Chamber and committees

Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

Find out more about parliamentary questions

Filter your results Hide all filters

Displaying 2853 questions Show Answers

Order by |

Question reference: S1W-15281

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 April 2001
Current Status: Answered by Ross Finnie on 8 May 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will investigate the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease reported in the Sunday Post on 22 April 2001 as having been caused by migrating geese and whether it will place the findings of any such investigation in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

Geese are not considered to be the source of foot-and-mouth disease spread. This is due to the birds natural behaviour. Geese have to keep themselves clean in order to migrate successfully and there is a high probability that most of the geese will not come into contact with susceptible livestock. Based on initial analysis and epidemiological information, it is estimated that around 90% of the cases of infection are attributable to local spread between premises caused by animal and people movements.

Question reference: S1W-14946

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 06 April 2001
Current Status: Answered by Susan Deacon on 4 May 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive how the cost of the artifical fluoridation of water compares with fluoridated drinks or tablets.

Question reference: S1W-14947

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 06 April 2001
Current Status: Answered by Susan Deacon on 4 May 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of the estimated cost of the artificial fluoridation of water throughout Scotland.

Initial estimates by the Scottish water authorities suggest that fluoridating the water supplies where it is possible to do so, serving the majority of the population, would imply capital expenditure in the order of £29 million and annual running costs of £4 million. It is not practical technically to fluoridate some 15 per cent of public water supplies in Scotland. Some 2-3 per cent of the population is served by private water supplies. These costs might vary considerably if fluoridation schemes were introduced at local level at different times.

Question reference: S1W-14819

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 April 2001
Current Status: Answered by Angus MacKay on 4 May 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider increasing its estimated contribution of #3.5 million to the cost of meeting a rates relief scheme for businesses affected by the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak and, if so, what sum it will make available for such an increase.

We will meet 95% of the cost of providing hardship relief from rates for businesses affected by the foot and mouth outbreak occupying property with a rateable value up to £12,000 in 17 rural local authority areas. We will also fund 75% of the cost of providing such relief for larger businesses and those in other areas. However, the scheme is not cash limited and its terms will be kept under review.

Question reference: S1W-14820

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 April 2001
Current Status: Answered by Angus MacKay on 4 May 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the rates relief scheme for businesses affected by the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak is to be granted by local authorities under the terms of the Local Government Finance Act 1966 and, if not, on what statutory basis the scheme rests.

Question reference: S1W-14266

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 16 March 2001
Current Status: Answered by Sarah Boyack on 2 May 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a breakdown of the estimated #492,000 strategic co-ordination costs referred to in Proposals for a Highlands and Islands Integrated Transport Authority.

These calculations were based on the estimated salary and employer costs of those Executive staff who have responsibility relating to one or more functions that could be transferred to a HIITA. This extended to over 40 staff, principally in the roads and ferries Divisions, within the Executive's Development Department. Many of these staff also have responsibilities that would not be transferred, so an estimate was made of the time they spend on the "transferable" functions only and costs were adjusted accordingly.

Question reference: S1W-14223

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 March 2001
Current Status: Answered by Ross Finnie on 30 April 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive from which countries meat imports into Scotland are banned and whether meat is permitted to be imported into Scotland from any country in which foot and mouth disease is endemic.

Bans are imposed by the EU Commission as and when disease outbreaks are confirmed. As a result of the current outbreak of FMD, meat imports from three departments in France, four provinces in the Netherlands, one county in the Republic of Ireland and the areas of Newry and Mourne in Northern Ireland are banned. These restrictions are adapted as circumstances change. Meat imports are only permitted from countries or regions which are guaranteed free from FMD.

Question reference: S1O-03294

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 April 2001
Current Status: Answered by Sarah Boyack on 26 April 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take following the publication of the 4th Report, 2001 of the Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Committee Report on the Inquiry into Fuel Prices in Remoter Rural Areas and in particular whether it has arranged to meet the Petrol Retailers Association and the Scottish Motor Trade Association to discuss how to address the lower turnover or throughput of small petrol stations.

The Scottish Executive welcomes the committee's constructive and balanced contribution to what is a very important issue for rural Scotland.As the report notes, the Executive already offers rates and capital support for eligible rural petrol stations. The Executive is nevertheless happy to meet with the Petrol Retailers Association and the Scottish Motor Trade Association to discuss the issues in greater detail.

Question reference: S1W-15096

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 12 April 2001
Current Status: Answered by Ross Finnie on 26 April 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive what investigations have been made into the means by which the foot-and-mouth disease virus has been transmitted during the current outbreak and whether geese have acted as vectors of transmission or whether this possibility can be ruled out.

Based on initial analysis and epidemiological information, it is estimated that around 90% of the cases of infection are attributable to local spread between premises caused by animal and people movements. Half the remainder are thought to have arisen because of vehicle movements. The sources of the rest are still being investigated. Geese are not considered to have been the source of disease spread.

Question reference: S1W-14875

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 April 2001
Current Status: Answered by Angus MacKay on 26 April 2001

To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of licensed hotel premises have a rateable value of more than #12,500 in local authority areas with businesses which qualify for the enhanced foot-and-mouth disease related contribution for rates relief of 95%.