- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 21 September 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 3 October 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive how it complies with its obligations under the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 in areas where no geographical information system data exists.
Answer
I am not aware of any impedimentto the Scottish Executive meeting its obligations under the Nature Conservation(Scotland) Act 2004 as a result of a lack of geographical information system data.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 21 September 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 3 October 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive how many local authorities have been awarded grants under the Biodiversity Action Grants Scheme since its inception.
Answer
The Biodiversity Action GrantsScheme has been run three times (2004, 2005, and 2006). Ten different local authoritiesin Scotland have received a total of 14 grants under the scheme forprojects led directly by the local authority. In addition, two of these authoritiesand four other authorities are members of wider partnerships that have receivedgrants under the scheme.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 21 September 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 3 October 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it advocates the concept of a lead professional to help provide services for asylum seekers who have been assessed as requiring care under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003.
Answer
The Scottish Executive expects NHS boards and partners to plan and arrangeservices that meet the needs of asylum seekers. We have not issued guidance on whetherthey should appoint a lead professional for asylum seekers.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 21 September 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 3 October 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether cognisance is taken of the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004 when agreeing new industrial planning applications where an environmental impact assessment has specified that European protected species are present.
Answer
The Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act2004 places a range of duties and obligations on public bodies, including planningauthorities. It is the responsibility of all such public bodies to take cognisanceof the act in exercising their functions.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 21 September 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 3 October 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive how many complaints, investigations and prosecutions there have been under the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Act 2004.
Answer
There is no central system forrecording complaints, investigations and prosecutions under wildlife legislation.The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service maintains an operational databasefor internal management purposes and Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland are working on the development of a wildlife crime recording system. Inthe course of undertaking its responsibilities Scottish Natural Heritage also acquiresand makes use of information about actual and potential offences under nature conservationlaw.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 21 September 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 3 October 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what enquiries it is making into the circumstances surrounding the suicide of Zamira Sadigova.
Answer
The Scottish Executive is notcurrently making enquiries into this individual case. The Mental Welfare Commissionhas powers to investigate individual cases if they have concerns about the careand treatment received.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 September 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 3 October 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration has been given to entrepreneurship among refugees when compiling the Scottish Refugee Integration Forum action plan.
Answer
Six themed sub-groups contributedto the development of the Scottish Refugee Integration Forum (SRIF) action planincluding New Roots Scotland, a partnership of organisations involved in the economicintegration of refugees. New Roots Scotland considered a range of issues when draftingthe actions for the employment and training chapter including how to encourage entrepreneurshipin the refugee communities.In addition, the Ethnic Minoritiesand the Labour Market strategic group considered issues around Entrepreneurship,Finance and Business support in meeting three. The meeting note can be accessedby the following link
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/People/Equality/18934/15832.The Ethnic Minorities and theLabour Market strategic group have made recommendations around the meeting topics.
The key recommendations of boththe Ethnic Minorities and the Labour Market Strategic Group and the Scottish RefugeeIntegration Forum will inform the National Race Equality Strategy and Action Planwhich will be published in November 2006. Both group action plans will be availableon the Scottish Executive website at the same time.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 21 September 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Robert Brown on 29 September 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-21228 by Malcolm Chisholm on 14 December 2005, what the outcome was of the discussions with the Home Office in relation to the process of removal of asylum seeker families.
Answer
I refer the member to thequestion S2F-2215 answered on 30 March 2006. The answer to S2F-2215 can befound on the Parliament’s website at:
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-06/sor0330-02.htm#Col24586.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 September 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Johann Lamont on 28 September 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive which charitable organisations (a) have been investigated, (b) are under investigation and (c) await investigation by the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator and how many of these organisations, under each category, are or have been in receipt of Executive funding.
Answer
This is an operationalmatter for Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator a non-ministerialdepartment, the Scottish Executive cannot answer on behalf of OSCR. The membershould therefore contact OSCR directly for this information.
- Asked by: Linda Fabiani, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 21 September 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Johann Lamont on 28 September 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what cognisance it takes of Scotland’s carbon footprint when assessing proposals for new industrial development.
Answer
The Scottish Executive does notroutinely assess proposals for new industrial development. That is primarily a matterfor local authorities to consider through their development plans and in their decisionson planning applications, although ministers can call in proposals for their owndetermination. Planning decisions are made in accordance with the development planfor the area, unless material considerations indicate otherwise. Our commitmentto sustainable development is at the heart of Scottish planning policy and potentialimpacts on the environment are significant considerations in the planning of futuredevelopment.
