- Asked by: John Scott, MSP for Ayr, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 September 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 15 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executivewhether the proposed establishment of a register of individuals who have been tested on their knowledge and experience in deer stalking, possibly affecting 20,000 people, is consistent with Scottish Government policy on reducing red tape and bureaucratic burdens in the rural sector and with Scotland’s Wild Deer: A National Approach, which seeks to increase economic activity and participation in deer stalking.
Answer
Scotland''s Wild Deer: A National Approach identified a number of key actions and objectives including the importance of assuring deer welfare as well as objectives relating to increasing participation and economic contribution.
The proposals for minimum standards of competence explicitly seek to build on existing voluntary arrangements.
Deer Commission Scotland (DCS) already runs a register of those considered fit and competent to undertake out of season or night shooting as part of the authorisation process for those activities.
The consultation proposals would relate only to those stalking deer unaccompanied or to those accompanying individuals who were not themselves authorised. The total number of individuals requiring to demonstrate competence would therefore be significantly lower than suggested in the question.
- Asked by: John Scott, MSP for Ayr, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 September 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 15 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executivewhether it is aware of the discredited information on the safety record of deer stalkers contained in the Partial Regulatory Impact Assessment contained in the Wildlife and Natural Environment Bill Consultation document and whether, in the absence of any information to the contrary, it considers that deer stalking is run in a safe and responsible way.
Answer
On page 79 of the Partial Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) it was stated that there have been three fatalities associated with deer stalking in the last four years and research in 2003 suggested over 40% of shots could give rise to welfare concerns. Deer Commission Scotland (DCS) who provided the information in this part of the RIA, issued a statement on 29 June to clarify that the three fatalities referred to in the text related to reports of people killed by rifles. The DCS statement also commented that In addition to these officially reported cases it is important to consider the impact of reports in the media of sporting accidents that have resulted in accidents or near misses. and that the demonstration of competence to kill deer can only help assure the public that stalking can be carried out safely and humanely.
- Asked by: John Scott, MSP for Ayr, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 02 September 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 10 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency over the implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive.
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/sor0910-01.htm
- Asked by: John Scott, MSP for Ayr, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 August 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 24 August 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it intends to take to resolve the issues relating to the dairy sector identified in the European Commission report, Dairy market situation 2009, published in July 2009.
Answer
The Scottish Government is taking proactive steps on a range of issues to address the issues highlighted in the European Commission''s Dairy market report.
- Asked by: John Scott, MSP for Ayr, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 August 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 24 August 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the dairy sector relating to the issues identified in the European Commission report, Dairy market situation 2009, published in July 2009.
Answer
The Scottish Government is in regular contact with the Scottish dairy sector on a range of issues including the European Commission dairy market report.
- Asked by: John Scott, MSP for Ayr, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 06 August 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 24 August 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs relating to the issues identified in the European Commission report, Dairy market situation 2009, published in July 2009.
Answer
The Scottish Government is in regular contact with Defra, and the other Rural Affairs Departments, to consider the UK response to the European Commission''s report on the Dairy industry.
- Asked by: John Scott, MSP for Ayr, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 18 June 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 13 July 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive, given discontent at the lack of available days at sea and notwithstanding the changes that came into force on 1 May 2009, whether it plans to challenge the underlying European regulation in order to make more days at sea available to Scottish fishermen.
Answer
The Scottish Government has been working closely with the fishing industry to maximise the days at sea available in 2009 to Scottish fishing vessels, while also ensuring that progress continues in building the sustainability of our cod and other important fish stocks.
The EU regulations governing the days at sea regime “ 1342/2008 and 43/2009 “ set the maximum allowable fishing effort for member states'' fleets for the period 1 February 2009 to 31 January 2010. Our efforts are being devoted to secure a fair deal in the forthcoming negotiations to take account of a scientific assessment of our conservation buy backs and the socio-economic needs of the industry.
- Asked by: John Scott, MSP for Ayr, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 18 June 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 9 July 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that the data held on microchips implanted in horses cannot be deliberately erased by those seeking to conceal their ownership of these animals prior to their abandonment as has been happening elsewhere in the United Kingdom.
Answer
The Scottish Government, along with colleagues from Northern Ireland, England, and Wales are unaware of any incidents of microchips being wiped prior to animals being abandoned.
Microchips to be used under the new horse passport regulations must adhere to internationally recognised ISO standards covering radio frequency identification (RFID). RFID chips are not magnetically encoded; therefore magnets or tape erasers will not affect the chip. This is the same technology that has been used for several years with the pet travel scheme where no problem of erased data has been detected.
- Asked by: John Scott, MSP for Ayr, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 18 June 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 9 July 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what it is doing to make horse owners and keepers aware of their new responsibilities under the amended Equine Identification Regulations 2009 that come into force on 1 July 2009.
Answer
The Scottish Government worked with the horse industry in preparing the new legislation. We are currently finalising guidance that has been produced in partnership with the horse industry. The guidance will be sent to all Passport Issuing Offices (PIO) for them to pass on to their members. This guidance will also be published on the Scottish Government website.
- Asked by: John Scott, MSP for Ayr, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 05 June 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 16 June 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to the Home Office regarding visas for non-European Economic Area crew members currently crewing Scottish boats.
Answer
I have written to Phil Woolas, the Minister of State for Borders and Immigration, twice this year requesting a meeting to discuss the UK Border Agency''s enforcement of existing immigration laws in respect of non-EEA crew members currently crewing Scottish vessels. The Scottish Government will do everything in our power to ensure that any action taken is managed in such a way that it does not jeopardise the operation of our fleets.
