- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 05 March 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Allan Wilson on 19 March 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of the area of (a) active raised bog and (b) degraded raised bog capable of regeneration is included in currently proposed Special Areas for Conservation
Answer
It is estimated that 68% of the active raised bog and 34% of the degraded raised bog habitat in Scotland isincluded in designated candidate Special Areas of Conservation.
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 05 March 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Allan Wilson on 19 March 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of the number of sites containing (a) active raised bog and (b) degraded raised bog capable of regeneration is included in currently proposed Special Areas for Conservation.
Answer
Twenty five sites have been designated as candidate SpecialAreas of Conservation for active raised bog in Scotland. This is around 9% of the sites identified as supporting some amount of active bog in the ScottishNatural Heritage report
An inventory of lowland raised bogs in Great Britain (Lindsay, R.A. and Immirzi,P., 1996).
Twenty two sites have beendesignated as candidate Special Areas of Conservation for degraded raised bogstill capable of natural regeneration. This is just over 6% of the sitesidentified as supporting some amount of bog capable of regeneration in the samereport.
Many of the sites describedin the inventory are small remnants of previously larger sites.
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 05 March 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Allan Wilson on 19 March 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive whether experiences of farmers in North America have informed any decision on the possible future of genetically modified organisms.
Answer
The Executive’s policy on GMcrops is based on all relevant information.
Farming conditions in North Americaare vastly different to farming conditions in Scotland. As such theexperiences of North American farmers are not directly relevant to the Scottishsituation. However, our expert advisory committees continually monitor all newscientific developments and if necessary update their advice.
Unlike North American governments,we intend to introduce statutory co-existence measures to protect the interestsof non-GM farmers.
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 05 March 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Allan Wilson on 19 March 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ask Scottish Natural Heritage to consider designating Aucheninnes Moss as a Special Area of Conservation, in light of the recent survey report by Richard Lindsay for the Invertebrate Conservation Trust that shows that the area fits the EU Habitats Directive habitat category "degraded raised bog capable of regeneration" and contains areas fitting the priority habitat category "active raised bog".
Answer
Scottish Natural Heritagescientific advice is that the habitat type found at Aucheninnes Moss does notmeet the definition of either “active raised bog” or “degraded raised bogcapable of regeneration”, and that the site therefore does not meet thequalifying criteria for selection as a possible Special Area of Conservation.
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 05 March 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Allan Wilson on 19 March 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive who should be liable for any economic damage caused by material from genetically modified crops if they are cultivated in Scotland.
Answer
We will consult allconcerned on the most appropriate co-existence arrangements for Scotland todeliver choice for both consumers and farmers and on possible compensationarrangements for farmers who suffer economic loss. The present presumption isthat any compensation scheme would need to be funded by the GM crops industry,rather than by the Executive or producers of non-GM crops.
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 05 March 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Allan Wilson on 19 March 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive whether the release of Chardon LL mai'e is still legal under EU directive 2001/18/EC, given that its transgenic insert changed from the structure reported in the company's original dossier.
Answer
The Advisory Committee onReleases to the Environment (ACRE) has recently considered two reports whichclaimed that independent analysis had identified discrepancies in the molecularcharacterisation of approved GM products.
ACRE consider that the additional information was due torecent improvements in the methods for the analysis of transformation events anddid not give rise to an additional risk. However, ACRE haverequested further information to allow them to complete their own analysis and,if necessary, will review relevant risk assessments in light of this information.
ACRE are satisfied that the original consent remainslegal since there is no evidence that the GM insert in Chardon LL maize haschanged.
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Friday, 05 March 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Allan Wilson on 19 March 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consult the Parliament before making any decisions on the approval of Chardon LL mai'e.
Answer
As noted in myministerial statement on 10 March 2004, Chardon LL maizereceived EU-wide approval Part C approval in 1998. We are currently seeking anamendment to this consent.
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 January 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom McCabe on 9 February 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will set up an independent inquiry into the safety of eating farmed salmon.
Answer
I am advised by the FoodStandards Agency that the recent publication of an American study in thejournal Science, does not give rise to any new food safety concerns, and thelevels of dioxins found in the farmed salmon and the resultant intakes arebelow the safety levels set by the World Health Organisation, the EuropeanUnion and the United States Food and Drug Administration.
The Food Standards Agencycontinues to advise consumers, on the basis of expert scientific opinion, toeat at least two portions of fish per week, once of which should be an oilyfish such as salmon. Independent experts agree that the known health benefitsfrom eating a portion of oily fish per week outweigh any possible risks.
- Asked by: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 January 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom McCabe on 9 February 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to the Food Standards Agency that the agency should make available its scientific evidence on the health implications of toxic contaminants in farmed salmon.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-5447 on 9 February 2004.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: Mark Ruskell, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Green Party
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 13 January 2004
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Current Status:
Answered by Tom McCabe on 9 February 2004
To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to the Food Standards Agency that the agency should make available evidence regarding the different level of toxic contaminants between farmed and wild salmon.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer given to question S2W-5447 on 9 February 2004.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.
