Parliamentary questions
Rob Gibson
971 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
5 Sep 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what quantities of avian influenza vaccine will be held centrally in Scotland and what quantities will be dispersed around the country.
Answer · Andy Kerr: Although the avian influenza virus poses a risk to birds its risk to humans is extremely limited. This is because it is very difficult to catch from birds and even more difficult to pass from human to human. The major concern is the possibility that the virus…
5 Sep 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether stocks of vaccine against avian influenza will be stocked near to areas where migratory birds arrive in Scotland.
Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-18941 on 14 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…
23 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when submissions to the recent consultation on the draft Crofting Reform (Scotland) Bill that are not affected by a confidentiality clause will be published online.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: Responses to the consultation on the draft Crofting Reform (Scotland) Bill have now been published on the Scottish Executive website and can be viewed at the following address:</p> <p><a href="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2005/09/08115214/52154">ht…
23 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-18038 by Rhona Brankin on 19 August 2005, whether it will list submissions received by email in response to the consultation on the draft Crofting Reform (Scotland) Bill.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: The information requested in given in the following table.</p> <table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td> <p>No</p></td> <td> <p>Name</p></td> <td> <p>Organisation</p></td> <td> <p>Address</p></td> <td> …
22 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to discuss the designation of Loch Eriboll as a firing practice area with fish and shellfish farmers and other users of the waters.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-18610 answered on 13 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.parliam…
22 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment is has made of the impact of the designation of Loch Eriboll as a firing practice area on the fish and shellfish farms in the loch.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-18610 answered on 13 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.parliam…
22 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when the Ministry of Defence consulted the Executive's Environment and Rural Affairs Department regarding the designation of Loch Eriboll as a firing practice area.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-18610 answered on 13 September 2005. All answers to written pq's are available on the parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at: <a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.s…
22 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what consultation took place between the Ministry of Defence and the Executive's Environment and Rural Affairs Department regarding the designation of Loch Eriboll as a firing practice area, as described in the 2005 version of Admiralty Chart No. 2076.
Answer · Rhona Brankin: The Ministry of Defence has advised that no recent change has been made to the military designation of Loch Eriboll nor its planned usage.</p> <p>Prior to 1999 most, but not all, navigational charts issued by the Hydrographic Office showed the words “Firing P…
22 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what information is published in order to compare the traceability and health criteria in respect of importing beef from (a) other EU countries and (b) South America with Scottish produce.
Answer · Ross Finnie: No such information is collected.</p>
22 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what checks are made on the traceability and health criteria in respect of importing beef from Brazil and Argentina.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The rules governing the importationto the EU of meat and meat products from third countries, including Brazil and Argentina, arelaid down in Council Directive 1972/462/EEC (as amended).</p><p>The Directive requires, amongstother things, that each consignment …
17 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much land under crofting tenure has been subject to compulsory purchase orders in each year since 1999 and for what purposes, broken down by location.
Answer · Johann Lamont: This information is not held centrally.</p>
17 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many compulsory purchase orders have succeeded in releasing land for affordable housing in each year since 1999, broken down by planning authority.
Answer · Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested is not held centrally. The information provided by local authorities to the Scottish ministers, in seeking confirmation of a compulsory purchase order, do not necessarily specify whether land is to be released for affordable housing.…
17 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many agreements under section 75 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 have been signed by planning authorities in each year from 1999 to 2005 and for what purposes such agreements were concluded.
Answer · Johann Lamont: The following table shows the aggregated data received from planning authorities through their statistical returns and gives the numbers of planning applications and other consents determined where there was associated work on a Section 75 agreement. To put t…
17 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-28235 by Hugh Henry on 2 September 2002, what the results are of any consultation that has been carried out on compulsory purchase powers.
Answer · Johann Lamont: The Executive has yet to undertake consultation on updating the law and procedures in relation to compulsory purchase.</p>
17 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive in which parts of the school curriculum children can learn about the 1820 Rising.
Answer · Peter Peacock: The teaching of historyfalls within the environmental studies area of the curriculum. The NationalGuidelines on Environmental Studies 5-14 advise that an understanding of thepast should be developed through studies that include attention to Scottish,British, …
17 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive in which parts of the school curriculum children can learn about the Highland clearances.
Answer · Peter Peacock: The teaching of historyfalls within the environmental studies area of the curriculum. The NationalGuidelines on Environmental Studies 5-14 advise that an understanding of thepast should be developed through studies that include attention to Scottish,British, …
17 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive in which parts of the school curriculum children can learn about the Treaty of Union in 1707.
Answer · Peter Peacock: The teaching of historyfalls within the environmental studies area of the curriculum. The NationalGuidelines on Environmental Studies 5-14 advise that an understanding of thepast should be developed through studies that include attention to Scottish,British, …
17 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive in which parts of the school curriculum children can learn about the Scottish Wars of Independence in the 13th and 14th centuries.
Answer · Peter Peacock: The teaching of historyfalls within the environmental studies area of the curriculum. The NationalGuidelines on Environmental Studies 5-14 advise that an understanding of thepast should be developed through studies that include attention to Scottish,British, …
17 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of pig meat sold in Scottish shops is of Scottish origin.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The Executive does not holdsuch information.</p><p>Sourcing of pig meat is acommercial decision for individual retailers and not one in which the Executivehas any locus to intervene. However, in my regular meetings with supermarketsand retail organisations I …
17 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of sheep meat sold in Scottish shops is of Scottish origin.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The Executive does not hold suchinformation.</p><p>Sourcing of sheep meat is a commercialdecision for individual retailers and not one in which the Executive has any locusto intervene. However, in my regular meetings with supermarkets and retail organisations…
17 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of beef sold in Scottish shops is of Scottish origin.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The Executive does not hold suchinformation.</p><p>Sourcing of beef is a commercialdecision for individual retailers and not one in which the Executive has any locusto intervene. However, in my regular meetings with supermarkets and retail organisationsI enco…
17 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of milk sold in Scottish shops is of Scottish origin.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The Executive does not hold suchinformation.</p><p>Sourcing of milk is a commercialdecision for individual retailers and not one in which the Executive has any locusto intervene. However, in my regular meetings with supermarkets and retail organisationsI enco…
8 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-17760 by Peter Peacock on 4 August 2005, how many translators to and from Gaelic, employed by it, have legal training or expertise in legal terminology.
Answer · Peter Peacock: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-18368 answered on 25 August 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.parli…
8 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-17760 by Peter Peacock on 4 August 2005, how many staff it employs for translation work between Gaelic and English.
Answer · Peter Peacock: The Scottish Executive does not employ any staff for translation work. The Scottish Executive has a contract which requires the contractor to translate documents in a reliable and competent manner.</p>
8 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many music instructors were employed in each education authority on 1 August (a) 1999 and (b) 2005; what instruments they taught, and how many vacancies there were for music instructors in each authority on 1 August 2005.
Answer · Peter Peacock: The latest information thatis available on how many music instructors were employed in each localauthority is shown in the 2004 Teacher Census. This can be accessed using thefollowing hyperlink:</p><p><ahref="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00416">…
8 Aug 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what common information is required from applicants when applying for agricultural support under the Integrated Administration and Control System (IACS), the Less Favoured Areas Support Scheme, the Single Farm Payment Scheme, Land Management Contracts and the Rural Stewardship Scheme.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The Integrated Administration and Control System (IACS) forms are completed by applicants who wish to declare land to support or claim the following schemes: Single Farm Payment Scheme, Less Favoured Areas Support Scheme, Scottish Beef Calf Scheme, Land Manag…
8 Jul 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many physiotherapists there are to treat multiple sclerosis sufferers in the Highlands and Islands and in which areas they are based.
Answer · Andy Kerr: Information on the number ofphysiotherapists in NHS Highland is published on the Scottish Health Statisticswebsite under Workforce Statistics at: <b><ahref="http://www.isdscotland.org/workforce">www.isdscotland.org/workforce</a></b>.</p><p class=MsoBodyText>S…
8 Jul 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to appoint a physiotherapist to look after multiple sclerosis sufferers in the Ross Memorial Hospital in Dingwall.
Answer · Andy Kerr: I refer the member to thequestion S2W-17802 answered on 9 August 2005. All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility forwhich can be found at: <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.s…
8 Jul 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to increase physiotherapist care for multiple sclerosis sufferers living in the Black Isle, Dingwall and West Ness areas.
Answer · Andy Kerr: It is for NHS Highland todecide how best to meet the needs of people in its care. I understand that thereis a dedicated rehabilitation team based in the Ross Memorial Hospital inDingwall, which serves the Black Isle, Dingwall and West Nesscommunities and this…
7 Jul 2005 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the outcome was of any discussions with the Food Standards Agency and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on the GM contamination of imported maize from the United States of America.
Answer · Ross Finnie: The Food Standards Agency has advised Defra and the Scottish Executive of all actions to implement the emergency measures outlined by the European Commission in Decision 2005/317/EC issued in April which are designed to prevent the placing on the market of co…