- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 April 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 26 April 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the division of Scotland into three 'ones for the purpose of controlling foot-and-mouth disease will affect the prices paid by slaughterhouses for livestock from each 'one and, if so, whether it will take any steps to prevent any potential variation in prices between 'ones.
Answer
It is too early to say how the zoning might affect livestock prices. The matter will be kept under review.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 April 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 26 April 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what the source of infection has been in relation to each livestock unit where there has been a confirmed case of foot-and-mouth disease.
Answer
The spread of foot-and-mouth disease between livestock units appears mainly to have been by direct animal to animal contact or through people who have been in contact with animals acting as a conduit. Foot and mouth has been a particular problem in sheep, which have acted as a reservoir for the disease.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 12 April 2001
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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.
Answer
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.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 April 2001
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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.
Answer
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.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 February 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 20 April 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria it will use in deciding whether to grant approval to proposed GM crop trial sites; in particular, how it will decide whether such trials pose a threat to (a) the environment and (b) public safety and whether it will make details of any such criteria public in advance of the formal notification of any proposed sites in Scotland.
Answer
Statute requires that decisions on whether to approve the growing of a particular GM crop on specific sites are based solely on scientific evidence. This has been made absolutely clear in all pronouncements made since the farm scale evaluation programme started last year. The decision to approve the sites for this year's programme was taken on advice from Scottish Natural Heritage, the Health and Safety Executive and the Food Standards Agency that this crop does not pose a threat to human health or the environment. The Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment also advised that no new evidence had emerged for it to amend its recommendation that these crops could be grown in safety.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 05 April 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 19 April 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish the guidance, direction or advice given to (a) visitscotland, (b) Scottish Enterprise and (c) Highlands and Islands Enterprise regarding the way in which the additional funding for businesses affected by the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak can be used and, in particular, whether direct financial aid to businesses has been ruled out other than by way of a refund of the subscriptions to area tourist boards paid by businesses.
Answer
I refer the member to the answers given to questions S1W-14552 and S1W-14860.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 April 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 18 April 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received any communication from the Scottish Licensed Trade Association requesting it to make representations to Her Majesty's Government about the impact which the current level of VAT, cost of fuel and value of sterling have on the cost of holidays in Scotland and consequently on the tourism industry.
Answer
We have corresponded with the Scottish Licensed Trade Association on a number of occasions and about a range of issues. Alasdair Morrison met the SLTA's Parliamentary Consultant last autumn.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 April 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 18 April 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive why abstraction controls have been placed on the whisky industry; whether any evidence exists to show that such controls are necessary and, if so, whether it will detail such evidence, and what criteria are applied in deciding whether such controls are necessary.
Answer
No controls on the abstraction of water by the whisky industry are currently in place. However, the EC Water Framework Directive requires the introduction of a comprehensive abstraction control regime. The Executive will bring forward proposals for controls in due course.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 April 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 18 April 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated impact will be on the whisky industry of the implementation of abstraction controls on taking water from rivers.
Answer
We are developing our proposals for implementation of the EC Water Framework Directive. Those will include abstraction controls. It is too early to determine the impact on the whisky industry. We will ensure that the effects on business are fully considered as we develop our proposals.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 April 2001
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 18 April 2001
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any evidence exists of environmental problems or water shortages as a result of water abstraction by whisky distilleries and, if so, whether it will detail such evidence and any instances or examples of such problems or shortages.
Answer
In its 1999 report on the state of Scotland's water environment the Scottish Environment Protection Agency identified water abstraction by distilleries as one of the pressures affecting water quantity. We will undertake a thorough assessment of the environmental effects of this and other impacts on the water environment in the implementation of the EC Water Framework Directive.
