Chamber and committees

The effectiveness of animal welfare enforcement is reviewed at animal welfare liaison meetings, held on a regular basis between staff of animal health divisional offices, local authorities, the Scottish SPCA and stakeholders. Animal health staff also meet local authority and Scottish SPCA colleagues both at national and local level to discuss individual cases and possible improvements in resolving welfare issues generally.

Animal health staff visit farms to monitor the compliance with pig welfare legislation. Both random visits and visits in response to complaints are undertaken, with priority given where a complaint indicates a serious welfare problem. Any farm where poor welfare standards were identified at an initial inspection is subjected to a further inspection.

Animal welfare enforcement is not limited to prosecutions and in less serious cases enforcement officers adopt an advisory and educational approach, as this can be a better way to improve and maintain animal welfare on farms. Serious breaches of animal welfare legislation generally result in a case being submitted to the Procurator Fiscal, while less serious cases will often result in the serving of an improvement notice. Animal health staff report that compliance with notices is high and they are an effective and proportionate way to enforce welfare legislation before resorting to a prosecution.

The Scottish Government did not incur any spend on opinion polls or market research over the period 2007-08 and does not routinely commission or undertake this type of work.

Scottish Water (SW) has been required in its present investment programme to meet the strategic capacity requirements of all estimated new development in Scotland. This duty is caveated only by the limitation on making connections beyond what can be done at reasonable cost.

In April 2006, new regulations, The Provision of Water and Sewerage Services (Reasonable Cost) (Scotland) Regulation 2006 came into force. For the first time, they defined the calculation of reasonable cost. This is the contribution that SW will make towards the costs of making a connection to the public water or wastewater networks. The person/developer seeking the connection would be required to pay the balance of the costs involved beyond the reasonable cost contribution from SW.

There will be circumstances in parts of Scotland where it is not physically possible to provide such connections to the public networks other than at unreasonable cost, or where people chose not to connect to the networks. However, SW can advise on this process including estimated costs, and their website includes a helpful section called “Getting Connected”. They can also be contacted through the customer helpline at 0845-601-8855 or at the dedicated email address:

[email protected].

Since the answer to question S3W-12010, the Pig Sector Task Force has completed its work and reported to the Scottish Government. I am currently considering the report and will respond as soon as possible.

From 2003 to 2007, the value of Scottish beef exports was as follows:

	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007
£ million	Nil	Nil	Nil	12	15

No precise information is available on the weight of these exports.

It is estimated that 10-15% of exports were non-Scottish origin.

Following detailed negotiations with the European Commission, we are submitting changes to the Scotland Rural Development Programme aimed at including an animal welfare management programme; including three additional food quality assurance schemes (the QMS Assurance Scheme - Cattle and Sheep, the QMS Assurance Scheme - Pigs, and the Scottish Quality Assurance Combineable Crops Scheme); and correcting a number of typographical errors in the Programme. During discussions with the Commission it became clear that, under the terms of the Rural Development Regulation (EC Regulation 1698/2005), it would not be possible to reinstate the farm visits programme.

First Minister met Mr Peter Barr, Chairman of Vion UK, and Daan van Doorn, Vion’s Chief Executive Officer, on 3rd July to discuss a range of issues relating to Vion’s takeover of the Grampian Country Food Group.

The First Minister met Mr Peter Barr, Chairman of Vion UK, and Daan van Doorn, Vion’s Chief Executive Officer, on 3 July 2008 to discuss a range of issues relating to Vion’s takeover of the Grampian Country Food Group.

The First Minister met with Peter Barr, Chairman of Vion UK, and Daan van Doorn, Vion’s Chief Executive Officer, on 3 July 2008 and discussed a range of actions on which to build a constructive relationship going forward.

The development of the sector is a commercial matter for individual businesses. However, support of £60 million is available over six years (2008-13) to businesses in the agriculture processing industry – including the meat sector - through the Food Processing, Marketing and Co-operation Grant Scheme. The scheme is part of the Scotland Rural Development Programme.

In addition, the Scottish Government is providing £300,000 to Quality Meat Scotland for a project aimed at adding value to red meat carcases. It is thought this market could generate an extra £3 million a year for the industry.