- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 19 June 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 14 July 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it will make of the impact of the rate of taxation per unit of alcohol on the (a) whisky industry and (b) wine industry in other EU member states; whether, in the course of making any such assessment, it will meet with the government of each EU member state that applies lower taxation rates per unit of alcohol on wine than the UK taxation rate per unit of alcohol on whisky and, if so, whether it will send a minister to the meetings, and what steps it will take to address any differentiation between the taxation rate per unit of alcohol for wine and the rate for whisky.
Answer
Duty rates, tax differentials and EU minimum rates are matters reserved to the UK Government. The Scottish Executive will continue to support the Scotch whisky industry to secure the best conditions at home and abroad.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 05 June 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by George Reid on 9 July 2003
To ask the Presiding Officer, further to the answer to question S1W-21898 by Sir David Steel on 24 January 2002, on what date the construction managers obtained each document referred to in the answer; from whom they were obtained, and from whom, and on what dates, the construction managers sought credit reference information in respect of Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd.
Answer
The Construction Managers for the Holyrood project, Bovis Lend Lease (Scotland) Ltd, have informed the Project Team that all the documents listed in the answer to parliamentary question S1W-21898 on 24 January 2002, were received from Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd, during the prequalification process for the bid list for the MSP Building Cladding package. That process took place in May 2000.Bovis Lend Lease (Scotland) Ltd have also advised that, as Flour City Architectural Metals (UK) Ltd had only been operating in the UK for a short period of time, no published credit references were available.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 19 June 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 2 July 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost will be of the strategic transport authority referred to by the Minister for Transport during the debate on public transport on 12 June 2003 (Official Report, c 744), broken down by year in respect of which an estimate has been made; how many employees the authority is likely to employ; whether it will be an entirely new body creating new jobs and, if not, which existing body it would replace, either in whole or in part; whether the authority will be located in accordance with the policy on the dispersal of public sector jobs, and what the reasons are for the position on the matter.
Answer
The Scottish Executive will open consultation on our proposals for a strategic transport authority during the summer.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 23 June 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Allan Wilson on 30 June 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-571 by Allan Wilson on 18 June 2003, whether it has issued any directions to Scottish Natural Heritage under section 11 of the Natural Heritage (Scotland) Act 1991 and, if so, on what occasions and what the directions were.
Answer
No such directions have been issued to Scottish Natural Heritage.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 June 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 26 June 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive whether cost efficiency has been achieved in the expenditure plans of non-departmental government bodies such as Scottish Water and, if not, what economies will be made.
Answer
Scottish Water is the only public corporation in Scotland. I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-164 on 9 June 2003. 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/webapp/search_wa.All non-departmental public bodies are required to ensure that resources are used economically, efficiently and effectively.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 June 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Hugh Henry on 20 June 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will seek advice from Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) on the impact that closure of auxiliary fire brigades may have on the environment; whether SNH considers that an efficient and effective fire service is important in respect of the control of muirburn and forest fires, and whether SNH will issue a statement on the matter.
Answer
I have asked Ian Jardine, Chief Executive of Scottish Natural Heritage to respond. His response is as follows:Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) recognises the impact which uncontrolled fire outbreaks can have on the natural heritage. When a fire gets out of control, the speed and effectiveness with which it is tackled is key to minimising the damage done. SNH is, therefore, very supportive of there being an effective and efficient fire service available to carry out this important task. It is not for SNH, however, to determine how this service can be most effectively and efficiently provided. We do not, therefore, intend to issue a statement on the matter.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 June 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Malcolm Chisholm on 19 June 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take, or direct be taken, to ensure equity of access to DEXA scanning throughout all NHS board areas, in light of the publication of Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network guideline 71, Management of osteoporosis.
Answer
SIGN guideline 71 makes clear that NHS trusts are responsible for implementing such guidelines as part of their general clinical governance responsibilities. It also makes clear that SIGN guidelines are not intended to serve as standards of medical care.It is therefore for NHS bodies to assess how to apply the components of the guideline, including those relating to DEXA scanning services, to meet the needs of patients in the areas they serve. All NHS board areas in Scotland currently provide access to DEXA scanning either in local hospitals or through referral to other board areas.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 June 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Allan Wilson on 18 June 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive whether Scottish Natural Heritage has made any application for the introduction of the beaver; what information it has received about opposition to any such action from the National Farmers' Union Scotland, the Scottish Crofting Foundation and the Scottish Landowners' Federation; whether the introduction of the beaver will have adverse consequences and, if so, what its position is in respect of such consequences, and whether it will reject any such application.
Answer
Scottish Natural Heritage submitted an application in January 2002 to trial a re-introduction of the European Beaver to Scotland at a specified site in Knapdale, Argyll.Concerns over possible consequences of a trial re-introduction have been received from a number of organisations and individuals. Potential adverse consequences need to be given full consideration before I can take a decision. I have asked Scottish Natural Heritage to let me have further information on their application.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 04 June 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Allan Wilson on 18 June 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive what the cost to (a) it and (b) Scottish Natural Heritage has been of all work carried out in relation to the consideration and submission of any application in respect of the introduction of the beaver and what assessment it has made of value for money in respect of such costs.
Answer
The Scottish Executive is required to respond to any application of this kind and costs relating to individual applications are not held separately.In relation to costs incurred by Scottish Natural Heritage, I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-449 on 10 June 2003. 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/webapp/search_wa.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 30 May 2003
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Current Status:
Answered by Allan Wilson on 18 June 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has issued any directions to Scottish Natural Heritage under the Natural Heritage (Scotland) Act 1991; if so, whether it will specify under what circumstances each such direction was issued and place a copy of it in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre; if no such directions have been issued, what the reasons are for the position on this matter, and what its current policy is on such directions.
Answer
As with most non-departmental public bodies, an accounts direction has been issued to Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH). This was issued under section 10 of the Natural Heritage (Scotland) Act 1991 and specifies the form in which SNH's annual accounts must be prepared. A copy of the direction has been placed in the Parliament's Reference Centre (Bib. number 27748).
