Murdo Fraser

24 Oct 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to increase the number of bee inspectors.

Answer · Ross Finnie: I have no plans to do this.</p>

24 Oct 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what its assessment is of the benefits of the bee-keeping and honey industry for the rural economy.

Answer · Ross Finnie: It is recognised that honey bees make an important contribution to the pollination of commercial grown crops and wild plants and flowers. This contribution is difficult to quantify; but I understand a study by Carreck and Williams in 1998 estimated that the v…

24 Oct 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance it is providing to the bee-keeping industry.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Executive provides assistance to the Scottish beekeeping industry through the UK Apiculture Programme. The Scottish element of the programme is delivered by:</p> <p>the Scottish Agriculture Science Agency, which provides a free laboratory diagnostic servi…

5 Oct 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the percentage output from the manufacturing sector was in (a) Scotland and (b) the United Kingdom in (i) each of the last four quarters to 2005 Q2 and (ii) the year to each of the last four quarters to 2005 Q2.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The quarterly and annualgrowth rates for the Scottish and UK manufacturing sectors for the four quarters leadingup to quarter 2, 2005 are as follows.</p><p>Table 1: Constant PriceGross Value Added for Manufacturing Sector: Quarterly Growth Rates, 2004 Q3 to20…

28 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to answer to question S2W-18866 by Tavish Scott on 23 September 2005, how it can ensure that it achieves its stated aim that all bidders should be treated equally if it is providing a subsidy to only one of the bidders for the Northern Isles lifeline ferry routes.

Answer · Tavish Scott: Further to the answer to questionS2W-18866 on 23 September 2005, our existing subsidy payments to CalMac in termsof its Clyde and Hebrides Ferry services have no bearing on the current NorthernIsles tendering exercise. CalMac is aware that it must not cross-s…

21 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-31635 by Lewis Macdonald on 28 November 2002, whether it has reassessed what level of traffic it considers is required before a trunk road, such as the A9, should be upgraded to dual carriageway status.

Answer · Tavish Scott: The level of traffic required before a trunk road is upgraded to dual carriageway has not been reassessed since Lewis Macdonald’s answer to question S1W-31635 on 28 November 2002. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament'…

21 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-31634 by Lewis Macdonald on 28 November 2002, whether it will publish its assessment of traffic levels on the A9 trunk road between Perth and Inverness in each of the last five years.

Answer · Tavish Scott: The assessment of average daily traffic flows on the A9 is published annually at table 6.6 of the Scottish Transport Statistics. Detailed daily averages for each month in the last five years have been provided in my answer to question S2W-19420 on 6 October 2…

21 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-32236 by Lewis Macdonald on 16 December 2002, what the figures for traffic levels on the A9 trunk road between Perth and Inverness have been in each month in the last five years.

Answer · Tavish Scott: The figures below have been extracted from the Scottish Roads Traffic Database from January 2000 to July 2005. The figures are two-way flows (i.e. northbound flows and southbound flows combined) and are the average daily flow.</p> <p>2000</p><table border=1 c…

21 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-32237 by Lewis Macdonald on 16 December 2002, what the latest figures available are for the percentage of commercial vehicles and HGVs that use the A9 trunk road between Perth and Inverness and how these figures compare with the national average for …

Answer · Tavish Scott: The Scottish Traffic Database has two automatic classifier sites on the A9 between Perth and Inverness at Birnam and Tomatin. The percentage of heavy goods vehicles at these sites is 13% and 19% respectively, based on data from all of 2004.</p> <p>In addition…

21 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-769 by Nicol Stephen on 26 June 2003, how many accidents have been reported on the A9 between the Keir roundabout at Dunblane and Broxden roundabout at Perth in each of the last five years.

Answer · Tavish Scott: The number of injury accidents that have been reported on the A9 between Keir roundabout at Dunblane and Broxden roundabout at Perth in each of the last five years (January 2000 to December 2004) is as follows:</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3…

21 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-770 by Nicol Stephen on 30 June 2003, how many accidents have been reported at the Auchterarder South junction on the A9 in each of the last five years.

Answer · Tavish Scott: The number of injury accidents that have been reported at the Auchterarder South junction on the A9 in each of the last five years (January 2000 to December 2004) is as follows:</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td> <…

21 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-771 by Nicol Stephen on 30 June 2003, how many accidents have been reported at the Aberuthven junction on the A9 in each of the last five years.

Answer · Tavish Scott: The number of injury accidents that have been reported at the Aberuthven junction on the A9 in each of the last five years (January 2000 to December 2004) is as follows:</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td> <p>Year</…

8 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what support it gave to the "Scotland CAN!" campaign.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Scottish Executive officials and staff from Consolidated Communications, the company handling smoke-free PR for the Executive, attended the regular meetings of the Scotland CAN Communications Group. No financial support was provided.</p>

8 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much additional funding it will allocate to local authorities to enable them to enforce the smoking restrictions in the Smoking, Health and Social Care (Scotland) Act 2005.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The level of funding is still under negotiation. The Minister of Health and Community Care is meeting the President of COSLA at the end of the month to discuss a range of implementation issues, including funding for enforcement.</p>

8 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what activities it intends to undertake prior to the introduction of smoking restrictions under the Smoking, Health and Social Care (Scotland) Act 2005 to publicise these restrictions and how much the activities are expected to cost.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive will undertake a range of activities to help to build compliance in the run up to the introduction of the smoke-free legislation in March 2006. This will include an advertising campaign, a mail drop to every household in Scotland, and g…

8 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what budget it has set aside to publicise the introduction of smoking restrictions under the terms of the Smoking, Health and Social Care (Scotland) Act 2005.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-19153 on 21 September 2005. 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/web…

8 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what public relations consultancies it has appointed to advise it on the introduction of smoking restrictions under the Smoking, Health and Social Care (Scotland) Act 2005; what activities have so far been undertaken by these consultancies, and how much they have cost.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Scottish Executive appointed Consolidated Communications from its roster of PR agencies to undertake a range of PR activities in support of the smoke-free legislation. The cost for the period April 2005 to March 2006 is £169,000 (net).</p>

8 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it consulted the members of the National Smoke Free Areas Implementation Group about the date for introduction of smoking restrictions under the Smoking, Health and Social Care (Scotland) Act 2005 prior to announcing the date and what the reasons are for its position on the matter.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Ministers regarded the choice of date for introducing the smoking restrictions as a matter for them and consequently the Executive did not seek the views of members of the National Smoke-free Areas Implementation Group on this issue. The start of British Summ…

8 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what organisations it consulted prior to announcing the introduction date of smoking restrictions under the Smoking, Health and Social Care (Scotland) Act 2005.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Executive did not consult on the specific issue of the date of implementation.</p>

8 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what dates it considered for the introduction of the smoking restrictions provided for by the Smoking, Health and Social Care (Scotland) Act 2005.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The Executive considered a range of dates and subsequently selected 26 March 2006 for the introduction of the relevant provisions of the Smoking, Health and Social Care (Scotland) Act 2005.</p>

5 Sep 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive why, according to the Scottish Enterprise Annual Report 2004-05, Scottish Enterprise spent £13.9 million less on skills and learning in 2004-05 than was allocated under this budget heading in the Executive's Draft Budget 2004-05.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The figures shown in budget documentsare for grant-in-aid and are provisional pending agreement between the ScottishExecutive and Scottish Enterprise on Operating Plans. The Operating Plan for 2004-07set planned expenditure for expenditure of gross income. Fo…

31 Aug 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive for how long the next Northern Isles ferry tender will run and whether it can guarantee that the routes will be retendered at the end of the contract.

Answer · Tavish Scott: The next Northern Isles contract has been offered for a period of six years, the maximum time allowable under the Community guidelines on state aid to maritime transport for a public service contract. The Executive expects that there will be a continuing need…

31 Aug 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, given that it provides Caledonian MacBrayne with an annual subsidy, how it will recompense the expenditure of other contenders bidding for Northern Isles lifeline ferry routes in order to maintain a level playing field throughout the entire bidding process.

Answer · Tavish Scott: In accordance with standard commercial practice, all three companies that have been invited to tender for the Northern Isles lifeline ferry contract will be expected to finance their own bidding costs. As its owners, we would be content for CalMac to use its …

31 Aug 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much of Caledonian MacBrayne's annual subsidy is being spent on the company's bid for the Northern Isles ferry routes.

Answer · Tavish Scott: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-18866 on 23 September 2005. 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/web…

31 Aug 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-18191 by Tavish Scott on 24 August 2005, whether Western Ferries (Clyde) Ltd expressed an interest in bidding for the new Northern Isles ferry tender and, if so, why it was not listed in the answer.

Answer · Tavish Scott: I regret that some names were omitted from the list provided in answer to question S2W-18191. I am advised that the full list of organisations which expressed an interest in bidding for the new Northern Isles ferry contract is as follows:</p> <p>ASP-Seascot S…

26 Aug 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-18195 by Tavish Scott on 24 August 2005, why changing the system of support for ferry services to the Northern Isles from a tariff rebate subsidy to a block grant payment led to an increase in state subsidy.

Answer · Tavish Scott: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-18709 on 22 September 2005. 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/we…

26 Aug 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-18195 by Tavish Scott on 24 August 2005, why the system of support for ferry services to the Northern Isles was changed in 1998 from a tariff rebate subsidy to a block grant payment.

Answer · Tavish Scott: In 1993, the then Scottish Office commissioned a Shipping Subsidies Review to find a longer term solution to the financial viability of ferry services to Orkney and Shetland. That review concluded that Tariff Rebate Subsidy (TRS), the mechanism then used to s…

11 Aug 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many wind farm planning applications have been referred to Ministers after being refused by local authorities in each year since 1999, listing them all; how many of these applications are current, and how many have been (a) approved and (b) turned down by ministers.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The information in the followingtable shows that 17 planning applications involving multiple wind turbines havebeen referred to ministers on appeal after being refused by local authorities since1999. Of the 17 appeals, six appeals remain current and three wer…

29 Jul 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much public subsidy P & O Scottish Ferries received to operate Northern Isles ferry services in each year from 1990 to 2002.

Answer · Tavish Scott: The following table lists thepayments made to P&amp;O Scottish Ferries between 1990 and 2002. The figures aretaken from Scottish Transport Statistics and other sources.</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td> <p>Calendar Year</…

29 Jul 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what it estimates the total administration costs will be of re-tendering the Northern Isles ferry contract.

Answer · Tavish Scott: The total administration costs that will be associated with the re-tendering of the contract cannot be estimated with any degree of precision at this stage of a complex procurement process.</p>