Rob Gibson

13 Jun 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what breeds of bull are held for use in the Bull Hire Scheme and how many bulls were available for hire in (a) 2004, (b) 2005 and (c) 2006.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: The breeds of bulls availablefor hire in the period 2004-06 were:</p><p>Highland, Shorthorn, Aberdeen Angus, Luing, Saler, Limousin, Simmental,Charolais and Hereford.</p><p>The numbers of bulls availablefor hire were:</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadd…

7 Jun 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether, following the provision from December 2006 of a fourth daily train south from Wick to Inverness, connecting at Thurso with the early ferry from Orkney, serious consideration is being given to the provision of a matching fourth train north, given that no train departs for the far …

Answer · Tavish Scott: An additional service fromWick and Thurso to Inverness is being delivered to meet an identified need,specifically providing an improved onward rail connection for passengerstravelling on the early morning sailing from Orkney to Scrabster. The trainwill combin…

18 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what official coordination there is of the programmes and projects proposed by voluntary, church and other groups from Scotland to provide help to communities in Malawi.

Answer · Patricia Ferguson: The Scottish Executive undertakesa co-ordinating role for all programmes and projects seeking support from the InternationalDevelopment Fund. All bids are assessed to ensure they are coherent with currentin-country policies, do not duplicate existing efforts …

16 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has about how much funding was available to support schemes similar to the Scottish Householder Renewables Initiative in (a) Northern Ireland, (b) Wales and (c) England in 2005 and how much is available in each of these countries for similar purposes in each year from …

Answer · Nicol Stephen: This information is not availablein the format requested.</p><p>For years 2003 to 2006, £12.5million in total was allocated to the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) ClearSkies Initiative. This scheme covered installations of microgeneration technologie…

16 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding was available to support the Scottish Community and Householder Renewables Initiative in 2005 and how much is available for this purpose in each year from 2006 to 2008.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The allocation of funds to the Scottish Community and Householder Renewables Initiative is by financial year. Thebreakdown for 2005 to 2008 is as follows:</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td width=100 valign=top> <p align=ce…

16 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many fatalities were caused by road accidents on the A9 between (a) Helmsdale and Dunbeath, (b) Dornoch and Helmsdale, (c) Inverness and Dornoch, (d) Kingussie and Inverness, (e) Pitlochry and Kingussie, (f) Perth and Pitlochry and (g) Dunbeath and Wick in each year from 1997 to 2005.

Answer · Tavish Scott: The number of recorded fatalitieson the A9 between (a) Helmsdale and Dunbeath, (b) Dornoch and Helmsdale, (c) Invernessand Dornoch, (d) Kingussie and Inverness, (e) Pitlochry and Kingussie, (f) Perth and Pitlochryand (g) Dunbeath and Scrabster between 1997 an…

16 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of its expenditure on public services in the central belt it estimates will be utilised by residents of (a) the Highlands and Islands, (b) the Scottish Borders and (c) Dumfries and Galloway in each of the next three years.

Answer · George Lyon: The information requested isnot held centrally.</p>

16 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the population was in each administrative area of Highland Council in each year from 1997 to 2005.

Answer · George Lyon: Population estimates are notavailable for administrative areas within Scottish local authorities. However, populationestimates by small areas (data zones) are available for 2001 to 2004 and a “bestfit” estimate for the Highland administrative areas has been c…

16 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many accidents were reported on the A9 between (a) Helmsdale and Dunbeath, (b) Dornoch and Helmsdale, (c) Inverness and Dornoch, (d) Kingussie and Inverness, (e) Pitlochry and Kingussie, (f) Perth and Pitlochry and (g) Dunbeath and Wick in each year from 1997 to 2005.

Answer · Tavish Scott: Transport Scotland onlyholds records of fatal and injury accidents. The number of injury accidents recordedon the A9 between (a) Helmsdale and Dunbeath, (b) Dornoch and Helmsdale, (c) Invernessand Dornoch, (d) Kingussie and Inverness, (e) Pitlochry and Kingus…

16 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many fatalities were caused by road accidents on the A9 in each year from 1997 to 2005.

Answer · Tavish Scott: The number of fatalities recordedon the A9 between Perth and Scrabster between 1997 and 2005 is as follows:</p><p>A9 Perth to Scrabster</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td width=52 valign=top> <p align=center>Year</p> </td…

16 May 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many road accidents were reported on the A9 in each year from 1997 to 2005.

Answer · Tavish Scott: Transport Scotland onlyholds records of fatal and injury accidents. The number of injury accidents recordedon the A9 between Perth and Scrabster between 1997 and 2005 is as follows:</p><p>A9 Perth to Scrabster</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> …

11 Apr 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what average time is taken to check bird samples for contagious disease by veterinary inspection laboratories available to the Scottish Veterinary Service.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Initial screening tests usingpolymerase chain reaction tests can be available within around six hours of testing.These can give preliminary results and are useful in helping to screen out suspectdisease. However, on their own they are insufficient to confirm …

11 Apr 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on what the average amount of water consumed by business customers is compared with equivalent figures for water companies in England and Wales.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: Water consumed by businesscustomers varies significantly.  It is not possible to make a meaningfulcomparison between Scotland and England and Wales.</p>

11 Apr 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on what the average household consumption of water in litres per person is compared with equivalent figures for water companies in England and Wales.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: The most recent studyundertaken in Scotland in 1998 reported a median figure for domestic percapita consumption of 139.1 litres per head per day and a mean figure of 143.3litres per head per day. The same report suggested this sat comfortably withinthe range …

11 Apr 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many veterinary investigation laboratories have been in service for use by the Scottish Veterinary Service in Scotland in each year from 1996 to 2006 and how many there have been in England and Wales.

Answer · Ross Finnie: There are eight veterinary investigationlaboratories in Scotland. These are run by the Scottish Agricultural College with financial assistance from the Scottish Executive. The number of laboratorieshas been constant for more than 20 years.</p><p>The veterinar…

11 Apr 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many (a) veterinary officers, (b) administrative staff and (c) veterinary investigation officers there have been in the Scottish Veterinary Service in each year from 1996 to 2006 and what the total staff complement has been in each year.

Answer · Ross Finnie: I refer the member to the questionanswer to S2W-25153 on 8 May 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are availableon the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.sea…

11 Apr 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the budget of the Scottish Veterinary Service has been in each year since 1996.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The State Veterinary Service(SVS) is a GB wide executive agency sponsored by Defra and directly accountableto GB rural development ministers for its activities in their countries. Any breakdownof cost or staffing information would have to be provided by the C…

31 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of recent announcements that the Western Isles NHS Board will seek to address part of its £2.8 million debt by freezing staff vacancies, what posts will be frozen.

Answer · Andy Kerr: The number and grades ofstaff to be employed by NHS Western Isles are entirely matters for the board. Theboard has settled on a financial recovery plan which covers several elements toensure a return to financial balance as rapidly as a possible.</p><p>I unde…

30 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the two references to the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 1993 on page seven of Crofting Reform Etc. Bill Policy Memorandum should be to the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 and what implications these references have for the argument in paragraphs 37 and 38 of the policy memorandum.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: The two references the memberrefers to in the Policy Memorandum should indeed read “Land Reform (Scotland) Act2003” and not “Land Reform Act 1993”. There are therefore no implications for theargument in paragraphs 37 and 38 of the policy memorandum and parlia…

30 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to challenge the legality of interposed leases in the Scottish Land Court.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: A referral to the Scottish Land Court, under section 81 of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003, is under preparationand will be made shortly</p>

30 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what preparations have been made by ministers to challenge interposed leases in the Scottish Land Court.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: We have considered and takenSenior Counsel’s opinion and will be making a referral to the Scottish Land Court on the question of the validity of an interposed lease. The referral iscurrently being prepared and will be put to the court as soon as possible.</p>

30 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has considered alternative means of disposing of poultry carcases other than those outlined in existing contingency plans for an avian flu outbreak and, if so, why these options were not included in the contingency plans.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The Executive has considereda wide range of methods of disposal. On the basis of veterinary, environmental andpublic health advice the preferred ones are set out in the Contingency Plan.</p>

30 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied that proposals for the disposal of diseased poultry under the existing contingency plans for an avian flu outbreak are compatible with EU regulations.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Yes. The Executive is committedto keeping disposal policy under continual review, allowing early incorporationof any changes in regulatory requirements.</p>

24 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many households have been on waiting lists for local authority housing in each of the last five years in (a) total and (b) each local authority area, expressed also as a ratio of households on the lists to available local authority housing and showing year-on-year percentage changes.

Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The numbers of households onwaiting lists for each local authority are published on an annual basis for 2000-01onwards in the quarterly Scottish Executive Statistical Bulletin (Housing Series)<i>Housing trends in </i><i>Scotland</i><i>: quarters ending 31 Mar…

24 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many farms there were in each of the last 10 years in (a) total and (b) each local authority area or designated geographical area.

Answer · Ross Finnie: The following table gives thenumber of holdings since 1995 in the areas that are now the unitary authorities.This includes main and minor holdings and sheep stock clubs (holdings of zero area).</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <…

24 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many fishing vessels were registered in each of the last 10 years (a) in total and (b) by port, showing year-on-year percentage changes.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Information about the numbersof vessels by port of registration is collected and maintained by the Registrarof Shipping and Seamen of the Maritime and CoastguardAgency.</p><p>For the information requestedfor the number of vessels registered at Scottish ports …

9 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what funding, other than the Biodiversity Action Grants Scheme, is to be made available to ensure that Scotland meets the target to halt the loss of biodiversity by 2010.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: the Scottish Executive is committed to working to meet the European Union’s target tohalt the loss of biodiversity by 2010. The Scottish Executive achieves this by settingthe policy framework and by funding implementation action largely by other bodies.</p><p…

9 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether additional funding for the Biodiversity Action Grants Scheme (BAGS) will be available from Scottish Natural Heritage in 2006-07 and whether any such funding will be part of, or in addition to, the Executive’s commitment that at least £200,000 will be available for BAGS in 2006-07.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-24043 on 23 March 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.…

9 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to meet its commitment that at least £200,000 will be available for the Biodiversity Action Grants Scheme in 2006-07.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-24043 on 23 March 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.…

9 Mar 2006 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what funding it has allocated to the Biodiversity Action Grants Scheme in (a) 2006-07 and (b) 2007-08.

Answer · Rhona Brankin: the Scottish Executive has allocated £400,000 to the Biodiversity Action Grants Schemein 2006-07, which is the third round of the scheme. This comprises the initial allocationof £200,000 and a further allocation of £200,000, which was agreed in 2005-06 inresp…