- Asked by: Stewart Stevenson, MSP for Banff and Buchan, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 07 March 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 19 March 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what information has been gathered by its Environment and Rural Affairs Department on the rate of transfer of nitrates from groundwater to watercourses in north-east Scotland.
Answer
No specific information has been gathered by the department on this matter. General advice on the exchange of water between groundwaters and watercourses has been obtained by the department from the British Geological Survey as part of its report Groundwater nitrate vulnerable zones for Scotland (Bib. number 18567). Groundwater is, of course, recharged with water from the soil and watercourses. In Scotland, however, rainfall is generally high and therefore main, trunk sections of rivers tend not to lose water to aquifers, but rather gain in volume through groundwater discharges along their length. The rate of this "baseflow" movement varies with a number of factors, including permeability of the aquifer. During periods of flood, river water can recharge river gravels, but only as temporary storage and within months the water generally returns to the river.
- Asked by: Stewart Stevenson, MSP for Banff and Buchan, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 19 February 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Wendy Alexander on 19 March 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what the total cost was of the publication, including the design, photocopying, printing, distribution and launch, of Scotland's Economic Future.
Answer
The total publication costs of the Scotland's Economic Future leaflet were approximately £8,960. The launch took place at "Our Enterprise Strategy" conference held on 12 February, to review progress one year on after the publication of SSS: A strategy for the Enterprise networks. The event was co hosted by the Executive and the Enterprise networks and conference costs were met jointly by the Scottish Executive, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and Scottish Enterprise.
- Asked by: Stewart Stevenson, MSP for Banff and Buchan, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 04 March 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Allan Wilson on 18 March 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has responsibility for any aspect of the implementation of the aggregates tax in areas such as (a) weighing of materials extracted from quarries; (b) the measurement of any environmental impact arising from any increased on-site storage of unsaleable dust; (c) any aspect of enforcement, and (d) any other matter related to the implementation of the tax.
Answer
The Executive has a general responsibility for environmental monitoring, but no specific responsibilities in relation to the aggregates tax.
- Asked by: Stewart Stevenson, MSP for Banff and Buchan, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 04 March 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Allan Wilson on 18 March 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive, in view of its responsibility for the environment, what plans it has for the disposal of any increased volume of dust which may be unsaleable at an economic price as a result of the introduction of the aggregates tax.
Answer
None. The scale of this issue depends on the on-going consideration by Her Majesty's Treasury of the way quarry wastes are taxed.
- Asked by: Stewart Stevenson, MSP for Banff and Buchan, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 04 March 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Allan Wilson on 18 March 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what reduction it anticipates in the number and value of public construction projects for which it, its agencies and other public bodies are responsible as a result of the introduction of the aggregates tax.
Answer
No detailed estimates have been made, but the Scottish Executive does not anticipate a significant reduction in the number and value of public sector construction projects.
- Asked by: Stewart Stevenson, MSP for Banff and Buchan, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 04 March 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 18 March 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive, with regard to comments made by the Deputy First Minister and Minister for Justice to the Justice 1 Committee and Justice 2 Committee joint meeting on 19 September 2001 (Official Report, Col. 117), whether it plans to introduce measurement of the existing incidence of physical chastisement of children.
Answer
The Executive has commissioned research from an independent contractor into the current incidence of physical punishment of children by their parents. This will serve as a base line against which to measure the effect of our proposed legislation. A report is expected during the autumn.
- Asked by: Stewart Stevenson, MSP for Banff and Buchan, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 04 March 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Allan Wilson on 18 March 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to mitigate any effects on construction projects for which it, its agencies and other public bodies are responsible of any reduction in the availability of primary aggregates as a result of the introduction of the aggregates tax.
Answer
None. The Executive expects the supply of primary aggregates to continue to meet demand.
- Asked by: Stewart Stevenson, MSP for Banff and Buchan, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 04 March 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Allan Wilson on 18 March 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage increase it expects in the construction costs of public projects for which it, its agencies and other public bodies are responsible as a result of any rise in the cost of concrete blocks following the introduction of the aggregates tax.
Answer
Responsibility for assessing the economic impact of taxation matters lies with Her Majesty's Treasury. No specific estimate has been made of the percentage increase in construction costs of public sector projects in Scotland. However, the cost of aggregates is normally a small fraction of overall costs, and the impact of the tax can be minimised by use of recycled materials or alternative building techniques.
- Asked by: Stewart Stevenson, MSP for Banff and Buchan, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 04 March 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Allan Wilson on 18 March 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has received from Her Majesty's Government about any impact that the implementation of the aggregates tax will have on projects commissioned by it, its agencies and other public bodies.
Answer
The Executive has not received any information other than that already in the public domain, namely relevant Budget Reports, the Finance Act 2001 and consultations related to the implementation of the tax. None of these relate specifically to the impact of the tax on public sector projects.
- Asked by: Stewart Stevenson, MSP for Banff and Buchan, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 04 March 2002
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Current Status:
Answered by Allan Wilson on 18 March 2002
To ask the Scottish Executive, in view of its responsibility for economic development, what estimate it has made of any increase in the volume of quarrying by-products, such as dust, which will be unsaleable in circumstances where such by-products are replaced in construction projects with other materials which are not subject to the aggregates tax and what the consequent loss will be to Scotland's gross domestic product.
Answer
No such estimate has been made. The taxation of quarry wastes is currently being reviewed by Her Majesty's Treasury.
