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-33209

Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 15 January 2003
Current Status: Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 23 January 2003

To ask the Scottish Executive what the function of the Lanarkshire Health Executive, Unit 19, Enterprise House, Dal'iel Street, Motherwell is; what dealings it has had with this organisation, and what monitoring has been put in place regarding the quality of service the organisation delivers.

Question reference: S1W-32879

Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 December 2002
Current Status: Answered by Allan Wilson on 15 January 2003

To ask the Scottish Executive what the total catch of salmon was in 2002, broken down by area and type of fishery.

Question reference: S1W-32567

Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 December 2002
Current Status: Answered by Ross Finnie on 13 January 2003

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-31495 by Ross Finnie on 25 November 2002, whether it is aware of a letter from it to Mr Daniel Quinn, dated 1 October 2001, reference number of 2001/00263560R, that refers to previous correspondence regarding the eviction of the tenants from Powhillon Farm, Dumfriesshire, on 9 June 1999 and whether it will give an updated position on its involvement in the matter.

Question reference: S1W-32568

Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 December 2002
Current Status: Answered by Ross Finnie on 13 January 2003

To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-31496 by Ross Finnie on 25 November 2002, what information it has received about any complaint relating to the eviction of the tenants from Powhillon Farm, Dumfriesshire, on 9 June 1999 that is currently being considered by Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary; whether it will enquire further into the status of all complaints and investigations in respect of this matter, and whether it will give an updated position in respect of the original question.

No complaints relating to this eviction are the subject of investigation by the Scottish Executive. I understand that a complaint has been made against Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary and that this is currently under investigation by Dumfries and Galloway Council as the Police Authority for the area. Complaints against the police in Scotland are regulated by statute, principally the Police (Scotland) Act 1967, the Police (Conduct) (Scotland) Regulations 1996 and the Police (Conduct) (Senior Officers) (Scotland) Regulations 1999. In these circumstances, I have nothing further to add.

Question reference: S1W-32682

Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 December 2002
Current Status: Answered by Ross Finnie on 10 January 2003

To ask the Scottish Executive what the rights and responsibilities would be of owners of one foot square plots of land, such as those presently being sold on Clett Island, off Skye.

Question reference: S1W-32683

Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 December 2002
Current Status: Answered by Ross Finnie on 10 January 2003

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ensure that any future land legislation includes a prohibition on the sale of very small plots of land within larger land holdings and marketed as novelty gifts or opportunities to own part of Scotland's heritage.

Question reference: S1W-32681

Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 December 2002
Current Status: Answered by Ross Finnie on 10 January 2003

To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the proposed sale of Clett Island, off Skye, in plots each of one foot square.

Section 4(2)(b) of the Land Registration (Scotland) Act 1979 provides that an application for registration in the Land Register of Scotland shall not be accepted by the Keeper of the Registers of Scotland if it relates to land which is a souvenir plot, that is a piece of land which, being of inconsiderable size or no practical utility, is unlikely to be wanted in isolation except for the sake of mere ownership or for sentimental reasons or for commemorative purposes.The Island of Skye, being in the County of Inverness is subject to that act and accordingly the plots in question could not be registered. The operation of the Land Register will be extended to all the remaining counties of Scotland on 1 April 2003 at which point in time registration of souvenir plots will be impossible anywhere in Scotland. Inability to register a souvenir plot means that the purchaser can only get a personal right of ownership. He or she cannot get a real right protected by the state guarantee that underpins a registered title.The position of the Scottish Executive on the purported sale of souvenir plots is reflected in the terms of the above mentioned legislation. The Executive would advise that any individuals participating in transactions of this nature should be aware that there is no true purchase involved as no title can be obtained to the plot of land. In view of the fact that titles cannot be registered to the plots, it is not known what rights and responsibilities attach to the "owners" of the small plots of land, but any such rights and responsibilities would be of a personal nature. For the same reason is it not known what acreage of Scotland has been "sold off" in plots of a very small size. It is not known how many such schemes there have been in the last 20 years. The Registers of Scotland have no knowledge of any problems caused by them.

Question reference: S1W-32685

Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 December 2002
Current Status: Answered by Ross Finnie on 10 January 2003

To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it can take to prohibit plots of land of one foot square on Clett Island, off Skye, being sold and marketed as novelty gifts and what measures can be taken to ensure that ownership of such plots is reclaimed from anybody that has already acquired it.

Question reference: S1W-32684

Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 December 2002
Current Status: Answered by Ross Finnie on 10 January 2003

To ask the Scottish Executive what advice it would give to individuals considering purchasing plots of land of one foot square on Clett Island, off Skye.

Question reference: S1W-32686

Asked by: Michael Russell, MSP for South of Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 17 December 2002
Current Status: Answered by Ross Finnie on 10 January 2003

To ask the Scottish Executive what acreage of Scotland has been sold off in plots of very small si'e with the aim of securing only novelty ownership; how many such schemes there have been in the last 20 years, and what difficulties any such schemes have caused for (a) owners and (b) any others.