Chamber and committees

Existing sheep identification and traceability requirements are set out in the Sheep and Goats Identification (Scotland) Regulations 2000. With the relaxation of movement arrangements from 1 September, including the opening of markets, a number of measures were introduced for disease control purposes, including the requirement for individual identification of sheep and for the recording of movements.Initially the arrangements from 1 September were restricted to one movement, including via a market, plus a further move direct to slaughter. The disease situation is being closely monitored and relaxations are made when it is considered safe to do so. As from 1 November a second movement of sheep has been permitted and the requirement for individual identification of sheep going to slaughter has been removed.Currently consideration is being given to the identification and traceability arrangements for the new lamb crop.

The information requested is as follows:

Aberdeen	4	Inverness	23
Arbroath	3	Kirkwall	5
Ayr	1	Kirkcaldy	6
Ballantrae	9	Leith	15
Buckie	12	Lerwick	13
Banff	22	Newry	3
Berwick-on-Tweed	1	Oban	6
Campbeltown	6	Peterhead	32
Castlebay	1	Rothesay	1
Dumfries	2	Stornoway	11
Exeter	1	Tarbert	3
Fleetwood	1	Ullapool	1
Fraserburgh	32	Wick	1
Hull	1	Whitby	1
Hartlepool	1

Effective traceability is important in disease control terms, as it enables the speedy tracing of animals that could have been the source of infection or which have been in contact with the disease, thereby reducing the spread of disease by allowing control measures to be implemented swiftly. It does not in itself prevent outbreaks of disease.

The livestock auction industry, as with other key industry sectors, have been represented at the regular FMD Stakeholder Meetings with Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department Officials, set up to discuss foot-and-mouth disease related measures - including sheep traceability issues. Additional meetings have also been held with representatives of the livestock auction industry to discuss issues of specific interest. They will continue to be consulted on future arrangements.

The Executive does not hold details of fishermen employed on individual fishing vessels.

The value of the total number of grant bids received under the scheme is just over £55 million. Subject to outstanding checks on information provided in application forms, the value of bids considered eligible, and to be included in the evaluation and ranking process, is a little under £50 million.

Subject to checks, which have still to be made on some applications, 197 eligible applications for grant under the Scottish scheme have been received.

Responding to 999 calls is an operational matter for the Scottish Ambulance Service. I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-19057.

Operational matters, including decisions on which ambulance stations should operate on a full-time basis, are for the Scottish Ambulance Service in the first instance. Health Department officials have discussed with Ambulance Service management the implications of converting to full-time operation a number of ambulance stations in Scotland, alongside other operational issues. The Ambulance Service will make decisions about these matters in light of information about patient care benefits, expected performance improvements, legal requirements, competing priorities and availability of resources.The Scottish Executive has allocated the Ambulance Service a total recurring revenue budget of £101.1 million in 2001-02, an increase of 5.8% on last year. For 2002-03, the service has been given an indicative allocation of £107.6 million - a further 6.3% increase.

Staffing arrangements for ambulance vehicles is an operational matter for the Scottish Ambulance Service. I refer the member to the answer given to question S1W-19057.