Rob Gibson

1 Apr 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take on the status of the Scots language in schools. The member has provided the following Scots translation: Tae speir at the Scottish Executive whit it will dae anent the status o the Scots leid at the schuil.

Answer · Peter Peacock: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-15708 on 26 April 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://scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.s…

1 Apr 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many schools use the "Itchy Coo" Scots language project.

Answer · Peter Peacock: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-15708 on 26 April 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/webapp/…

1 Apr 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any plans to teach more school pupils through the medium of Scots.

Answer · Peter Peacock: The detailed delivery of the curriculum is a matter for local authorities. This covers both teaching in and about Scots. The Scottish Executive’s <i>National Guidelines on English Language 5-14</i>, advises schools to “encourage discussion and develop percept…

31 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the amount of crop land was per capita in each year for which figures are available, in total and broken down by region and what estimate it has made of the crop land per capita in each of the next five years.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Available national and regionalstatistics on agricultural land and the agricultural workforce are published annuallyin the Economic Report on Scottish Agriculture and the Scottish Agricultural CensusSummary Sheets by Geographic Area. These are available on th…

31 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much, and what percentage of, moorlands it estimates will be lost in each of the next five years.

Answer · Ross Finnie: There are no official estimatesof future losses of agricultural land.  Available statistics on national net lossesof agricultural land, by category of land use outwith agriculture, are publishedannually in Table C13 of the <i>Economic Report on Scottish Agric…

31 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much, and what percentage of, moorland has been lost due to urban development in each year for which figures are available, in total and broken down by region.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Available statistics on nationalnet losses of agricultural land, by category of land use outwith agriculture, arepublished annually in table C13 of the <i>Economic Report on Scottish Agriculture</i>,available on the Scottish Executive website <ahref="http://w…

31 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much, and what percentage of, agricultural land it estimates will be lost in each of the next five years.

Answer · Ross Finnie: There are no official estimatesof future losses of agricultural land.  Available statistics on national net lossesof agricultural land, by category of land use outwith agriculture, are publishedannually in Table C13 of the <i>Economic Report on Scottish Agric…

31 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how much, and what percentage of, agricultural (a) crop land, (b) pasture land and (c) range land has been lost due to urban development in each year for which figures are available, in total and broken down by region.

Answer · Ross Finnie: Available statistics on nationalnet losses of agricultural land, by category of land use outwith agriculture, arepublished annually in table C13 of the <i>Economic Report on Scottish Agriculture</i>,available on the Scottish Executive website: <ahref="http://…

31 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to ensure that urban waste water treatment in Lerwick complies with Council Directive 91/271/EEC.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Scottish Water have been requested to build a secondary treatment works at Lerwick in compliance with Directive 91/271/EEC. Plans are being finalised and the plant is due for completion in 2006 with final commissioning due in June/July 2006.</p>

31 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Her Majesty's Government regarding the designation of waters around Shetland and any changes to the designation.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Discussions have taken place with the Department ofEnvironment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) officials in the past year with regard to designations of waters under the<i>Urban Waste Water Treatment (91/271/EEC) and the Shellfish </i><i>Water</i><i>s(79/923/…

23 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether an objective in the review of the Scottish Forestry Strategy will be to ensure that it contributes to the delivery of the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: Forestry has a significant role to play in delivering the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy, building on the substantial achievements it has made in recent years. Indeed there are a wide range of forestry related measures in the strategy, as is demonstrated by t…

10 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-12692 by Peter Peacock on 14 December 2004, what information it has on whether its recommendation to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office that the guide should be translated into Gaelic has been implemented and whether the guide will be translated int…

Answer · Peter Peacock: Discussions between the Scottish Executive and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office about the UK Government’s plans for translating the Guide to the European Union have not yet been concluded.</p>

10 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any circumstances where, following a crofting community buy-out, the previous landlord has retained significant land rights such as the control of wind farms and the benefits from these developments.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: No. There have been no purchases of land through use of the crofting community right to buy. All completed acquisitions of croft land by community interests have been by agreement after the land was offered for sale. Where crofting communities acquired land b…

7 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of chartered teachers who have qualified were seconded to undertake the Chartered Teachers programme.

Answer · Peter Peacock: Teachers are not seconded from their normal duties to undertake the Chartered Teacher programme. Whether teachers are pursuing the programme route or the accreditation route, they are expected to do so in their own time.</p>

4 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has calculated the benefits of a road equivalent tariff in comparison to existing ferry fares for passengers, lorries and animals travelling from (a) Brodick to Ardrossan, (b) Lochmaddy to Uig, (c) Stornoway to Ullapool, (d) Stromness to Scrabster and (e) Lerwick to Aberdeen.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: We have from time to time considered the possibilities of a ferry fares scheme for the Highlands and Islands based on RET, most recently in 2001. This followed the completion of an independent study of CalMac's fares policy which concluded that RET would requ…

4 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to introduce a road equivalent tariff for ferry services to the Western and Northern Isles.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-7850 on 10 June 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at <ahref="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.…

4 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of qualified chartered teachers are (a) learning support and (b) behaviour support teachers.

Answer · Peter Peacock: This information is not held centrally.</p>

4 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of chartered teachers have qualified while full-time (a) primary and (b) secondary classroom teachers.

Answer · Peter Peacock: As at 8 March 2005, 56 teachers had attained the Standard for Chartered Teacher. Of these 26 (46%) were from the secondary sector and 30 (54%) were from the primary sector. We do not hold information on the working patterns of these teachers.</p>

4 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many chartered teachers will have qualified by 31 March 2005.

Answer · Peter Peacock: As at 8 March 2005, 56 teachers had attained the Standard for Chartered Teacher. A further meeting of the National Assessment Panel for Chartered Teacher was scheduled for 17 March. Once I have received information from the panel I will write to you with a fu…

1 Mar 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the call centre for First ScotRail enquiries will be located in Scotland.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The franchise agreement requires that First ScotRail’s customer care centre, when it is opened, is located in Scotland. Additionally First ScotRail has made a commitment to the centre remaining in Scotland throughout the term of the franchise.</p>

28 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the call centre for First ScotRail enquiries will be open for business.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: First ScotRail has had customer contact facilities in place since the commencement of the franchise last October. The franchise agreement does, however, require the opening of a new customer contact centre during the first year of the franchise to provide ret…

25 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will now list the locations of TETRA O2 Airwave transmitters (a) in the Highlands and Islands and (b) within a mile of the Parliament, showing Ordnance Survey co-ordinates.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive does not hold a list of TETRA O2 base stations.</p>

23 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when stakeholders will be consulted on the next 10-year transport plan, with particular reference to investment in rail and ferry services.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: The Strategic Projects Review will begin before 2007 and will be a review covering all modes of transport. Consultation with key stakeholders will play an important role and will take place at an early stage in the process.</p>

22 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on what expenditure was incurred, and what items were repaired or renewed, in respect of railway infrastructure on the (a) Perth to Inverness, (b) Aberdeen to Inverness and (c) Inverness to Thurso and Wick lines from (i) 1987 to 1997 and (ii) 1998 to 2005.

Answer · Nicol Stephen: This information is not held centrally.</p>

22 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it now intends to introduce the proposed Crofting Reform Bill.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The date for introduction of the Crofting Reform Bill has not yet been set. It is intended that a draft Billwill be published for consultation soon.</p>

22 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-10902 by Lewis Macdonald on 8 October 2004, whether any loophole in the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 could be removed by a Scottish Statutory Instrument.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: No. I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-14661 on 8 March 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/webapp/…

22 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-10902 by Lewis Macdonald on 8 October 2004, which crofting community buy-out proposals have been taken forward since the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 came into force and how many such proposals are now time-limited due to successful ballots being …

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: We have yet to receive anapplication for a crofting community right to buy under part 3 of the LandReform (Scotland) Act 2003. However, two bodies have now providedballot results in accordance with the provisions of section 75(4) of the act.Both these bodies …

22 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-10902 by Lewis Macdonald on 8 October 2004, what progress has been made in closing any loophole that may allow landlords to conclude consequential leases at the expense of possible crofting community buy-outs.

Answer · Lewis Macdonald: We intend to consult shortly on a draft of the Crofting Reform Bill and will use that consultation to seek views and further information about leases or any other legal devices which might be thought to impede crofting community bodies in exercising their rig…

7 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which transport projects were funded through European structural funds from (a) 1994 to 1999 and (b) 2000 to 2005, broken down by (a) type, (b) location and (c) cost.

Answer · Allan Wilson: Details of transport projectsto which European Structural Funds have contributed funding since 1994 have today beenplaced in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 35498).</p>

7 Feb 2005 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the audit and monitoring procedures of projects in the Highlands and Islands differ from those procedures applied in other parts of Scotland.

Answer · Allan Wilson: No, they do not.</p>