- Asked by: Alex Johnstone, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 September 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 28 September 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to increase the range of options within, and the funding of, the land management contract.
Answer
We are currently considering the responses to the consultation on the Land Management Contract (LMC) Menu Scheme, paying particular regard to the range of measures suitable for inclusion in the scheme. Funding issues are being considered as part of this process. We aim to introduce the scheme in 2005, subject to approval from the European Commission. Work is also on-going to look at development of the LMC approach in 2006 and beyond.
- Asked by: Alex Johnstone, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 23 August 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Mary Mulligan on 17 September 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive how many wind farm applications have been the subject of appeals to it since 1999 and, of these, how many have been (a) approved and (b) refused.
Answer
Since 1999, the Scottish Executive Inquiry Unit has received 12 planning appeals concerning proposed windfarms. Of these, one has been approved (appeal allowed), two have been refused (appeal dismissed), one appeal was withdrawn and the other eight are awaiting determination.
- Asked by: Alex Johnstone, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 July 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Allan Wilson on 1 September 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment is made of financial losses to a stock owner in assessing whether to award a licence to protect stock from bird predators available through derogations in the European Union's Birds Directive.
Answer
The Scottish Executive considers a licence application on the basis of the information supplied by the licence applicant, which may or may not include a financial assessment of losses.
- Asked by: Alex Johnstone, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 06 August 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 1 September 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S1O-6514 and S2W-9578 by Malcolm Chisholm on 27 February 2003 and 29 July 2004 respectively, whether it will outline details of the audit process that the NHS Scottish Consortium has in place to ensure that clinical waste handled on its behalf by STI group is managed according to all relevant environmental legislation.
Answer
Responsibility for providing details of the audit process rests with the NHS Scottish Consortia. I can confirm, however, that each member of the consortium has a schedule of annual visits in place, the purpose of these visits being to ensure that transport or disposal contractors are disposing of all waste in a secure, safe and appropriate manner.
It is important to recognise that licensed operators must operate in accordance with all applicable legislation and the enforcement of the terms of the licence and prosecution for failing to comply with legislation are matters for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. It is a condition of the current contract that the operator is so licensed.
- Asked by: Alex Johnstone, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 July 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Allan Wilson on 17 August 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ensure that the time taken to assess whether to award a licence to protect stock from bird predators available through derogations in the European Union's Birds Directive is reduced as much as possible.
Answer
All applications for licences will be dealt with as quickly as possible consistent with the need for proper consideration of all the relevant issues raised.
- Asked by: Alex Johnstone, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 July 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 11 August 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to receive answers to the questions raised in the letter of 9 June 2004 from the Minister for Environment and Rural Development to the chairman of the Deer Commission for Scotland regarding the events involving deer at Glenfeshie and Strathglass.
Answer
The Chairman of the Deer Commission for Scotland wrote to me with the commission’s response on 16 July. A copy of the letter has been placed on the commission’s website for public perusal.
- Asked by: Alex Johnstone, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 July 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 10 August 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive when the relevant minister will meet the Scottish Gamekeepers' Association to discuss the way forward following its representations on the events involving deer at Glenfeshie and Strathglass.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-9554 answered on 10 August 2004. All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/search_wa.
- Asked by: Alex Johnstone, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 July 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Allan Wilson on 10 August 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive how much experience in wildlife management, horticulture, animal husbandry and predation is required of persons assessing whether to award a licence to protect stock from bird predators available through derogations in the European Union's Birds Directive.
Answer
The Scottish Executive is legally bound to consult with Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) on all licence applications. SNH has experience and expertise in habitats and species management and in advising the Executive on a wide range of matters involving land use and management considerations.
- Asked by: Alex Johnstone, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 July 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Allan Wilson on 10 August 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it awards compensation to applicants who later suffer financial loss as a result of a decision not to award a licence to protect stock from bird predators available through derogations in the European Union's Birds Directive.
Answer
No.
- Asked by: Alex Johnstone, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 06 July 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Allan Wilson on 10 August 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive what the criteria are for the award of a licence to protect stock from bird predators available through derogations in the European Union's Birds Directive.
Answer
Article 9 of the Council Directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds (79/409/EEC) “the Birds Directive” is transposed into UK legislation by Section 16 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. In accordance with the Birds Directive, licences can be granted for specified purposes only if there is no other satisfactory solution.
