- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 06 August 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 1 September 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the concerns ascribed in the Press and Journal of 31 July 2004 to Mr Brian Pack, that qualifying calves must be at least 75% beef genetic, are correct in relation to the condition of the beef envelope scheme announced by the Minister for Environment and Rural Development on 29 July 2004; in particular, by what means producers would be able to prove that the animals met this criterion, who would carry out the checking of such claims, whether this would be done by an existing body or a new one and, if it is proposed that the British Cattle Movement Service (BCMS) carry out this checking or otherwise be involved in the administration of this new rule, whether the Executive considers that the BCMS has the resources to do so, and whether the Executive consulted the BCMS on this or any other role that the BCMS is to play in the national beef envelope regime and, if so, on what date the BCMS was first consulted about the Executive's proposals and whether it will publish any correspondence of any kind between it and BCMS on this matter.
Answer
The requirement is that qualifying calves must be at least 75% beef bred. The target population is progeny from suckler cows crossed with pure bred beef bulls, which is the backbone of Scottish beef production. Most suckler producers will therefore know whether their calves qualify. The department will check information linked to the calf’s ear-tag, including its breed and its mother’s breed using information held on the cattle tracing system which is maintained by BCMS.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 06 August 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 1 September 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to the article in Scotland on Sunday on 1 August 2004 by Murdo Macleod in which a Scottish Water spokeswoman said that, in order to ensure that Scottish Water delivered the Scottish Executive's requirements, Scottish Water had deliberately delayed the start of some of its projects to allow Scottish Water Solutions to take over the projects and to undertake a review, which specific projects were delayed and, in each case, what the intended and the delayed start date was, and whether it approved these delays.
Answer
The capital procurement practices of Scottish Water’s predecessor companies had been the subject of some criticism by the Water Industry Commissioner because they offered poor value for money. It is my understanding that the new board of Scottish Water withheld its approval for certain capital projects until it was satisfied that these criticisms could be properly addressed. While disappointed at any delays, I nevertheless regarded this as prudent action by the new board. The details of the projects involved are an operational matter for Scottish Water. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to you about this matter.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 06 August 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 1 September 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will take steps to ensure that work is allocated more quickly to improve the water and sewerage infrastructure; whether it is satisfied that its efforts to achieve this end have been satisfactory and, if so, whether it considers that the efforts of Scottish Water in this regard have also been adequate; whether it will take any further steps to improve the infrastructure and, if so, what steps; whether it is concerned that, if there are more delays, this will lead to the possibility of higher costs for the work through pressure on capacity if a number of contracts are rolled out at the same time rather than spread over the lifetime of the agreed Scottish Solutions schedule of work, and whether it will make a statement about the position, given the concerns raised and expressed in Scotland on Sunday on 1 August 2004.
Answer
It is my understanding that, after initial delays, Scottish Water and its joint venture company, Scottish Water Solutions Ltd, are making satisfactory progress in the delivery of the capital programme. The details of allocations for work are, in the first instance an operational matter for Scottish Water and Scottish Water Solutions Ltd. I would not interfere in operational matters of this nature. I would, however, point out that delays in commissioning work of this nature can be caused by a number of factors beyond the control of Scottish Water. These factors were also discussed at my recent meeting with the Civil EngineeringContractors Association (Scotland) (CECA).
I welcome the excellent working relationships between Scottish Water and CECA and I believe that such close cooperation is the best way to ensure the current investment programme will be delivered to time and budget.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 06 August 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 1 September 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in relation to its proposals for a beef national envelope, the information currently contained on cattle passports is insufficient to determine whether the 75% rule for calves has, or has not, been met.
Answer
The target population is progeny from suckler cows crossed with pure bred beef bulls. Most suckler producers will therefore know whether their calves qualify. The movement card from the passport, which will accompany the claim, gives the ear-tag number of the calf which will allow the department to check the cattle tracing system maintained by BCMS to confirm the breed of the cow.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 06 August 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Allan Wilson on 30 August 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive from which department the costs of the relocation of Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) will be met; whether all the costs will be met from SNH's budget, and whether any costs will be met from the budgets of Highlands and Islands Enterprise or Inverness and Nairn Enterprise.
Answer
The necessary additional costs to SNH associated with relocation will be met by increases in SNH Grant-In-Aid from resources within the Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department. There are no plans for any costs directly associated with the SNH relocation to be met from the budgets of Highlands and Islands Enterprise or Inverness and Nairn Enterprise.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 06 August 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 30 August 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in light of its agreement to pay Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) staff #10,000 for relocating to the new SNH headquarters in Inverness and a further #10,000 for remaining in Inverness for two years, any such payment was made to Scottish Public Pensions Agency (SPPA) staff when the agency was relocated from Edinburgh to Galashiels and approximately 30 members of staff chose to, and have relocated from, Edinburgh to the Galashiels area, and, if not, whether there is any concern that payments may now be claimed by SPPA employees or by any of the 145 employees who chose not to move but may have opted to do so had such “signing on” and “staying on” fees been on offer.
Answer
Scottish Public Pensions Agency staff who transferred from Edinburgh to Galashiels received the standard relocation package available to Scottish Executive main staff involved in bulk transfer moves. This does not include a relocation grant or retention grant. There are no plans to review the package currently available. Scottish Executive main staff working in business areas of the Executive due to relocate will be offered similar terms to those made available to SPPA staff when the agency moved in 2002.
Organisations outwith Scottish Executive main staff included in Scottish Ministers relocation programme are aware that it is for each employer to decide individually what all needs to be included in a relocation package to encourage staff to move ensuring business continuity is maintained during the transition period.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 06 August 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 30 August 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received representations from the West of Scotland Fish Producers Organisation dated 28 July 2004; if so, whether it will respond to those representations; whether it will seek a 20% increase in the west of Scotland nephrops quota, and what its position is on the figures for cod stocks produced by the “cod association” and the reasons for the reduction in the total cod catch given by the Fish Producers Organisation as detailed in its representations of 28 July.
Answer
Representations have been received by the Scottish Executive from West of Scotland Fish Producers Organisation. A full reply will be sent separately, in accordance with the normal arrangements for official replies to correspondence.
New scientific information has been presented to the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES) concerning the abundance of west coast nephrops stocks. On the basis of single stock analysis, the new information suggests that a quota increase of 15% is warranted. However the current advice from ICES is presented in the context of mixed fisheries, not single stocks, and it explicitly states that managers should take the by-catch of cod into account when managing west of Scotland Nephrops fisheries.
The Scottish Executive is committed to securing an increase in the west of Scotland Nephrops TAC, but will formulate a firm position, in consultation with stakeholders, on the appropriate level of any increase and any necessary measures for reducing the perceived cod associations, only after a response to the UK’s special request for additional advice from ICES on the West of Scotland Nephrops stocks has been received.
On the basis of scientific advice, the reduction in cod stocks in the west of Scotland is not due solely to the warming of seas around our coasts nor is there firm evidence that the cod stocks will not recover. Advice received from ICES is that fishing effort on west of Scotland cod stocks has exceeded safe levels in every year since 1976.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 06 August 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Andrew Welsh on 27 August 2004
To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body what arrangements will be made to ensure that schoolchildren visiting Holyrood have an opportunity to meet and put questions to their MSPs and, in particular, whether they will be permitted to use committee rooms for such meetings when those rooms are not in use for parliamentary business.
Answer
The programme for schoolvisits hosted under the Educational Visits Programme, run by Visitor Servicesstaff, includes an invitation to the local constituency and regional MSPs tomeet the group and answer questions. If MSPs wish to host additional visitsfrom schools, they are able to book rooms for these visits. This includesbooking committee rooms, when not in use for parliamentary business, for thistype of meeting.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 30 June 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 25 August 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-9063 by Nicol Stephen on 29 June 2004, whether it will publish its evaluation of HITRANS' proposals for a Highlands and Islands air network; what the estimated cost is of the work commissioned from AviaSolutions, and by what date AviaSolutions must report.
Answer
The evaluation of the proposalsby the Highlands and Islands Strategic Transport Partnership (HITRANS)for an air transport network in the Highlands and Islands will not be published. The Executive will, however, shareinformation with HITRANS with the common objective of progressing the proposals.
Publication of the informationin AviaSolutions’ report would not be in the public interest as it would harm thefrankness and candour of internal discussion including internal opinion, advice,recommendation, consultation and deliberation (Exemption 2 of Part II of the Codeof Practice on Access to Scottish Executive Information). The cost of the work was £35,000 and the draft finalreport was received by the Executive on 16 July 2004.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 09 July 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Patricia Ferguson on 17 August 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-8985 by Patricia Ferguson on 5 July 2004 on the provision of information to the Holyrood Inquiry before 1 September 2003, why material has been provided to the Inquiry relating to the factual position of the Holyrood project after 1 September 2003, such as inquiry document SE 9 218 on landscaping; whether it will now place copies of reports made by the Chief Executive of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service and Head of Legal and Parliamentary Services to the Executive, any individual minister and the First Minister in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre; whether it remains Executive policy that, in respect of the Holyrood Inquiry, no questions must remain unanswered; where in the remit of the inquiry there is reference to 1 September 2003; why, if that date is of significance for the inquiry, it is not treated as significant in the report prepared for the Auditor General, Management of the Holyrood building project, and what the reason is for stating in that answer that the non-disclosure of reports by the Chief Executive of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service and Head of Legal and Parliamentary Services to the Executive after August 2003 was normal practice.The member has provided the following Gaelic translation:S2W-09600 Fearghas Ewing (Inbhir Nis an Ear, Inbhir Narann agus Loch Abar) (SNP): A dh' fhaighneachd do Riaghaltas na h-Alba, as dhidh dhaibh ceist S2W-8985 le Patricia Nic Fhearghais air 5 Iuchar 2004 a fhreagairt mu sholaradh fiosrachaidh do Rannsachadh Taigh an Rrid ro 1 Sultain 2003, carson an deach fiosrachadh a sholaradh dhan Rannsachadh a thaobh flor shuidheachadh Taigh an Rrid as dhidh 1 Sultain 2003, mar eiseimpleir foillseachadh an rannsachaidh SE 9218 mu gh`irnealaireachd; ma bheir e lethbhreacan de dh' aithisgean, air an dhanamh le @rd-oifigear Oifis a' Chryin agus Seirbheis Luchd-casaid a' Chryin agus Ceannard Sheirbheisean Laghal agus P`rlamaideach dhan Riaghaltas, le ministear sam bith agus leis a' Phrlomh Mhinistear anns an Ionad Fiosrachaidh P`rlamaid na h-Alba (SPICe); mas e poileasaidh Riaghaltas na h-Alba fhathast, a thaobh Rannsachadh Taigh an Rrid, gum bu chrir do na ceistean uile a bhith air am freagairt; far a bheil sgeul ann mu 1 Sultain ann an raon-yghdarrais an Rannsachaidh; carson, ma tha cudthrom sam bith air a' cheann-latha seo airson an Rannsachaidh, nach eilear a' l`imhseachadh mar rud cudthromach anns an aithisg air ullachadh dhan @rd-neach-sgrydaidh, Stiyireadh Prriseact Togalach Taigh an Rrid, agus dh an t-adhbhar a tha ann a dh' innse anns an fhreagairt sin gur e drighean-obrach abhaisteach a bh' annta nuair nach deach na h-aithisgean fhoillseachadh le @rd-oifigear Oifis a' Chryin agus Seirbheis Neach-casaid a' Chryin agus Ceannard Sheirbheisean Laghal agus P`rlamaideach dhan Riaghaltas
Answer
Document SE/9/218 on the HolyroodInquiry website has been recorded incorrectly as dating from February 2004. As thetext of the document makes clear, the document is dated 26 October 2001.
The remit of the inquiry doesnot refer to 1 September 2003. However, that date is significant to the extent thatit is the date on which the agreed terms of reference and letter of appointmentto conduct the inquiry were issued to Lord Fraser. The Executive lodged copies ofdocuments relevant to Holyrood Progress Group meetings up to 15 August 2003, beingthe date of the last report to ministers prior to 1 September, taking the view thatthat date was appropriate in relation to the terms of reference as being the datefrom which the inquiry commenced. That course of action has met with no objectionor request for further information from the inquiry.
Itis for the Auditor General to determine the bounds of relevance in investigationsjust as it is for Lord Fraser to determine what he considers to be relevant materialfor consideration by him. The Executive continues to co-operate fully with the inquiry.
The Executive has provided the following Gaelic translation:
Chaidh mearachd a dhèanamh annan clàradh ceann-là an Sgrìobhainn SE/9/218 air Làrach-lìn Rannsachadh Holyroodmar Gearran 2004. Mar a tha teacsa an sgrìobhainn a’ dèanamh soilleir, ‘s ann bho26 Dàmhair 2001 a tha an sgrìobhainn.
Chan eil raon-ùghdarraisan rannsachaidh a’ beantainn ri 1 Sultain 2003. Ach, tha an ceann-là seo sònraichteleis gur e an ceann-là air an deach na cumhachan iomraidh aontaichte agus an litircur-an-dreuchd airson an rannsachadh a stiùireadh a lìbhrigeadh don Mhorair Friseal.Chuir an Riaghaltas a-steach lethbhreacan de sgrìobhainnean a bha a’ beantainn ricoinneamhan HPG suas chun 15mh Lùnastal 2003, oir b’ e seo ceann-là na h-aithisgmu dheireadh gu na Ministearan ro 1 Sultain, a’ gabhail ris a’ bheachd gun robhan ceann-là sin iomchaidh a rèir nan cumhachan iomraidh mar an ceann-là air an dothòisich an rannsachadh. Cha deach gearanno iarrtas airson tuilleadh fiosrachaidh iarraidh on Rannsachadh mar thoradh aira’ ghnìomh sin.
‘S e an Àrd-neach Sgrùdaidha dhearbhas crìochan buntainneas ann an rannsachaidhean dìreach mar a tha e an urraris a’ Mhorar Fhriseal dearbhadh dè a tha esan a’ meas a tha na stuth buntainneachair am bu chòir dhàsan beachdachadh. Tha an Riaghaltas a’ leantainn air a’ làn cho-obrachadhris an Rannsachadh.
