- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 07 February 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Donald Dewar on 29 February 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive, further to question S1W-1282 lodged on 1 September 1999 about the specialisms of its special advisers, when it will provide an explanation for the delay in providing a substantive answer and whether the answer will include details of those special advisers who, since the lodging of the question, have left its employment.
Answer
I refer to the answer I gave to question S1W-1282 on 22 February 2000.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 04 November 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 28 February 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in view of the estimate of 16-18 million of the number of corncrakes globally, Scottish National Heritage have funded or are to fund any projects involving corncrakes and, if so, whether it will provide full details of the funding provided or to be provided.
Answer
There is no evidence to support the quoted figure of 16-18 million corncrakes. The internationally accepted method of calculating the corncrake population is by numbers of singing males. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) currently indicates a global corncrake population which fluctuates annually between 1.6 and 3 million singing males.Funding from Scottish Natural Heritage to encourage farmers and crofters to manage land in a manner that meets the needs of the corncrake is shown below.
| SNH Programme | Year | Expenditure | Comment |
| Corncrake Management Scheme(operational from 1998) | 1998-1999 | £7,728 | For payment to farmers within corncrake SPAs |
| | 1999-2000 | £58,000* | |
| | | | |
| Corncrake Initiative(operational from 1992) | | | Payments made to farmers within corncrake areas in conjunction with Scottish Crofters Union and RSPB |
| | 1992-93 | £7,746 | |
| | 1993-94 | £19,283 | |
| | 1994-95 | £25,630 | |
| | 1995-96 | £21,377 | |
| | 1996-97 | £62,231 | |
| | 1997-98 | £57,000 | |
| | 1998-99 | £47,000 | |
| | 1999-2000 | £57,000* | |
| | | *anticipated | |
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 03 February 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 24 February 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will seek to obtain information regarding the policies pursued in Denmark to promote renewable energy and in particular those which encourage the use of renewable energy amongst consumers, and whether it will make such information available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.
Answer
The proposals of the Scottish Executive on the promotion of renewable energy were outlined in my answer to S1W-4084 dated 1 February. These proposals are part of the framework established by the UK Government to pursue the target of meeting 10% of GB electricity demand from renewable energy by 2010. This followed an extensive consultation procedure in which many Scottish companies and organisations participated.I am always very keen to learn from the experience of others and have met representatives of other countries' governments and overseas companies to discuss these matters.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 25 November 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 23 February 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will carry out any consultation to determine the impact of an aggregates tax on jobs, roads and the environment in Scotland and, in particular, whether it will consult local authorities as to cost implications of any additional traffic and road maintenance costs arising from rural quarry closures.
Answer
I refer the Member to the answer given to question S1W-2791.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Thursday, 28 October 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 23 February 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has received representations from the Federation of Small Business (FSB) in response to the consultation paper Tackling Congestion and, if so, what response the FSB has made in respect of "road tolling" and "the workplace parking levy".
Answer
The Executive has received a response from the Federation of Small Businesses to its consultation paper, Tackling Congestion. A copy of this response has been lodged with the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe).
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Monday, 06 December 1999
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Current Status:
Answered by Sam Galbraith on 23 February 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to Her Majesty's Government regarding the decision by Awards for All to refuse any grant to the people of Fort William, through Fort William Community Council, for their celebration of the Millennium.
Answer
The Government are excluded from any part of decision-making on lottery awards. Such decisions are entirely a matter for the award-giving body. Applications to Awards for All can be submitted until April 2000 for future projects. Awards for All staff will be happy to advise on procedural aspects of making applications, while the Scottish Millennium Festival Adviser will be glad to offer general advice on aspects of the Millennium celebrations.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 February 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 23 February 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will seek to prevent the North of Scotland Water Authority from holding public meetings in order to explain why water charges must increase or whether it will welcome public consultation of this nature.
Answer
In my statement to the Scottish Parliament of 26 January, I set out how the Executive accepted the Water Industry Commissioner's advice that substantial increases in water and sewerage charges are needed to fund essential investment programmes although I moderated the levels recommended by him.It is a matter for each authority how it discusses with its customers the need for investment to meet improved health and environment standards. NoSWA already carries out, and will continue, consultations with a diverse range of its customers and their elected representatives on this issue and I welcome this.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 February 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 23 February 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive, in the light of its rejection of the water commissioner's advice on the level of water charges for the next two years, what necessary function it considers that the office of the Water Commissioner serves.
Answer
As I made clear in my statement to the Parliament on 26 January, the Executive did not reject the Commissioner's advice. I also made clear then that the Commissioner has a crucial role as the independent, professional economic and customer service regulator of the water authorities.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 February 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 23 February 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will reduce the increase in water charges for the year 2000-01 within the North of Scotland Water Authority area to the average level of increase in the rest of Scotland.
Answer
In accordance with the provisions of the Water Industry Act 1999, I announced on 26 January the Executive's decisions on the framework for water and sewerage charges in the light of the Water Industry Commissioner's advice, received in December 1999. The level of increase for each Water Authority reflects the individual investment needs and circumstances faced by that authority. The Act provides that it is now for the Water Authorities to agree their detailed schemes of charges directly with the Commissioner, failing which the scheme is referred to Ministers for decisions.
- Asked by: Fergus Ewing, MSP for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber, Scottish National Party
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 February 2000
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Current Status:
Answered by Sarah Boyack on 23 February 2000
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will disclose what level of increase in water charges was sought or proposed by the water commissioner for the year 2002-03 for each of the three water authorities in Scotland.
Answer
All of the Commissioner's advice to the Executive on charges was published on 26 January.
