- Asked by: Robin Harper, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 27 February 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 1 May 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive on what basis the First Minister stated in a letter to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on 25 February 2008 that the proposed acquisition by Edinburgh Zoo of giant pandas was “primarily a commercial transaction which the Royal Bank of Scotland has agreed to underwrite”.
Answer
The First Minister''s statement in his letter to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on 25 February 2008, that the proposed acquisition by Edinburgh Zoo of giant pandas was primarily a commercial transaction which the Royal Bank of Scotland has agreed to underwrite, was based on advice provided by the Royal Zoological Society of Edinburgh.
- Asked by: Robin Harper, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 23 April 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 30 April 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of research from Chile, Canada, America and Norway showing that emamectin benzoate (SLICE) treatments to control sea lice on salmon are decreasingly effective, what actions it will take and what guidance is being considered.
Answer
This question was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor0430-01.htm
- Asked by: Robin Harper, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 26 March 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 22 April 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will follow the Welsh Assembly Government in implementing the precautionary principle by seeking to establish the most effective legislation on GM crops that is compatible with EU and UK legislation.
Answer
It is the Scottish Government''s view that the precautionary principle precludes the cultivation of GM crops.
- Asked by: Robin Harper, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 26 March 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 22 April 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive when it plans to complete the transposition of EU Directive 2004/35/EC on environmental liability.
Answer
We propose to lay regulations before the Scottish Parliament very shortly.
The regulations will come into force the day after they are made. Since they are being made by affirmative procedure, this date will depend on the Parliament''s considerations.
- Asked by: Robin Harper, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 26 March 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 22 April 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will bring forward a public consultation on the coexistence of GM crops, in line with the intention of the Welsh Assembly Government.
Answer
No. The Scottish Government policy is that there should be no cultivation of GM crops in Scotland.
- Asked by: Robin Harper, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 02 April 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 21 April 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive, in light of any confusion and lack of consistency among local authorities regarding the interpretation of guidance on ordinary residence, whether it will consider reviewing this guidance.
Answer
The Scottish Government is currently revising the guidance on Ordinary Residence. Draft guidance was published on 22 October 2008 as part of a public consultation which ran until 19 January 2009. The consultation, including the draft revised guidance, can be found at:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/10/22130010/0.
The Scottish Government is currently considering the responses to the consultation and aims to publish revised guidance later this year.
- Asked by: Robin Harper, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 March 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 19 March 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what further steps have been taken to ensure that the deployment, training and recruitment of health visitors are at the centre of the early years strategy.
Answer
This question was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor0319-01.htm
- Asked by: Robin Harper, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 12 March 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 12 March 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what its priorities are in relation to supporting the visual arts, in particular painting and sculpture.
Answer
This question was answered in the Chamber. The answer can be viewed in the Official Report using the following link: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/business/officialReports/meetingsParliament/or-09/sor0312-01.htm
- Asked by: Robin Harper, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 13 February 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Stewart Stevenson on 2 March 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has had discussions with the UK Government about providing access to the UK bus network for pensioners who are entitled to use the national concessionary travel scheme and, if not, whether it will make representations to the UK Government on this matter.
Answer
Discussions between the devolved administrations and the Department for Transport were held in 2006 about the possibility of mutual recognition of bus passes across the UK. There are no plans at present to introduce reciprocal concessionary travel arrangements between Scotland and other parts of the UK.
- Asked by: Robin Harper, MSP for Lothians, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 30 January 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Michael Russell on 2 March 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-18191 by Linda Fabiani on 9 December 2008, what recommendations it has received from the Secretary of State for International Development, the Secretary of State for Scotland, the Minister for Europe at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the European Commission Office in Edinburgh on the matter of public procurement rules and options for fair trade purchasing.
Answer
The Secretary of State for International Development replied on 22 January. In his reply, the Secretary of State comments that the public procurement process should encourage mainstreaming of fair and ethical trade standards but recognises that this must be carried out in accordance with EU public procurement directives.
The Minister of Europe responded on 12 February in similar terms and confirmed agreement with the response provided by the Secretary of State for International Development.
I await replies from the Secretary of State for Scotland and the European Commission Office in Edinburgh to the letters of 8 December 2008 on this issue.
