- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 31 May 2005
-
Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 14 June 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any Bt10 maize or other illegal genetically modified organisms have been imported into Scotland.
Answer
Neither the Scottish Executive nor the Food Standards Agency, which is the UK competent authority for GM food and feeds, has been alerted to any Bt10 or other illegal genetically modified organisms being imported into Scotland.
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 31 May 2005
-
Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 14 June 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive whether any Bt10 maize or other illegal genetically modified organisms have entered the food chain in Scotland.
Answer
Neither the Scottish Executive nor the Food Standards Agency, which is the UK competent authority for GM foods and feeds, is aware that Bt10 or any other illegally genetically modified organisms has entered the food chain in Scotland either through importation or cultivation.
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 May 2005
-
Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 9 June 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what initiatives are available to support the development and marketing of training systems that can improve the performance of drivers of public transport vehicles in respect of fuel efficiency and passenger comfort.
Answer
Whilst the Executiveencourages public transport operators to improve the performance of theirdrivers in respect of fuel efficiency and passenger comfort, information on anyinitiatives of this nature is not centrally held.
The Executive supports thework that the Sector Skills Council GoSkills does to improve skills andintroduce more passenger-focused training.
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
-
Date lodged: Tuesday, 24 May 2005
-
Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 8 June 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what initiatives are available to support the purchase by public transport operators of training systems that can improve vehicle driver performance in respect of fuel efficiency and passenger comfort.
Answer
Whilst the Executive encourages public transport operators to improve the performance of their drivers in respect of fuel efficiency and passenger comfort, no specific support is provided by the Executive and the main responsibility for these matters rests with individual operators.
The Executive supports the work that the Sector Skills Council GoSkills does to improve skills and introduce more passenger-focused training.
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 May 2005
-
Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 19 May 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what role the NHS is playing in the delivery of the Executive's targets on cycling.
Answer
All NHS boards are expected to follow the NHS environmental management policy which includes a section on transport and promotes walking and cycling and the adoption of green travel plans.
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 20 April 2005
-
Current Status:
Answered by Rhona Brankin on 28 April 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what investigations have been made into any concerns expressed in respect of linkage between incidences of ill-health in Fife and the operation of TETRA masts in the area.
Answer
The Executive is aware of the allegations of ill-health in proximity of the TETRA mast at Drumcarrow, Fife. The issue has been raised in both the Scottish and Westminster Parliaments, and highlighted in the media.
In keeping with the normal approach to local health concerns this issue is being addressed by the local NHS board. We are advised that the Director of Public Health, NHS Fife has set up an Environmental Hazard Investigation Team with a remit to look at allegations of ill-health in the Drumcarrow area of north east Fife. This team includes representation from the public health department, councillors, community councillors, local pressure groups, Health Protection Scotland (formerly SCIEH), Fife Council and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.
A separate technical sub-group of the Environmental Hazard Investigation Team has been collating information provided by local community councils and residents in the Drumcarrow area and has also examined available health statistics relevant to the alleged ill-health in the area. A report has been prepared by the sub-group which is due to be considered at the next meeting of the Environmental Hazard Investigation Team.
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
-
Date lodged: Monday, 04 April 2005
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 27 April 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive how it provides incentives for the uptake of micro combined heat and power gas boilers in domestic and public buildings.
Answer
This is a reserved matter.
Micro combined heat and power(mCHP) technology is in its infancy and as such the Department for Environment andRural Affairs (DEFRA) is currently supporting field trials of mCHP being undertakenby the Carbon and Energy Saving Trusts. DEFRA is awaiting the results of these fieldtrials before taking any firm decisions on the best way to support mCHP in the future.However, in the meantime the Chancellor has announced a reduced rate of VAT formCHP in the Budget.
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
-
Date lodged: Monday, 04 April 2005
-
Current Status:
Answered by Andy Kerr on 27 April 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what alternatives to zometa are recommended by the Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) to treat skeletal-related events in prostate cancer patients.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-15637 on 25 April 2005. All answers to written parliamentaryquestions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility forwhich can be found at
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.Taking account of the bestinformation and evidence available decisions about treatment options forpatients with skeletal related events in prostate cancer are made jointlybetween individual patients in consultation with their clinician.
It is not SMC’s role torecommend alternatives to newly licensed medicines, new formulations ofexisting medicines and any major new indications for established products that itconsiders.
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
-
Date lodged: Monday, 04 April 2005
-
Current Status:
Answered by Jim Wallace on 26 April 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive what contribution it envisages micro combined heat and power gas boilers will make to the production of baseload electricity.
Answer
The planning and regulation of baseload electricity is a reserved matter, responsibility for which lies with Ofgem and the DTI.
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
-
Date lodged: Wednesday, 09 February 2005
-
Current Status:
Answered by Nicol Stephen on 22 March 2005
To ask the Scottish Executive whether TETRA base stations produce a continuous transmission or whether there is any modulation of the carrier signal.
Answer
TETRA uses TDMA (Time Division Multiplexing) and the modulation system used is a digital modulation system called Differential Quadrature Phase Shift Keying.
