Questions and answers

Question reference: S1W-30000

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 26 September 2002
Current Status: Answered by Richard Simpson on 10 October 2002

To ask the Scottish Executive how many and what percentage of community orders were breached in each of the last three years, broken down by local authority area.

Question reference: S1W-29981

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 September 2002
Current Status: Answered by Ross Finnie on 4 October 2002

To ask the Scottish Executive what the outcome was of the European Commission Agriculture and Fisheries Council meeting on 23 to 24 September 2002 and whether it will give details of any discussion on the deep water fishery.

I attended the first of the newly merged Agriculture and Fisheries Councils with Margaret Becket, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, and Elliot Morley, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of the same department on behalf of the UK in Brussels on 23 to 24 September 2002. The following matters were discussed:AgricultureTransport of Live AnimalsThe council held a public debate on the transport of live animals with the UK recommending better monitoring of animal welfare in transit and supporting the case for reducing maximum journey times to eight hours. The UK noted, however, the need for practical rules which provided, for example, for limited derogations to deal with the difficulties of transport within the remoter regions of member states and mentioned in particular the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. These matters will be further considered as negotiations proceed.Review of Common Agricultural Policy (CAP)The council also began its detailed consideration of the mid-term review of the CAP published in July with a discussion of the proposals for the arable sector. This was a preliminary discussion in which the UK stressed the importance of securing further reform of the CAP and recalled the importance that developing countries attached to improved trading conditions for agriculture as they had emphasised at the recent World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg.BSE and ScrapieThe Commission reported the latest information on BSE and scrapie in the EU, noting that there had been no significant development since its last report to the council.Genetically modified foodThe Presidency reported the state of progress on the proposal for rules governing genetically modified food and feed and signalled its intention to seek political agreement on a compromise at the October Council. It also reported progress in the drawing up of an action plan for organic food and farming.FisheriesReform of the Common Fisheries PolicyThis was the first Council debate on the reform of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). The discussion took the form of a low-key table round based upon a questionnaire produced by the Presidency and focussed around three key areas: conservation and sustainability of fish stocks; fleet policy, and control and enforcement. The Commission advocated the introduction of multi-annual management plans for fish stocks, associated effort controls, a continuing ceiling on the capacity of member states' fleets, additional incentives for voluntary decommissioning schemes, and an end to grant-aid for fleet modernisation and vessel construction. It confirmed that there were no plans to end aid for safety improvements, but that there would be no increase in the Community contribution for aid for decommissioning. On enforcement the Commission advocated better co-operation among member states and between the Commission and member states. The UK supported multi-annual management involving clear biological targets for all stocks and a range of management measures capable of being applied flexibly to individual stocks according to their circumstances. The UK also stressed that inaction was not an option and indicated willingness to explore all available options whether these involved capacity or effort reduction or both. It emphasised that construction and modernisation grants should cease, and indicated support for better enforcement provided that enhanced arrangements at Community level could be made compatible with the Treaty and national competence for criminal law and procedure.The Presidency indicated that it aims to conclude the reform package in November and that a further debate on CFP reform will take place at the October Council.Strategy for Sustainable AquacultureThe Commission presented its strategy for sustainable aquaculture, which will now be examined by a Council Working Group with a view to discussion at a future Council.Deep Water SpeciesDeep-water species was not on the agenda for this Council.

Question reference: S1W-29110

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 10 September 2002
Current Status: Answered by Jim Wallace on 4 October 2002

To ask the Scottish Executive how many High Court sentences have been reduced (a) under human rights legislation and (b) for any other reasons in each of the last three years and how many such sentences were originally life sentences.

The information relating to successful appeals against sentence in High Court cases is contained in the following table:

	1998	1999	2000
Total of which involved life sentences	61	56	105
Appeal against sentence¹	4	1	1
Appeal against aspects of sentence²	15	11	74

Notes:1. Crime reduced from murder to culpable homicide or a re-trial was authorised.2. Effective start date or punishment part.There have been no sentences imposed in the High Court that have been reduced as a result of the provisions contained in the Convention Rights (Compliance) (Scotland) Act 2001 under which the High Court is required to specify the punishment part of a life sentence. The punishment part is such part of a life sentence as the court considers appropriate to satisfy the requirements of retribution and deterrence (ignoring the period, if any, which may be necessary for the protection of the public). The sentence of life imprisonment is unaffected by the fixing of the punishment part. It is only once the punishment part has expired that the prisoner has the right to require the Scottish ministers to refer his or her case to the Parole Board for the board to decide whether the prisoner requires to continue to be confined for the protection of the public.Under the transitional provisions contained in the Schedule to the 2001 act, the Scottish ministers are under a duty, subject to certain exceptions detailed in the Schedule, to refer to the High Court the cases of life prisoners who were sentenced prior to 8 October 2001, the date on which the relevant provisions came into force, for a punishment part to be fixed. As regards those prisoners who were the subject of minimum recommendations made by the sentencing court under the former statutory provisions, as the Appeal Court noted in its opinion in the case of William Stewart v Her Majesty's Advocate, issued on 6 September 2002 (Appeal No. C228/02): "it does not follow that periods which have been recommended in the past provide a general yardstick by reference to which the length of a punishment part should be determined." The full opinion is available on the Scottish Court Service website (www.scotcourts.gov.uk).

Question reference: S1W-28643

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Monday, 26 August 2002
Current Status: Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 4 October 2002

To ask the Scottish Executive what public transport funding grants it has given per capita to each local authority in each of the last three years.

The following table shows the total funding committed by the Scottish Executive in the last three years to each local authority under the Public Transport Fund, the Integrated Transport Fund and the Rural Public Passenger Grant element of the Rural Transport Fund, together with a cost per capita calculation.

Local Authority	Population¹	Total Funding (£ million)	Cost Per Capita (£)
Aberdeen City	211,250	10.887	51.54
Aberdeenshire	227,200	4.611	20.29
Angus	109,180	2.783	25.49
Argyll and Bute	88,790	10.113	113.90
Clackmannanshire	48,460	7.130	147.13
Dumfries and Galloway	145,800	8.410	57.68
Dundee City	142,700	5.987	41.96
East Ayrshire	120,630	4.550	37.72
East Dunbartonshire	110,760	0.733	6.62
East Lothian	91,280	1.821	19.95
East Renfrewshire	89,790	1.329	14.80
Edinburgh City	453,430	38.355	84.59
Eilean Siar	27,180	8.473	311.74
Falkirk	144,320	4.935	34.19
Fife	350,400	18.327	52.30
Glasgow City	609,370	23.289	38.22
Highland	208,600	8.933	42.82
Inverclyde	84,600	3.401	40.02
Midlothian	82,200	3.659	44.51
Moray	84,950	0.792	9.32
North Ayrshire	138,850	0.980	7.06
North Lanarkshire	327,620	2.336	7.13
Orkney Islands	19,480	3.220	165.30
Perth and Kinross	133,620	5.018	37.55
Renfrewshire	176,970	1.674	9.46
Scottish Borders	106,900	4.569	42.74
Shetland Islands	22,440	0.756	33.69
South Ayrshire	113,920	6.719	58.98
South Lanarkshire	307,400	2.933	9.54
Stirling	85,220	4.892	57.40
West Dunbartonshire	94,600	2.741	28.97
West Lothian	156,690	5.122	32.69
Scotland	5,114,600	209.478	40.96

Note:1. Population figures: mid-year estimates, GRO(S) 2000.In addition, funding has also been committed to Strathclyde Passenger Transport Authority (SPTA) as follows:

Local Authority	Population¹	Total Funding (£ million)	Cost Per Capita (£)
SPTA	2,160,590	39.737	18.39

Note:1. Population figures: mid-year estimates, GRO(S) 2000.

Question reference: S1W-28287

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 August 2002
Current Status: Answered by Iain Gray on 4 October 2002

To ask the Scottish Executive how reliant the economy has been on foreign trade in each of the last 10 years.

The following table shows estimates of the annual current price exports and imports figures between Scotland, other parts of the United Kingdom and locations outwith the United Kingdom (Rest of the World) for the years 1992 to 1999. Figures in italics show these annual imports and exports as percentages of domestic output from the Scottish economy.Trade between Scotland, the Rest of the World and the Rest of the United Kingdom 1992-99

Calendar year^#:Rest of the World	1992^	1993^	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999
Exports to Rest of World (£ million)	13,900	15,200	16,300	19,000	21,100	*	21,700	22,200
Exports as a percentage of domestic output	16%	17%	16%	17%	17%	*	16%	16%
Imports from Rest of World (£ million)	13,400	12,700	15,400	16,200	16,800	*	17,400	18,700
Imports as a percentage of domestic output	16%	14%	16%	14%	14%	*	13%	13%
Rest of the United Kingdom
Exports to Rest of UK (£ million)	15,100	17,100	16,400	20,300	22,200	*	22,800	23,100
Exports as a percentage of domestic output	18%	19%	17%	18%	18%	*	16%	16%
Imports from Rest of UK (£ million)	24,200	25,900	27,200	28,900	31,500	*	31,000	32,300
Imports as a percentage of domestic output	28%	29%	28%	25%	25%	*	22%	23%

Source: Input-Output Tables and Multipliers for Scotland.Notes:^#Information relating to calendar years 1992-1996 are valued at Producer prices; thereafter valued at basic prices.^*Information not available.^{^}Unpublished data.This information has been extracted from the Input-Output Tables and Multipliers for Scotland. The most recent edition of this annual publication, for the calendar year 1999, was published on 24 June 2002.

Question reference: S1O-05666

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 September 2002
Current Status: Answered by Lewis Macdonald on 3 October 2002

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it now has any plans to measure the impact on the economy of Her Majesty's Government's 10% tax on oil and gas profits.

Question reference: S1W-28978

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 05 September 2002
Current Status: Answered by Ross Finnie on 2 October 2002

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will give a breakdown by local authority, expressed also as a ratio of the number of private water supplies in each area, of the #850,000 for the production of a comprehensive education and support package to professionals and users in respect of the potential risks of private water supplies, as referred to in the report by the Drinking Water Quality Regulator for Scotland to the Ad Hoc Group of Ministers on Health and Public Water Supply.

The Executive are presently in discussion with a number of bodies including representatives from local authorities and industry professionals regarding the production of an effective education package.Although a final decision regarding the format and distribution has not been made it is envisaged that the education pack will be primarily targeted at areas with a high proportion of private supplies. In addition some of the organisations that will receive and distribute information (including the trade body representing plumbers) represent national organisations and will be asked to distribute material to all their members.

Question reference: S1W-29491

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 September 2002
Current Status: Answered by Andy Kerr on 2 October 2002

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list each task force created since May 1999, giving the membership and the dates established and terminated in each case.

Question reference: S1W-29490

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 18 September 2002
Current Status: Answered by Jack McConnell on 2 October 2002

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list each ministerial (a) committee and (b) sub-committee created since May 1999, giving the membership and the dates established and terminated in each case.

Prior to the winter of 2001-02, no formal committees or sub-committees of Cabinet existed. The decision to have committees arose from a review of the preceding, less formal arrangement of ministerial groups. In addition to formal committees and standing ministerial groups, ministers also meet in ad hoc groups to deal with specific issues. The information requested is set out in the following tables:Table 1: Cabinet Sub-Committees

Title/Ministerial Members	Period of Operation
Cabinet Sub-Committee on Children's Services (CSCCS)
First Minister (Chair)	19-12-01 to present
Minister for Education and Young People (Deputy Chair)
Minister for Health and Community Care
Deputy Minister for Education and Young People
Deputy Minister for Environment and Rural Development
Deputy Minister for Finance and Public Services
Deputy Minister for Justice
Deputy Minister for Social Justice
Cabinet Sub-Committee on Legislation (CSCL)
First Minister (Chair)	06-03-02 to present
Deputy First Minister and Minister for Justice
Minister for Parliamentary Business (Deputy Chair)
Lord Advocate
Deputy Minister for Parliamentary Business
Cabinet Sub-Committee on Renewing Local Democracy (CSCRLD)
First Minister (Chair)	22-01-02 to present
Deputy First Minister and Minister for Justice
Minister for Education and Young People
Minister for Environment and Rural Development
Minister for Finance and Public Services
Minister for Parliamentary Business
Cabinet Sub-Committee on Rural Development (CSCRD)
Minister for Environment and Rural Development (Chair)	23-01-02 to present
Minister for Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning
Minister for Finance and Public Services
Minister for Social Justice
Deputy Minister for Environment and Rural Development
Deputy Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport
Cabinet Sub-Committee on Social Justice (CSCSJ)
Minister for Social Justice (Chair)	13-03-02 to present
Minister for Education and Young People
Minister for Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning
Minister for Finance and Public Services
Minister for Health and Community Care
Deputy Minister for Social Justice
Deputy Minister for Environment and Rural Development
Deputy Minister for Parliamentary Business
Cabinet Sub-Committee on Sustainable Scotland (CSCSS)
First Minister (Chair)	05-02-02 to present
Minister for Environment and Rural Development
Minister for Finance and Public Services
Deputy Minister for Environment and Rural Development
Deputy Minister for Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning
Deputy Minister for Social Justice
External Members:
Ms Jan Bebbington Dept. of Accountancy and Finance, University of Aberdeen
Mr Kevin Dunion, Director, Friends of the Earth Scotland
Mr Mark Hope, Director of External Affairs, Shell Expro
Cabinet Sub-Committee on Tackling Drug Misuse (CSCTDM)
Deputy First Minister (Chair)	27-03-02 to present
Minister for Education and Young People
Deputy Minister (Mulligan) for Health and Community Care
Deputy Minister for Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning
Deputy Minister for Justice
Deputy Minister for Social Justice
External Members:
Mr Jim Orr, Director of the Scottish Drugs Enforcement Agency
Mr Ian Ross, Drugs Action Teams Association
Cabinet Sub-Committee on Best Value and Budget Review (CSCBVBR)
Minister for Finance and Public Services (Chair)	25-04-01 to present
Minister for Environment and Rural Development
Minister for Parliamentary Business
Minister for Social Justice
Deputy Minister for Finance and Public Services

Table 2: Previous Standing Ministerial Working Groups

Title/Ministerial Members	Period of Operation
Ministerial Committee on Rural Development (MCRD)
Minister for Environment and Rural Development (Chair)	01-09-99 to 23-01-02*
Minister for Transport and Planning
Minister for Social Justice
Deputy Minister for Environment and Rural Development
Deputy Minister for Finance and Local Government
Deputy Minister for Justice
Deputy Minister for Enterprise, Lifelong Learning and Gaelic
Deputy Minister for Education, Europe and External Affairs
Deputy Minister for Health and Community Care
Deputy Minister for Parliament
Deputy Minister for Transport and Planning
Sub-Group of Ministerial Committee on Rural Development on Impacts of Foot and Mouth Disease (MCRD-SG)
Minister for Environment and Rural Development (Chair)	26-03-01 to 21-08-01
Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning
Minister for Finance and Local Government
Deputy Minister for Environment and Rural Development
Deputy Minister for Parliament
Ministerial Committee on Digital Scotland (MCDS)
Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning (Chair)	24-08-99 to 31-03-02
Minister for Finance and Local Government
Minister for Social Justice
Minister for Environment and Rural Development
Deputy Minister for Health and Community Care
Deputy Minister for Education, Europe and External Affairs
Deputy Minister for Finance and Local Government
Ministerial Committee on Tackling Drugs Misuse (MCTDM)
Deputy Minister for Justice (Chair)	17-08-99 to 27-03-02*
Deputy Minister for Education, Europe and External Affairs
Deputy Minister for Social Justice
Deputy Minister for Health and Community Care
Deputy Minister for Enterprise, Lifelong Learning and Gaelic
Ministerial Group on Sustainable Scotland (MCSS)
Minister for Environment and Rural Development (Chair)	18-01-00 to 05-02-02*
Minister for Transport and Planning
Minister for Finance and Local Government
Minister for Social Justice
Deputy Minister for Enterprise, Lifelong Learning and Gaelic
Deputy Minister for Environment and Rural Development
Deputy Minister for Education, Europe and External Affairs
Deputy Minister for Health and Community Care
External Members
Mr Kevin Dunion, Director, Friends of the Earth Scotland
Mr Mark Hope, Director of External Affairs, Shell Expro
Ministerial Steering Committee on Diligence (MSCD)
Deputy First Minister and Minister for Justice (Chair)	24-08-99 to 31-03-02
Minister for Finance and Local Government
Minister for Parliament
Solicitor General for Scotland
Deputy Minister for Social Justice
Deputy Minister for Justice
Ministerial Working Group on Best Value and Budget Review (MWGBV)
Minister for Finance and Local Government (Chair)	30-01-01 to 25-04-01*
First Minister
Minister for Environment and Rural Development
Minister for Parliament
Deputy Minister for Finance and Local Government
Ministerial Working Group on GM Science (MWGGMS)
Minister for Health and Community Care	24-08-99 to 31-03-02
Minister for Environment and Rural Development
Deputy Minister for Enterprise, Lifelong Learning and Gaelic
Ministerial Working Group on Renewing Local Democracy (MWGRLD)
First Minister (Chair)	22-08-00 to 22-01-02
Deputy First Minister and Minister for Justice
Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning
Minister for Finance and Local Government
Minister for Parliament
Minister for Environment and Rural Development
Ministerial Working Group on 21st Century Government (MWG21CG)
Minister for Finance and Local Government (Chair)	22-03-01 to 31-03-02**
Minister for Social Justice
Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning
Minister for Transport and Planning
Minister for Health and Community Care
Deputy Minister for Finance and Local Government
Deputy Minister for Education, Europe and External Affairs
Deputy Minister for Environment and Rural Development
Poverty and Inclusion Task Force (PITF)
Minister for Social Justice (Chair)	30-07-99 to 28-02-02*
Minister for Education, Europe and External Affairs
Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning
Minister for Finance and Local Government
Minister for Health and Community Care
Deputy Minister for Environment and Rural Development
Deputy Minister for Social Justice
Deputy Minister for Justice

Notes:*Replaced by Cabinet sub-committee.** Decision yet to be taken on forming a new Cabinet sub-committee.

Question reference: S1W-29065

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 06 September 2002
Current Status: Answered by Mary Mulligan on 25 September 2002

To ask the Scottish Executive how many places there were and what the ratio of applications to places available was at each dental school in each of the last three years and what the figures are for the current year.

Chamber and committees