- Asked by: Andrew Welsh, MSP for Angus, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 28 June 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom McCabe on 17 July 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has with the Department of Trade and Industry, the Office of Fair Trading and the Local Authorities Coordinating Office on Regulatory Services to ensure that unique aspects of Scots Law are taken into account in the decision-making processes of these bodies.
Answer
I refer the member to the answerto question S2W-23093 on 27 February 2006. All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament's website the search facility forwhich can be at:
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.
- Asked by: Andrew Welsh, MSP for Angus, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 May 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 5 June 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list its water charges exemption schemes, indicating when each exemption (a) came into effect and (b) expires and to which categories of people each exemption applies.
Answer
The Water and SewerageCharges Exemption Scheme was established by the Water and Sewerage Charges (Exemption)(Scotland) Regulations 2002. The scheme first took effect on 1 April 2002 andexpires on 31 March 2010. It is the only exemption scheme for water servicescharges. The criteria for qualifying for exemption under the scheme are set outin the regulations.
- Asked by: Andrew Welsh, MSP for Angus, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 May 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 31 May 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide a timeline for its consultation on the introduction of general non-household metering and banded drainage charges in 2010 and what organisations it intends to consult.
Answer
The Executive plans toconsult later this year on the detail of its proposals for revising the basison which non-household customers pay for their water services. It intends toconsult groups and organisations which represent those likely to be affected bythe proposals.
- Asked by: Andrew Welsh, MSP for Angus, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 23 May 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 31 May 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will confirm that the statement made by the Deputy Minister for Environment and Rural Development in the debate on Village and Community Halls on 1 February 2006 that it is “Scottish ministers’ policy that all customers should contribute to the costs of the water and waste water services that they receive” (Official Report c. 22956) also applies to charitable organisations, and other organisations which serve a public function.
Answer
The Executive’s general policyis that all customers, including charitable organisations and otherorganisations which serve a public function, should contribute to the cost of the water services that they use. Certain organisations, including some charitableorganisations and other organisations which serve a public function areexempted from charges under the Water and Sewerage Charges (Exemption) (Scotland)Regulations 2002. These exemptions will continue until 31 March 2010.
- Asked by: Andrew Welsh, MSP for Angus, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 May 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 30 May 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will seek changes during the 2008 Common Agricultural Policy review to provide the same benefits in respect of grazing lands for horses in Scotland as currently exist in other parts of the European Union.
Answer
We will consider options forchange against of our aspirations to help create a more prosperous and sustainablefarming industry in Scotland.
- Asked by: Andrew Welsh, MSP for Angus, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 May 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 30 May 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to ensure that any changes introduced as a result of the 2008 Common Agricultural Policy review by the European Commission will benefit (a) Scottish agriculture and (b) the Scottish equine industry.
Answer
Scottish agriculture remainsa vital component of our rural economy and we have repeatedly made it clear thatfurther changes in the Common Agricultural Policy must take account of the legitimateneeds of farming communities; we have not given specific consideration to the impactof such changes on the Scottish equine industry.
- Asked by: Andrew Welsh, MSP for Angus, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 May 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 30 May 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether land currently grazed solely by horses is considered to be agricultural land eligible for the Single Farm Payment where such land has historically received payment under a Common Agricultural Policy support scheme.
Answer
Land grazed by horses may beconsidered eligible for the purposes of claiming the Single Farm Payment providingthe person claiming:
Meets the definition of a farmer;
Has Single Farm Payment entitlements;
Has the land at his disposalfor the minimum period;
Respects the appropriate statutorymanagement requirements, and
Maintains the land in good agriculturaland environmental conditions (GAEC).
Whether the land was used asa basis for a claim under a previous subsidy regime or not, is immaterial.
- Asked by: Andrew Welsh, MSP for Angus, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 May 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Ross Finnie on 30 May 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to change the system of calculation for the Single Farm Payment in Scotland from an historical to an area basis.
Answer
In Scotland we electedto base the Single Farm Payment on the historic system consistent with the presumptionin the 2003 CAP reform package that member states should consider the simple historicbasis as their first option. We will review the position at the appropriate timewith no prejudice either for or against a move to an area-based system. Decisionswill be taken in the light of how the industry has adapted to the new regime duringits first few years of operation and what will best meet the future needs of Scottishagriculture.
- Asked by: Andrew Welsh, MSP for Angus, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 11 May 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 24 May 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people are deaf or hard of hearing.
Answer
The information requested isnot held centrally by the Scottish Executive. The Royal National Institute forthe Deaf (Scotland) estimates on its website that there are 758,000deaf or hard of hearing people living in Scotland.
www.rnid.org.uk/about/in_your_area/scotland.
- Asked by: Andrew Welsh, MSP for Angus, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 11 May 2006
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 23 May 2006
To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been prescribed hearing aids, also broken down by (a) age and (b) NHS board.
Answer
This information iscurrently not held centrally. However, as part of the Audiology ModernisationProject, the Executive has asked the Information Statistics Division of NHS NationalServices Scotland to establish a national data collection programme which willprovide comprehensive audiology data in future, though not retrospectively. Thiswork has commenced and, once the data has been validated, it will be publishedin due course. Data is being collected from January 2006 onwards and will be presentedby NHS board and by adult and paediatric activity.
