Peter Chapman

19 Feb 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government by what date the new land-parcel identification system will be fully operational and accessible.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: It is anticipated that the full functionality of the new LPIS will be in production during the summer of 2019. Many key elements such as the transfer of data to the new LPIS, functionality to review land information and make changes such as revised boundaries…

11 Feb 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many farm businesses in (a) the Highlands, (b) Aberdeenshire and (c) each parliamentary region are waiting to receive 2016-17 CAP basic payments.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: Nationally, for 2016 we have paid 99.65% of BPS payments and for 2017 99.28% A) 0 payments due in the Highlands for the 2016 scheme year. 8 are due a payment for the 2017 scheme year and a further 6 farm businesses are currently under assessment for 2017 an…

25 Jan 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what information it has regarding how many penalties the Health and Safety Executive has issued to farm businesses in each Scottish parliamentary region in each year since 2016; for what reasons these penalties were imposed, and what the average penalty was.

Answer · Joe FitzPatrick: The regulation of occupational health and safety is reserved to the UK Government. The regulatory body is the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Regulatory activities are undertaken by the HSE and by local authority Environmental Health Officers working to HS…

17 Jan 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what analysis it has made of how the ban by China on importing plastics for recycling could impact on the policy of banning the burning of plastic on farms.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The Scottish Government remains committed to fully enforcing the ban on the burning of farm plastics and ensuring farmers have appropriate access to recycling services. Scottish Government and SEPA officials will continue to work with Defra and other UK admin…

17 Jan 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the ban on burning plastic on farms, what support is being given to recycling companies to process waste items.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-20988 on 30 January 2019. Plastic recycling and reprocessing companies were involved in the working group established to plan the transition towards a position where the ban would be enforced and to ensure the…

16 Jan 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many remaining eligible claims there are for 2015 Less Favoured Area Support Scheme (LFASS) payments, and by what date these will be paid.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: There are 81 remaining 2015 LFASS unprocessed claims out of an eligible population of 11,381 eligible claims. This equates to 0.71% of the eligible population. We are aiming to process the vast majority of these remaining claims by 1 April 2019 . We check e…

15 Jan 2019 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government when it will next publish the Police Strength Statistics for Scotland.

15 Jan 2019 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the ban on burning of plastic farms, what it is doing to ensure that the waste will be uplifted from farms and that this does not end up in landfill.

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: The relevant amendment to the Waste Management Licensing (Scotland) Regulations 2011 was made in 2013 and has been fully enforced since 1 January 2019. A working group was established in 2016 to plan the transition towards a position where the ban could be e…

4 Dec 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to questions S5W-16107 and S5W-19928 by Fergus Ewing on 1 May and 26 November 2018 respectively, what the (a) highest and (b) average fine was for people convicted under the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953 in each year since 2007-08, broken down by local au…

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The available information is provided in the following tables. (a) The highest fine (in GBP) issued to people convicted under the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953¹, by LA, 2007-08 to 2016-17.  2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 201…

14 Nov 2018 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on the Victim Surcharge Fund.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-19571 on 7 November 2018. We are seeking an Order under section 104 of the Scotland Act 1998 to facilitate recovery of the surcharge via deduction from benefits and bring Scotland into line with the powers tha…

14 Nov 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many farm safety-related deaths there have been in each local authority area since 2007.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The detailed information requested is currently being collated and I will write to the member as soon as the information is available and a copy will be placed in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib number 60252)

14 Nov 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-12821 by Fergus Ewing on 30 November 2017, whether it will provide the information for 2017-18 regarding the number of offences recorded by Police Scotland under the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: Information on cases of sheep worrying is not held centrally in the format requested. Information is available on the number of offences recorded by Police Scotland under the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953 – which relates to dogs worrying livestock o…

17 Oct 2018 · General Question

To ask the Scottish Government what percentage of fish landed in 2017 was in the north east.

2 Oct 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what was discussed at the Ministerial Forum (EU negotiations) on 17 September 2018; what conclusions were, or  agreement was, reached; whether it will make a statement on these; what dates have been set for future meetings of the forum, and who will attend on its behalf.

Answer · Graeme Dey: The Ministerial Forum (EU negotiations) was established to focus on the key negotiating priorities for the future EU-UK relationship. On the 17 September 2018, discussion on trade in agri-food products and fishing took place and commitments were made to furth…

26 Sep 2018 · Portfolio Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to encourage universities in the north east to provide PGCE qualifications in technical subjects.

25 Sep 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the budget will be in each of the next two years for the Biodiversity Challenge Fund that was announced in its Programme for Government; who will administer the scheme; when it will be open for applications, and what the eligibility criteria will be.  

Answer · Roseanna Cunningham: I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-18856 on 2 October 2018. 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…

20 Sep 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much was awarded in Scotland by the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund in 2017-18, broken down by region.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: Value of applications approved in financial year 2017-18 by local authority region: Local Authority Grant awarded (£) Aberdeen City 366,188.53 Aberdeenshire 1,936,291.24 Angus 39,800.00 Argyll & Bute 30,278.32 City of Edinburgh 2,166,257.55 Comha…

29 Aug 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many applications for European Maritime and Fisheries Fund support it (a) received and (b) approved in 2017-18, broken down by region.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: Number of applications received and approved in financial year 2017-18 by local authority region: Local Authority Applications received Applications approved Aberdeen City 6 3 Aberdeenshire 146 46 Angus 15 3 Arygll & Bute 11 5 Comhairle Nan Ei…

24 Aug 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to (a) raise awareness of and (b) prevent clubroot in the growing of rape on arable farms.

Answer · Mairi Gougeon: Clubroot is an established disease in Scotland which can be a major issue in oilseed rape on Scottish arable farms. The Farm Advisory Service (FAS), funded with help from the Scottish Government, raises awareness of diseases that could impact Scotland’s crops…

24 Aug 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what support it will offer to help farmers affected by the early closure of the New Entrants Capital Grant Scheme on 31 August 2018 to readjust their plans.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government's Farm Advisory Service is ideally placed to provide new entrant farmers and crofters with access to a vital range of measures designed to help set-up, develop and improve the performance of new agricultural businesses including: fina…

24 Aug 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will outline the objectives of the New Entrants Capital Grant Scheme for farmers, and how these have been met, in light of reports of the end of the scheme.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The overriding objective of the New Entrant Capital Grant Scheme is to help new businesses overcome obstacles in establishing and developing their farms and crofts in the critical early stages. Over 600 projects have been approved to date and to ensure they …

24 Aug 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to help new entrant farmers.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The answer to question S5W-18419 on 25 September 2018 reflects the fact that we already dedicate a significantly higher proportion of our Farm Advisory Services budget than other areas of the UK, and indeed Europe to offer an extensive facility for new entran…

10 Aug 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how much funding has been made available under the young farmers' start-up grant scheme for 2014-20; how much has been spent, and what the projected spend is for each of the remaining years.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Rural Development Programme 2014-20 originally assumed the need for £20 million of dedicated support for Young Farmers and New Entrants. This included an indicative budget of £6 million for the Young Farmer Start-up Grant Scheme and £2 million fo…

9 Aug 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-17759 by Fergus Ewing on 6 August 2018, whether it will provide a breakdown by total spend of each Local Action Group (LAG).

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The national LEADER budget allocation totals £77.4m, as previously informed. Of this, projects need to predict when the spend will be incurred, so the table below has the allocation per Local Action Group and Forecast which is the amount committed. It is nor…

8 Aug 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government how many 101 calls from the Aberdeenshire area have been (a) made and (b) connected to the response centre in the last three months.

Answer · Humza Yousaf: Delivery of the police non-emergency 101 service is an operational matter for Police Scotland.  

25 Jul 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to compensate people affected by the decision to allow work on the Aberdeen-Inverness rail line to take place 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Answer · Michael Matheson: Whilst recognising that railway infrastructure works can give rise to a degree of unavoidable noise and disturbance to residents in the vicinity, the blockade works between Aberdeen and Dyce are short-term, and are on programme to complete by 20 August 2018. …

18 Jul 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide a breakdown of LEADER 2014-20 programme (a) funding allocations and (b) total spend in respect of each (i) local action group and (ii) farm diversification project; how much funding has been unallocated and, in light of this, what its position is on whether local …

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The national LEADER budget allocation totals £77.4m (Background note contains the latest detail). There is a newly revised joint target of 20% or £15.48m towards Farm Diversification and Enterprise, merged in recognition that some expanding Farm Diversificati…

9 Jul 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government what the cause is of the reportedly long waiting times for treatment for ophthalmology-related issues.

Answer · Jeane Freeman: There are a number of factors which have contributed to long waits for ophthalmology treatment. This includes the changing demographic with people living longer with more complex ophthalmology conditions as well as new treatments for conditions which previous…

24 May 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government (a) how many and (b) what percentage of students at medical schools are from (i) Scotland, (ii) the rest of the UK, (iii) the rest of the EU and (iv) non-EU countries.

Answer · Shirley-Anne Somerville: The number of enrolments studying medicine in 2016-17 at Scottish Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and the percentage share by region of domicile can be found in the following table: Enrolments on Medicine Courses at Scottish HEIs by Region of Domicile, …

24 Apr 2018 · Written Question

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the potential impact on farmers in Scotland, what its position is on the Mercosur beef negotiations.

Answer · Fergus Ewing: The Scottish Government has strong concerns for the proposed EU-Mercosur free trade agreement and the proposal for an increased Tariff Rate Quota for beef. The Scottish Government believes that exposing the market to large quantities of South American beef co…