Parliamentary questions
Liam McArthur
3,663 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
4 Sep 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executivehow many meetings have taken place in the last two months between the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment and farm industry representatives regarding electronic identification for sheep.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: My officials regularly meet with key industry stakeholders regarding electronic identification (EID) and they keep me informed of these discussions. Over that last few months I have discussed EID with various industry members, amongst other issues, at meeting…
4 Sep 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list EU member state representatives with whom the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment has discussed electronic identification for sheep in the last two months and detail any action taken as a result of each discussion.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-26957 on 18 September 2009 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/App…
4 Sep 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executivewhen the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment last met EU member state representatives to discuss electronic identification for sheep and what action was taken as a result of that meeting.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: I met with Irish and Hungarian Ministers in the margins of the EU Agriculture Council in March 2009 to discuss electronic identification (EID) of sheep. I urged them to support the Scottish position on sheep EID.</p>
4 Sep 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executivehow many meetings have taken place in the last two months between the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment and EU member state representatives regarding electronic identification for sheep.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: Officials were in contact with other Member States in the lead up to the vote taken at the Standing Committee of Food Chain and Animal Health on 14<sup> </sup>July. Direct interaction by myself and officials have been successful in obtaining concessions on th…
4 Sep 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the EU officials with whom the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment has discussed electronic identification for sheep in the last two months and detail any action taken as a result of each discussion.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-26954 on 18 September 2009 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/App…
4 Sep 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executivewhen the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment last met European Union officials to discuss electronic identification for sheep and what action was taken as a result.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: I met with Commissioner Vassiliou in March this year and the Director of Animal Health, Bernard Van Goethem, in June. I was informed that the principle of the Regulation would not be overturned. However I received assurances that the Commission were well info…
4 Sep 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executivehow many meetings have taken place in the last two months between the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment and European Union officials regarding electronic identification for sheep.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: My officials are in regular contact with European Union officials regarding sheep EID and keep me fully informed of these discussions. I requested a meeting in July with Commissioner Vassiliou prior to the Standing Committee on Food Chain and Animal Health (S…
3 Sep 2009 · General Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will work with Orkney Islands Council to find an acceptable alternative site for the Stromness Ferry Terminal lorry parking and marshalling area if a new school is built on the existing site.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson : <i > This question was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link:</i></p> <p ><a href="http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor0903-01.htm">http://www.scot…
2 Sep 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment has been made of the principal requirements that remain to be satisfied by the UHI Millennium Institute to achieve university status and what these requirements are.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-26879 on 10 September 2009. 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/Ap…
2 Sep 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects the UHI Millennium Institute to satisfy the criteria for achieving university status.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government, the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA), Highlands and Islands Enterprise and the Scottish Funding Council are actively working with UHI Millennium Institute to assist it with its preparations for an application for un…
2 Sep 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the UHI Millennium Institute management regarding the Institute’s progress towards achieving university status.
Answer · Fiona Hyslop: Ministers and officials have had a number of discussions with the UHI Millennium Institute management regarding UHI''s progress towards achieving university status. The most recent of these was during a meeting with the Director of Lifelong Learning in Invern…
2 Sep 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to carry out an assessment of the implications for the Scottish fishing fleet of any proposals to replace quotas for certain key fish stocks with an annual allowance of days at sea.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-26871 on 16 September 2009. 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/A…
2 Sep 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions have been held with the Scottish fishing industry regarding any European Commission proposals to abolish quotas for certain key fish stocks and to replace them with an annual allowance of days at sea.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-26872 on 16 September 2009. 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/A…
2 Sep 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has requested a meeting with the EU fisheries commissioner to discuss his reported proposals to abolish quotas for certain key fish stocks and to replace them with an annual allowance of days at sea.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: No. A meeting for this specific purpose would be premature whilst the Scottish Government is consulting stakeholders on the Commission''s green paper.</p>
2 Sep 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions have been held with the (a) UK Government and (b) European Commission about any proposals to abolish quotas for certain key fish stocks and to replace them with an annual allowance of days at sea.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The proposal for an effort only system is part of a wide range of changes to fisheries policies within the European Commission''s Green Paper on Reform of the Common Fisheries Policy. We are discussing these matters with stakeholders in a series of bilateral …
2 Sep 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of European Commission proposals to abolish quotas for certain key fish stocks and to replace them with an annual allowance of days at sea.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The proposal to replace quotas for certain fish stocks and replace them with an annual allowance of days at sea was first raised in the European Commission''s green paper on Reform of the Common Fisheries Policy. Commissioner Borg again raised the proposal in…
28 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish its response to the representations it has received during its consultation on the proposed consolidation of planning policy guidance.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government does not provide responses to individual representations received during consultations.</p>
28 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish the responses to its consultation on the consolidation of planning policy guidance.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: In October we will be starting a further phase of consultation on the consolidated Scottish Planning Policy (SPP) to reflect legislative changes since the publication of the draft SPP and in response to representations made on the consultation. A six week con…
28 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what responses it has received to its consultation on the consolidation of planning policy guidance and whether it will make these responses public.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: One hundred and ninety-six responses to the consultation on the consolidated Scottish Planning Policy were received. These, together with an analysis of consultation responses will be published in October.</p>
28 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of concerns among a cross-section of interested parties that a lack of detail in a future, single planning policy guidance document could introduce greater uncertainty, delay and cost into the planning process.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: We are aware of these concerns and will be taking the comments of these parties into account when finalising the consolidated Scottish Planning Policy, alongside the comments of those who support the consolidation on the basis that national planning policy is…
28 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will seek to make a statement to the Parliament on its intentions regarding the consolidation of planning policy guidance and, if so, when it plans to bring this to the Parliamentary Bureau for discussion.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The single Scottish Planning Policy (SPP) is a consolidation of existing policy rather than a review of policy. Scottish ministers intend to notify Parliament by means of a letter to the Convenor of the Local Government and Communities Committee prior to publ…
28 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received regarding the absence of an explicit commitment to sustainable development in the proposed consolidated planning policy guidance.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: A significant number of representations asked for the sustainable development section of the Scottish Planning Policy (SPP) to be reworked to provide clearer and more substantive policy direction on the contribution of the planning system to achieving sustain…
28 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether a commitment to sustainable development remains an explicit component of the proposed single planning policy guidance.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Yes.</p>
28 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what meetings ministers have had with interested parties about concerns regarding a lack of detail contained in the proposed single planning policy guidance document.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: All meetings have been between government officials and interested parties.</p>
28 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that there is a consensus of support for proposals to consolidate planning policy guidance into a single document.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-26758 on 22 September 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at: </p> <p ><a href="http://www.scottish.parli…
28 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what support it has received for its proposals to consolidate planning policy guidance into a single document.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: Support in principle for the consolidation of the Scottish Planning Policy (SPP) and National Planning Policy Guideline (NPPG) series into a single, shorter document has been expressed by most stakeholders before, during and after the consultation. Following …
28 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received from environmental NGOs and business groups regarding its intention to consolidate planning policy guidance into a single document.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: One hundred and ninety-six responses were received following the consultation on the draft consolidated Scottish Planning Policy. Eighteen of these responses were from business groups and 28 were from environmental organisations.</p>
28 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to consolidate planning policy guidance into a single document.
Answer · Stewart Stevenson: The consolidated SPP sets out existing planning policy taken from the current Scottish Planning Policy (SPP) and National Planning Policy Guideline (NPPG) series. Advice, contextual information and duplication have been removed to enable a focus on the policy…
19 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of the Scottish Agricultural College’s disease surveillance budget is spent on work carried out at the veterinary laboratory in Thurso.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government commissions a programme of veterinary surveillance from the Scottish Agricultural College who hold responsibility for distributing the budget appropriately between veterinary investigation centres across Scotland. The veterinary survei…
19 Aug 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how many post-mortem examinations were carried out at the veterinary laboratory in Thurso in each year since 2000 and what the equivalent numbers were for each of the other veterinary laboratories in Scotland over the same period.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government commissions a programme of veterinary surveillance from the Scottish Agricultural College who report their activities on a quarterly basis. Our interest is to ensure that suitable geographical coverage is provided by the programme as a…