- Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 23 November 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 5 December 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with squirrel organisations and local authorities in the north of England regarding the spread and control of grey squirrels and what action it has taken in collaboration with such organisations.
Answer
The UK Red Squirrel Group co-ordinatesactions to support red squirrel conservation. The relevant Scottish statutory agenciesare represented on this group as are those from the north of England. Thisprovides a forum for discussion of cross-border issues and for sharing informationand good practice.
The Scottish Red Squirrel ActionPlan 2006-2011, recognised the importance of targetted grey squirrel control asthe most effective approach to red squirrel conservation. It also recognised theparticular risks currently facing red squirrels in the south of Scotland from thespread of grey squirrels testing positive for Squirrelpox virus antibodies. Actionhas been taken by SNH and FCS to control the flow of potentially infected grey squirrelsfrom the Cumbria region through the employment of grey squirrel controlofficers.
- Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 23 November 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 5 December 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Scottish Red Squirrel Action Plan 2006-2011 will be directed by one nominated individual with the responsibility for the plan’s implementation.
Answer
The Red Squirrel Action Planidentifies the need for action by a number of bodies. SNH and FCS both have significantroles in red squirrel conservation activity and the SNH Species Framework will providethe context for developing longer term strategies for action on red squirrels andfor other priority species.
- Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 23 November 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 5 December 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to stop the illegal releasing of grey squirrels into the wild.
Answer
Grey squirrels are listed onSchedule 9 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. This schedule lists those specieswhich it is illegal to release into the wild. Anyone who releases a grey squirrelinto the wild is guilty of an offence and would be liable to prosecution. The investigationof criminal activity is a matter for the police.
- Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 23 November 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 5 December 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether there are, or will be, funds available to carry out research into the immuno-contraception of grey squirrels.
Answer
The Scottish Red Squirrel ActionPlan 2006-2011, published recently by Scottish Natural Heritage, noted the needto identify and implement cost-effective methods of grey squirrel control. Immunocontraceptionis one method currently under consideration; funding is currently being providedfor investigation of this as a potential method of long-term control and trialsare underway to investigate methods of targeting delivery of chemical sterilantfor grey squirrel control.
- Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 23 November 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 5 December 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will undertake a mapping programme for grey squirrels to identify the exact whereabouts and extent of the spread of grey squirrels.
Answer
I am not aware of any plans tomap grey squirrel populations on a national scale. The Red Squirrel Action planincludes the mapping of red squirrel strongholds and areas where incursions of greysquirrels are most likely, with the intention that control measures will then betargeted on those areas.
- Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 23 November 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 5 December 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with the European Union in relation to the spread of grey squirrels and their impact on biodiversity.
Answer
Communication with the EuropeanUnion on the impacts of non-native species is co-ordinated through the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
- Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 10 November 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Tavish Scott on 4 December 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list its 10 top priority road improvement initiatives and what action is being taken to implement them.
Answer
Scottish Executive ministersdo not have a “top ten” list of priority road schemes. The current schemes beingtaken forward are as follows:
Kincardine Bridge: Under construction
A68 Dalkeith Bypass
A90 Glendoick and Kinfauns Interchanges
M74 Completion: Tenders Invited
A9 Ballinluig
A830 Arisaig – Loch Nan Uamh
A75 Overtaking Opportunities
M80 Stepps – Haggs: Bidding InterestsInvited
M8 Baillieston – Newhouse: Majorschemes being prepared
M8 Associated network improvements
Aberdeen Western Peripheral Road
A725/M74 Raith Interchange
Schemes to improve the trunkroad network are published on the Transport Scotland Website
http://www.transportscotland.gov.uk/.Transport Scotland should be contacted for further information regarding these schemes.
- Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 10 November 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Tavish Scott on 22 November 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list the 20 road stretches or junctions that have had the highest (a) accident and (b) fatality rates in each of the last five years.
Answer
Information in the form requestedis not available centrally.
Detailed statistics on road accidentsand casualties are published annually in Road Accidents Scotland, copiesof which are available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre. Road AccidentsScotland 2005, to be published on 24 November 2006, will include a range oftables giving accident rates per million vehicle kilometres and casualty rates perthousand population.
- Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 October 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 14 November 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will commission any studies into adverse affects of hormone replacement therapy.
Answer
The Chief Scientist Office (CSO) within the Scottish Executive Health Department hasresponsibility for encouraging and supporting research into health andhealthcare needs in Scotland. CSO does notnormally commission research but supports research projects of a sufficientlyhigh standard initiated by the researchcommunity in Scotland. This role is well known and advertised throughoutthe healthcare and academic community.
CSO is currently funding onesmall project on the experience of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) amongyoung women with premature ovarian failure but nothing specifically on adverseaffects of HRT. CSO would be pleased to consider proposals for research in thisarea which would be subject to the usual peer and committee review.
- Asked by: Murdo Fraser, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 October 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 14 November 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is aware of any concerns from the medical community about the use of hormone replacement therapy in Scotland.
Answer
The safety of medicines isreserved and is the responsibility of the Medicines and Healthcare productsRegulatory Agency (MHRA). The MHRA and its independent advisory committee theCommission on Human Medicines (CHM) keep the safety of all licensed medicines,including hormone replacement therapy (HRT), under close review.
The MHRA and the CHM run theUK Yellow card Scheme which is used to collect information from healthprofessionals and patients on suspected adverse drug reactions. The MHRA hasadvised that all of the important information on the safety of HRT has comefrom large epidemiological studies. They are not aware of any studies thatdemonstrate that the balance and risks of HRT differ in Scotland.
