Parliamentary questions
Jim Hume
1,310 questions tabled in the Scottish Parliament, most recent first.
6 Jul 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is considering encouraging smaller tree plantings on farmland as opposed to larger tree plantings that may compete with other farming interests.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: Smaller tree planting is already supported through the small scale woodland creation measure available under the Land Managers Options and also the native woodland and mixed conifer/broadleaf woodland models under the Rural Priorities mechanism of the Scotlan…
6 Jul 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will reintroduce natural regeneration of margins in fields next to wood and water as an eligible part of land management options.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: There are no plans to introduce natural regeneration as part of the small-scale woodland creation measure under land managers options. Support for natural regeneration is available through the Rural Priorities funding mechanism.</p>
6 Jul 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that fallen stock should not be allowed to be buried on hill ground and what the reasons are for its position on this matter.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The requirements for correct disposal of fallen stock exist to protect human and animal health and to protect the environment.</b></p> <p >Scientific evidence shows that the degradation process essential to ensure reduction of BSE/TSE infectivity cannot be g…
6 Jul 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive when it plans to allow burial of fallen stock on hill ground.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: Fallen stock in the designated remote areas is currently allowed to be buried. In Scotland, the designated remote areas covers the majority of the Highlands and Islands and Argyllshire.</b></p> <p >However, burial should not be regarded as the first option i…
6 Jul 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is investigating the potential for a derogation to allow burial of fallen stock on hill ground and, if so, when the results of that investigation will be announced.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: Scottish ministers have already allowed a derogation for the burial of fallen stock in a designated remote area. However, burial should not be regarded as the first option on remote areas, rather it should be the very last option considered for disposal purpo…
6 Jul 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make a statement on education provision for children with additional support needs.
Answer · Adam Ingram: The Parliament held a debate on the Supporting Children''s Code of Practice on 26 May 2010. I have no immediate plans to make a further statement on provision for children with additional support needs at this stage. </p>
6 Jul 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to help reduce child poverty.
Answer · Alex Neil: There are a very wide range of actions being undertaken by the Scottish Government and partners to reduce child poverty. Our broad approach is set out in the three inter-linked policy frameworks <i >Achieving Our Potential</i>, <i >Early Years Framework</i>, …
6 Jul 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make a statement on secondary school standards.
Answer · Michael Russell: We currently have no plans to make a statement on secondary school standards.</b></p>
6 Jul 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make a statement on primary school standards.
Answer · Michael Russell: We currently have no plans to make a statement on primary school standards.</b></p>
6 Jul 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of deaths from cervical cancer occurred in women aged (a) 60 and over, (b) between 30 and 59 and (c) under 30 in each year since 2001.
Answer · Shona Robison: The relevant information can be found on the Information Services Division website at: </p> <p ><a href="http://www.isdscotland.org/isd/servlet/FileBuffer?namedFile=m_cancer_female_genital_organs.xls&pContentDispositionType=inline">http://www.isdscotland…
6 Jul 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has for the future of cervical cancer screening in the NHS and whether ministers will make a statement on the matter.
Answer · Shona Robison: Cervical screening is and will remain an important part of the Scottish Government''s strategy on reducing the burden of cancer through early detection for many years to come. The introduction of the Human Papilloma virus (HPV) vaccination programme is expect…
15 Apr 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what work it is carrying out in conjunction with local authorities to provide free swimming for people aged 60 and over.
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-33181 on 28 April 2010. 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/Apps2…
15 Apr 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to work with local authorities to provide free swimming for people aged 60 and over.
Answer · Shona Robison: The Scottish Government recognises the valuable contribution swimming can make to the health and wellbeing of the nation. Many local authorities already offer free or discounted access to public swimming pools for targeted groups, despite the current challeng…
24 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has issued on short rotation forestry to meet the requirements of the UK Forestry Standard.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-32717 on 22 April 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/Apps2/…
24 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance it has issued on the planting of eucalyptus to meet the requirements of the UK Forestry Standard.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-32717 on 22 April 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/Apps2/…
24 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it has assessed the (a) biodiversity, (b) soil and (c) water impact of eucalyptus forestry planting funded by the Scotland Rural Development Programme.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-32717 on 22 April 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/Apps2/…
24 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how it has assessed the (a) biodiversity, (b) soil and (c) water impact of eucalyptus forestry planting on Forestry Commission Forest Research trial sites.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-32717 on 22 April 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/Apps2/…
24 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) biodiversity, (b) soil and (c) water impact is of eucalyptus forestry planting.
Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS) and Forest Research have established a programme of field research to look at all aspects of short rotation forestry including biodiversity, soils, carbon balance and hydrology, and covering a wide range of species, includin…
5 Mar 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the consultation by the Department of Health on proposals that would allow generic medicines to be substituted for branded medicines in primary care in England, whether it plans to conduct a similar consultation in Scotland and, if so, what the expected timescale is.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government is currently considering proposals for consulting in Scotland on the introduction of generic substitution into the NHS. The timetable for implementation will be influenced by the outcome of the consultation. </p>
3 Feb 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3O-8010 by Shona Robison on 1 October 2009, how many children of (a) primary and (b) secondary school age attending full-time education in the Scottish Borders have access to free swimming.
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-31441 on 3 March 2010. 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/Apps2/B…
3 Feb 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3O-8010 by Shona Robison on 1 October 2009, what work is being undertaken between Scottish Swimming and local authorities in the South of Scotland to deliver the provision of free swimming for school children, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-31441 on 3 March 2010. 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/Apps2/B…
3 Feb 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3O-8010 by Shona Robison on 1 October 2009, what the timescale is for school children in the South of Scotland having access to free swimming, broken down by local authority area.
Answer · Shona Robison: We are currently working with Scottish Swimming, sportscotland and others to ensure we offer more and better opportunities for our young people across Scotland to enjoy and benefit from swimming. Our investment of over £1.3 million to Scottish Swimming this y…
7 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the (a) national and (b) European spend was on the Scotland Rural Development Programme 2007-13 in 2009, broken down by programme components.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: Scottish Government outturn for financial year 2009-10 will be published in the Consolidated Accounts later in 2010 following the end of the current financial year.</p>
7 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the projections were as at 1 January 2009 for the (a) national and (b) European spend on the Scotland Rural Development Programme 2007-13 until the end of 2009, broken down by programme components.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The projections for expenditure for financial year 2009-10 for the Scotland Rural Development Programme from the Scottish Government''s budget documents total £218.3 million. Of this, £146.6 million (67.2%) is from domestic sources and £71.6 million (32.8%) i…
7 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what the projections are for its spending on the Scotland Rural Development Programme 2007-13 over the course of the programme, also expressed in percentages.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: At 1 January 2009, the projected spend on the Scotland Rural Development Programme (SRDP) from its commencement in 2007, to the end of the current Spending Review Period at 31 March 2011, was £751.1 million. Of this, £511.8 million (68%) is from Scottish Gove…
7 Jan 2010 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much it planned to contribute to the Scotland Rural Development Programme 2007-13 at the start of the programme, also expressed as a percentage.
Answer · Richard Lochhead: The total value of the Scotland Rural Development Programme at the time of approval was just under ‚¬2.3 billion, or £1.6 billion at the £/‚¬ exchange rate prevailing at that time. The Scottish Government''s contribution was planned to be around 68% of that a…
22 Dec 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is legal for adoption agencies to have an automatic presumption against prospective adoptive parents on the basis of their sexual orientation.
Answer · Adam Ingram: The Adoption and Children (Scotland) Act 2007 allows unmarried couples, including same sex couples, to adopt as a couple. Alongside this, the UK Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2007 make it illegal for adoption agencies to refuse to assess poten…
22 Dec 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on adoption agencies having an automatic presumption against prospective adoptive parents on the basis of their sexual orientation.
Answer · Adam Ingram: All children deserve a secure and stable home to grow up in. Meeting the needs of the child is the paramount concern. If an unmarried couple, regardless of their sexual orientation, is able to provide the safe, stable and secure home that a child needs then t…
22 Dec 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the ethics of the sexual orientation of prospective adoptive parents being a prohibitive factor in the adoption of children.
Answer · Adam Ingram: The most important concern is meeting the needs of the child, regardless of the sexual orientation of the adopters. Where adoption by same-sex couple is the best option for a child, that route should be available. The Adoption and Children (Scotland) Act 2007…
18 Dec 2009 · Written Question
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the principles of administrative justice and law apply to the formal public consultation on service delivery change being undertaken by NHS Dumfries and Galloway.
Answer · Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-30212 on 6 January 2010. 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/Apps2…