Chamber and committees

The veterinary surveillance work carried out by Scottish Agricultural College (SAC) is not carried out under contract. The work is managed through a Memorandum of Understanding, which sets out the framework and a series of descriptors, revised annually, which set out the detail of what is required.

The disease surveillance activities carried out by SAC include:

Post mortem examinations,

Clinical diagnostic samples,

Collation and analysis of surveillance data,

Investigation of new syndromes,

Wild bird surveys for avian influenza and West Nile virus and

Zoonotic disease - investigation and reporting.

The work required for each of the topics listed above is the subject of a separate descriptor.

No formal consultation was carried out by the Scottish Government as none is required to simply introduce a new piece of inspection equipment.

However, the genesis of the objective mesh gauge (Omega) goes back to the late 1990s. During initial projects to evaluate mesh measurement methodologies for fisheries inspection and research, discussions were held across Europe with fishermen and net manufacturers including with Scottish interests. During the development of the objective mesh gauge, extensive trials were carried out involving research institutes and inspection services of EU member states and several other countries, as well as netting manufacturers and fishermen. The European Federation of Rope, Twine and netting Industries (EUROCORD) also recommended the use of the Omega gauge during the production of sheet netting and urged the European Commission to adopt the Omega gauge.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-28225 on 6 November 2009. 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/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-28225 on 6 November 2009. 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/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

Where an analysis of the asset management and location requirements for a specific public body indicates the possibility of a relocation, the Scottish Government will engage with appropriate local authorities about the specific circumstances.

There are currently no plans to review the policy on asset management and relocation.

We have received a number of representations from private and public sector organisations, local authorities and MSP''s regarding potential public sector relocation opportunities.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-28227 on 10 November 2009. 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/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

In the late 1990s, a research project funded by the European Commission evaluated mesh measurement methodologies for fisheries inspection and research. In 1999, an international study group was set up by the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES) to look at similar issues. At that point in time scientists were using the so called ICES mesh gauge (which applied a longitudinal force free from human influence) while enforcers and others used the wedge shaped gauge. Both had been used in parallel since the 1960s but gave different results when used on the same netting.

The ICES gauge produced lower values on mesh opening than the wedge gauge. This was thought to have an adverse effect on the selectivity of fishing gears as the mesh sizes in commercial use were smaller in practice than those recommended by scientists. In addition, the courts in some countries had declined to prosecute in several cases where the evidence was obtained with a wedge gauge due to the lack of objectivity in this method of measurement. These factors led to an international demand for the standardisation of mesh measurement technique by fisheries inspectors, scientists and the fishing industry. Both of the earlier studies concluded that a new instrument should be developed and that everyone should use the same method of mesh measurement.

The resultant objective mesh gauge (Omega) was developed subsequently under an EU-funded research project.

It became a legal requirement for inspection services to use the Omega gauge from 1 September 2009.

In 2008, the Scottish Government announced its approach to considering the effective management of property assets and the location of public bodies. This approach puts decisions about the location of public bodies in the context of the need to seek maximum efficiency from the use of the existing public sector estate, ensuring the operational effectiveness of individual organisations and obtaining the best value for money for the overall Scottish Government.

In considering the accommodation requirements of relevant public bodies, an analysis is undertaken of the business needs of the organisation to review its business functions, how these are delivered and to what extent any of them are location dependent. That process allows identification of the most efficient options for accommodating the body in question, including consideration of location.

In the last two years, four organisations have been considered. These were the Mental Welfare Commission, Judicial Appointments Board for Scotland, the Standards Commission and the Chief Investigating Officer. This has resulted in all four organisations satisfying the requirements of the asset management policy on relocation.

The official public sector employment series is only available at Scotland level. An alternative source is the Annual Population Survey (APS), however there are some quality issues with the data. The APS is a household survey and individuals self-classify whether they work in the public or private sector. As a result, the APS over estimates the number of public sector workers because some respondents unknowingly report themselves as working in the public sector when in fact they work in the private sector according to National Accounts definitions. The latest APS data over estimates total public sector employment by around 14% and this may vary across local authorities.

The table below provides estimates from the latest APS showing how many employees respond that they work in the public sector, excluding local authority staff, in each local authority.

Public sector employment by local authority, April 2008 to March 2009, excluding staff in local government or councils (including police, fire services and local authority controlled schools or colleges):

	Number of public Sector Workers	% of Total Employment
Aberdeen City	10,500	9.9%
Aberdeenshire	7,900	7.2%
Angus	5,600	12.1%
Argyll and Bute	6,000	16.9%
Clackmannanshire	7,500	16.5%
Dumfries and Galloway	1,600	7.8%
Dundee City	5,500	14.1%
East Ayrshire	7,000	12.4%
East Dunbartonshire	9,700	16.6%
East Lothian	6,300	13.0%
East Renfrewshire	6,800	15.3%
Edinburgh, City of	5,800	14.4%
Eilean Siar	5,000	13.4%
Falkirk	28,100	12.5%
Fife	9,000	13.1%
Glasgow City	20,000	12.1%
Highland	30,800	13.3%
Inverclyde	16,300	16.9%
Midlothian	4,700	13.8%
Moray	5,500	15.4%
North Ayrshire	5,600	14.2%
North Lanarkshire	6,000	11.1%
Orkney Islands	*	*
Perth and Kinross	700	7.7%
Renfrewshire	8,300	13.9%
Scottish Borders	10,000	13.0%
Shetland Islands	*	*
South Ayrshire	6,200	13.9%
South Lanarkshire	18,500	13.4%
Stirling	4,800	12.9%
West Dunbartonshire	10,700	13.4%
West Lothian	1,600	14.8%
Scotland	289,000	12.9%

Source: Annual Population Survey, April 2008 to March 2009.

Note: *Data suppressed as estimate below reliability threshold.