Chamber and committees

The number of sites referred to in complaints received in each of the last five years regarding injurious weeds listed in the Weeds Act 1959, in total and broken down by local authority area is shown in the following table:

Local Authority	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	Total
Aberdeen City	0	0	0	0	0	0
Aberdeenshire	10	13	44	11	6	84
Angus	0	6	7	1	0	14
Argyll and Bute	1	1	2	3	3	10
Clackmannanshire	2	1	1	0	0	4
Dumfries and Galloway	3	0	2	0	5	10
Dundee City	0	1	0	0	1	2
East Ayrshire	0	0	0	0	0	0
East Dunbartonshire	0	0	0	2	0	2
East Lothian	1	0	0	0	1	2
East Renfrewshire	0	0	0	0	0	0
City of Edinburgh	2	4	3	1	0	10
Western Isles	0	0	0	0	0	0
Falkirk	3	0	0	7	0	10
Fife	5	4	3	2	7	21
Glasgow City	0	0	0	0	0	0
Highland	5	10	8	8	4	35
Inverclyde	0	0	0	0	0	0
Midlothian	1	1	1	4	2	9
Moray	0	0	0	0	0	0
North Ayrshire	0	0	0	0	0	0
North Lanarkshire	0	0	1	0	0	1
Orkney Islands	0	0	0	2	2	4

 

Local Authority	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	Total
Perth and Kinross	4	2	1	6	7	20
Renfrewshire	0	0	0	0	0	0
Scottish Borders	0	0	0	2	12	14
Shetland Islands	0	0	0	0	0	0
South Ayrshire	0	0	0	0	0	0
South Lanarkshire	0	1	1	1	2	5
Stirling	1	0	0	0	2	3
West Dunbartonshire	0	0	0	0	1	1
West Lothian	0	1	0	0	1	2
Total	38	45	74	50	56	263

 

Individual complaints may refer to more than one site.

The Agricultural Holdings (Scotland) Act 2003 transformed tenant farming. It introduced short limited-duration tenancies and limited-duration tenancies, reflecting the historic agreement reached between the representatives of tenants and landlords. It extended tenants' rights in numerous other respects, including rights to use farmland for non-agricultural purposes and guaranteed rights of compensation at the end of a lease for farm improvements made by the tenant. The act also introduced a pre-emptive right to buy for tenants whose tenancy is governed by the Agricultural Holdings (Scotland) Act 1991.

No.

All written complaints about ragwort are investigated by the Executive. Where the complaint relates to other than agricultural land, the complaint is passed on to the relevant authority.

In cases where the occupier of agricultural land fails to take action to control injurious weeds identified in the Weeds Act 1959, having been requested to do so by officials, the Executive will serve a notice on the occupier by recorded delivery, requiring that action be taken within a specified period to control the specified weed.

The Executive may also employ a contractor to undertake control action and charge the occupier for the costs incurred.

No.

There are varying interpretations of this phrase which depend on the aim being pursued and the context in which it is used. The Executive understands the Gaelic community’s aspiration for “equal status” to be that the Gaelic language should not be regarded as a lesser form of communication than English, and as such opportunities for its use should be encouraged where possible and appropriate. However, if this phrase were to feature in primary legislation it could lead to a wider unintended interpretation.

There are varying interpretations of this phrase which depend on the aim being pursued and the context in which it is used. The Executive understands this phrase to mean that the Gaelic language is recognised in the administrative policies and procedures of government and public bodies. These include spending on the language, inclusion in Acts of Parliament and parliamentary procedures and ministerial responsibility for the language.

Informing, engaging and consulting with patients and the public in the design and delivery of health services must be a fundamental part of a modern, 21st century NHS.

We carried out a consultation during 2004 on involving, engaging and consulting the public on health policy and service change, and further guidance will be issued by the Scottish Executive Health Department shortly.

The development of patient-centred health services, as a core activity of NHS boards, should be funded from within each board’s financial allocation.

The Scottish Executive worksclosely with local Drug Action Teams to ensure the most effective use of resourcesfor drug treatment and rehabilitation services. Additional funding announced inOctober 2004 will be allocated according to proposals submitted from each Drug ActionTeam on the basis of projected improvements in numbers into treatment, waiting timesand the range of services available locally.

Land grazed by horses will be eligible land under the Single Farm Payment Scheme and will receive a payment if such land is used to support an established entitlement. The key tests will be that land is kept in good agricultural and environmental condition and is not used for a non agricultural purpose.