- Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 22 November 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 6 December 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive given the rise in the protected Greenland goose population on Islay from 36,800 birds in 1993 to 49,300 in 1999, what plans it has for their future management.
Answer
The principal objective of the National Goose Forum is to propose a new national policy framework to manage the interaction between Scotland's goose populations and agricultural interests. It is our intention that this new policy framework will provide the basis for management of all goose populations breeding and wintering in Scotland, including Greenland geese.
- Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 22 November 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 6 December 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-1898 by Sarah Boyack on 25 October 1999, when the report by the National Goose Forum will be published and what the consultation period will be.
Answer
I envisage that the report will be published early in the New Year, with a two-month consultation period, during which time we will also arrange for the report to be considered by the Parliament's relevant committees.
- Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 19 November 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by John Home Robertson on 3 December 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in the light of further outbreaks of infectious salmon anaemia and identification of the virus in wild fish, it will look at the implications of the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organisation Treaty (Oslo resolution 1994) and set up an independent regulatory body for the industry as recommended in the Scottish Salmon Strategy published by Scottish Office in 1997.
Answer
We have no plans to set up such a body. A number of bodies have statutory responsibility for various aspects relating to fish farming. These arrangements are kept under review in the light of the obligations under the Treaty referred to and other obligations.
- Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 19 November 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by John Home Robertson on 1 December 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, following recent outbreaks of Infectious Salmon Anaemia (ISA) and the continuing uncertainty over the origin of the original outbreak, whether it will confirm that it will not seek to change the classification of ISA as a List 1 disease under European Union fish health regulations.
Answer
The matter is essentially one for the European Commission but we have no plans to initiate such a change at this time.
- Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 19 November 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by John Home Robertson on 1 December 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in the light of evidence suggesting the presence of Infectious Salmon Anaemia (ISA) in wild fish stocks, ISA will continue to be classed as an exotic rather than an endemic disease.
Answer
The European Commission has been notified of our findings. The evidence alluded to is small scale. More would be required before the Community embarked on the route suggested.
- Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 23 September 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 12 October 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive why it did not make an earlier statement on issues relating to the lifting of the beef on the bone ban given that the Chief Medical Officer for England issued his latest advice on this matter seven weeks ago, and whether it will take steps to expedite the completion of the Wellcome Trust Centre study in order that further consideration may be given to lifting the ban prior to the main autumn beef cattle sales in October and November.
Answer
All four CMOs have been in discussion on this matter since July. The CMOs met as recently as 8 September to review the current position in an effort to reach common medical advice. This did not prove possible so each CMO then issued individual advice to their respective Ministers.
The CMO England's advice was referred to on Monday 20 September in a statement made by Mr Nick Brown, UK Minister for Agriculture, about aid for farmers. The full advice was published on the MAFF website 22 September 1999; the CMO Scotland's advice was published on the Scottish Executive website the same day. Professor Carter has been keeping this matter under regular review and the published advice reflects his most up to date assessment.Scientists at the Wellcome Trust Centre for Epidemiology of Infectious Disease in Oxford have been asked to provide further analysis of the BSE epidemic in cattle for consideration by the CMOs. They are aiming to complete their analysis as soon as possible.
- Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 10 September 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 24 September 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive what its assessment is of the future for sheep farming in the Highlands and Islands.
Answer
The Scottish Executive fully appreciates the importance of sheep farming to the economy and, particularly, to local communities throughout the Highlands and Islands.We are working hard with the industry to overcome the present difficulties with the aim of securing a sustainable future for crofters and farmers who can provide the type of product for which there is a secure market.
- Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 August 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 14 September 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to find the source of or reason for the toxic algic bloom on the West of Scotland which is causing amnesic shellfish poisoning.
Answer
Marine biotoxins occur worldwide and the international scientific community are researching the causes of these blooms and toxins. The Marine Laboratory, Aberdeen is at the leading edge of this research.Research is currently being funded by the Scottish Executive into various aspects of toxic marine algae and related topics. The current priorities for the Marine Laboratory's biotoxin research are to investigate the mechanisms of algal toxin production and control, establish trends of the occurrence of the toxins and algae in Scottish waters, assess the possibility of harmful organisms being transferred in ship ballast water as well as refining the techniques for detection of the toxins.
- Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 02 September 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 9 September 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied that adequate scientific resources are being applied to the outbreak of Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning.
Answer
Yes - the Marine Laboratory, Aberdeen are carrying out a comprehensive surveillance programme on these toxins and also detailed research studies.
- Asked by: Jamie McGrigor, MSP for Highlands and Islands, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 September 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 9 September 1999
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is satisfied that adequate scientific resources are being applied to the outbreak of Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning.
Answer
Yes - the Marine Laboratory, Aberdeen are carrying out a comprehensive surveillance programme on these toxins and also detailed research studies.
