in Scotland, includingtransport corridors, such as …

25 Jul 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what advice it has taken on offering a bounty for a cull of grey squirrels and whether it will take any action on this issue.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: During the Squirrel conferenceI hosted in February this year I asked Scottish Natural Heritage and the ForestryCommission Scotland to form a working group to advise me how best to conserve thered squirrel population in Scotland and to prepare proposals for an…

19 Jul 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-7804 by Lewis Macdonald on 11 May 2004, how many consents for hydro schemes under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 it has granted to (a) public limited companies and (b) private companies and other bodies since 1999.

Answer · Allan Wilson: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-27488 on 16 August 2006. All answers to writtenparliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facilityfor which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa…

19 Jul 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many planning applications for hydro schemes under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 from (a) public limited companies and (b) private companies and other bodies since 1999 (i) have been refused and (ii) are still to be determined.

19 Jul 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many planning applications it has received for hydro schemes under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 from (a) public limited companies and (b) private companies and other bodies since 1999.

Answer · Allan Wilson: Twenty applications for consentunder section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 have been received since 1999, in respectof hydro schemes. Of these, 15 were made by public limited companies and five byprivate companies or others.</p><p>The details of all section …

5 Jul 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-14287 by Mr Jim Wallace on 2 March 2005 and S2W-25993 by Nicol Stephen on 8 June 2006, what the level of manufacturing employment was in (a) 1979, (b) 1997, (c) 1999, (d) 2004 and (e) 2005.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The following table reportsthe level of manufacturing employment in Scotland in 1979 and for the spring quarter in 1997, 1999,2004 and 2005.</p><p>The manufacturing employmentestimate for 1979 is not directly comparable with the estimates for 1997, 1999,2004 …

5 Jul 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-14287 by Mr Jim Wallace on 2 March 2005 and S2W-25993 by Nicol Stephen on 8 June 2006, why there is discrepancy between the two figures given for total manufacturing employment in 2004.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The difference between thetwo figures provided for parliamentary questions S2W-14287 and S2W-25993 iscaused by the fact that they were answered using different sources and usingdifferent definitions. Different sources were used due to the differences inthe qu…

4 Jul 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many full-time equivalent staff were employed by non departmental public bodies in each year since 1997.

Answer · Tom McCabe: Information on staff numbersemployed by NDPBs between 1999 and 2006 is published as part of the Public Sector Employment Quarterly Estimates. The latest version is available at: <ahref="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2006/06/29112448/0">http://www.sc…

4 Jul 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on how many full-time equivalent civil servants were employed in Scotland in each year since 1997, broken down into those employed by (a) the Executive and associated agencies and (b) all other civil service departments and agencies in Scotland.

Answer · Tom McCabe: The full-time equivalentnumber of civil servants employed on 31 March in each year is shown in thefollowing table:</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3 width=359> <thead> <tr> <td width=77 nowrap valign=top> <p>Year</p> </td> <td width=141 …

4 Jul 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many new business start-ups there were per 10,000 head of population in each year since 1997.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: Data on the number of VAT registrationsare released annually by the Small BusinessService, an agency of the Department of Trade and Industry. These figures are usedto monitor the number of business start-ups.</p><p>The following table shows therate of VAT reg…

4 Jul 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many people were employed in the manufacturing sector in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Answer · Tavish Scott: This information is not heldcentrally. It is for each local authority to consider in the context of their ownspending priorities.</p>

29 Jun 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many times since his appointment the Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning has met officials of Scottish Enterprise in its headquarters in Glasgow.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: I shall reply to the member as soon as possible.

29 Jun 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many times the Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning has met the Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise in each year since 2003.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: According to diary records,the Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning has met the Chief Executiveof Scottish Enterprise on at least 14 occasions since 2003 (twice in 2003,twice in 2004, four times in 2005, and six times so far in 2006). The Chief Execu…

21 Jun 2006 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to encourage more local recycling groups.

Answer · Ross Finnie: We have a grant scheme, calledINCREASE, for the community recycling sector and also fund the Community RecyclingNetwork for Scotland to develop the sector. In addition, we have provideda number of Strategic Waste Fund awards to local authorities to support co…