- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 07 September 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 18 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it plans to match its thermal generation guidance with that introduced by the UK Government.
Answer
The Scottish Government is awaiting the completion of the UK consultation process before finalising its own thermal generation guidance to ensure that the regulatory framework in broad terms is similar across the UK as a whole, with the overall objective of encouraging CCS deployment and the objective of decarbonisation of the electricity sector by 2030. The UK consultation invited respondents with a particular interest in Scottish Government policy to copy their responses to Scottish ministers.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Monday, 07 September 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Jim Mather on 18 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive for what reason proposals for a coal-fired power station at Hunterston were not included in the public consultation on the second National Planning Framework.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-27009 on 18 September 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 September 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 18 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executivewhen the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment last met European Union officials to discuss electronic identification for sheep and what action was taken as a result.
Answer
I met with Commissioner Vassiliou in March this year and the Director of Animal Health, Bernard Van Goethem, in June. I was informed that the principle of the Regulation would not be overturned. However I received assurances that the Commission were well informed of our issues and they would take account of these in development of the legislation, which they have duly done. I requested a further meeting in July with Commissioner Vassiliou, but due to other commitments it was not possible to secure a meeting with her.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 September 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 18 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports the abolition of EU export refunds in such areas as beef, poultry, eggs, pig meat and live animals.
Answer
EU export subsidies are already subject to restrictions, as agreed in the Uruguay Round of international trade negotiations. Further modifications may be agreed in the context of the current WTO Doha Round. In the interim the Scottish Government supports the European Commission''s approach of applying export subsidies on a case-by-case basis and in compliance with WTO rules.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 September 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 18 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports the abolition of using EU funds to promote meat from farm animals, as proposed in amendment 5260 to the EU agriculture budget.
Answer
The promotional and marketing activity of bodies such as Quality Meat Scotland, which is part funded by the EU, ensures iconic brands such as Scotch beef retain their premium status and contribute to providing a sustainable future for livestock production in Scotland. The Scottish Government would not therefore be in favour of the complete withdrawal of such funding by the EU.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 September 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 18 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it supports the establishment of seed conservation programmes.
Answer
Scottish Government already supports a programme to protect and conserve seed of traditional Scottish varieties and other significant seed collections.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 September 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 18 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to enhance farmers’ and consumers’ initiatives to establish low-carbon emission, low-energy consumption and locally marketed food chains.
Answer
Scottish Government action to reduce emissions from farming is currently based around our Farming for a Better Climate initiative with support through the Scotland Rural Development Programme (SRDP). SRDP also provides assistance to support collaborative activity throughout food chains which assist the marketing of locally produced food.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 September 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 18 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executivewhen the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment last met EU member state representatives to discuss electronic identification for sheep and what action was taken as a result of that meeting.
Answer
I met with Irish and Hungarian Ministers in the margins of the EU Agriculture Council in March 2009 to discuss electronic identification (EID) of sheep. I urged them to support the Scottish position on sheep EID.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 September 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 18 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executivehow many meetings have taken place in the last two months between the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment and European Union officials regarding electronic identification for sheep.
Answer
My officials are in regular contact with European Union officials regarding sheep EID and keep me fully informed of these discussions. I requested a meeting in July with Commissioner Vassiliou prior to the Standing Committee on Food Chain and Animal Health (SCoFCAH) but she was unavailable.
- Asked by: Liam McArthur, MSP for Orkney, Scottish Liberal Democrats
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Date lodged: Friday, 04 September 2009
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Current Status:
Answered by Richard Lochhead on 18 September 2009
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the EU officials with whom the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment has discussed electronic identification for sheep in the last two months and detail any action taken as a result of each discussion.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-26954 on 18 September 2009 All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.
