Chamber and committees

Three members of the consortium behind this new initiative were co-authors of the Forum for Renewable Energy Development in Scotland’s sub-group on marine energy development. Much of the impetus for this valuable new centre arose from the work of this sub-group, which included representation from industry, universities and the Scottish Executive.

I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-10391 on 13 September 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-10391 on 13 September 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Sewage sludge is spread on non-agricultural land either in pursuance of a full licence under the Waste Management Licensing regulations 1994, as amended, or under a registered exemption under the terms of Paragraph 8 of Schedule 3 to those regulations. Where a licence is granted these factors would be taken into account and it is a requirement of registration of any exemption that the relevant objectives in Paragraph 4(1) of Schedule 4 to the 1994 Regulations should be observed. These include that waste should be recovered or disposed of without risk to plants or animals, and without adversely affecting the countryside or places of special interest. How this may be demonstrated is a matter for discussion between the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and the operator.

The use of human sewage sludge to regenerate marginal non-agricultural land requires a full licence under the Waste Management Licensing Regulations 1994, as amended, except where an appropriate exemption is registered. The appropriate exemption is that in Paragraph 8 of Schedule 3 to the 1994 Regulations. As with all exemptions, the relevant objectives in Paragraph 4(1) of Part 1 of Schedule 4 to the 1994 Regulations, which protect human health and the environment, must be met. Paragraph 8 also specifically requires observance of soil concentration limits for heavy metals set out in the Sludge (Use in Agriculture) Regulations 1989.

I laid the Waste Management Licensing Amendment (Scotland) Regulations 2004 before the Scottish Parliament in June of this year. These amend Paragraph 8 of the 1994 Regulations to ensure that the enhancement of crop growth or ecological improvement to be gained by the activity should be demonstrated in advance to the satisfaction of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, according to statutory procedures. The 2004 Regulations also give the agency powers relating to the renewal and removal of registrations. These changes will come into force on 12 January 2005.

There are no current plans for further changes to the relevant legislation. In any event, controls in other regimes, such as those in the Control of Pollution Act 1974 on water pollution and in the Environmental Protection Act 1990 on noise, odours and other nuisances, apply even to exempted activities.

Sewage sludge is spread on non-agricultural land either in pursuance of a full licence under the Waste Management Licensing regulations 1994, as amended, or under a registered exemption under the terms of Paragraph 8 of Schedule 3 to those regulations. It is a requirement of registration of any exemption that the relevant objectives in Paragraph 4(1) of Schedule 4 to the 1994 Regulations should be observed. These include that waste should be recovered or disposed of without endangering human health.

How this may be demonstrated is a matter for discussion between the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and the operator and may include testing to determine levels of any basic contaminants if this is considered appropriate. The amendments in the waste Management Licensing Amendment (Scotland) Regulations 2004 which come into force on 12 January 2005 provide for annual renewal of Paragraph 8 exemptions.

The NHS scheme provides widowers’ benefits on the same basis as for widows in respect of service from 6 April 1988.

The capitalised cost of providing widowers cover, for the period from March 1972 to April 1988, is estimated at approximately £59 million. As the most recent valuation of the NHS scheme is still to be completed, this figure is based on the 1999 valuation of the NHS pension scheme in England and Wales.

These costs would have to be met in full by the whole membership of the NHS scheme, and there is no indication that they would be willing to do so.

The Executive has no such plans. I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-6727 on 18 March 2004. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa.

The Welfare of Animals (Transport) Order 1997 and the Export of Horses (Minimum Value) Order 1956, as amended, require that horses are fit for transport and that they meet minimum values. These values are £715 for draft horses, £495 for vanners, mules or jennets, £220 for an ass, £300 for ponies over 122 cms and up to 147 cms, £145 for Shetland ponies up to 107 cms, and £220 for all other ponies. A pony is an equine of 14.2 hands or less in height.

Scottish Executive officials have been in regular contact with Defra todiscuss the continuation of the minimum value rules.

The table shows the gross ingredient cost of drugs used in the management of asthma for the financial years 2001-02, 2002-03 and 2003-04. These data relate to prescribed items dispensed by community pharmacists and dispensing doctors and do not take into account items dispensed by hospitals or hospital-based clinics. The cost given is the cost of the items before the addition of pharmacy fees and the deduction of any discount or patient charges.

It is important to note that the preparations can be used to treat conditions other than asthma. Prescription data are not patient-specific and do not identify the condition for which a particular medicine was prescribed.

Gross Ingredient Cost: All NHS Boards

Preparation	Gross Ingredient Cost (£)
2001-02	2002-03	2003-04
Adrenoceptor agonists	21,761,693	21,658,898	21,935,247
Antimuscarinic bronchodilators	2,717,574	3,051,891	5,316,344
Theophylline	683,058	659,620	627,449
Compound bronchodilators	3,640,393	3,776,137	3,563,922
Corticosteroids	36,579,518	40,628,859	43,877,322
Cromoglicate and related therapy	374,197	324,346	266,413
Leukotriene receptor antagonists	2,246,668	2,651,423	3,048,939
Total	68,003,101	72,751,174	78,635,636

 

The information in the table has been provided by ISD Scotland.