Donald Cameron

2 May 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to widen the availability of tick removal kits.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: The Lyme Borreliosis Group, part of the Scottish Health Protection Network is engaging with a number of stakeholders including community pharmacies, health professionals and schools to promote safe tick removal and widen the availability of recommended tick r…

1 May 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many antisocial behaviour (a) offences were recorded and (b) orders were given for environmental damage in each year since 2011, also broken down by policing division.

Answer · Annabelle Ewing: Information on the number of antisocial behaviour offences recorded for environmental damage is not held centrally. The data the Scottish Government receives from Police Scotland is a general count of the number of crimes and offences recorded by the police, …

1 May 2018 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to improve ferry services in the Highlands and Islands.

27 Apr 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will continue to allow the option of a paper Single Application Form after 2018-19 for farmers, crofters and land managers who face exceptional circumstances, such as having no access to the internet or a computer.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that the SAF application process will continue to accommodate all customers, including all those located across the Highlands and Islands and within other rural and remote parts of Scotland. There are clear ad…

6 Apr 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on retaining a Dunoon town centre to Gourock town centre ferry service.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government’s position is to continue supporting the town centre to town centre Gourock-Dunoon ferry service, as stated in A Nation With Ambition: The Government's Programme for Scotland 2017-18, published Tuesday, September 5, 2017. http://www.g…

21 Mar 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-15162 by Humza Yousaf on 16 March 2018, in light of the question being about the Cowal Peninsula, for what reason the response referred to the Corran Narrows, which is in a different area of the Highlands and Islands, and whether it will provide the…

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Due to an administrative error the original answer provided to ? S5W-15162 on the 16 March was not the intended response to the question. I wrote to the member on the 21 March apologising and providing him with the correct answer. The answer to S5W-15162 has…

8 Mar 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its position is on the Cowal Fixed Link Working Group’s proposal to "connect South Argyll & Bute to the Scottish Central Belt by either rail and/or road utilising one or more fixed links (tunnels, bridges)".

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The government is keen to explore all aspects of Scotland’s connectivity and that is why the ongoing review of the National transport Strategy is considering the issue of connectivity to the country’s islands and remote communities, such as Argyle & Bute. The…

22 Feb 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it has or plans to introduce a national strategy for testing bowel cancer patients for Lynch syndrome.

Answer · Shona Robison: It is current protocol for all NHS Scotland Health Boards to ensure appropriate referral and testing when Lynch syndrome occurs, and for all patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer before the age of 60. In relation to the NICE guidelines recommendation to …

22 Feb 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to research conducted by the University of St Andrews, which suggests that more needs to be done to protect carbon stores in sea lochs.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government welcomes the research of the University of St Andrews. Our new blue carbon research programme, as outlined in the Climate Change Plan, will complement this and provide further understanding of the value of this resource and how to prot…

22 Feb 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the finding by Scottish Natural Heritage in the paper, Index of abundance for Scottish terrestrial breeding birds, 1994-2016, which suggests that there has been a significant decline in more than half of the country's upland bird population.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: Wading birds are some of the best studied upland bird species, and also have had the greatest declines. The most important influences affecting upland waders are changes to their habitat, predation pressure and the interactions between these factors. Climate …

21 Feb 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of households served by the telephone exchange in (a) Kilkenzie, (b) Tayinloan, (c) Gigha, (d) Skipness, (e) Glendarvel, (f) Colonsay, (g) Colintraive, (h) Achnamara, (i) Lochavich, (j) Kilninver, (k) Luing, (l) Pennyghael, (m) Tiroran, (n) Lismore, (o) Kinlochspelve, (p)…

Answer · Fergus Ewing: Highlands and Islands Enterprise has confirmed that none of the exchanges listed are currently able to deliver fibre broadband. They are not part of the Digital Scotland Superfast Broadband roll-out or commercial coverage plans. The Scottish Government has c…

19 Feb 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of Argyll and Bute Council’s review of fees and charges for use of its harbours, what the associated cost will be for (a) CalMac Ferries Limited and (b) Argyll Ferries Limited, and whether any additional cost will be paid for by Transport Scotland or through increased fares.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Harbour dues are set by the statutory harbour authority and are collected for maintaining and improving infrastructure at piers and harbours within their jurisdiction. The review conducted by Argyll & Bute Council into the fees and charges for use of its harb…

13 Feb 2018 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what future it sees for Scotland’s fishing sector.

30 Jan 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding it plans to allocate to the Scottish Young Carers Festival for 2018-19.

Answer · Aileen Campbell: The Scottish Government expects to make funding decisions around the Young Carers Festival shortly.

29 Jan 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government in light of the commitment by the UK Government in its policy paper, A Green Future: Our 25 Year Plan to Improve the Environment, to reverse " the loss of marine biodiversity and, where practicable, [restore] it", whether it plans to adopt a similar approach and, if so, what measures it …

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: This is already established Scottish Government policy and is currently being implemented through work on the Marine Protected Area network and the Programme for Government commitment to improve the protection given to Priority Marine Features.

29 Jan 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the commitment by the UK Government in its policy paper, A Green Future: Our 25 Year Plan to Improve the Environment, to increase "the proportion of protected and well-managed seas, and better managing existing protected sites", whether it plans to adopt a similar approach a…

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: This is already established Scottish Government policy and the current work programme is progressing management measures for existing sites where required, as well as working towards completing the MPA network.

29 Jan 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the commitment by the UK Government in its policy paper, A Green Future: Our 25 Year Plan to Improve the Environment, to deliver an "ecosystem approach to fisheries management", whether it plans to adopt a similar approach and, if so, what changes in policy will be considere…

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: This is already Scottish Government policy, and is in line with existing international obligations.

27 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-12547 by Humza Yousaf on 22 November 2017, whether Transport Scotland has commissioned independent specialists to undertake a comprehensive appraisal to explore and assess the specification of the next Gourock-Dunoon service (a) contract and (b) far…

Answer · Humza Yousaf: The tender for the next Gourock-Dunoon service contract has been paused pending the outcome of the ongoing policy review on the future approach to the procurement of the Scottish Government’s lifeline ferry services. An interim report will be published shortl…

20 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to increase the level of public sector procurement of Scottish produce.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government is committed to increasing the level of public sector procurement of Scottish produce. We want Scotland’s public sector to be at the forefront of our efforts to source more local produce and earlier this year convened a meeting with …

15 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many hectares of peatland have been (a) extracted and (b) damaged in each year since 2007.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-12779 on 4 December 2017. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness…

15 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many hectares of peatland have been restored in each year since 2007.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The National Peatland Plan sets out the Scottish Government’s commitment to peatlands and work to help protect, manage and where required restore. The plan highlights that peatlands cover 1.8 million hectares and that it is estimated that 70% are in a poor co…

14 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reports that the number of (a) pre-school/primary and (b) secondary teacher vacancies in The Highland Council area has more than trebled since 2016-17, and what action it is taking to address this.

Answer · John Swinney: The number of vacancies across Scotland is disappointing but the overall number of permanent vacancies represents only 1.6% of the teaching workforce. The Scottish Government is taking a number of actions to help recruit teacher for all local authorities, i…

14 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much The Highland Council has spent on supply teachers in each year since 2015-16, and how much it plans to spend in 2017-18.

Answer · John Swinney: The information requested is not collated centrally. Supply teachers are employed by each individual local authority, depending on their local needs and circumstances throughout the year.

9 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much of the current roadside timber stock was harvested more than one year ago, broken down by (a) forest district and (b) conservancy.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: Information on roadside timber stock is available for timber harvested within forests on the National Forest Estate. The following table shows the roadside stock that is currently beyond 12 months at roadside by Forest District. This type of information is no…

9 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much new woodland planting there has been in each year since 1999, broken down by (a) forest district and (b) conservancy.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: Scotland wide figures for new woodland planting are published annually as National Statistics by the Forestry Commission and are available from the Forestry Commission web site at https:--www.forestry.gov.uk-forestry-infd-8w3lv3 New woodland planting figures…

9 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much of the commercial forest that has been felled in each year since 1999 has not been replanted in accordance with the Forestry Act 1967.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: Felling in Scotland is regulated in accordance with the Forestry Act 1967. Where restocking is not undertaken as required under the Forestry Act, Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS) will work with the land owner to ensure compliance, including issuing a statut…

9 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much of the commercial forest that has been felled in each year since 1999 has not been replanted, and how much has been redefined as (a) an open space for conservation and (b) a change of land use.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: Felling and restocking is managed on a case by case basis, and is a process which takes more than one year to complete. As a result, the information requested on annual changes in the area restocked as a result of sustainable forest management practices (e.g.…

9 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much commercial forest has been felled in each year since 1999, broken down by (a) forest district and (b) conservancy.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The figures requested on the total area felled each year are not routinely collated for the National Forest Estate and are not available for the private sector.

9 Nov 2017 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much felled commercial forest has been replanted with (a) commercial trees, (b) native broadleaf and (c) Scots pine in each year since 1999.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Forestry Act 1967 requires all tree felling to be replanted unless specifically exempted. This requirement is implemented through felling licences which are generally granted with a condition requiring replanting. The detailed conditions associated with t…

6 Nov 2017 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to improve access to justice.

Answer · Annabelle Ewing: The legal aid system in Scotland is internationally recognized as being one of the most generous in the world. It enables access to justice for a wide scope of legal issues with generous eligibility criteria. As it is a demand led system all who are eligible,…