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.

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Question reference: S1W-11061

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 November 2000
Current Status: Answered by Peter Peacock on 22 November 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has met the Inland Revenue to discuss the Federation of Small Businesses' proposal for a small business rates relief scheme and, if not, whether it will now initiate such a meeting.

Question reference: S1W-11055

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 November 2000
Current Status: Answered by Peter Peacock on 22 November 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive what further research will be conducted or information sought on the issue of a small business rates relief scheme.

Question reference: S1W-11060

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 November 2000
Current Status: Answered by Peter Peacock on 22 November 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive on what dates since 8 December 1999 it has met (a) Ministers and (b) officials of the National Assembly for Wales to discuss a small business rates relief scheme.

Question reference: S1W-11054

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 November 2000
Current Status: Answered by Peter Peacock on 22 November 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive what research it has carried out since 8 December 1999 on the issue of a small business rates relief scheme.

Question reference: S1W-11065

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 November 2000
Current Status: Answered by Peter Peacock on 22 November 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to make a Ministerial Statement on a small business rates relief scheme.

Question reference: S1W-11058

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 November 2000
Current Status: Answered by Peter Peacock on 22 November 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive on what dates since 8 December 1999 it has met representatives of the Assessors to discuss a small business rates relief scheme and when it will next meet such representatives.

Question reference: S1W-10941

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 November 2000
Current Status: Answered by Susan Deacon on 20 November 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive whether the possible introduction of a tiered system of scallop testing would require a new enforcement regime and, if so, (a) whether such a regime would be more stringent in Scotland than elsewhere in the UK, (b) what measures such a regime might include, (c) whether it would be necessary to introduce such a regime via a Scottish Statutory Instrument (SSI) and (d) whether it will bring forward as soon as possible any such draft SSIs or guidelines for consideration in order to have any new regime in place for the opening of the 2001 scallop season.

The Food Standards Agency has advised me that the possible introduction of a tiered system of scallop testing and processing is likely to require a very robust enforcement regime in order to continue to ensure public safety. Enforcement controls, whilst being flexible enough to take account of local circumstances, will continue to be comparable across the UK. Advice is being taken on the suitability of existing statutory provisions for any tiered system. Should a new Scottish Statutory Instrument be necessary, the Food Standards Agency will ensure that there will be full and timely consultation.

Question reference: S1W-10940

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 November 2000
Current Status: Answered by Rhona Brankin on 20 November 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will submit a full report to Her Majesty's Government on how another year's cessation of fishing for scallops would impact on the fishing communities and whether it will make representations to Her Majesty's Government to raise at the next Council of Ministers the importance of establishing a tiered system of testing scallops.

I announced to the Rural Affairs Committee on 31 October that I would commission a full economic analysis of the nature and location of the impact of the closures. I said that this work would also focus on maximising the industry's potential and its scope to adjust to new circumstances including possible changes to the testing regime.

The issue of establishing a tiered system for testing scallops is a public health matter and not appropriate business for the Fisheries Council.

Question reference: S1W-10939

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 November 2000
Current Status: Answered by Jim Wallace on 20 November 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made any representations to Her Majesty's Government regarding how the army might complement the contingency plans of the police relating to any future protests on the impact of fuel taxation and whether such plans will be made public.

The Executive, through its membership of the Ministerial Fuel Task Force and the Civil Contingencies Committee, has been involved in discussions about how the military might assist the response to any future protests. While there are no plans for the army to support the police, there are contingency plans in place for the military to assist oil companies with the delivery of fuel should this be required and this has been widely reported in the press.

Question reference: S1W-10938

Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 06 November 2000
Current Status: Answered by Alasdair Morrison on 20 November 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of the proposed costs to develop the Ossian project will be spent on consultancy fees, including those for lawyers, financial advisers, accountants, computer consultants and any other professional services.