Chamber and committees

Questions and answers

Parliamentary questions can be asked by any MSP to the Scottish Government or the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body. The questions provide a means for MSPs to get factual and statistical information.

Written questions must be answered within 10 working days (20 working days during recess)
Other questions such as Topical, Portfolio, General and First Minister's Question Times are taken in the Chamber

Urgent Questions aren't included in the Question and Answers search. There is a SPICe fact sheet listing Urgent and emergency questions.

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Question reference: S1W-07838

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Friday, 09 June 2000
Current Status: Answered by John Home Robertson on 3 July 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made with research into sonic devices to deter dolphins from being caught in fishing nets.

Trials involving the Sea Mammal Research Unit (SMRU) at St. Andrews and the Cornish Fish Producers Organisation are currently underway in the Celtic Sea. These are designed to test under commercial conditions the deterrent effect of a "pinger" on small cetaceans swimming near static fishing nets. So far mainly porpoises rather than dolphins have been encountered but a full report will be submitted to the European Commission, who are funding the project, this summer.

Question reference: S1W-06752

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 May 2000
Current Status: Answered by Jim Wallace on 3 July 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive how many serving police officers there were, broken down by rank and police force, in each of the last five years.

The information requested, taken from Annual Statistical Returns from forces, is set out in the following tables:

Police Strength by Rank and Force

As at 31 December 1994 (see note below)

Force	Chief Constable	Deputy Chief Constable	Assistant Chief Constable	Chief Supt	Supt	Chief Inspector	Inspector	Sergeant	Constable	Total
Central	1	1	0	3	6	13	32	102	496	654
D&G	1	2	0	1	5	7	19	61	294	390
Fife	1	1	1	4	6	13	39	112	612	789
Grampian	1	1	1	7	12	20	69	181	899	1,191
L&B	1	1	2	12	24	43	123	360	1,990	2,556
Northern	1	1	0	4	4	15	25	109	484	643
Strathclyde	1	1	6	33	78	122	362	977	5,423	7,003
Tayside	1	1	1	5	12	16	59	158	834	1,087
Total	8	9	11	69	147	249	728	2,060	11,032	14,313

As at 31 March 1996

Force	Chief Constable	Assistant Chief Constable	Supt	Chief Inspector	Inspector	Sergeant	Constable	Total
Central	1	1	9	13	32	104	497	657
D&G	1	1	6	7	19	60	296	390
Fife	1	2	10	11	39	111	616	790
Grampian	1	2	19	21	69	186	874	1,172
L&B	1	3	34	43	122	358	1,973	2,534
Northern	1	1	8	13	27	106	484	640
Strathclyde	1	7	112	115	354	972	5,655	7,216
Tayside	1	2	13	14	50	159	874	1,113
Total	8	19	211	237	712	2,056	11,269	14,512

As at 31 March 1997

Force	Chief Constable	Assistant Chief Constable	Supt	Chief Inspector	Inspector	Sergeant	Constable	Total
Central	1	1	8	12	33	101	530	686
D&G	1	1	6	7	19	65	312	411
Fife	1	2	9	11	41	111	657	832
Grampian	1	2	16	19	69	181	885	1,173
L&B	1	3	36	41	125	361	2,124	2,691
Northern	1	1	8	12	27	108	492	649
Strathclyde	1	7	114	110	357	980	5,662	7,231
Tayside	1	2	14	14	51	165	869	1,116
Total	8	19	211	226	722	2,072	11,531	14,789

As at 31 March 1998

Force	Chief Constable	Assistant Chief Constable	Supt	Chief Inspector	Inspector	Sergeant	Constable	Total
Central	1	1	10	7	34	103	547	703
D&G	1	1	6	8	20	68	335	439
Fife	1	2	9	14	36	110	683	855
Grampian	1	3	16	20	68	183	902	1,193
L&B	1	3	37	40	127	368	2,115	2,691
Northern	1	1	7	13	26	108	501	657
Strathclyde	1	7	118	102	374	975	5,722	7,299
Tayside	1	2	14	13	53	163	897	1,143
Total	8	20	217	217	738	2,078	11,702	14,980

As at 31 March 1999

Force	Chief Constable	Assistant Chief Constable	Supt	Chief Inspector	Inspector	Sergeant	Constable	Total
Central	1	1	9	9	34	101	564	719
D&G	1	2	5	8	20	70	331	437
Fife	1	2	9	12	36	109	677	846
Grampian	1	1	17	20	70	187	953	1,249
L&B	1	3	36	37	127	361	2,050	2,615
Northern	1	1	8	13	31	107	499	660
Strathclyde	1	7	105	103	373	974	5,572	7,135
Tayside	1	2	14	12	59	157	904	1,149
Total	8	19	203	214	750	2,066	11,550	14,810

Figures by rank and force are collected annually by HM Inspectorate of Constabulary. Until 31 December 1994 figures were collected on a calendar year basis but are now collected annually at 31 March. Figures for 31 March 2000 are not yet available.

The ranks of Deputy Chief Constable and Chief Superintendent were abolished on 1 April 1996.

Question reference: S1W-08018

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 15 June 2000
Current Status: Answered by Sarah Boyack on 29 June 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive how many road accidents have occurred in the last five years on the Balmedie to Tipperty stretch of the A90.

Question reference: S1W-07967

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 14 June 2000
Current Status: Answered by John Home Robertson on 28 June 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance it has given to fish processors in recent months to help them meet the costs incurred in fulfilling their obligations under the Urban Waste Water Directive.

Since 1994 the Scottish fish processing industry and related sectors have received a total of £19.7 million, and payments continue to be made. The Executive has not received any formal applications from fish processors for financial assistance in respect of the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive. At recent meetings between industry representatives and officials, the possibility of making a fully costed bid for resources was discussed. Assistance may then be available under the new Financial Instrument for Fisheries Guidance (FIFG) which we expect to open to applications later this year.

Question reference: S1W-07265

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 30 May 2000
Current Status: Answered by Tom McCabe on 26 June 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive how many letters it has received from members of the UK Parliament who are not members of the Scottish Parliament since 1 July 1999.

The information requested in relation to how many letters received from members of the UK Parliament who are not members of the Scottish Parliament since 1 July 1999 is not available. The information we can provide is detailed below. These figures exclude the Scottish Executive Justice Department, for which this disaggregation is not available.

Number of letters received from MPs between 1 July 1999 and 31 May 2000	Number of letters received from MSPs between 1 July 1999 and 31 May 2000
2,508	6,202

Question reference: S1W-06278

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 20 April 2000
Current Status: Answered by Susan Deacon on 26 June 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive what its policy is on the sale or production of genetically modified salmon or other fish.

Scottish Executive policy on genetically modified organisms was set out during the parliamentary debate which took place on Thursday 23 March. Any application to produce or sell GM fish in this country would be required to pass the rigorous regulatory process, which we have in place, no such application has been made. Our policy and the regulatory process ensure that public health and environmental considerations are paramount.

Question reference: S1W-06757

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 11 May 2000
Current Status: Answered by John Home Robertson on 23 June 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive whether MSPs can have access to correspondence and communications between The Scottish Office and Her Majesty's Government regarding the establishment of the Scottish fisheries 'one prior to its establishment and, if so, how.

Question reference: S1W-07750

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Thursday, 08 June 2000
Current Status: Answered by Ross Finnie on 22 June 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive whether farmers in Scotland were informed about the recent importing of GM seed produced by Advanta after farmers in England and Wales.

Question reference: S1W-07448

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 31 May 2000
Current Status: Answered by Jack McConnell on 19 June 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive whether it pays for any advisers to House of Commons Committees or Her Majesty's Government from its budget.

Question reference: S1O-01962

Asked by: Richard Lochhead, MSP for North East Scotland, Scottish National Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 07 June 2000
Current Status: Answered by Henry McLeish on 15 June 2000

To ask the Scottish Executive what steps are being taken to assist Buchan and the wider economy in the North East of Scotland in the light of recent decisions such as the downgrading of RAF Buchan.

We take very seriously the need to respond positively in the face of the decision to commence a rundown of activity at RAF Buchan, which is due to take place over the next four years. We will be working closely with Scottish Enterprise Grampian and the Aberdeenshire Council in identifying measures which can respond to the rundown and in helping the local community deal with the economic impact of the decision.

Year	Fatal	Serious	Slight	Total
1995	1	2	12	15
1996	0	2	7	9
1997	1	3	10	14
1998	1	0	7	8
1999	1	2	5	8
Total	4	9	41	54