Parliamentary questions
Rob Gibson
971 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
9 Jun 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated cost is of an undersea cable for electricity produced in Lewis to the Dounreay 275KW power line.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-08905 on 22 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/web…
9 Jun 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what upgrade will be necessary on the Dounreay to Beauly 275KW power line to carry electricity production from the northern mainland and the Northern Isles to the main Scottish grid from Beauly to the south.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-08905 on 22 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/web…
9 Jun 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Ofgem regarding options for electricity transmission above ground and by undersea cable.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-08905 on 22 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/web…
9 Jun 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has estimated the cost of an undersea electric transmission cable, rather than a combination of short undersea cable and 400,000 pylon lines, from north-west Scotland to the Scottish border.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-08905 on 22 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/web…
9 Jun 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made an estimate of the cost of an undersea power cable to carry renewable electricity production from the Northern and Western Isles and the mainland to urban markets.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-08905 on 22 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/web…
9 Jun 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Scottish and Southern Energy plc about the ringing of the north of Scotland with an undersea power cable to link producers with urban markets.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The regulation of the electricity transmission network is a reserved matter and the location, size and cost of network upgrades are matters for the owners of the network in conjunction with the regulator, Ofgem. However, we are in regular contact with the UK …
9 Jun 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the average cost is to crofting appellants in respect of settling boundary disputes and apportionment.
Answer · Allan Wilson: The Scottish Executive does not hold the information that would be required in order to make anassessment of these costs.</p>
8 Jun 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will begin work on its next 10-year transport plan.
Answer · Nicol Stephen: A strategic transport projects review covering all transport modes, is referred to in <i>Scotland’s Transport Future,</i> the transport white paper published on 16 June. The review will begin before 2007.</p>
8 Jun 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Crofters Commission is to remove the bull from its coat of arms in consequence of the abolition of the Livestock Improvement Scheme.
Answer · Allan Wilson: No.</p>
19 May 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how the Culture Commission intends to address the role of Scots and Gaelic as part of the future of arts in Scotland.
Answer · Frank McAveety: Theremit for the Cultural Commission was set out in the Scottish Executive’s Cultural Policy Statement on 22 April 2004.It provides that the Commission’s findings will be informed by the diverse culturaland linguistic communities within Scotland, with particu…
18 May 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-7936 by Mr Andy Kerr on 17 May 2004, whether it will break down by (a) country, (b) year and (c) type the requests it received seeking its support for events outwith Scotland requesting Scottish participation in each year from 1999 to 2004.
Answer · Andy Kerr: As indicated in my earlier answer,the Scottish Executive receives many requests to support events held overseas.Requests can be directed to various areas of the office, depending on the natureof the event, therefore such detailed information is not held centr…
12 May 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to address the decrease in the number of young people in the Highlands and Islands in light of figures from the General Register Office for Scotland that state that by the year 2018 there could be a 50% decrease in young people living there.<p>*The member has prov…
Answer · Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive and its agencies are working to deliver sustainable economic and socialdevelopment in the Highlands and Islands, not least to attract and retain young people. This willattract and retain young people. Highlands and Islands Enterprise is…
29 Apr 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what requests it received seeking its support for events outwith Scotland requesting Scottish participation in each year from 1999 to 2004.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive has received a large number of requests of support for events outwith Scotland requestingScottish participation since 1999. Each request is considered on its merits accordingto our strategic objectives for external relations.</p>
29 Apr 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it received any requests to support Tartan Day 2004 in Paris; when any such requests were received, and what response it made.
Answer · Andy Kerr: A formal request for fundingto support a Tartan Day in Paris in 2004 was received by the Scottish Executive from AssociationFrance Celtic Tartan Day in September 2003. Further electronic requests followed.The requests were declined because it was a commercial…
22 Apr 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many wind farm applications have been approved, broken down by region.
Answer · Lewis Macdonald: The information in the formatrequested for wind farms in excess of 1MW is available on the Executive website:</p><p><ahref="http://www.scotland.gov.uk/about/ELLD/EN-CS/00017058/page1711523477.aspx">http://www.scotland.gov.uk/about/ELLD/EN-CS/00017058/page1711…
19 Apr 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how the work of Deer Commission Scotland is progressing to address the level of the national deer herd.
Answer · Ross Finnie: This is primarily a matter forthe Deer Commission for Scotland (DCS). However, I am aware that the commission is addressingthe issue of the conservation, control and sustainable management of deer in Scotland througha range of initiatives. These are based on…
19 Apr 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether additional powers are required to increase the effectiveness of the Deer Commission for Scotland (DCS) in exercising its statutory duties.
Answer · Ross Finnie: At the Stage 2 debate on theNature Conservation Bill,<i> </i>we said we would consider any clear specific evidencefrom DCS that current legislation is insufficient, or cannot be made to work. </p><p>However, we consider that thepresent legislation is adequat…
19 Apr 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what meetings it has held with the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Welsh Assembly Government in the last six months in respect of field trials, seed listing and the possible commercial planting of GM crops.
Answer · Allan Wilson: The Scottish Executive has regularcontact with the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and theWelsh Assembly Government, on a range of issues relating to GM crops including fieldtrials, seed listing and other matters.</p>
19 Apr 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much it cost to hire videoconferencing facilities in remote locations for the conduct of its business in each year from 1999 to 2003.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive has no records to indicate that any videoconferencing facilities were hired within the period1999 to 2003. It is possible that individuals within departments could have madeuse of non Scottish Executive videoconferencing facilities, wit…
19 Apr 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what facilities are available in each of its departments for the use of videoconferencing, broken down by si'e and accessibility.
Answer · Andy Kerr: Video conferencing suites are provided, as shared facilities accessible to ministers and all staff, within the following Scottish Executive offices: </p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr> <td> <p>Location</p> </td> <td> <p>Of…
19 Apr 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is in respect of the use of videoconferencing in the conduct of its business.
Answer · Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive encourages the use of videoconferencing as a cost and time effective optionfor holding meetings. The facilities available and instructions for their use arepublicised on the Scottish Executive Intranet.</p>
19 Apr 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how often it used videoconferencing in the conduct of its business with stakeholders in each year from 1999 to 2003, broken down by department.
Answer · Andy Kerr: Videoconferencing suites are provided as shared facilities within certain Scottish Executive buildings and are available for use by ministers and by all staff regardless of their department.Bookings are not recorded by department. The number of bookings and t…
24 Mar 2004 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether coastal super quarries are still seen as an essential part of Scottish mineral development policies.
Answer · Mary Mulligan: The Executive’s policies on superquarriesare set out in <i>National Planning Policy Guideline 4: Land for MineralWorking.</i> These policies will be considered as part of the current review ofNPPG 4.</p>
18 Mar 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what dispersal strategy is planned to ensure that people are encouraged to live in the Highlands, under its plans to attract economic migrants to Scotland.
Answer · Jack McConnell: The new Relocation AdvisoryCentre will seek to ensure that potential economic migrants are made aware of the opportunities available throughout Scotland.</p>
18 Mar 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many wind farm applications have been rejected, broken down by region.
Answer · Mary Mulligan: On the basis of the information available, which is gathered by the Scottish Executive on an informal basis, the number of wind farm proposals that have been refused in each local authority area is:</p><table border=1 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=3> <thead> <tr…
11 Mar 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many fishing boats that catch whitefish have been based at (a) Whalsay and (b) Out Skerries in the Shetland Isles in each year since 1979.
Answer · Allan Wilson: Departmental records relating to individual ports are only available from 1985 onward. The number of fishing vessels based at the ports of Whalsay and Skerries that caught any amount of whitefish during each year since 1985 is shown in the following table.</p…
10 Mar 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of secondary schools have offered courses in modern studies at (a) S1 and S2, (b) standard grade, (c) higher grade and (d) advanced higher grade in each year since 1999, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Peter Peacock: The school curriculum in Scotland is non-statutory. It is therefore a matter for education authorities and secondary schools themselves to decide on the course options they provide. All publicly funded secondary schools in Scotland areapproved by the Scottish…
1 Mar 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when, and at what venues, the Convention of the Highlands and Islands will meet in 2004.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The Convention of the Highlands andIslands will meet at Brodick Castle, the Isle of Arran on 29<sup> </sup>March 2004, andin Thurso in October 2004. Details of the venue and date for the Octobermeeting are yet to be finalised.</p>
1 Mar 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what policy priorities it will ask the UHI PolicyWeb to investigate for the next meeting of the Convention of the Highlands and Islands.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The agenda items fordiscussion at the next meeting of the Convention of the Highlands andIslands on 29<sup> </sup>March 2004 have already been decided and were informed by proposalsfrom convention members.</p><p>In the future, convention memberswill play an i…
1 Mar 2004 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consult on policy matters with MSPs representing the Highlands and Islands prior to meetings of the Convention of the Highland and Islands.
Answer · Jim Wallace: The Convention of the Highlands andIslands provides a forum in which organisations responsible for the delivery ofservices have the opportunity to discuss and debate the development of the Highlands andIslands. MSPs have this opportunity in the Scottish Parli…