- Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 22 June 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 19 July 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it intends to take to address public concern over the potential health risks in relation to mobile telephone telecommunication masts.
Answer
I am aware of current concerns about possible risks to health from mobile telephone telecommunication masts and the Executive will shortly be writing to all Members of the Scottish Parliament setting out in detail our position on this issue. Meanwhile, advice from the National Radiological Protection Board, which advises the Executive on matters of this kind, indicates that the field strengths of signals from mobile telephone masts at places to which the public have access are below recommended guideline levels and should present no health risk. The Board's advice is based on its own research and on assessments, by its Advisory Group on Non-Ionising Radiation, of biological and epidemiological work world-wide. As a further measure, the Board have also been asked to set up an independent expert group to assess the current state of research into any health risks associated with the use of mobile phones and telephone communication masts. The group will be chaired by Sir William Stewart FRS FRSE and its detailed membership and terms of reference will be announced shortly.
- Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 23 June 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 6 July 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to extend the list of communities it will visit in its fact finding mission on poverty and deprivation, as announced by Ms Wendy Alexander in Scottish Office press release 1094/99.
Answer
Our fact-finding mission will not be restricted to those areas listed in Press Release 1094/99. We recognise that poverty and deprivation exist across Scotland, and we will tackle them wherever they occur.
- Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 16 June 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Angus MacKay on 30 June 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to address the drugs problem in Scotland.
Answer
Tackling Scotland's drugs problem is one of a number of priority areas the Scottish Executive has identified for cross-cutting action across departmental and other organisational boundaries. This broad based approach will embrace all the key areas including treatment, enforcement, rehabilitation, prevention and education as well as the links with the Executive's wider programme of social reform. A Ministerial Group will ensure a co-ordinated approach on tackling drugs, with integrated policy and integrated policy delivery, focusing on results. Scottish Ministers are committed in principle to the concept of a drugs enforcement agency and discussions are underway with the police about what form it should take.
- Asked by: Mary Scanlon, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 03 June 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 17 June 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive in the light of the proposed ending of the European Commission's scheme which supplies milk at reduced rates to school children (EC 3392/93), what plans does it have to adopt an equivalent scheme?
Answer
The EU funded School Milk Scheme has been in operation since 1977. My understanding is that the Commission has recently conducted an evaluation of the Scheme, although no proposal for altering or amending it has yet emerged. The UK Government line, which I support, is to press for the continuation of the scheme.
