- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 02 May 2000
-
Current Status:
Answered by Susan Deacon on 22 August 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are any plans to change the role or composition of local health councils.
Answer
While there are no current plans to change the role or composition of local Health Councils, the Executive is committed to improving patient and public involvement in the NHS and is currently examining how effective involvement can best be ensured. In recognition of their key role the Executive has provided the Scottish Association of Health Councils with funding to employ two Development Officers to improve the focus of the work of local councils.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Monday, 17 April 2000
-
Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 22 August 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will define the scope of its proposals for strategic environmental assessment.
Answer
I refer the member to the reply given to question S1W-6204.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Monday, 17 April 2000
-
Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 22 August 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans for pilot programmes of strategic environmental assessment.
Answer
Strategic environmental assessment will be a valuable tool in the delivery of our Programme for Government commitment to delivery of sustainable development. The Ministerial Group on Sustainable Scotland has already taken significant steps to ensure that sustainable development is embedded in Government and these will take effect over coming months. Some of these may require us to proceed in pilot or trial mode: for example, the development of sustainable development indicators.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Monday, 17 April 2000
-
Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 22 August 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will outline the scope of any research it is currently funding on the development of systems of strategic environmental assessment.
Answer
We have commissioned consultants to develop a trial set of indicators of sustainable development, which may be of importance in the application of strategic environmental assessment.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Monday, 17 April 2000
-
Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 22 August 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what progress it has made to date in implementing its strategic environmental assessment policies.
Answer
Strategic environmental assessment will be a valuable tool in the delivery of our Programme for Government commitment to delivery of sustainable development. The Ministerial Group on Sustainable Scotland has already taken significant steps to ensure that sustainable development is embedded in Government and these will take effect over coming months. The EC Directive is now expected to be adopted by the end of the year. The clarity and uniformity which the EC Directive offers will be of considerable assistance in enabling organisations to make decisions about programmes for themselves. We believe it important to implement the Directive as it finally emerges rather than to act prematurely on an interim text.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 July 2000
-
Current Status:
Answered by Donald Dewar on 21 August 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive when it last met representatives of the Crown Estate and what matters were discussed.
Answer
The Scottish Executive is in regular contact with the Crown Estate on a range of issues.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 July 2000
-
Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 10 August 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is encouraging Executive Agencies and other public bodies within its responsibility to run their vehicles on Liquid Petroleum Gas (LPG) and, if so, which agencies and bodies (a) already run LPG powered vehicles, (b) are in the process of converting their fleet to include LPG powered vehicles and (c) have plans in place to convert their fleet to include LPG powered vehicles.
Answer
The Scottish Executive disseminates information and encourages Executive Agencies and other public bodies to consider converting their vehicles to run on LPG through its participation in the UK-wide Powershift scheme. Responsibility for purchasing vehicles is a matter for each organisation. Exchequer-funded bodies are ineligible to receive funds from the Powershift programme. There is no requirement for such bodies to inform the Executive of their plans to convert existing vehicles to alternative fuels or to purchase new ones.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Thursday, 13 July 2000
-
Current Status:
Answered by John Home Robertson on 3 August 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has made representations to Her Majesty's Government or to the Crown Estate regarding the production tax imposed by the Crown Estate on Scottish aquaculture businesses.
Answer
The Scottish Executive is constantly in touch with the UK Government on a range of matters. Lease rentals have also featured in discussions which the Scottish Executive has held with the Crown Estate Commissioners.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Friday, 19 May 2000
-
Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 17 July 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it monitors the use of passive solar designs in Scotland.
Answer
The Scottish Executive is committed to the promotion of renewable sources of energy. Although the use of passive solar power in the design and construction of buildings in Scotland is not monitored, we would expect that it would play a part in meeting Scotland's future energy needs.
- Asked by: Tavish Scott, MSP for Shetland, Scottish Liberal Democrats
-
Date lodged: Friday, 14 July 2000
-
Current Status:
Answered by John Home Robertson on 14 July 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive what role the Scottish Fisheries Agency will have in enforcing new regulations in international waters in the north east Atlantic.
Answer
The international waters of the North East Atlantic are regulated by the North East Atlantic Fisheries Commission, (NEAFC), of which the European Union is a Contracting Party. As of last year, new EU regulations on the control and enforcement of fishing activity in these waters came into being. Scottish fishermen have a strong interest in these waters, particularly the Atlanto-Scandian Herring fishery. All EU Member States which fish in these waters are being asked to help met the EU's enforcement obligation for this year. Vessels of the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency (SFPA) will patrol the Atlanto-Scandian Herring fishery in the waters north of Norway over a three week period next month. In order that SFPA officers are able to regulate and enforce against foreign vessels in international waters, new powers are required by the Scottish Ministers to appoint officers as NEAFC Inspectors. I am therefore pleased to announce that an Order that enables the Scottish Ministers to assume these powers has been laid today before the UK Parliament. The Sea Fishing (North East Atlantic Control Measures) Order 2000 has been drafted in close consultation with the Scottish Executive and comes into force on 1 August. A copy of the Order will be placed in SPICe.
