- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 18 April 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 4 May 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made any representations regarding mandatory public liability insurance for farms involved in GM crop trials and, if so, to whom these representations were made.
Answer
No. The Scottish Executive's main priority has always been to ensure the protection of the environment and human health. The farm scale trials are the latest in a comprehensive series of rigorous tests designed to ensure that the crops concerned are safe to human and animal health, and to the environment. There are currently no provisions in Scots or UK law covering liability for damage caused specifically by genetically modified organisms. However, under the terms of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, there are powers to prosecute where conditions attached to a deliberate release consent are breached.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 30 March 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 2 May 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-4879 by Sarah Boyack on 27 March 2000, (a) when transport consultants SIAS were instructed to carry out the study on road widening, (b) what are the terms of reference of the study, (c) what is the cost of the study and (d) when it intends to publish the study.
Answer
The study referred to in my earlier answer (S1W-4879) was commissioned in 1998 and assesses the benefits that would accrue from the implementation of either hard shoulders or a third lane between Baberton and Lothianburn.
The cost of the study was £8,171.31 including VAT.
Given that the primary function of the study was to inform and guide the ongoing maintenance strategy on the City Bypass, it was not intended that the report would be published in its own right. However I have arranged for a copy of the report to be lodged with SPICe.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 27 March 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 2 May 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Freight Facilities Grant paid to Safeway imposed any restriction on backloading; if so, why and, in this connection, whether any Highland manufacturers have sought either reciprocal facilities or an opportunity to backload.
Answer
No conditions are attached to the Freight Facilities Grant awarded to Safeway which restrict the company from backloading. I understand that Safeway is willing to explore options with any company for backloading on the basis that this would not interfere with its current operation. The decision is an operational matter for Safeway.The Scottish Executive has not received approaches from any company about this matter.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 02 March 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 2 May 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail any representations it has made to Her Majesty's Government and to the European Parliament and the European Union during the last six months in respect of genetically modified organisms.
Answer
The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the United Kingdom Government on a range of matters including GM issues.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 21 March 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 28 April 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration it gave to rail alternatives, in particular the reopening of the Bilston Glen line, when considering proposals for the A701.
Answer
There are no rail alternatives relevant to the A701 proposal. In making a decision on the Notice of Intention to Develop, the public transport issues identified in the structure plan were taken into account.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 September 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 27 April 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive how many Community Service Orders were imposed in Edinburgh over the last five years and, for each of those years, how many of these orders were (a) completed within the allotted time of one year, (b) subject to breach of community service proceedings and (c) completed but in a period of time in excess of one year.
Answer
The total number of Community Service Orders imposed in Edinburgh Sheriff Court in the most recent five years for which data is available is given in the following table. The figures refer to the number of people for whom a Community Service Order was the main penalty imposed. The other information requested is not held centrally.
Year of Sentence | Number |
1993 | 723 |
1994 | 651 |
1995 | 573 |
1996 | 632 |
1997 | 604 |
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 30 March 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 27 April 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S1W-5239, S1W-5240 and S1W-5241 by Sarah Boyack on 24 March 2000, how it will implement or fulfil the Partnership Agreement pledge to introduce strategic environmental assessment for all Government policies in the term of its government, given that the EU Directive is not yet finalised and will have a three year period before it requires implementation.
Answer
Strategic environmental assessment will be a valuable tool in the delivery of our Programme for Government commitment to delivery of sustainable development. The Ministerial Group on Sustainable Scotland has already taken significant steps to ensure that sustainable development is embedded in government and these will take effect over coming months. The EC Directive is now expected to be adopted by the end of the year. This will enable the Scottish Executive to develop a programme for implementation enabling fulfilment of our Programme for Government pledge.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 27 March 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 27 April 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive how many roads have been detrunked since May 1997, specifying the distance detrunked in each case.
Answer
The Scottish Executive has detrunked the following sections of road since May 1997. The reclassification followed their replacement by new sections of trunk road with the exception of the A814 Garelochhead Bypass, which has been removed from the trunk road network.
Route | Section | Length (km) |
A74(M) | Paddys Rickle Bridge-Hardhope | 6.71 |
A74(M) | Middlegill-Beattock | 2.15 |
A74(M) | Beattock-Dinwoodie Green | 13.20 |
M9 | Newbridge Interchange | 0.35 |
A9 | Logie Easter-Garrick Bridge | 1.15 |
A75 | The Glen Improvement | 4.00 |
A814 | Garelochhead Bypass | 3.41 |
A828 | Creagan Bridge Diversion | 8.80 |
A830 | Polnish Bridge-Loch Nan Uamh | 1.05 |
A96 | Blackburn Bypass | 3.30 |
A96 | Kintore Bypass | 3.60 |
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 31 March 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 27 April 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of the amount of money ring fenced and earmarked for the opening of the Larkhall rail line and the source of that funding.
Answer
As well as seeking funding under the Public Private Partnership arrangements, for which the project may be eligible for up to £2.26 million per annum level playing field support, the Strathclyde Passenger Transport Authority was awarded £5 million from the Scottish Executive's 1998-99 Transport Challenge Fund towards the cost of the Larkhall to Milngavie rail route project.
- Asked by: Kenny MacAskill, MSP for Lothians, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 29 March 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 27 April 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it will make to the Office of Fair Trading regarding the operation of Trust Port Authorities, in particular Cromarty Firth Ports.
Answer
The Executive maintains contact with UK regulatory bodies, including the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) on matters of mutual interest, or where it is consulted by OFT in the course of their work.
