Questions and answers

Question reference: S3W-14216

Asked by: Mike Rumbles, MSP for West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 13 June 2008
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 19 June 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive when it plans to hold a further public consultation on sustainable flood management and the way it will be implemented.

Question reference: S3W-14213

Asked by: Mike Rumbles, MSP for West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 13 June 2008
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 19 June 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive how much food waste was generated in Scotland in each of the last five years.

The Scottish Government does not hold accurate data on total food waste arisings in Scotland in each of the last five years. However, the amount of household food waste generated in Scotland is estimated by Waste Aware Scotland’s “Love Food, Hate Waste Campaign” to be 587,000 tonnes per year. In addition to that figure, data is collected by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) about commercial and industrial (C&I) food waste.

Waste Data Digest 7 indicates that the food and drink sector produced 430,000 tonnes of waste in 2005. SEPA is working to improve the quality of C&I waste data.

Question reference: S3W-14214

Asked by: Mike Rumbles, MSP for West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 13 June 2008
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 19 June 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment has been made of the new flood defence scheme on the Clyde, Irvine and Kelvin rivers.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) launched a flood warning scheme for the Clyde, Irvine and Kelvin rivers in February 2007. This provides advance warning of fluvial flooding for up to 12,000 properties. SEPA liaise with the local authorities in these areas and Strathclyde Police to ensure flood warning procedures are tested and are appropriate. It also receives regular feedback on its live internet reports of flood forecasts, the flood early warning system, that are available to these organisations.

Question reference: S3W-14217

Asked by: Mike Rumbles, MSP for West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 13 June 2008
Current Status: Answered by Michael Russell on 19 June 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to introduce the Flood Prevention (Scotland) Bill.

Question reference: S3W-13897

Asked by: Mike Rumbles, MSP for West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 June 2008
Current Status: Answered by Jim Mather on 18 June 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive when the next round of the Scottish Biomass Support Scheme will be launched.

The Scottish Government has substantially increased the funding available for microgeneration and community renewables, allowing us to direct more funding towards projects using a wide range of technologies, including biomass. For the first time, businesses will now be eligible for interest free loans to install microgeneration, which includes biomass.

In addition, the Scottish rural development programme offers a number of options that provide support towards the purchase and installation of equipment to enable the development of small scale renewable energy capacity, including biomass.

We are currently considering future support for biomass projects outwith these categories, and will take into account the potential to increase support for biomass under the Renewables Obligation (Scotland) as well as the progress made by projects supported under the Scottish Biomass Support Scheme.

Question reference: S3W-14107

Asked by: Mike Rumbles, MSP for West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 June 2008
Current Status: Answered by Shona Robison on 17 June 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects oxygen conservation devices to be included in the Scottish Drug Tariff.

Question reference: S3W-13891

Asked by: Mike Rumbles, MSP for West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 June 2008
Current Status: Answered by Kenny MacAskill on 17 June 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive how many complaints about wildlife crime have been (a) received and (b) investigated by each Scottish police force in each of the last three years for which figures are available; of these, how many prosecutions were (i) brought and (ii) successful following investigation, and how many full-time gamekeepers were convicted as a result of such prosecutions.

Information on the number of complaints received and investigated by police forces is not held centrally, nor is information on the professions of those proceeded against. The available information on the number of crimes recorded by the police and persons proceeded against in Scottish courts is shown in the following tables.

Numbers of Wildlife Crimes¹ Recorded, by Police Force Area 2004-05 to 2006-07

Police Force	2004-05	2005-06	2006-07
Central	27	23	25
Dumfries and Galloway	12	9	14
Fife	14	52	17
Grampian	37	41	72
Lothian and Borders	24	111	130
Northern	23	26	16
Strathclyde	64	61	94
Tayside	24	9	12
Scotland	225	332	380

Note: 1. Includes the offences categories of cruelty to animals (excluding dogs), animal offences (excluding dogs and birds), offences involving birds, hunting with dogs, cruelty to wild animals, offences involving badgers, and other wildlife offences.

Persons Proceeded Against in Scottish Courts for Wildlife Crime Offences¹ (where Main Offence), by Police Force Area 2004-05 to 2006-07

Police Force	2004-05	2005-06	2006-07
Central	4	10	8
Dumfries and Galloway	10	10	8
Fife	3	2	3
Grampian	12	22	19
Lothian and Borders	13	15	18
Northern	19	18	12
Strathclyde	33	18	54
Tayside	7	16	21
Scotland	101	111	143

Note: 1. Includes the offences categories of cruelty to animals (excluding dogs), animal offences (excluding dogs and birds), offences involving birds, hunting with dogs, cruelty to wild animals, offences involving badgers, and other wildlife offences.

Persons with a Charge Proved for Wildlife Crime Offences¹ (where Main Offence), by Police Force Area 2004-05 to 2006-07

Police Force	2004-05	2005-06	2006-07
Central	3	8	4
Dumfries and Galloway	6	5	6
Fife	3	2	3
Grampian	8	18	13
Lothian and Borders	6	14	16
Northern	13	18	11
Strathclyde	28	15	46
Tayside	5	10	11
Scotland	72	90	110

Note: 1. Includes the offences categories of cruelty to animals (excluding dogs), animal offences (excluding dogs and birds), offences involving birds, hunting with dogs, cruelty to wild animals, offences involving badgers, and other wildlife offences.

Some caution is needed when comparing figures between recorded crime and court proceedings as a person may be proceeded against for more than one crime and there is the possibility that the crime recorded by the police may be altered in the course of judicial proceedings. In addition a crime may be recorded by the police in one year and court proceedings concluded in a subsequent year.

Question reference: S3W-13730

Asked by: Mike Rumbles, MSP for West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 30 May 2008
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 13 June 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects its expert panel on alternatives to the common fisheries policy to report to the Scottish Fisheries Council.

Question reference: S3W-13729

Asked by: Mike Rumbles, MSP for West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 30 May 2008
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 13 June 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive whether its expert panel on alternatives to the common fisheries policy has consulted, or plans to consult, the North Atlantic Seafood Forum.

Question reference: S3W-13728

Asked by: Mike Rumbles, MSP for West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine, Scottish Liberal Democrats
Date lodged: Friday, 30 May 2008
Current Status: Answered by Richard Lochhead on 12 June 2008

To ask the Scottish Executive whether its expert panel on alternatives to the common fisheries policy has consulted, or plans to consult, the European Commission.

Chamber and committees