Parliamentary questions

Liam McArthur

3,663 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.

8 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has an exit strategy for the Knapdale beaver trial should it find that the reintroduction of beavers is not appropriate and, if so, how such a strategy would be implemented

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The licence application by the Scottish Wildlife Trust/Royal Zoological Society of Scotland contains an exit strategy for implementation during, or at the end, of the trial. The exit strategy contains four options for implementation. These are: …

8 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive where the replacement beavers for the Knapdale trial originated.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The replacement beavers were brought from the Telemark area of Norway.

8 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many beavers are resident in the Knapdale trial area and, of these, how many (a) are the original beavers introduced, (b) have been born, (c) have died and (d) have gone missing during the trial.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: There are 12 animals resident in the Knapdale trial area as of 18 February 2011. Specifically: (a) Six beavers of the original release and four from subsequent releases since June 2009 are currently resident in the Knapdale trial area.…

8 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the criteria are for beavers to be permitted to become established in the wild

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The licence application by Scottish Wildlife Trust/Royal Zoological Society of Scotland for the Knapdale Trial contains criteria for the success or failure of the beaver trial. If the Knapdale trial is judged successful these criteria could be used to inform …

8 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the (a) Tayside and (b) Knapdale beavers are legally termed as (i) res nullius or (ii) private property

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: This would be a matter for the courts to determine.

8 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment was made of the impact on otters and other protected species by the trapping of beavers on Tayside.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) staff and volunteer trappers have conducted an informal assessment of the trapping sites and use local knowledge of the presence of otters and other protected species prior to making the decision to proceed with trapping. SNH d…

8 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what legal basis permits Scottish Natural Heritage to capture beavers on land where landowners are not willing to give them access

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: There are no powers which enable Scottish Natural Heritage to gain access to land to capture beavers where landowners are not willing to give them permission. However, The Wildlife and Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill, which was passed on 2 Ma…

8 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the beaver captured in the River Ericht is alive and, if so, where it is kept

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: No beaver has been trapped by Scottish Natural Heritage in the River Ericht.

8 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive how many beavers have been captured in Tayside by Scottish Natural Heritage and where each is kept

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: One beaver has been captured in Tayside by Scottish Natural Heritage and is currently being kept at Edinburgh Zoo by the Royal Zoological Society for Scotland.

3 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive, following publication of The Road Ahead for Scotland: Final Report of the Inquiry into Future Support for Agriculture in Scotland, what the status is of the group that prepared it; whether the Scottish Government retains the services of the group’s members, and, if so, on what basis.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The terms and conditions of Mr Pack''s appointment as chairman of the inquiry included appropriate follow-up work subsequent to the inquiry''s report. The period of Mr Pack''s contract has been extended to enable him to continue carrying out follow-up work, i…

3 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish a formal response to The Road Ahead for Scotland: Final Report of the Inquiry into Future Support for Agriculture in Scotland.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-39350 on 28 February 2011. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Ap…

3 Feb 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive which of the recommendations in The Road Ahead for Scotland: Final Report of the Inquiry into Future Support for Agriculture in Scotland it (a) supports and (b) does not support and what the reason is for its position in each case.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: The report itself calls for more work to be carried out to develop some of the recommendations further. We are taking this work forward with stakeholders before taking up a detailed position on the report. We have, however, identified some key principles whic…

31 Jan 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive when the Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation provisions under chapter 7 of the Charities and Trustees Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 will come into force.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 (Commencement No. 5) Order 2011 was made on 18 January 2011. This order brings into force all the provisions relating to Scottish charitable incorporated organisations (SCIO) under Chapter 7 of the 2005…

21 Jan 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has undertaken, or will undertake, a review of the proceedings that have reportedly resulted in a lack of formal representation by it to the House of Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee inquiry into the common agricultural policy.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-38929 on 2 February 2011. 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/Apps…

21 Jan 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive at what point it (a) became aware of the planned inquiry into the common agricultural policy by the House of Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee, (b) sent its submission to the inquiry and (c) was told that the submission was invalid.

21 Jan 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions have taken place between its officials and representatives of the House of Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee regarding its inquiry into the common agricultural policy.

21 Jan 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the reasons are for its failure, as reported in The Scotsman on 20 January 2011, to make a valid submission to the House of Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee inquiry into the common agricultural policy.

21 Jan 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make a formal representation to the House of Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee inquiry into the common agricultural policy.

Answer · Richard Lochhead: Scottish Government officials received a communication from the House of Commons Select Committee on Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) on 7 December 2010 inviting us to submit written evidence to their Inquiry. Later that month we submitted The Road …

11 Jan 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what external technical advisors in energy and energy engineering it has used in the formulation of policy and what meetings it has had with them in the last 12 months.

Answer · Jim Mather: The Scottish Government works in partnership with industry, academia and the public sector in the formulation of energy policy. This includes regular meetings of the Scottish Energy Advisory Board (SEAB) and a network of themed advisory groups, the membership…

7 Jan 2011 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Executive what the reasons are for its planned exclusion of business travel from the Air Discount Scheme given that business travellers have access to subsidised ferry fares and public service obligation-subsidised air fares.

Answer · Keith Brown: The Air Discount Scheme (ADS) was introduced to facilitate an improved level of social inclusion for individuals resident in the scheme''s eligible areas. The mechanism “ Aid of a Social Character “ under which the scheme is notified to and approved by the Eu…